My second battery

[Jake]

I've been working on fitting a second battery on my Disco for a while now.
The purpose is to run my caravans interia lights and fridge for when we go on holiday (and off course whilst i'm living Monday to Friday in the caravan in Devon).
First job was to fit the 2nd Odyssey PC1500 and steam clean the engine bay

Next was to re-wire the original battery wires with the new terminal ring ends in preperation for the new battery terminal's which feature threaded poles instead of using the screw to lock down the wire.

Now to run the wires to the Allbright ignition controlled contactor


Then to fit an earth cable to the 2nd battery, finish the live wires from battery 1 and to fit a key operated isolator.
This will allow the new Anderson plug to be visable on the front of the car without it being live.

Next was to wire up the Anderson plug from the switch

Then all that was left was to fit the Anderson plug to the front bumper and make the lead with the caravan accessory plug on the end (for attaching to the front of the caravan)
This contains 2 lives and an earth.
1 live for the lights and another for the fridge.

Now i can plug the 2nd battery into the caravan, run the lights without the worry of running battery 1 down (the contactor looks after that)
The second battery charges from the alternator but when the ignition is off there is no power drain from battery one.
Simple.
 8)

[Bunnie]

yes... very simple and well done

[TDi90]

looks good, bit worried about that wire so close to the rad. melt??

[Jake]

looks good, bit worried about that wire so close to the rad. melt??

No problems so far.
That wire has been there for 2 weeks and it still looks like new.
I will shield it though, the whole wire.
I worry about stones chipping it  :roll:

[hairyasswelder]

looks good, bit worried about that wire so close to the rad. melt??

No problems so far.
That wire has been there for 2 weeks and it still looks like new.
I will shield it though, the whole wire.
I worry about stones chipping it  :roll:

Cant see a problem with melting,  

Does the solenoid allow power back to main battery when Ign. on if main battery flat ?

Steve

[Dave J]

Very nice, looking at fitting a second battery to mine to power a fridge in the boot. Hope you don't mind me asking, how did you fit the lug onto the cable? crimp or solder? and what size cable did you use? I'm thinking 4AWG.

Dave

[stageonesimmo]

I'm going down the second alternator route on mine on top of the timing cover in place of an air-con pump.  Horses for courses though - I've got the bits lying about to do it and fancy a tinker.....  Good looking job though....
8)

{Thread High-jack alert! - ON}

Jake, where did you get the bonnet pins from and do the plates on the actual bonnet match the contour of it very well?  Its just that watching my bonnet lift by easily an inch to an inch+half in the high cross winds I get on my commute has made me wary enough to invest in a set.................

{Thread High-jack alert! - OFF}

[Jake]

Does the solenoid allow power back to main battery when Ign. on if main battery flat ?

The moment the ignition comes on it joins to batterys together
If there is enough power in the main battery to operate the contactor it would allow me to start the car from the second battery

Jake, where did you get the bonnet pins from and do the plates on the actual bonnet match the contour of it very well?  Its just that watching my bonnet lift by easily an inch to an inch+half in the high cross winds I get on my commute has made me wary enough to invest in a set.

They are the Britpart ones and they sit and hold well too.
I got them from Devon 4x4.
I drive from home to Devon and back every Monday and Friday and i tend to cruise at about 10 past legal and there is no bonnet movement

They aren't expensive to  
(shameless plug of work web site)

how did you fit the lug onto the cable? crimp or solder? and what size cable did you use? I'm thinking 4AWG.

I used a tool to crimp them on to the cable then used heat shrink to finish the job.
I dont know the cable size tbh
The terminal ring ends are 10/35 size if that helps (10 being the hole size and 35 being the cable size)
 :D

[J B]

looks very well installed jake, you must know someone in the trade  :lol:

[Jason2985]

:D
That looks like a job well done.

Jay

[Littledan]

gr8 work jake!

and u should have no problem with thatw ire as u have wires all over the place in the bay so should be ok :)

dan

[stageonesimmo]

Jake, cheers for that fella, ordered some and they'll be here for the weekend........

Another quick one - did you get shot of the old bonnet lock in the center of the bonnet - I'm leaving the emergency latch on, but closing the thing with the main lock still on will be a right drama, I'm thinking anyway......

[Jake]

did you get shot of the old bonnet lock in the center of the bonnet

I removed the spring catch from the bottom of the bonnet (held on with 2 bolts) and the 2nd bonnet release catch (which lives on the underside of the bonnet too)
The cable and catch are still in place
 :D

[Wireless]

One thing nobody seems to have picked up is that he used two PC1500's, which appear to be starter batteries rather than leisure batteries.

For those that may not know the difference, a starter battery can produce high amps for starting, but is designed to operate at an almost charged state, discharging to flat can damage the plates inside the battery.

Leisure batteries aren't usually as good for starting, and may be damaged if a high amperage is drawn off, but are designed to be run down to flat.

I run a leisure battery for any extra equipment running in the car, and only use the starter battery for starting, hence I'm a little puzzled with this thread.

Since another thread has started on a second battery for a 200TDi I just had to mention my confusion.

[Jake]

Wireless and anyone else that is confused about the Odyssey product

The Odyssey battery combines in one box the characteristics of two separate batteries. It can deep cycle as well as provide enormous cranking power — it is almost as if a champion long distance runner and a world class sprinter are one and the same person.

The PC1500 is capable of providing engine cranking pulses in excess of 1500A for 5 seconds as well as 400 charge/discharge cycles to 80% depth of discharge (DOD). A typical starting. lighting and ignition (SLI) battery can do one or the other, but not both. It is either a sprinter or a long distance runner; ODYSSEY batteries will do both — provide short duration high amperage pulse or low rate long duration drains.

http://www.odysseyfactory.com/
Its like having a red and yellow Optima in one box and its has massive starting capabilties and more discharge cycles than most leisure batterys

Toughness is built into every Odyssey battery at every stage of production. Pure lead plates support absorbed electrolyte giving a 'dry', leak-free sealed unit. Designed to military specifications, the Odyssey is vibration resistant and will deliver its power in extremes of temperature from the frozen wastelands to the arid desert. The batteries are even designed to provide starting current at 70% depth of discharge

Perfect for an off road vehicle.
A lesiure battery is full of acid and these are dry.
If you take your vehicle off road (and i do) i feel better knowing that my battery is designed tough and up to the job.
 8)

[Wireless]

If they give a three year guarantee then it's worth a punt, although I'm unlikely to need a new battery for at least three years.

All my batteries are sealed, and I can't see how they can fail unless I get accident damage.

Unless there is a need to discharge a sealed starter battery, or the price of an Odyssey PC1500 is similar, I can't see the need to buy one for that application.

However, being able to use a sealed leisure battery to start a vehicle does seem a good idea, maybe I'd have to consider a PC1500 as a replacement in the future.

What do these Odyssey's retail for?

[Jake]

What do these Odyssey's retail for?

£164.90 from Devon 4x4
http://www.devon4x4.com/shop.php?mode=productview&product=312
 :D

[Wireless]

What do these Odyssey's retail for?

£164.90 from Devon 4x4
http://www.devon4x4.com/shop.php?mode=productview&product=312
 :D

Flip me!  I don't think I'll be bothering then, I'd never get that sort of price for a vehicle battery past the wife, never mind buying two of the flippers.

You'd have to have a fixed grin on your face after parting with that sort of money, either that or tears.

 :shock: