Dual Battery Systems.

[doofer]

This may or may not have been covered but if it has, can you please send me the link to the thread. Cheers

Been looking around for systems and their are that many and ranging in prices, it now comes down to REDARC, TJM, PIRANHA.

Duel system will be used for mainly fridge, light, charging miscellaneous accessories and the not so often inverter charge - laptop.
Currently have a good starting battery (CCA) and an upgraded 120amp alternator. Auxiliary will be Optima blue top.

So what have/are people running in their car and how you rate it?

Please don't turn this into a big debate but rather a straight short answer.

Cheers

[GUtripper]

For seven years with the GU I ran a Piranha DBE 180. It controlled 2xd31 optima yellow tops.
I had no issues with the unit at all in this time.
The GU had a 100a alternator, and the second battery had often heavy current draw over long period, running a host of accessories plus a 110l Waeco often in temps over 40 degrees.

I've no experience with the other units, but would happily recommend the Piranha one.

[doofer]

Cheers. Yeah I was looking into the piranha 180 but I also like the red arc 1240 mmt. One thing I'm confused about is that the amps. One has180 amp and the other is 40. Do you know much about this? Does it really matter when both units will be used for the same application?

[GUtripper]

At a guess its the amount of amps that it will allow to flow through it.
Just a guess.

[gadZOOKs]

I have a dual battery isolator, lookinh to wire it in shortly. does anybody run a dash switch instead of just hardwiring it to an accessory circuit?

[GUtripper]

I couldnt see an issue, other than if you stop the engine and forget to turn the switch off you could flatten the starter battery.

[gadZOOKs]

Yeah I'm sure i had mine switched through the accessories so that once the car was off they were separated anyway. but i wasn't certain it was a good thing to do. thanks mate

[Lepa]

i run the abr - sidewinder units. have had no problems apart from the terminals coming loose (nut i'll blame that on a bouncey old y60!).