Member Since: 11 Mar 2012
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 205
@ Bruce, I agree with you completely and if I didnt already have a CTEK D250S lying around (Used it in my camping trailer) I would have gone the NL solenoid route.
I have attempted to contact Tino on several accounts from fitting spare wheel carrier, to bullbar to winch and just no response from him. Gave up - maybe others have better luckDisco 4 SDV6 HSE with Compomotives, BFG 265/65R18s, BigCountry drawer system, Melvill & Moon covers, NL 52L fridge, FR Spare Wheel Carrier, FR Roof Rack, Tenco RTT, FR 50" LED Bar, dual spots, Lift Rods, Mantec Snorkel, C-TEK Dual batt system, 270 Ostrichwing, Maxtrax, Icom ID-5100, Icom ID-51 as secondary, IIDtool BT
Follow my adventures on Instagram @XpeditionAfrica
14th Oct 2015 2:01 pm
BruceT
Member Since: 22 Oct 2013
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 100
Jetlag do you have the correct number? 082 893 1736
I called him once, left a message and he replied to me within a few hours.
PS what bullbar did you fit? Pics?
14th Oct 2015 2:19 pm
Jetlag
Member Since: 11 Mar 2012
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 205
yeah I used the number on his website and I emailed him.
Haven't fitted a bullbar yet, not a big fan of the ARB one (It looks too much like a Toyota) but might consider fitting the ARB - only the bottom section like the photo below (Yes I know its a D2)
Click image to enlarge
And then cutting the Nudge Bar to fit on top. Welding it on and then powder-coating the entire thing
Main reason for going ARB is because it is Airbag compliant and LR approved.Disco 4 SDV6 HSE with Compomotives, BFG 265/65R18s, BigCountry drawer system, Melvill & Moon covers, NL 52L fridge, FR Spare Wheel Carrier, FR Roof Rack, Tenco RTT, FR 50" LED Bar, dual spots, Lift Rods, Mantec Snorkel, C-TEK Dual batt system, 270 Ostrichwing, Maxtrax, Icom ID-5100, Icom ID-51 as secondary, IIDtool BT
Follow my adventures on Instagram @XpeditionAfrica
Thanks guys, but being in the Cape, Timo is not going to be much help to me.
To be honest, all I am looking for at this stage is a BH plug to plug in my air compressor. I'm sure the local auto elec can put a BH plug in the engine bay for me for now.
14th Oct 2015 2:46 pm
BruceT
Member Since: 22 Oct 2013
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 100
Sorry OP off topic but:
Im was thinking of one of these...
But I do like this look also which I think I will rather do, but add the light guards:
14th Oct 2015 2:47 pm
BruceT
Member Since: 22 Oct 2013
Location: Johannesburg
Posts: 100
Naks its so easy to make. I can even make you one up and send it to you if you like.
Also Tino can fit it for you if you buy the one in JHB.
The drive back via Tankwa or NC would be fun!
14th Oct 2015 2:50 pm
eddyoz
Member Since: 01 Oct 2013
Location: Mandurah.WA
Posts: 66
Well worth considering the Traxide DBS.Second battery can be installed in front of starter battery or brake master cylinder.Wiring is customised to fit D3 & D4,excellent instructions.
Contact Tim member name Drivesafe.
Thanks Eddy, but I'd rather have a local product in case there are issues.
16th Oct 2015 7:28 am
eddyoz
Member Since: 01 Oct 2013
Location: Mandurah.WA
Posts: 66
Understand the caution,Traxide is a well proven product in Land Rovers.Tim's service is second to none!
16th Oct 2015 10:49 am
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Thanks for the thumbs up Eddy.
Hi Naks, we supply a worldwide warranty for our gear, but no matter what type of dual battery system you are concidering, DC/DC devices are a total waste of time and money in Land Rovers.
Hi Jetlag, and even though you already had the Ctek, you would do your auxiliary battery a big favour by charging it directly from the alternator, even when the battery is located in the rear cargo area.
As for charging the auxiliary battery when it’s under the bonnet. If like most people with D3s and D4s, the auxiliary battery is an Optima D34, then if the battery is low, it will take the Ctek at least 2.5 hour to fully charge it.
If you charge the same low battery straight off the alternator, you will will reach a 90% charge in less than 60 minutes and fully charge the battery in under 90 minutes.
Because of the good operating voltage and high current available in D3s and D4s, these DC/DC devices just don’t make sense in a Land Rover.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
Hi Drivesafe, not to contradict you, I saw this on our local auto-elec's website. These guys have a very good reputation and do not come cheap.
I would appreciate your input?
Quote:
Many 4x4 owners mistakenly think that high alternator amperage is the trick to keeping your auxiliary batteries fully charged - not so, I’m afraid - especially when your battery is flat.
That’s the reason I designed my battery box to charge the battery to 100% capacity after driving a few hours or standing with solar panels.
The Mette’s designed battery box is equipped with:
D2505 CTEK – DC/DC Battery charger / battery splitter / solar charging
600W inverter from 12V to 220V
Batteries monitor
2 x Auxiliary power outlet
1 x USB Port
2 x Hella auxiliary outlet
2 x Anderson plugs
If a second battery is required it can be connected to the unit when pulling a trailer and the battery is in the trailer.
19th Oct 2015 10:38 am
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi Naks and this is the typical type of advertising we get over here.
The problem is that none of these sellers of DC/DC devices can put up a graph that shows the comparison of charging a battery with an alternator and charging the same battery with a DC/DC device.
They don’t publish such graphs as it would instantly educate the average person as to which system is better, and that is the alternator.
But, to help answer your question in a roundabout way, here is a testimonial I received from one of my customers.
You be the judge!
___________________________________________________________________________________
This is an E-mail I received late last year and demonstrates the need to get RELIABLE info for equipping a vehicle with a DBS that actually works and not rely on what so called experts in this field claim.
These guys fitted their own DBS and had no problems yet the fifth guy got his DBS “professionally” installed, and look at the results.
Note, the D2 has a constant voltage alternator, the D3 has a variable operating voltages, and the D4s have Regenerative Braking Voltage operation.
This covers just about every type of alternator operation.
Sorry for the long email – in the second half of the email my mate with a 200 series wants to know if you can help him
It seems like only yesterday that we installed your dual battery kits in 4 vehicles (D3, 2 x D4, D2) ready for a big trip. We’ve been back a while so I just wanted to give you an update on how the battery kits went.
In short, they were brilliant. We installed all 4 kits you sent us in one day. Aside from the fiddly process of removing trim pieces and working in the tight confines of a Land Rover engine bay the installation was straightforward with your instructions.#
Throughout the trip the kits never missed a beat – and others on the trip had lots of electrical issues.
On a few occasions the battery guard did it’s job cutting out the fridges, but this was usually when we were camped in one spot for a few day (very little or no driving) in very hot weather (making the fridges run almost non-stop). It took surprisingly little driving to provide a good bulk charge back into the batteries.
We travelled the Tanami Track, Gibb River Rd, Kalumburu Rd, Mitchell Falls NP Road and the Great Central Road and nothing rattled loose or played up in any way.
Our friends in a 200 series Land Cruiser, on the other hand, did not fare so well when it came to electrics. Following local advice he had a Ctek DC-DC charger installed professionally by a very large and well known auto electrician here in Newcastle. They also installed an auxiliary circuit for his fridges and accessories etc connected to the aux battery.
In short the system never worked properly. Initially the DC-DC was installed in a very hot part of the engine bay making it cut out once the engine warmed up. We repositioned it behind his grill but even then he only got a useful charge on big driving days. On days were we did short trips around camp he was always having problems with a flat aux battery (including the extra aux battery on the trailer). To further add to his woes the auto elec did NOT install any form of low voltage protection on the circuit for his fridges and accessories. He ran his batteries far too low a few times and it didn’t take long for the aux in the engine bay and the aux on the trailer to both die completely.
He couldn’t believe how well our systems worked. So he was wanting to find out a little more:
Feel free to use my feedback as a testimonial if you wish.
So I went to see the auto-elec this morning because the contradictory opinions are bothering me sleepless.
The chap was adamant that a solenoid-type arrangement is not effective since according to him 'an alternator doesn't want to see a flat battery, it wants to see a full battery.'
Now, that sounds a bit like quackery to me, but this guy owns a couple of Defenders and does a lot of camping, and has designed a custom battery box to suit those who camp for 2-3 days stationary. His battery box includes a Ctek charger, inverter, solar input, etc.
So now I'm even more confused... --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
“according to him 'an alternator doesn't want to see a flat battery, it wants to see a full battery.”
Hi Naks and this one sentence shows that your auto electrician should be painting fences, not working on automotive electrical systems.
He has absolutely no idea what he is talking about.
Vehicles with advanced BMS ( Battery Monitoring Systems ) can monitor the cranking battery and that is the ONLY battery they are designed to monitor.
An alternator, any alternator, can NOT monitor any battery, including the cranking battery.
Alternators are a “Supply-On-Demand” device and when a load is applied to an alternator, in conjunction with the alternator’s voltage regulator, the alternator increases it’s current production, to meet that demand.
The load demand could come from a low battery drawing current as it charges, it could come from your sound system when you turn up the volume, it could come from your driving lights when you switch to high beam.
The point is, an alternator has no way of knowing where the demand is coming from, it just supplies the appropriate additional current needed to meet that demand.
This is basic alternator operations 101, and your auto electrician should know this as a part of his trade, but he obviously doesn’t.
OR!!!!
He is more intent on trying to sell you something you don’t need so he is trying to make you think that you do need it by spinning porkies!2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
Yep, when he said that alarm bells also went off on my side...--
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged
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