Please check my wiring?

[bishbashbosh]

Can we please have a look at my wiring for my dual battery system before i go any further?

PHOTO 1:
POS CABLE - I have the positive cable attached to the positive starter battery running to the copper head of the 40amp auto reset CB - Then continues from the silver head of the 40amp auto reset CB through to the back of the cargo area.

NEG CABLE - I have the negative cable attached to the negative end of the starter battery running all the way through to the cargo area which will connect directly to the negative end of my aux battery.

51951


PHOTO 2:
POS CABLE - From the starter battery to the +IN of the ctek.

51952


PHOTO 3:
POS CABLE - Attached to the -OUT of the ctek and running to the copper head of the 40amp auto reset CB - Then continues from the silver head of the 40amp auto reset CB through to the positive end of the aux battery as seen in PHOTO 4.

51953


PHOTO 4:
POS CABLE - Runs from the silver head of the 40amp auto reset CB to the positive end of the aux battery.

NEG CABLE - from the starter battery with no break runs directly to the negative end of the aux battery.

51954


PHOTO 5:
POS CABLE - Positive cable from my baintech power panel runs to the positive end of my aux battery.

NEG CABLE - Negative cable from my baintech power panel runs to the negative end of my aux battery.

51955


* From this point i can plug in my consumables such as fridge and iPod to run from the baintech power panel.

AM I ON THE RIGHT PATH??

[lucus30]

Looks on track to me. I've done the same but used a redarc isolator up the front. I don't know much about the cteks however

[macca]

Looks safe to power up the way you are doing it, enjoy your work.

[threedogs]

could you have ran a short earth strap from the battery to the body
and something the same at the other end saves running earth the full distance,

[bishbashbosh]

i've ran that cable all the way now so it's all in there.. was advised to use this method as the starter battery is earthed.

super chuffed that i've managed to do this myself.. saved a few bucks and learnt something along the away..

[megatexture]

Are you forgetting the neg on the ctek? Or I've missed something, I'd run the neg to the ctek as the common between both batteries

[bishbashbosh]

@MEGA - Bugger i aint thought about that bit..

should i run a small neg cable back my from AUX to the NEG point on the ctek?

[the evil twin]

Are you forgetting the neg on the ctek? Or I've missed something, I'd run the neg to the ctek as the common between both batteries

What Mega said X 2

Your CTEK won't work unless the -ve is connected to a common point IE Chassis Earth and or Battery -Ve terminal

[bishbashbosh]

the starter is earthed already from the negative as i aint played with it - so i'll simply run the negative cable from the starter to the negative point on the ctek and run the negative cable from the aux to the negative point on the ctek.

that's correct yes?

[Nightjar]

Question:
If your starting battery fails/goes flat will your auxiliary battery wiring handle a start?

[megatexture]

i would make the neg wire that you run to the cranker bat-ctek-aux bat the same gauge as the pos you run to the ctek parallel to it.

[bishbashbosh]

@mega - my cables are all 8AWG

[megatexture]

@MEGA - Bugger i aint thought about that bit..

should i run a small neg cable back my from AUX to the NEG point on the ctek?

I thought you were referring to a smaller wire than the one you used for the positive but I would be linking both negative terminals via the ctek not just the aux

[the evil twin]

Question:
If your starting battery fails/goes flat will your auxiliary battery wiring handle a start?

No, because that isn't the purpose of a DT250S
They are a low current device
If you want to be able to start off the Aux you need a Smart Pass as well as the DT250S

Alternatively you not utilise the CTEK gear and fit a VSR instead.
Redarc, Intervolt and many other manuf version of VSR will be suitable.

[the evil twin]

I thought you were referring to a smaller wire than the one you used for the positive but I would be linking both negative terminals via the ctek not just the aux

He has already wired the Cranker and Aux terminals directly to each other so no need to do that.
It only needs a wire from Aux -ve to DT250S -ve as per the manuf installation instructions.

[megatexture]

He has already wired the Cranker and Aux terminals directly to each other so no need to do that.
It only needs a wire from Aux -ve to DT250S -ve as per the manuf installation instructions.

Yep just looked at first post again, and that would be the easiest fix providing there isn't much voltage drop to delaying the inbuilt vsr charging the aux (13.2v cut in)

How's a smartpass meant to help with a jump start?, they boost the output of the d250dual from 20a max to 80a max for larger battery banks up to 800ah but with a dead cranker will be useless?.

[the evil twin]

Yep just looked at first post again, and that would be the easiest fix providing there isn't much voltage drop to delaying the inbuilt vsr charging the aux (13.2v cut in)

How's a smartpass meant to help with a jump start?, they boost the output of the d250dual from 20a max to 80a max for larger battery banks up to 800ah but with a dead cranker will be useless?.

Hiya Mega,

Apologies for my poor explanation earlier, as you mention it doesn't read quite right due to lack of info.

DT250S
The -ve terminal on the DT250S is essentially a sense terminal (like the sense wire for an Alt) and no high current flows in that circuit so minimal voltge drop and quite light gauge wiring can be used.
The manuf specs for the wiring to the -ve terminal are for 20 Gauge or thereabouts IIRC.
The high current and therefore the 10 B&S requirement is Alt to DT250S to Aux +ve to earth (using aux and cranker -ve in the OP's case).

Smartpass
These are used for large battery banks as you correctly mention and/or "back" charging the Cranker and/or reducing charging time of the Batteries.
The Smart Pass requires much heavier cable, either 2 or 4 B&S, which will handle the current for a parallel start.
I didn't mention they won't just do it out of the box (my bad) what I should have said is that the wiring will.
But... if you are using 2 or 4 B&S then why not save a heap of bucks and use a VSR which will parallel batteries at the flick of a switch.

My personal opinion is that unless there is exotic battery technology involved IE if it is normal lead acid batteries in the vehicle then the best option in a 4WD is a high current VSR (Redarc, Projecta, Intervolt etc) with 2 or 4 B&S rather than a DC DC converter.
Cheaper to do and works fine in 4WD applications.
You can charge/jump/winch etc to your hearts content and charge more quickly albeit not to as high a SOC than a DC DC jobbie will.
DC DC converters (DT250S etc) are great for Calcium/Lith Iron batteries or Battery banks in Vans, Boats etc which have long cable runs and multiple plugs susceptible to voltage drop issues.

Totally my opinion and both solutions have different advantages or disadvantages

[bishbashbosh]

I got power!

I'm thinking all is right.. Thanks for all the advice! It is such a great feeling - I've never done anything like this before!

Saved money on getting someone else to do it that I can now invest in something else for the patrol..

51968

51969

[GQBIGRIG]

Looks good mate. Couldn't put your second battery in the engine bay?

[bishbashbosh]

i did not have the space due to dual fuel - quiet happy though with it in the cargo area now..

PS - plenty of room to put a bigger battery or third in the rear of my draw system too..