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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2012 18:51:26 GMT 2
I started on my dual battery system today. I'm waiting for my new alternator. The auto electrician is busy modifying and servicing a Bosch 100 amp alternator from an Opel for me. I should hopefully get it sometime this week. In the meantime, I made a bracket to hold the second battery. Its made out of 3mm steel plate, and bolted to the upper control arm mount. It may seem like overkill, but that 100ah deep cycle weighs a ton: This is what it looks like from above: With the battery fitted (sorry for the cellphone cam pics): While I was at it, I upgraded the earth cables and battery to starter/alternator cables with 4 gauge. I then mounted the dc-dc charger in the passenger foot-well: The battery is slightly taller than I would have liked, so the spare wheel rests on it, but the bonnet is still able to close. Ill post more updates as I progress
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Post by Charles on Aug 26, 2012 19:05:06 GMT 2
Just remember you need to be able to access those upper bolts to set wheel alignment.
I see you have HID lights fitted. Do you find them to be a big improvement?
Charles
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Post by Charles on Aug 26, 2012 19:07:16 GMT 2
Also can you get the oil filter off with the bracket in place?
Charles
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2012 19:19:35 GMT 2
You cant see it clearly in the picture but the oil filter is well below the battery bracket. At service time it will definitely be much easier to take the second battery out though, it gets in the way of everything.
With regards to the wheel alignment, you're right, the battery will have to come out first.
With regards to the HID's the reflectors in the Lada aren't ideal for the fitment of xenon's. So you have to do a lot of adjusting to make sure that you don't blind everyone else on the road (They work best with those small projector lenses you see on the new cars).
Let me put it this way though, when I switch the lights on now, i no longer hear "candle in the wind". The soundtrack has changed to "I've got the power"
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Post by ronnie on Aug 26, 2012 20:16:16 GMT 2
Hi Conrad.
One thing I forgot about with a 100 amp alternator is when it is pushing high amps you may find the "v" belt may give problems as high output alternators normally have grooved belts to handle the load.
Ronnie
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dimitris
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Post by dimitris on Aug 26, 2012 20:59:01 GMT 2
Hi Conrad. One thing I forgot about with a 100 amp alternator is when it is pushing high amps you may find the "v" belt may give problems as high output alternators normally have grooved belts to handle the load. Ronnie Ronnie, I think you will remember that we had an exchange of opinions about 100A alty. Now I'm almost sure that every 15 - 20.000km I need to change the water pump.
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Post by ronnie on Aug 26, 2012 21:52:51 GMT 2
Hi Dimitris
Thanks for reminding me. I assume you have to tighten the V belt tight to drive the alternator, hence the water pump is under some strain. I will have a look at the previous discussions.
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Aug 26, 2012 22:06:53 GMT 2
Hi Dimitris.
I have read your previous post and agree with your thoughts. Just fit another pulley to the crank pulley and drive the alternator with a separate belt, preferably a grooved one. Problem solved ;D
Ronnie
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dimitris
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Post by dimitris on Aug 26, 2012 22:10:55 GMT 2
Hi Dimitris. I have read your previous post and agree with your thoughts. Just fit another pulley to the crank pulley and drive the alternator with a separate belt, preferably a grooved one. Problem solved ;D Ronnie Exactly so Ronnie. When the electrical load is more than 40 -50A. I know because I changed my water pump a few days ago. ;D ;D
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Post by Charles on Aug 26, 2012 22:23:36 GMT 2
That is why most cars with high output alternators run double pulleys.
Charles
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 5:18:40 GMT 2
That's something I didn't consider.lll have to watch the waterpump closely and see how it copes,but I suspect you're correct.
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ladanivabelgium
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Post by ladanivabelgium on Aug 27, 2012 7:39:32 GMT 2
i have just one question: why on earth 2 batteries? Why not just a single Optima deep cycle?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 8:23:18 GMT 2
I'm going to run a fridge (to keep the beer cold) while camping. Because the car will be standing, you don't want to run it off the main battery, because you will flatten the battery and not be able to start your car.
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ladanivabelgium
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Post by ladanivabelgium on Aug 27, 2012 8:52:34 GMT 2
please ad a third and a fourth battery and also a backup fridge. One can't be too sure ;D
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Post by ronnie on Aug 27, 2012 9:37:47 GMT 2
I'm going to run a fridge (to keep the beer cold) while camping. Because the car will be standing, you don't want to run it off the main battery, because you will flatten the battery and not be able to start your car. Hi Conrad If you have a freezer and use it as a fridge and use the Niva every day you should have no problem starting in the morning with only one (big) battery. This is provided you have a quality compressor driven fridge / freezer. I have a friend who managed this through Botswana using it as a freezer. He had no time to fit dual batteries before setting off. Ronnie
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 13:13:24 GMT 2
Ronnie I wish I could go that route, it would save me a lot of trouble and expense.
The problem is that I bought a 220v camping fridge, not thinking that I would ever get to a campsite that doesn't have electricity. Running these fridges through an inverter uses a lot more power than a 12v fridge. Unfortunatly I don't have the money to upgrade to the likes of a national luna at the moment.
The second problem is that I won't be driving every day. I'm going to camp in the same spot for 4 days. The camp has a generator, but this only runs for a few hours each day. Because of this I can't risk trying to use just 1 battery. I will be coupling the battery to a solar panel while I'm there, and hope that this provides enough power to keep the beers cold and meat fresh.
I suspect that I will either need more batteries or a more efficient fridge to make the system completely self sustaining though.
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Post by ronnie on Aug 27, 2012 15:08:03 GMT 2
Hi Conrad
When you have money a good investment is a National Luna double door fridge / freezer. They are brilliant and can still freeze to -18 deg in a 50deg ambient. I won`t mention the price as it will make you sick. I could keep mine running with a 60 watt solar panel providing there was sun.
Ronnie
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Citfield
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Post by Citfield on Aug 27, 2012 15:23:29 GMT 2
For the price of a National Luna double door fridge / freezer i can buy a little 4x4(that needs a lot work) called a Lada Niva, has anybody heard of it. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2012 16:14:20 GMT 2
Hahahahaha, I was thinking the same thing
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Post by ronnie on Aug 27, 2012 19:32:15 GMT 2
Hi Citfield
I agree they are very expensive but they are quality and come with a 3 year warranty.
Ronnie
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Post by spikes on Aug 27, 2012 19:35:41 GMT 2
80 liter Coleman cooler with ice works for me
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Post by Charles on Aug 27, 2012 20:21:42 GMT 2
Those cooler boxes with the cooler in the lid also works great.
Charles
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Post by Charles on Aug 27, 2012 20:28:33 GMT 2
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Post by ronnie on Aug 27, 2012 20:53:43 GMT 2
Hi Charles
Those cooler boxes with the fan in the lid are powered by the peltier system and can only cool to roughly 18 deg below ambient. Once the ambient is above 30 they are useless and they consume too much power for what they do.
Ronnie
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Post by ronnie on Aug 27, 2012 20:59:44 GMT 2
Hi Charles
Just looked at the cooler in Makro and the spec saying -18 at ambient is misleading without stating 18 deg below ambient. I tried one long ago and threw it in the bin. If you want to cool something you need one driven by a compressor preferably a Danfos BD35 compressor. (Hope I have remembered the no correctly.)
Ronnie
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Post by Charles on Aug 27, 2012 21:02:43 GMT 2
Ronnie I did not know that.
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Post by ronnie on Aug 28, 2012 9:40:18 GMT 2
Hi Charles
For anyone wanting a fridge / freezer for a dual battery system have a choice of two main contenders, Engel and National Luna. National Luna and other manufacturers use the Danfoss compressor. Engel use their own compressor which is exclusive to them. This is one of the reasons why I prefer National Luna, as compressor spares are available worldwide. Their double door model can be used as 2 fridges, 2 freezers or 1 fridge and 1 freezer. Outdoor warehouse also have a good one but I can`t remember the brand. I have no experience of it but the guy I new at the National Luna factory recommended it if you could not afford theirs.
Ronnie
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2012 21:19:07 GMT 2
Today I got my 100a alternator from the auto electrician. I will only have a chance to try it this weekend, but so far it looks as if they have done a good job and it should just bolt in, as even the pulley has been matched for size. Here it is alongside the original: The model details if anyone else wants to go this route: Showing where the mountings were modified to line up correctly on the Niva:
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Post by Charles on Aug 30, 2012 21:40:49 GMT 2
Size looks good. Talked to a guy today who has 2nd battery for his fridge running through a solenoid like yours will. He has been running it like that for years with no problems.
Charles
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dimitris
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Post by dimitris on Aug 30, 2012 21:44:33 GMT 2
Hi Conrad, the alty looks very good. Is it a used? Please write the model details because I can not to see from the photo and if you know from what car is it? Also, I notice that the alternator bracket is from Niva 1600!!! cheers Dimitris
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