Hey guys. Been hunting around for a dual battery setup ever since I got the hilux and now that the silly season has passed it is time!
Ive narrowed it down to the TJM DBS Dual battery system or the Piranha DBE-180s. TJM retailing for $295 and Piranha for $400 on www.outbackproven.com.au. First off does anybody know if the Piranha can be sourced cheaper then that?
What are peoples experiences with either of these units? Good the bad the ugly please! I dont want to be disconnecting batterys every month to do a full charge, I want this system to be set and forget. Reading the various threads it seems people have mixed experiences with various solenoids and controllers, it's hard to really say that one particular unit is the best. It seems most people say that you need to have an electronic isolator, the specs of the piranha clearly state that it is an electronic isolator but there is nothing in reference to this in the specs of the TJM unit that i've seen.
Is this theory with electronic isolators correct? Im a bit fuzzy on all the logic so to speak but I thought it had something to do with never being able to get a full charge into the battery if it wasnt electronic. Can somebody please set me straight and point me in the right direction?
Almost forgot. I plan to run my lightforce lights, dvd/stereo system, waeco, fluro lights off it.
Any help would be appreciated as I really really hate cars that dont start! Had battery problems after putting my lightforces on last week, so i'd really like to make sure that is the last time I hear that dreaded tick tick trying to start the car!
Regards
Brad
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Which Dual Battery System, Piranha or TJM
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if your keen to save some money head down to your local auto electrician and tell him what you want.
had mine done for $180 with redarc solinoid and bridging switch and works perfectly.
i later fitted a couple of volt gauges so i could monitor the fridge while camping for long periods of time. those stupid LEDs on the brandname items dont give you a true indication of how much charge you really have.
ive got 3 batteries under the hood and i know exactly what their doing while im camping and when they are charged while driving.
good luck.
had mine done for $180 with redarc solinoid and bridging switch and works perfectly.
i later fitted a couple of volt gauges so i could monitor the fridge while camping for long periods of time. those stupid LEDs on the brandname items dont give you a true indication of how much charge you really have.
ive got 3 batteries under the hood and i know exactly what their doing while im camping and when they are charged while driving.
good luck.
IF IT MOVES, SHOOT IT
IF IT DOESNT, CUT IT DOWN
IF ITS GREEN, PISS ON IT
IF IT DOESNT, CUT IT DOWN
IF ITS GREEN, PISS ON IT
Even have a look at www.autron.com.au. Liitle Melbourne company that build there own system that comes with everything including a LCD gauge that shows both batteries in an analogue type display and has alarms if anything in the system fails.
My car was fried by one of the products you mentioned.
The vehicle was off and no accessories were running (for 25 mins while we recovered another vehicle).
The fire started in the dual battery management module (under the bonnet) and caused $10K damage. When you have a serious electrical fire like that a single 1Kg extinguisher is useless.
It took 6 x 1Kg dry chem extinguishers a 20ltr jerry can of water and numerous soaked towels to put the sucker out.
The insurance assessor confirmed that the fire started in the dual battery module and spread from there. He said he had seen at least 6 of the same incidents in boats with the same brand product.
The unit in my car was 6 months old and was fitted by an authorised installer.
When I contacted the manufacturer and installer they were sorry but basically didn't want to know.
I have a ARB solenoid type now (for 4 years now) without a drama.
I don't want to scare you but it is food for thought - solid state vs mechanical.
The vehicle was off and no accessories were running (for 25 mins while we recovered another vehicle).
The fire started in the dual battery management module (under the bonnet) and caused $10K damage. When you have a serious electrical fire like that a single 1Kg extinguisher is useless.
It took 6 x 1Kg dry chem extinguishers a 20ltr jerry can of water and numerous soaked towels to put the sucker out.
The insurance assessor confirmed that the fire started in the dual battery module and spread from there. He said he had seen at least 6 of the same incidents in boats with the same brand product.
The unit in my car was 6 months old and was fitted by an authorised installer.
When I contacted the manufacturer and installer they were sorry but basically didn't want to know.
I have a ARB solenoid type now (for 4 years now) without a drama.
I don't want to scare you but it is food for thought - solid state vs mechanical.
I just luv my "clacker Jabber"
without a doubt, a REDARC! buy an ARB battery tray for a good fit, some cable and a battery aswell as a redarc and do it yourself! save yah some bucks and its a good setup! ive been using mine for over 12 months not even a hicup as alot of others have done aswell! 
[color=lime][b]Im not a gyno but ill take a look at it for you![/b][/color]
do as familybus said. buy a decent second tray, get biggest cable you can find and a voltage sensing solenoid from ebay or the like. oh, and a decent battery of course. if you install the tray, battery and solenoid and run the cable you can easily work out required lengths and cut to fit. take cable to battery shop/auto elec and they will crimp on the lugs for you. can buy lugs from them or buy at a electrical wholesaler, most of the big lugs for 50mm2 and up around $5 each. simple, easy and won't burn car to the ground
Guts wrote: Can`t go straight out and say names but it has an i in it
funniest thing i've read in some time
Guts wrote: Can`t go straight out and say names but it has an i in it
funniest thing i've read in some timeSince when is stating a fact about a product failure slander or defimation. If its been proven to be the fault of the fire by the insurance assessor I really don't see the problem in protecting these assholes. I can only assume its the forum owner's rule covering his own arse which is fair enough.
The Redarc solenoids are not electronic isolators are they? From what i've read/heard these type of systems never fully charge the batterys and you need to hook them upto a battery charger once a month to return them to full charge. Any truth to this?
Been quoted $250 for the complete projecta kit from narva, couple of blokes on 4wdmonthly forum seem to have had good success with them, I think i'll give this unit a go and grab a trey from TJM.
Funnily enough ARB dont even have a battery trey for a dual cab 02 hilux. Wont be going back there to buy anything again anyway, when they realised they didnt have anything to sell me their attitude towards me changed quite significantly.
Thanks for the input guys, food for thought.
Cheers
Brad
The Redarc solenoids are not electronic isolators are they? From what i've read/heard these type of systems never fully charge the batterys and you need to hook them upto a battery charger once a month to return them to full charge. Any truth to this?
Been quoted $250 for the complete projecta kit from narva, couple of blokes on 4wdmonthly forum seem to have had good success with them, I think i'll give this unit a go and grab a trey from TJM.
Funnily enough ARB dont even have a battery trey for a dual cab 02 hilux. Wont be going back there to buy anything again anyway, when they realised they didnt have anything to sell me their attitude towards me changed quite significantly.
Thanks for the input guys, food for thought.
Cheers
Brad
i believe the redarc to be electronic. i will give you an example how i have mine setup.
I have 3 batteries in total under the bonnet with No 1 being the starter and and also providing power to the winch. No2 and 3 wired together for 12v 200amp reserve.
upon starting the vehicle the redarc directs charge to no1 first then starts charging 2 and 3. whilst driving and with the batteries fully charged the volt meter indicated that all 3 read 13.8 -14v.
upon turning off the ignition all 3 batteries draw down together. when no1 gets to 11.5v the redarc disconnects no 1 and then nos 2and3 can drain down till the 80l engel fridge/freezer no longer runs (about 8v or 4days without ever starting the vehicle).
in the event that no1 dies unexpectedly there is a link switch that is pressed on the dash bridging all 3 together to start it.
basically the redarc does the same as the simple lucus solinoid tho with a little bit more brains and accuracy.
im totally happy with this setup as i dont often stay in the same place for more than 3-4 days and when i do i run the fridge off the honda gennie.
if this is the setup your after a good auto lec will have no probs.
I have 3 batteries in total under the bonnet with No 1 being the starter and and also providing power to the winch. No2 and 3 wired together for 12v 200amp reserve.
upon starting the vehicle the redarc directs charge to no1 first then starts charging 2 and 3. whilst driving and with the batteries fully charged the volt meter indicated that all 3 read 13.8 -14v.
upon turning off the ignition all 3 batteries draw down together. when no1 gets to 11.5v the redarc disconnects no 1 and then nos 2and3 can drain down till the 80l engel fridge/freezer no longer runs (about 8v or 4days without ever starting the vehicle).
in the event that no1 dies unexpectedly there is a link switch that is pressed on the dash bridging all 3 together to start it.
basically the redarc does the same as the simple lucus solinoid tho with a little bit more brains and accuracy.
im totally happy with this setup as i dont often stay in the same place for more than 3-4 days and when i do i run the fridge off the honda gennie.
if this is the setup your after a good auto lec will have no probs.
IF IT MOVES, SHOOT IT
IF IT DOESNT, CUT IT DOWN
IF ITS GREEN, PISS ON IT
IF IT DOESNT, CUT IT DOWN
IF ITS GREEN, PISS ON IT
this is the same set up as mine except only one aux battery and on my switch on the dash i have a bling led that lights up when the aux batteries start to chargeguzzla wrote:i believe the redarc to be electronic. i will give you an example how i have mine setup.
I have 3 batteries in total under the bonnet with No 1 being the starter and and also providing power to the winch. No2 and 3 wired together for 12v 200amp reserve.
upon starting the vehicle the redarc directs charge to no1 first then starts charging 2 and 3. whilst driving and with the batteries fully charged the volt meter indicated that all 3 read 13.8 -14v.
upon turning off the ignition all 3 batteries draw down together. when no1 gets to 11.5v the redarc disconnects no 1 and then nos 2and3 can drain down till the 80l engel fridge/freezer no longer runs (about 8v or 4days without ever starting the vehicle).
in the event that no1 dies unexpectedly there is a link switch that is pressed on the dash bridging all 3 together to start it.
basically the redarc does the same as the simple lucus solinoid tho with a little bit more brains and accuracy.
im totally happy with this setup as i dont often stay in the same place for more than 3-4 days and when i do i run the fridge off the honda gennie.
if this is the setup your after a good auto lec will have no probs.
had mine for 13 months installed myself and never missed a beat
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