Largest Capacity Auxiliary Battery in stock location

[purplepeopleeater]

Anyone use this 95amp isolator?

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/OSS0/08770.oap?keyword=isolator&pt=N0356&ppt=C0061

they have a 120amp too.

[westyventures]

[purplepeopleeater]

[westyventures]

[purplepeopleeater]

[syncrodoka]

I thought that they automatically link the batteries for starting if the main battery was low?

[westyventures]

By combines both ways I meant that when either battery sees a charge it will combine to the other. For instance, the alternator charges both in one direction - now, put an external battery charger on the aux. battery, and the 1315 will then charge both. The 1314 wouldn't do this.

They both do have a switchable combine terminal so that you can add a dash switch and start with the aux. battery if the other is dead. I've used mine a couple times!

[purplepeopleeater]

Karl, Have you put together any "how to's" again on the UB12220 battery setup? with a shopping list?

slurp slurp, I need more juice in my westy.

[westyventures]

[markz2004]

I went with the UB12220 4 battery set-up like discribed above.

Just as a word of note, one of them died and is being replaced by the distributor. I bought it about a year ago. Although disappointed with the battery death, the distributor has been good at the replacement aspect.

So if your battery bank is not holding a charge, separate them, charge them up (or try to), and do a voltage test over several days to flush out the bad one.
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87 Westy, 250k GW 2.4 - 2.0 , 16" wheels

[insyncro]

[bikesarebetter]

I did the 4x UB12220 battery trick on my westy. I used a yandina battery combiner to charge from the alternator. It worked amazing for about a year. They would run my truck fridge for a day and a half. I had ICE! Unfortunately, I wasn't very careful and drained them down to zero. Maybe a dozen times. Then I left them to freeze through a MN winter. They are toast. Ive tried to find a bad cell, but they all seem to be about the same.

Does anyone have low battery voltage protection relay for the load? Its pretty much the same problem as charging. A battery isolator/combiner that switched at 10 volts would do the trick. Could use a relay, but they consume power...

Any thoughts on how to save my next set of batteries? Be more careful?

[tencentlife]

What you need is called a load controller, or a voltage-sensitive relay. I can't point you to a standalone one, shouldn't be too hard to find though. Another choice is to get a solar charge controller with a load-controller built-in, if you ever plan on adding a PV panel this would definitely be the way to go since it integrates these functions, only needs one battery connection, etc. Morningstar, Solar Controllers, many others make these and they are easy to find thru solar dealers, not very expensive generally. These usually have a 10A load capacity, if your fridge and other loads exceed that much total current you can just use the load controller to control a separate relay instead that can handle whatever current you need.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[presslab]

[tencentlife]

Just to fill in the picture for planning purposes a normal DIN 30A relay's coil pulls about 130mA. If it is being triggered by a load controller then when loads are disconnected at low battery V the relay load goes away as well, so no draw at all.
_________________
Shop for unique Vanagon accessories at the Vanistan shop:
https://intrepidoverland.com/vanistan/

Please don't PM here, I will not reply.

Experience is kryptonite to doctrine.

[Rodknock]

My three UB's finally bit the dust after about 4 years. I am throwing in the towel on these AGM type batteries. They are expensive, need very specific charging especially after being run down, you have to trickle charge them all the time when your van is parked for more than a week, and in the end they don't last long. So after going through the Odyssey and the UB's I am going back to a flooded lead acid deep cycle marine battery group 24. I took out my rear heater and installed the battery under the rear bench. I was able to fit it lengthwise front to back right next to the propex heater, so I have as much room as before. Put it in a battery box too. This puts the weight more in the center of the van rather than on the kitchen side that is too heavy to begin with, and it is really easy to get at the battery as needed. The space behind/under the driver's seat is perfect for tools and parts, I never did like having the batteries crammed in there. For a little over $80 (and more hours than I really wanted to spend) I am back in camping mode. Sometimes the simple and less expensive way is best.

[Viva.Sabata]

[westyzimsgym]

does anyone know if you can use a solar panel with a controller to keep the 3-4 battery setup charged. i was reading earlier and people were worried about the wheelchair batteries and different charging or something along those lines. thanks for the help.

[purplepeopleeater]

I have 100 watt panel with controller correctly setup for agm battery also have a smart charger that I will plug in from time to time.

going on 4 years old now, working great.

I have truck fridge and propex