Super valuable videos which even my low-tech family understands and appreciates. /cheer Myself, I'm (re)building a 12v system for my RV that's copacetic with car camping, and this trio of videos is superb. Thank you! PS, I appreciate your ability to explain tech in plain English, and your analogies/examples are immensely valuable!
I've been doing this for a long time and your videos are the simplest explanations I have ever seen or heard. You don't skimp on the details though. They will now be my 'go-to' s when trying to explain it to others. Great work!
Seriously you guys are absolute legends . For someone like me who is just getting into and setting up our off grid systems, these videos have been awesome. Definitely buying all my stuff from you to show my appreciation and support. Cheers!
I truly appreciate this little mini series! This delved quite a bit deeper into all of these little steps that I was not sure about, and answered some of the questions that have been plaguing my mind. I'm all set up! (For the moment😜
Living a mobile lifestyle, I need to learn these techniques to be more self sufficient. Kudos to this very useful website, excellent presentation, and you have a new subscriber 😊
Well done, Cahn. You’ve addressed a few things from the previous two videos, and finished the series with a lot of good information. Very good and simple explanation of PWM vs MPPT with respect to pv specs, wiring two batteries in parallel, inverter use, and solar requirements, plus other tips and tricks. Good work.
Thanks Michael! As I've said before, this was a basic video so I couldn't get too technical with all the tiny details... as much as I wanted to haha... But I reckon it's come out as a good balance in the end! Thanks for the positive feedback it's much appreciated! Cheers, Cahn
Hi. I have a 110w fixed and a pwm regulator. Can I leave it plugged into the battery full time when not using car? I'm worried I'll overcharge and damage my battery as it sits in the sun during the week. Cheers
Charles Cropp Provided you have a solar regulator between the solar panel and the battery, it should regulate the charge so as not to overcharge the battery, regardless if the panel is in the sun all the time. What you must never do is connect a solar panel directly to a battery - big no no.
Hey mate, Love these videos, all parts, I am in a situation where I have a duel battery set up, with a third battery in a battery box, for my 12 V plug ins But my fridge still struggles, kings 45L coming up with E1, from my understanding, lack of power but battery box isn’t connected in with the rest, but other than that my duel battery system does have solar too. I only can/do charge my car or my battery box at one time I do have a Anderson plug from my fuel battery to plug into an inverter (I only have 600W)
Hi there, In this case we would recommend changing to a low voltage cut off setting, you can find the information on how to do this to your fridge in the manual. If this doesn't work we would also recommend changing to a shorter cable. Regards, Courtney
Very good presentation and accurate. To make it even more perfect I would add a battery monitor which will tell % of battery capacity, Amps in and out. I built a similar system set up on my 4WD Slide-on with all the bells and whistles. Totally independent from the grid. Aircon powered by 2000w generator. Love it! Well Done presenter.
Sorry - late to this party. Fantastic instructional video. Quick beginner question. What wire gauge do you recommend for the home run between the two batteries?
Mate these videos are so informative, thank you so much. The one question I have left is how do you recommend you should wire the AC charger (shore power or generator) to your system and do you need to disconnect the DCDC charger when you are topping your batteries up from a 240v supply? Lastly, is it OK to run your fridge and other appliances while being charged from that AC source if you are using a smart charger? OK, so that was 3 questions. Thanks again, you are a valuable asset to Kings and everyone who camps off-grid.
Hello. There is one very important technical details about deep cycle batteries you forgot to mention: Capacity vs discharge rate. Each battery will have its own spec but essentially, as the battery discharge rate increases, the stated battery capacity on the specification sheet will reduce. Also,same with its lifespan (number of cycles)
G'day John, I went into this a little in pt2... but you're right... I stopped short of getting into Peukert's Law! Most deep cycle batteries in Australia are marketed and compared with their C20 rating, so when I'm talking about 100Amp Hour or 120AH batteries that's what I'm using. You're right though - if you decrease the discharge rate, you increase the capacity. And vice versa, so increase the load and you'll reduce capacity. A battery with a C20 rating of 100AH means a constant 5Amp discharge. Up that to a 10Amp discharge and your battery is now technically only a C20 rating of about 97AH. Now to get even more technical that's for an AGM battery with a Peukert's number of 1.05 - the closer to 1 the better. If you had a flooded battery with a 1.6 (different internal resistance and recovery rate) you'd have much less usable capacity again... Capacity is an interesting topic though - because as a battery increases in temperature its capacity increases too - up to about 120% in ~50°C. But for a sealed lead acid that extra capacity comes at a cost - ideally you want a sealed lead acid at around 25°C and every 8°C above that halves its life. so at 50°C a battery with a 12 year design life would in theory survive a little under 1.5 years. Thanks for the comment, and hopefully if there's anyone else interested in Peukert and what affects battery capacity this will give them somewhere to start. Cheers, Cahn
Hi Great video, very informative, allot of information to digest. just wondering can anyone please tell me, is it possible to run a 40A DC to DC charger with a 120ah battery.
Great series! Ok so now that many have the power packs like Jackery or in my case the ecoflow D2 LiPo with an additional battery pack, can you make a series on what would be the most economical recharge setup? 1) if you have no solar panels 2) if you have a solar panel 3) using an inverter to charge while motoring? - thanks
Absolutely loved this video series from you guys, very informative for folks like me just getting into the dual (or more) battery set ups. So for that, thank you!! Any chance you guys will ever do shipping to the US? Seems we are quite far behind you Aussies in terms of easy dual battery set up products such as what Kings offers amongst many others I've found from Australia and it's killing me lol.
3 great videos, filled in some of the gaps in my knowledge. Expecially dc dc chargers, huge difference in my planned set up. Question, the under hood battery will not last as long as the two inside SUV. Know all grouped batteries should be the same. Does the dc charger change that for the under hood battery? Seeing as power is regulated im guessing I can buy a different typewhen replacing it. Not to mention age. Thanks
Just starting off, looking into a suitable power system, for an off grid situation with Solar Panels. This is a great video, thanks. 1. I noted that you are able to connect 2 x batteries in parallel. Do you connect the second battery (in parallel), to the screw on + & - terminals, on the exterior of the box? Also on this point, are you able to connect more than just 1 other battery (in parallel), into this system. I gather, that any other batteries, would be better in at least, another container/storage compartment (in a caravan), but linked to the battery box. 2. I also noted that you can add another/additional Solar Panels, to the Battery Box. As that it does have 2 Andersons plugs built into it, is that what the second one is for? The Solar Panel that I currently have, has its own Charge Controller built into it. Can that be bypassed & into the other one that you were referring to, in this video? Cheers.
Heh Cahn I love yr work man,I want to join the inverter and power board to battery box,using those great fuses any chance to show the deal.Just brought power board inverter and battery box.
Awesome video, makes it so easy to understand, thanks, just to recap... i can run an aux battery through the alternator and hook up a solar panel set up with MPPT the same time using a 130ah battery ?
Hi there, This is fine - you could technically use 2x DCDCs or 2x MPPTs or a combination of both We ran this setup on our work dmax and had the premium MPPT connected to constant permanent panels while the DCDC solar input was left unconnected, ready for portable panels when you pull up at camp! Regards, Courtney
Great video overall. I really need to nail down wire sizes for my build. I've got most everything figured out except the main cables from front of the truck to the dual battery in the back. You mention heavy duty cables but what size should be used? Thanks,
G'day Trevor, A few other people have asked similar things so, I'll try and put something together - how in depth would you want it to be? Would you want to see me actually run all the wiring again, or is it enough to point out where I've run it and why? Cos I reckon I could just do a bit of a walk-through without a full install if that'd help? Cheers, Cahn
@@4wdsupacentreAu thanks for the reply. just the wiring from the solar panels and inside the box set up to battery. i want to make sure i connect all this properly inside the box. thanks again and keep up the great work
The panel (eg at 9:46) shows Anderson Plugs, V meter, 4 x 12v cig plugs, junction box and charger, but what are the 5 switch-looking things (ie what do they do)?
Hey mate, They’re pre wired with power in and a fuse so you can connect your own accessories to them! We’ve connected them to camp lights, water pumps etc Check out our video on this here: ruclips.net/video/_q5rFQCYppE/видео.html Cheers, Cahn
Question, I went out over the weekend and have a Dometic fridge that I direct connected to my vehicle battery so that I could always run the fridge without having the "accessory" mode turned on the car. It worked great! I left the fridge connected all night and the next morning the vehicle fired right up. That being said, because the vehicle battery is a starter battery and not a deep cycle, will doing this long term damage the car's starter battery? Thanks in advance! New to overlanding and trying to figure the best setup!
My question is how would you go about being able to supplement charge with solar on your deep cycle on a systeam that has a voltage iso? Would you have to step down the voltage or could you just hook it straight up like you would jumper cables?
I have the kings dual battery kit already set up,however i have recently purchaced the kings 12volt control box,1500w power inverter and 200w solar blanket and i have a 20amp dual input dc/dc multi stage battery charger,any chance you can send me a picture of the wiring diagram i should go by please,including if i should add fuses or something so if something blow's,it doesn't blow everything,cheers Terry
If I buy a control box, do I still need a battery box? eg Kings 12V Control Box or Kings 12V Compact Control Box. One reason I ask, apart from keeping things simple and not wasting money, is that I am keen on a Lithium aux battery and some of the 100Ah ones are pretty small and would save precious space compared to putting it in a too-big battery box. Cheers and thanks in advance.
I have the Kings VSR installed with an AGM in the boot, I have a solar panel mounted om the roof racks with the kings MPPT controller connected to the AGM in the boot. What I have noticed is when the voltage on the AGM hits 13.3v the VSR opens and now the solar has to charge both batteries. Is this normal behaviour? YES the VSR is connected properly as it also connects the batteries once started the car and the main voltage hits 13.3v. I would have prefered the VSR only sense voltage in one direction so the solar system could properly charge the AGM at the correct voltage.
Can this set up be used with a Toyota Prime Plug-In Hybrid as a redundant 12VDC power source? We all know that the Toyota Hybrids are pretty much generators on wheels, I'm looking for redundancy in that system.
I have a question with regards to a 240v AC wall charger when using a generator or you're at a powered camp site and want to splash out on some mains juice - is there a nice tidy way to integrate that AC wall charger into a kings 12v DC-DC charger and 12v control box system? Or do you simply need to attach the wall charger directly to your aux deep cycle battery? If so does the 12v DC-DC charger and control box need to get disconnected from the battery terminals? Cheers.
Really informative video, i do have a question regarding the setup i have. It was already in the Prado i purchased. There is a 20A power train DC-DC charger under the drivers seat which runs to the back of the prado where i can plug in a 12v fridge. I have just purchased a Giant 140ah AGM battery and will place it under the bonnent as my auxillary battery. After watching your video, am i right in calculating that i can run the fridge for 48hrs without putting any charge into the battery if its pulling around 4ah per hour. Is that draining the Auxillary battery too low ?
I calculate I'll use about 60 AH a day in my campervan. 200W solar panel on roof. What battery would be Ideal? also looking into portable batteries. Thanks
I know the video is a bit old but hoping you still respond to questions. I have a kings dc-dc set up with control box. Currently I run a solar blanket when I stop, plugging into solar input on control box. I have no permanent solar. How would I use another non-permanent solar blanket to the system? I know the control box has its own solar regulator and that's fine for the first solar blanket but how does that work adding a second blanket? Can I plug 2nd blanket into a mppt controller and then connect directly to battery? Lastly, when connecting the battery to a 240v wall charger when back home, do I need to disconnect anything? Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.
I PURCHASED THE 75 LITRE fridge/freezer remote thermometer, how do you get it to register the inner temps of the fridge, ive tried positioning the transmitter all places but only get ambient external temps..??????
I am looking to setup a pop top caravan. I am going to run double batteries in the van with a 1500w invertor all running from 270 w solar panel. I have a generator as backup. My question is can I connect two battery boxes together via the external terminals? Would connecting the 2 Anderson plugs do the same job. Will plugging the solar input into only one box evenly charge the batteries when connected in parallel. I will run the invertor from one battery’s positive and one batteries negative as mentioned.
Secretary Keysborough The two 12V auxiliary batteries will be wired in parallel, essentially making one battery of 12V, but with double the capacity of a single battery (assuming they’re both the same amp hour rating). Yes, you can join the two batteries together using the external terminals since the external terminals on the battery box are simply an extension of the battery terminals. Yes, you can do the same job by using the Anderson connectors since the Anderson connectors on the battery box are simply an extension of the battery terminals. Just be extra careful when joining the batteries to connect positive to positive and negative to negative (parallel). Yes, the solar input into only one battery box will charge the two batteries evenly since wiring the two batteries in parallel essentially makes one battery. I’m not sure what your point about the inverter is, since you’ll essentially have one battery when you wire the two batteries in parallel.
If I use a dc dc.charger do I need to.use a dual.battery isolator set up as well? Can I put an arm or lithium.battery under the bonnet? Will it get too hot?... and also connect one in the back of the vehicle?
Hi there, A dual battery isolator is not needed for a DCDC charger. Our batteries are not suitable under the bonnet, but this can be setup in the back of your vehicle! Cheers, Courtney
Hi there, This is our grand tourer. A new model has just been released, you can find it here - www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/kings-grand-tourer-mkiii-aluminium-rooftop-tent-four-stage-water-ingress-protection-30sec-setup-75mm-mattress.html Cheers, Mia
Thank you for videos. If I want to run a fridge and minor accsesories is it ok to run them off my oddessy34 battery and run a solar 150w to mppt controller to main battery? Will the solar on roof keep my main charged anough to avoid a dual setup?
Setting up a Kings 12v dual battery system, is there a digital monitoring device available that has an app so you can monitor by your mobile phone.? Thanks
I want to use 2 x300ah lifepo4 batteries with a 3000w inverter with 1800w of solar panels and a MPPT controller all from Kings for a container home for off grid living and was asking if you have any suggestions for me on the best way of setting up such a system
Hi there, Thank you for your comment, as this is such a broad question unfortunately there is not one specific answer we can give you, but if you like feel free to contact us on social@4wdsupacentre.com.au with a screenshot of this comment and further information on your setup we may be able to provide a better answer for you. If it is a live-in house this are possibly construction standards that have to be met. Regards, Courtney
@@4wdsupacentreAu I’ve set the system up and it’s working fine but is 600ah enough with 1800w of solar panels to keep the system running for an extended period It’s running a multi stage pump, small tv, fans and usb accessories and microwave, toaster and kettle but these items are not used daily except the pump, tv and charging equipment
What thickness wiring did you use from the main battery to the DC-DC charger? I've got everything except the wiring organised so far, although I am contemplating the semi flexible solar panel as well but need to see how mount friendly my canopy is when it arrives.
Hey Mate, I used 6AWG - that's good for up to about 8m length! keep an eye out as I've done a bonus part to the series all about wiring, so that will help you too! Cheers, Cahn
Here is a question?? I have noticed my Kings 25A DCDC Charger is drawing power from my starting battery after the vehicle is switched off. What could the problem?? Extra note. 2021 model with smart alternator, so I'm using the ignition sense wire.
Hi there, While there is some passive drain in such systems, if you're seeing a reasonable amount of draw we would recommend doublechecking the ignition cable to see if it's registering correctly as an open circuit set usually means the ignition cant confirm power state. Regards, Andrew
ARB know their stuff but are very expensive in Australia. They couldn't be as expensive in the US or they'd have no business. Try Redarc BCDC and have a look at JTS ONLINE, they supply only the best.
They have 2 sherlock powered panels on my roof and each one I need to learn and put a 100 out W so when are you tell me a different i need something different
great videos, thanks! i don't have a solar option on my van, so am just using power from alternator. do you know any resources for doing the wiring - size of wires, size of fuses and where to fuse? And while i'm asking - do you know a less expensive dc/dc charger that might be higher amps but not have solar option?
Hi There, So if you are using the DC/Dc charger then yes you will require fuse. RECOMMENDED FUSES; Vehicle Starter Battery - 50A Fuse Auxiliary Battery - 50A Fuse Solar - 50A Fuse Ignition Wire - 2A Fuse Note - Fit the fuse as close as possible to the item it is protecting! Cheers, Saleha
Just watched all 3 on a row. Thanks for the tips. To confirm though, would I need a separate mppt for solar if I had a dcdc with solar upgrade? Or is this a direct replacement for the mppt?
I’m putting a dcdc in. If I’m using the same 6 gauge wire I currently have with my kings isolator, do I leave the isolator connected or do I bypass and go straight from starter battery to dual via dcdc? Hope that makes sense! Cheers
Can you run 2 inverters in parallel? For example, I want to run a fridge, possibly a microwave & a kettle/coffee machine as well as providing adequate power for a laptop/pc & monitor, TV & phone chargers. High output inverters are more expensive than purchasing multiple lower output units, so mybidea is to parallel off 2 x 1500W inverters & taking the outputs of each to what will effectively be separate ring mains. One for electronics & the other serving the kitchen equipment. Individually, each circuit will never use 100 % output capacity of the inverter but will provide a combined output equivalent to 3KW total. I'm planning on having 400AH storage capacity, DC to DC, solar & mains/generator hook up for extended stays which I'll feed via a domestic distribution board with one ring on each breaker to minimise wiring changes, just have a big isolator switch to kill the DC side when in mains/genny. Do you see any issues with this setup? Thanks
how many volts should your alternator be to run this setup? would a 12v alternator be sufficient or would it be more wise to have something that puts out more? cheers
Alternators usually put out a regulated voltage depending on your starter battery voltage so usually they’re around 14 volts or a little more. But they also don’t generally put out full power at idle. Maybe you mean a higher amp alternator? And that all depends on what you want to run and how often! My old LandCruiser with a 60A alternator did struggle a little if I had headlights, spotlights, windscreen wipers as well as charging fridge and a lot of low range work. These days though, 4WDs usually have higher current alternators and more efficient electronics so standard is generally fine until you get into a really serious setup! Cheers, Cahn
I am running a 120ah lithium it is connected to a kings 160w solar running a 96lt MRCOOL fridge it uses about 3.2ah i have a 1500w kings inverter I had it connecter to the kings Battery box terminals with the screws on the front. I connected a toaster that rans at 650w -990w tried making toast and the positive started to get very hot the battery was fully charged and i had the fridge was disconnected. Question is why did the positive wire heat up should it of been connected on the battery and not the battery box thanks
one thing you didn’t mention and is important is you should only 50% of your lead acid battery other wise you can damage it so a 100ah lead acid battery is good for 50ah so if you want 100ah of battery you need 2 battery’s or a 200ah battery now lithium is different you can use 80% if lithium without damage 100ah lithium battery is the same as a 160 ah lead acid battery
Spot on Mate! I did go into this in part 1 and 2 a little, but it's good to bring it up again. 50% is a good mid ground for battery usable capacity and battery longevity - the less you discharge a lead acid battery, the longer it'll last. If you look at a charge/discharge curve you see that as discharge % approaches 0, battery life approaches infinite. So it's always good to keep your lead acid battery topped up and charged. Another win for solar at camp! I also didn't get into Lithium as it's bit more technical and a lot more expensive at the point. Maybe down the line as it becomes more affordable I'll do another video on the benefits! (I'm very keen for good LiFePo4 batteries to become affordable!) Cheers, Cahn
You'd still need to find the ignition source from the vehicle (if you're talking about running a DC-DC charger) that way the charger knows when your vehicle is on or off and will charge accordingly - that's what you need if you have a smart alternator, and it's beneficial if any voltage drop is causing the built in isolator to start and stop charging on older vehicles too... One way to do it would be to run an ignition wire from your dash to the back of your vehicle, near the towbar, and then use a single connector (for example an Anderson power pole). Add another power pole connector on your draw bar, continue the ignition wire from your draw bar back to the DC-DC charger. Cheers, Cahn
Thanks for a great series and excellent information! Are you available for paid consultation on how to improve my current rig set up? You've provided the first information that makes sense to me. Most excellent and I'd love your help?
@@4wdsupacentreAu Thank you for the reply - I've got a complicated electrical set up in my Sprinter van. Any chance we could schedule a skype (or similar call) to discuss? It would be much appreciated! Sincerely, Morgan
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Dude your series has been the easiest to understand by a country mile!! Excellent stuff Thank you 🤘
I’m really learning a lot here... just need to watch these videos again and again for full understanding. Great work...
Lol
This is a great advertisement for Kings.
@@elmerwaltermeyer8340 Kings is 4WD Supacentre's brand.
Super valuable videos which even my low-tech family understands and appreciates. /cheer Myself, I'm (re)building a 12v system for my RV that's copacetic with car camping, and this trio of videos is superb. Thank you! PS, I appreciate your ability to explain tech in plain English, and your analogies/examples are immensely valuable!
I've been doing this for a long time and your videos are the simplest explanations I have ever seen or heard. You don't skimp on the details though. They will now be my 'go-to' s when trying to explain it to others.
Great work!
Seriously you guys are absolute legends . For someone like me who is just getting into and setting up our off grid systems, these videos have been awesome. Definitely buying all my stuff from you to show my appreciation and support. Cheers!
I truly appreciate this little mini series! This delved quite a bit deeper into all of these little steps that I was not sure about, and answered some of the questions that have been plaguing my mind. I'm all set up! (For the moment😜
Subbed up!
I especially appreciated the adding of the coffee maker draw, that type of thing was very atmospheric to me, and you made it clear!
Actually really good explanation!
Well done Kings!
Living a mobile lifestyle, I need to learn these techniques to be more self sufficient. Kudos to this very useful website, excellent presentation, and you have a new subscriber 😊
Well done, Cahn. You’ve addressed a few things from the previous two videos, and finished the series with a lot of good information. Very good and simple explanation of PWM vs MPPT with respect to pv specs, wiring two batteries in parallel, inverter use, and solar requirements, plus other tips and tricks. Good work.
Thanks Michael!
As I've said before, this was a basic video so I couldn't get too technical with all the tiny details... as much as I wanted to haha... But I reckon it's come out as a good balance in the end!
Thanks for the positive feedback it's much appreciated!
Cheers,
Cahn
Great language, easy to understand and enjoyable. Many thanks
This is the best Chanel I aver across and explaining right to the point easily understood. Cheers!
Thanks for making solar simple and accessable
Best way to increase your battery life; if you’re partner mentions hairdryer or microwave leave her at home to run off shore power
Hi. I have a 110w fixed and a pwm regulator. Can I leave it plugged into the battery full time when not using car? I'm worried I'll overcharge and damage my battery as it sits in the sun during the week.
Cheers
Charles Cropp Provided you have a solar regulator between the solar panel and the battery, it should regulate the charge so as not to overcharge the battery, regardless if the panel is in the sun all the time. What you must never do is connect a solar panel directly to a battery - big no no.
Bahahaha
The 3 part series so well explained....
This is without a doubt the best dual battery setup explanation / guide I have seen. Great job. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely a great explanation on these videos. Thank you
Awesome presentation. Learn alot from your part 1/2/3. Thank alot.
Hey mate,
Love these videos, all parts,
I am in a situation where I have a duel battery set up, with a third battery in a battery box, for my 12 V plug ins
But my fridge still struggles, kings 45L coming up with E1, from my understanding, lack of power but battery box isn’t connected in with the rest, but other than that my duel battery system does have solar too.
I only can/do charge my car or my battery box at one time
I do have a Anderson plug from my fuel battery to plug into an inverter (I only have 600W)
Hi there,
In this case we would recommend changing to a low voltage cut off setting, you can find the information on how to do this to your fridge in the manual. If this doesn't work we would also recommend changing to a shorter cable.
Regards, Courtney
Very good presentation and accurate. To make it even more perfect I would add a battery monitor which will tell % of battery capacity, Amps in and out. I built a similar system set up on my 4WD Slide-on with all the bells and whistles. Totally independent from the grid. Aircon powered by 2000w generator. Love it! Well Done presenter.
Sorry - late to this party. Fantastic instructional video. Quick beginner question. What wire gauge do you recommend for the home run between the two batteries?
Mate these videos are so informative, thank you so much. The one question I have left is how do you recommend you should wire the AC charger (shore power or generator) to your system and do you need to disconnect the DCDC charger when you are topping your batteries up from a 240v supply? Lastly, is it OK to run your fridge and other appliances while being charged from that AC source if you are using a smart charger?
OK, so that was 3 questions. Thanks again, you are a valuable asset to Kings and everyone who camps off-grid.
Hello. There is one very important technical details about deep cycle batteries you forgot to mention: Capacity vs discharge rate.
Each battery will have its own spec but essentially, as the battery discharge rate increases, the stated battery capacity on the specification sheet will reduce. Also,same with its lifespan (number of cycles)
G'day John,
I went into this a little in pt2... but you're right... I stopped short of getting into Peukert's Law!
Most deep cycle batteries in Australia are marketed and compared with their C20 rating, so when I'm talking about 100Amp Hour or 120AH batteries that's what I'm using.
You're right though - if you decrease the discharge rate, you increase the capacity. And vice versa, so increase the load and you'll reduce capacity. A battery with a C20 rating of 100AH means a constant 5Amp discharge. Up that to a 10Amp discharge and your battery is now technically only a C20 rating of about 97AH.
Now to get even more technical that's for an AGM battery with a Peukert's number of 1.05 - the closer to 1 the better. If you had a flooded battery with a 1.6 (different internal resistance and recovery rate) you'd have much less usable capacity again...
Capacity is an interesting topic though - because as a battery increases in temperature its capacity increases too - up to about 120% in ~50°C. But for a sealed lead acid that extra capacity comes at a cost - ideally you want a sealed lead acid at around 25°C and every 8°C above that halves its life. so at 50°C a battery with a 12 year design life would in theory survive a little under 1.5 years.
Thanks for the comment, and hopefully if there's anyone else interested in Peukert and what affects battery capacity this will give them somewhere to start.
Cheers,
Cahn
Hi Great video, very informative, allot of information to digest. just wondering can anyone please tell me, is it possible to run a 40A DC to DC charger with a 120ah battery.
Great series! Ok so now that many have the power packs like Jackery or in my case the ecoflow D2 LiPo with an additional battery pack, can you make a series on what would be the most economical recharge setup? 1) if you have no solar panels 2) if you have a solar panel 3) using an inverter to charge while motoring? - thanks
Really Well Explained, Visually and easy to listen to, thanks for preparing all the gear, Excellent Work.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely loved this video series from you guys, very informative for folks like me just getting into the dual (or more) battery set ups. So for that, thank you!!
Any chance you guys will ever do shipping to the US? Seems we are quite far behind you Aussies in terms of easy dual battery set up products such as what Kings offers amongst many others I've found from Australia and it's killing me lol.
I agree, bring this to the US please. Please, take my money lol.
Do you have a video including the Anderson connected to a caravan? For example; duel batteries on tow vehicle plus caravan battery charging.
Cheers mate from Southern California! May 31,2020
3 great videos, filled in some of the gaps in my knowledge. Expecially dc dc chargers, huge difference in my planned set up.
Question, the under hood battery will not last as long as the two inside SUV. Know all grouped batteries should be the same. Does the dc charger change that for the under hood battery? Seeing as power is regulated im guessing I can buy a different typewhen replacing it. Not to mention age.
Thanks
Love these videos, they are so well explained.
Just starting off, looking into a suitable power system, for an off grid situation with Solar Panels. This is a great video, thanks. 1. I noted that you are able to connect 2 x batteries in parallel. Do you connect the second battery (in parallel), to the screw on + & - terminals, on the exterior of the box? Also on this point, are you able to connect more than just 1 other battery (in parallel), into this system. I gather, that any other batteries, would be better in at least, another container/storage compartment (in a caravan), but linked to the battery box. 2. I also noted that you can add another/additional Solar Panels, to the Battery Box. As that it does have 2 Andersons plugs built into it, is that what the second one is for? The Solar Panel that I currently have, has its own Charge Controller built into it. Can that be bypassed & into the other one that you were referring to, in this video? Cheers.
Great videos, explained in detail & can u tell me how much would that Kings set up be please ?
Hi Wayne, give us a call on 1800 88 39 64 or send us a PM on Facebook our team can go through pricing with you. Cheers, Mia
Heh Cahn I love yr work man,I want to join the inverter and power board to battery box,using those great fuses any chance to show the deal.Just brought power board inverter and battery box.
I'm just starting out with all of this and these vids are so informative, thank you!😎👍
Excellent informative, clear and concise presentation
Thanks Peter, much appreciated!
Cheers,
Cahn
Awesome video, makes it so easy to understand, thanks, just to recap... i can run an aux battery through the alternator and hook up a solar panel set up with MPPT the same time using a 130ah battery ?
Hi there,
This is fine - you could technically use 2x DCDCs or 2x MPPTs or a combination of both
We ran this setup on our work dmax and had the premium MPPT connected to constant permanent panels while the DCDC solar input was left unconnected, ready for portable panels when you pull up at camp!
Regards, Courtney
Awesome videos, and super handy. Thank you !
Great series and very well done...good job
Great videos. One question, will that dc-dc charger be ok for a lithium?
Great video overall. I really need to nail down wire sizes for my build. I've got most everything figured out except the main cables from front of the truck to the dual battery in the back. You mention heavy duty cables but what size should be used? Thanks,
can you do a walk through on wiring up this system please?
They did a separate video on the wiring setup, he said that at the start
@@Lewythefly yes but did they upload it yet. cant find it in their playlist. thanks
G'day Trevor,
A few other people have asked similar things so, I'll try and put something together - how in depth would you want it to be?
Would you want to see me actually run all the wiring again, or is it enough to point out where I've run it and why?
Cos I reckon I could just do a bit of a walk-through without a full install if that'd help?
Cheers,
Cahn
@@4wdsupacentreAu thanks for the reply. just the wiring from the solar panels and inside the box set up to battery. i want to make sure i connect all this properly inside the box. thanks again and keep up the great work
Very informative , simply told and explained great job !!! Thanks very much :-)
You are really good at what you are doing.Thanks .
Have you hooked up two battery boxes in parallel? Best method?
I’ve watched all 3 videos and I got lost in the 2nd half way though…do I no longer need a smart isolator if I have a dc-dc mppt charger?
Excellent stuff, Thank you
Great series, thanks.
Hey mate great work dus 4wd super senter install it for u to coz i allwas wented wat u r staying just could not install my self
We do not offer fittings sorry!
The panel (eg at 9:46) shows Anderson Plugs, V meter, 4 x 12v cig plugs, junction box and charger, but what are the 5 switch-looking things (ie what do they do)?
Hey mate,
They’re pre wired with power in and a fuse so you can connect your own accessories to them!
We’ve connected them to camp lights, water pumps etc Check out our video on this here: ruclips.net/video/_q5rFQCYppE/видео.html
Cheers,
Cahn
Awesome I need this in my Life where can I buy all these products 👊😎👍
Check our website here: www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/
Question, I went out over the weekend and have a Dometic fridge that I direct connected to my vehicle battery so that I could always run the fridge without having the "accessory" mode turned on the car. It worked great! I left the fridge connected all night and the next morning the vehicle fired right up. That being said, because the vehicle battery is a starter battery and not a deep cycle, will doing this long term damage the car's starter battery? Thanks in advance! New to overlanding and trying to figure the best setup!
My question is how would you go about being able to supplement charge with solar on your deep cycle on a systeam that has a voltage iso? Would you have to step down the voltage or could you just hook it straight up like you would jumper cables?
Will solar charge start battery when aux is full or removed? Dcdc charger?
Thanks for another excellent, informative video.
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
Great job to round out the set up.
Cheers Ben,
Much appreciated!
Thanks,
Cahn
Looking at doing a basic 12 volt system to run a fridge and change phones what do you recommend
I have the kings dual battery kit already set up,however i have recently purchaced the kings 12volt control box,1500w power inverter and 200w solar blanket and i have a 20amp dual input dc/dc multi stage battery charger,any chance you can send me a picture of the wiring diagram i should go by please,including if i should add fuses or something so if something blow's,it doesn't blow everything,cheers Terry
Good videos guys, thank you. Very informative.
Thanks for the comment and the feedback, Ryk!
Cheers,
Cahn
If I buy a control box, do I still need a battery box? eg Kings 12V Control Box or Kings 12V Compact Control Box. One reason I ask, apart from keeping things simple and not wasting money, is that I am keen on a Lithium aux battery and some of the 100Ah ones are pretty small and would save precious space compared to putting it in a too-big battery box. Cheers and thanks in advance.
Hi there,
While we do recommend the battery box as they do add protection and a few extra features, it is not necessary.
Cheers, Courtney
@@4wdsupacentreAu thanks I appreciate your help
Amazing series
I have the Kings VSR installed with an AGM in the boot, I have a solar panel mounted om the roof racks with the kings MPPT controller connected to the AGM in the boot. What I have noticed is when the voltage on the AGM hits 13.3v the VSR opens and now the solar has to charge both batteries. Is this normal behaviour? YES the VSR is connected properly as it also connects the batteries once started the car and the main voltage hits 13.3v. I would have prefered the VSR only sense voltage in one direction so the solar system could properly charge the AGM at the correct voltage.
curious to understand where you can get the board to attach everything to?
Can this set up be used with a Toyota Prime Plug-In Hybrid as a redundant 12VDC power source? We all know that the Toyota Hybrids are pretty much generators on wheels, I'm looking for redundancy in that system.
Can I run two battery boxes together by Anderson plugs two double my capacity
I have a question with regards to a 240v AC wall charger when using a generator or you're at a powered camp site and want to splash out on some mains juice - is there a nice tidy way to integrate that AC wall charger into a kings 12v DC-DC charger and 12v control box system? Or do you simply need to attach the wall charger directly to your aux deep cycle battery? If so does the 12v DC-DC charger and control box need to get disconnected from the battery terminals? Cheers.
Really informative video, i do have a question regarding the setup i have. It was already in the Prado i purchased. There is a 20A power train DC-DC charger under the drivers seat which runs to the back of the prado where i can plug in a 12v fridge. I have just purchased a Giant 140ah AGM battery and will place it under the bonnent as my auxillary battery. After watching your video, am i right in calculating that i can run the fridge for 48hrs without putting any charge into the battery if its pulling around 4ah per hour. Is that draining the Auxillary battery too low ?
I calculate I'll use about 60 AH a day in my campervan. 200W solar panel on roof. What battery would be Ideal? also looking into portable batteries. Thanks
Hi there,
115ah or above will be fine!
Regards, Courtney
@@4wdsupacentreAu Thank you. Any thoughts on portable battery systems like the Bluetti or Ecoflow?
Can you plug a 240 V battery 12v charger running at a constant 4amps into the solar input on the Kings 25amp DC the DC charger?
Hi there,
Unfortunately our DCDC chargers are designed specifically for solar input.
Regards, Courtney
I know the video is a bit old but hoping you still respond to questions.
I have a kings dc-dc set up with control box. Currently I run a solar blanket when I stop, plugging into solar input on control box. I have no permanent solar. How would I use another non-permanent solar blanket to the system?
I know the control box has its own solar regulator and that's fine for the first solar blanket but how does that work adding a second blanket? Can I plug 2nd blanket into a mppt controller and then connect directly to battery?
Lastly, when connecting the battery to a 240v wall charger when back home, do I need to disconnect anything?
Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.
Great series. Learnt a lot. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it
I PURCHASED THE 75 LITRE fridge/freezer remote thermometer, how do you get it to register the inner temps of the fridge, ive tried positioning the transmitter all places but only get ambient external temps..??????
Great vid, cheers for all the detail
Thanks mate!
glad you enjoyed it!
Cheers,
Cahn
I am looking to setup a pop top caravan. I am going to run double batteries in the van with a 1500w invertor all running from 270 w solar panel. I have a generator as backup. My question is can I connect two battery boxes together via the external terminals? Would connecting the 2 Anderson plugs do the same job. Will plugging the solar input into only one box evenly charge the batteries when connected in parallel. I will run the invertor from one battery’s positive and one batteries negative as mentioned.
Secretary Keysborough The two 12V auxiliary batteries will be wired in parallel, essentially making one battery of 12V, but with double the capacity of a single battery (assuming they’re both the same amp hour rating). Yes, you can join the two batteries together using the external terminals since the external terminals on the battery box are simply an extension of the battery terminals. Yes, you can do the same job by using the Anderson connectors since the Anderson connectors on the battery box are simply an extension of the battery terminals. Just be extra careful when joining the batteries to connect positive to positive and negative to negative (parallel). Yes, the solar input into only one battery box will charge the two batteries evenly since wiring the two batteries in parallel essentially makes one battery. I’m not sure what your point about the inverter is, since you’ll essentially have one battery when you wire the two batteries in parallel.
If I use a dc dc.charger do I need to.use a dual.battery isolator set up as well? Can I put an arm or lithium.battery under the bonnet? Will it get too hot?... and also connect one in the back of the vehicle?
Hi there,
A dual battery isolator is not needed for a DCDC charger. Our batteries are not suitable under the bonnet, but this can be setup in the back of your vehicle!
Cheers, Courtney
Simply excellent....
ello, great videos and awesome equipment, 1 question what is the roof toper on that vehicle, ty
Hi there,
This is our grand tourer. A new model has just been released, you can find it here - www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/kings-grand-tourer-mkiii-aluminium-rooftop-tent-four-stage-water-ingress-protection-30sec-setup-75mm-mattress.html
Cheers, Mia
haring your battery by the alternator can wear the alternator out,is that true?
Thank you for videos. If I want to run a fridge and minor accsesories is it ok to run them off my oddessy34 battery and run a solar 150w to mppt controller to main battery? Will the solar on roof keep my main charged anough to avoid a dual setup?
How and where would you connect the 240 wall charger? Into the dcdc charger?
Hi there,
There are multiple different charging options such as directly to the terminal or through an anderson style plug.
Regards, Courtney
Been running a 100ah on the farm now for 5 years...off grid...for simple life 🧐
Setting up a Kings 12v dual battery system, is there a digital monitoring device available that has an app so you can monitor by your mobile phone.? Thanks
I want to use 2 x300ah lifepo4 batteries with a 3000w inverter with 1800w of solar panels and a MPPT controller all from Kings for a container home for off grid living and was asking if you have any suggestions for me on the best way of setting up such a system
Hi there,
Thank you for your comment, as this is such a broad question unfortunately there is not one specific answer we can give you, but if you like feel free to contact us on social@4wdsupacentre.com.au with a screenshot of this comment and further information on your setup we may be able to provide a better answer for you. If it is a live-in house this are possibly construction standards that have to be met.
Regards, Courtney
@@4wdsupacentreAu I’ve set the system up and it’s working fine but is 600ah enough with 1800w of solar panels to keep the system running for an extended period
It’s running a multi stage pump, small tv, fans and usb accessories and microwave, toaster and kettle but these items are not used daily except the pump, tv and charging equipment
What thickness wiring did you use from the main battery to the DC-DC charger?
I've got everything except the wiring organised so far, although I am contemplating the semi flexible solar panel as well but need to see how mount friendly my canopy is when it arrives.
Hey Mate, I used 6AWG - that's good for up to about 8m length!
keep an eye out as I've done a bonus part to the series all about wiring, so that will help you too!
Cheers,
Cahn
Here is a question?? I have noticed my Kings 25A DCDC Charger is drawing power from my starting battery after the vehicle is switched off. What could the problem?? Extra note. 2021 model with smart alternator, so I'm using the ignition sense wire.
Hi there,
While there is some passive drain in such systems, if you're seeing a reasonable amount of draw we would recommend doublechecking the ignition cable to see if it's registering correctly as an open circuit set usually means the ignition cant confirm power state.
Regards, Andrew
When you connect a dc to dc charger to 2nd battery does it need a circuit breaker
Garry Wright At minimum you should fuse the main battery as close to it as possible, and at best you should also do the same at the auxiliary battery.
If I am in the USA who would you recommend here or what options do I have running a king setup for long periods of time
ARB know their stuff but are very expensive in Australia. They couldn't be as expensive in the US or they'd have no business. Try Redarc BCDC and have a look at JTS ONLINE, they supply only the best.
They have 2 sherlock powered panels on my roof and each one I need to learn and put a 100 out W so when are you tell me a different i need something different
great videos, thanks! i don't have a solar option on my van, so am just using power from alternator. do you know any resources for doing the wiring - size of wires, size of fuses and where to fuse? And while i'm asking - do you know a less expensive dc/dc charger that might be higher amps but not have solar option?
Hi There,
So if you are using the DC/Dc charger then yes you will require fuse.
RECOMMENDED FUSES;
Vehicle Starter Battery - 50A Fuse
Auxiliary Battery - 50A Fuse
Solar - 50A Fuse
Ignition Wire - 2A Fuse
Note - Fit the fuse as close as possible to the item it is protecting!
Cheers,
Saleha
@@4wdsupacentreAu Thank you SO much Saleha!!
Awesome video keep up the good work guys
I have a dcdc charger in my new battery box
How do I bypass the regulator on the panel and charge with the dcdc charger?
6:23 imagine camping with this princess who needs a hair dryer?
ha ha
Just watched all 3 on a row. Thanks for the tips. To confirm though, would I need a separate mppt for solar if I had a dcdc with solar upgrade? Or is this a direct replacement for the mppt?
Hi there. The DCDC charger has an inbuilt MPPT regulator for solar!
I’m putting a dcdc in. If I’m using the same 6 gauge wire I currently have with my kings isolator, do I leave the isolator connected or do I bypass and go straight from starter battery to dual via dcdc? Hope that makes sense! Cheers
Bypass it mate! The DCDC charger is a built in isolator!
Cheers
Cahn
Can you run 2 inverters in parallel?
For example, I want to run a fridge, possibly a microwave & a kettle/coffee machine as well as providing adequate power for a laptop/pc & monitor, TV & phone chargers.
High output inverters are more expensive than purchasing multiple lower output units, so mybidea is to parallel off 2 x 1500W inverters & taking the outputs of each to what will effectively be separate ring mains. One for electronics & the other serving the kitchen equipment.
Individually, each circuit will never use 100 % output capacity of the inverter but will provide a combined output equivalent to 3KW total.
I'm planning on having 400AH storage capacity, DC to DC, solar & mains/generator hook up for extended stays which I'll feed via a domestic distribution board with one ring on each breaker to minimise wiring changes, just have a big isolator switch to kill the DC side when in mains/genny.
Do you see any issues with this setup?
Thanks
how many volts should your alternator be to run this setup? would a 12v alternator be sufficient or would it be more wise to have something that puts out more?
cheers
Alternators usually put out a regulated voltage depending on your starter battery voltage so usually they’re around 14 volts or a little more. But they also don’t generally put out full power at idle.
Maybe you mean a higher amp alternator? And that all depends on what you want to run and how often!
My old LandCruiser with a 60A alternator did struggle a little if I had headlights, spotlights, windscreen wipers as well as charging fridge and a lot of low range work.
These days though, 4WDs usually have higher current alternators and more efficient electronics so standard is generally fine until you get into a really serious setup!
Cheers,
Cahn
I am running a 120ah lithium it is connected to a kings 160w solar running a 96lt MRCOOL fridge it uses about 3.2ah i have a 1500w kings inverter I had it connecter to the kings Battery box terminals with the screws on the front.
I connected a toaster that rans at 650w -990w tried making toast and the positive started to get very hot the battery was fully charged and i had the fridge was disconnected. Question is why did the positive wire heat up should it of been connected on the battery and not the battery box thanks
Your inverter could be drawing ~85 Amps from the battery to generate that output. Maybe the cables are too thin?
one thing you didn’t mention and is important is you should only 50% of your lead acid battery other wise you can damage it so a 100ah lead acid battery is good for 50ah so if you want 100ah of battery you need 2 battery’s or a 200ah battery now lithium is different you can use 80% if lithium without damage 100ah lithium battery is the same as a 160 ah lead acid battery
Spot on Mate!
I did go into this in part 1 and 2 a little, but it's good to bring it up again.
50% is a good mid ground for battery usable capacity and battery longevity - the less you discharge a lead acid battery, the longer it'll last. If you look at a charge/discharge curve you see that as discharge % approaches 0, battery life approaches infinite. So it's always good to keep your lead acid battery topped up and charged. Another win for solar at camp!
I also didn't get into Lithium as it's bit more technical and a lot more expensive at the point. Maybe down the line as it becomes more affordable I'll do another video on the benefits! (I'm very keen for good LiFePo4 batteries to become affordable!)
Cheers,
Cahn
Can i run two fridges with a 200w solar
How hard is it to wire a ignition wire from a trailer? From the trailer where would it best be wired to if not to the ignition?
You'd still need to find the ignition source from the vehicle (if you're talking about running a DC-DC charger) that way the charger knows when your vehicle is on or off and will charge accordingly - that's what you need if you have a smart alternator, and it's beneficial if any voltage drop is causing the built in isolator to start and stop charging on older vehicles too...
One way to do it would be to run an ignition wire from your dash to the back of your vehicle, near the towbar, and then use a single connector (for example an Anderson power pole). Add another power pole connector on your draw bar, continue the ignition wire from your draw bar back to the DC-DC charger.
Cheers,
Cahn
Thanks for a great series and excellent information! Are you available for paid consultation on how to improve my current rig set up? You've provided the first information that makes sense to me. Most excellent and I'd love your help?
How can I help you?
@@4wdsupacentreAu Thank you for the reply - I've got a complicated electrical set up in my Sprinter van. Any chance we could schedule a skype (or similar call) to discuss? It would be much appreciated! Sincerely, Morgan