Member Since: 24 Jun 2012
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 600
Split charge and Anderson connectors
Hi all,
As the title suggests I'm looking to add a second battery and a split charge system.
Are there any standard components in the car to utilise like battery cables?
Or will everything be new?
Also looking at fitting an Anderson connected front and rear for jumping cars and connecting a winch and compresser to. Are these water proof and where is the best locations for the plugs?
Will I have to waterproof the battery or is the disco not designed to be wading that deep?
Will a split charge system cater for both batteries and a caravan battery? As when I caravan I'll be off mains.
Will the caravan battery charge through my 13 pin tow socket or will I need to connect up through my rear Anderson to charge it?
Does the split charge system monitor the batteries to keep enough power to start the car?
I see the split charge and second battery as a starting point to add on future parts too.
Thanks for any feedback.Ian
No longer a LR owner
2018 BMW M240i
2011 FFRR 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Gone
2004 TD5 ES - Gone
2008 TDV6 G4 -Sold and missed very much
Depends on how much you want to spend, if your fitting all the stuff you list on your post then you need some good kit and quality wire. D3's are not good with water around the battery as some of the main ecu's are in there including the engine ecu.Plus if your water gets that high then your in trouble.
Flack
5th Aug 2012 6:09 pm
IanT599
Member Since: 24 Jun 2012
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 600
Looking at spending a half decent amount for good kit.
Been looking at the Optima batteries. Will need one on its own for my caravan when we get it for the mover and power. I think the red tops are the long use loads.
At the LR Experience we were in a FFRR up to bonnet level in water. Will the D3 not handle this? We'll be fitting a RAI at a later date.
Would like some info on the cable size, routing and the split charge systems on the market. anything to look for when looking for the Anderson connectors? Is there a universal size?Ian
No longer a LR owner
2018 BMW M240i
2011 FFRR 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Gone
2004 TD5 ES - Gone
2008 TDV6 G4 -Sold and missed very much
What you have to bear in mind with a second battery is the size, there are only a few good ones that fit in the D3 second battery bay. As for Anderson connectors 50 or 30 amp would be fine.
I have not done much off roading but there are plenty of guys on here that have and also know just how far you can wade your D3, I am sure one of them will post on the limits.
Flack
5th Aug 2012 7:34 pm
drivesafe
Member Since: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 867
Hi Ian, first off, any decent split charge isolator will tolerate a dunking during a river crossing or while hosing out the engine bay.
Next, you will need to run separate cabling for charging a battery ( or two ) in your caravan and take some advice and fit something like 6B&S twin ( 13.5mm2 x 2 ) or 16mm2 twin. This way you will charge your battery in a decent drive time but you will also future-proof your caravan incase you find you need to add another battery to meet your requirements.
Having to add another battery in a camper trailer or caravan is now becoming common place, so cover your potential future needs now and save yourself a bucket load of money later on by not having to rewire to cater for more stored power.
50 amp Anderson plugs are the smallest you should use because it is common to see as much as 60+ amps being drawn by a couple of low batteries in a caravan, when you first start your days drive after camping for a while.
Just something to consider, you can also use much bigger Anderson plugs, not for their current capacity but the bigger plugs are easier to grip when connecting and disconnecting.
As for batteries. The optima D34 Yellow Top is the best and easiest battery to fit in the auxiliary battery compartment in the engine bay.
While the Optima is one of the best batteries available with loads of advantages over other types of batteries, you pay lots more for those advantages.
When fitting a battery in a caravan, you will not gain the advantages an Optima offers so you might as well fit a standard battery for a lot less cost but it will give you the same usage as an Optima.2008 TDV8 RR Lux + 2009 D4 2.7
The Optima yellow Tops are for long current draw whilst the Red Tops are for starting power.
You had them the wrong way round!
Ivor.Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Defender 110 XS
7th Aug 2012 11:11 am
cold_n_wet
Member Since: 05 May 2009
Location: Bergen
Posts: 1509
Waterdepth is recomend to max 700mm for D3 (extended mode .
Although you may have seen water up to the bonnet while moving, the real depth would be shallower due to the "bow wave" pushing the water in front of you.
An RAI will help but they are not totally waterproof.
Saying that they are pretty good.
Check U-tube for videos of standard D3 wadding rivers if you look at the front then the water is high, but around the sides where the air intake for the engine is it is low.
I installed a yellow top in mine for the fridge, due to the charging cycles, the red as stated is a start battery.
I have 35mm2 between batteries (its what I had available) and a Albright solenoid as an isolator, a Voltage sensing relay controlls the solenoid to open at approx 13,3 volts ie when the engine is running.
There are many kits, and many ways to fit a dual battery / splitt charge system, which will work, they almost all will, what the best -- the one you fit to your car, mine is the best for my car, and another is better again,so there is no "correct answer" on this one.
Good luck with your choice.
GlenIDTOOL PRO / Faultmate programing and BAS remaping services in Norway.
Diagnostic for most Land rover vehicles
Land Rover parts and accessories.
Stockist of RLD equipment.
www.praesto4x4.no
D4 gone, missed but replaced with a 110 Puma.
7th Aug 2012 12:05 pm
IanT599
Member Since: 24 Jun 2012
Location: Wolverhampton
Posts: 600
Apologies I meant Yellow top for deep cycle.
My issue with wading is not over the depths really. I am more worried about the electrics. This is my first 4x4 and obviously they mechanically can wade far better than most vehicles.
I am worried that water and electrics teld not to mix very well.
Assuming I only wade to bumper depth I will have live 13pin towing socket submerged in water, fog light submerged and possibly both my anderson connectors submerged which are connected direct to the battery.
The RAI will take care of stopping water entering the engine but what of all the engine electrics and lights and so on?Ian
No longer a LR owner
2018 BMW M240i
2011 FFRR 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Gone
2004 TD5 ES - Gone
2008 TDV6 G4 -Sold and missed very much
7th Aug 2012 7:31 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Ian
I have waded in water just over a metre deep without issues, as long as you keep a good bow wave. havent gone any deeper so dont know what the outcome would have been - although even in 1m deep water the air intake was still dry as it sits in the trough of the bow wave
Click image to enlarge
Click image to enlarge
Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
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Last edited by DiscoDunc on 7th Aug 2012 7:49 pm. Edited 1 time in total
7th Aug 2012 7:38 pm
geoff.
Member Since: 24 Jan 2010
Location: West kent
Posts: 8531
Dunc
thats not wading thats swimming
7th Aug 2012 7:41 pm
cold_n_wet
Member Since: 05 May 2009
Location: Bergen
Posts: 1509
pictures do help cheers DuncIDTOOL PRO / Faultmate programing and BAS remaping services in Norway.
Diagnostic for most Land rover vehicles
Land Rover parts and accessories.
Stockist of RLD equipment.
www.praesto4x4.no
D4 gone, missed but replaced with a 110 Puma.
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