Dual battery system

[statok]

hey fellas.

I am going camping over the xmas holidays and i was thinking of installing a dual battery system into my GU so i can run my engel that santa is bringing me this year and to run some LED lighting etc.

My question is. Is there another way to do it incase i want to take the engel out of my patrol and leave it with my wife and friends for when i go 4x4 during the day?

I have been told about a"Absorb glass mat battery"?????

Anyone heard of that?

And info would be much appreciated as i really want to get into camping and not at caravan parks on powered sites...

Cheers

[Drewboyaus]

First up, if you're going to head out for a wheel by yourself while away, I would recommend against that. Especially if inexperienced. It is an easy way to find yourself in big strife as track conditions can change very quickly......always have more than one car until you have plenty of experience and even then......
On the subject of a dual battery setup, there are many ways this cat can be skinned.
What will you be doing with it?
Do you want solar backup?
How many appliances?
How long do you expect to be in the one spot?
These are all things you need to decide.
Initially, for what you want to do, you could buy a portable battery box to pull out and hook up to the fridge if you want to do that.
I would still put a second battery in the vehicle and possibly run the battery box as a third for your stated task.

[threedogs]

Always 4x4 with 2 that way you have someone to back up all the stories lol
As Drew said plenty of option available I run a Redarc system Aust made simple to use
and affordable, battery wise you'll need a cradle for your new 100 ah sealed battery [less mess]
I run a Trojan 115am , or you could just use a battery pack until you have time to shop


Only run engel when motor is on they can drain a start battery pretty quick'
I wouldn't recommend it but some do, ok as long as travelling I would think

[statok]

There will be another car with me. My mates just got to pull hes finger out and buy one.

[statok]

I will be using it when i go camping. The trip i am talking about is to a 4x4 park in qld. I want to run my engel to keep the food cold during the day and then chuck some stale ales in it early arvo so they are nice for after dinner.

Also at the time of travelling my daughter will be 8 months old and we need to sterilize water and clean bottles and that involves boiling a kettel. Im also thinking about buying a inverter.

Sorry if this sounds stuoid but im new to all this fellas.

cheers

[threedogs]

You could do as I do and take a good quality ice box mine is 85 ltre baileys ice box, holds 90 cans and ice.
This is for 4 blokes, ice lasts 4-5 days normally
I leave the 40ltr Engel for food only,,, less opening so less power used, get wine bladders of water to fill all voids in the engel
Try and keep the whole area cold. only put cold gear in it.
Stubbies will cool quickly in ice, Pack carefully as top layer is known to wear its way through the lower layer, use lino

[statok]

Threedogs.

Ill pm you mate so u can give me more info

[Cuppa]

Also at the time of travelling my daughter will be 8 months old and we need to sterilize water and clean bottles and that involves boiling a kettel. Im also thinking about buying a inverter.

Forget boiling a kettle using an inverter unless you have a very substantial (read large capacity, heavy & expensive) battery bank (& the means to recharge it). You would be looking at a couple of grand at minimum for a sustainable system just to boil the kettle a few times a day. Yes you could just buy a large capacity inverter & comect it up to a 100Ah battery, but the battery would be wrecked very quickly. A billy or a kettle on a gas stove is the go.

[threedogs]

@ cuppa he just needs a basic dual battery set up for his Engel and some led camp lights,
He will be camping with a mate, I wouldn't think they need solar back up ATS.
Don't even know what Patrol he has as the Petrols are a PITB to fit a 2nd battery
As for boiling a billy you can't go past those $15 cartridge stove by Gasmate, get about 1hr easy to a cannister

[statok]

Threedogs. I have 98 GU 2.8 diesel. I am thinking dual bettery system instead of a battery in a ark box