Electrical Charging twin battery's
- Thread starter Matt3116
- Start date
If the battery's are wired up parallel as per normal it will show both battery's as one big battery
if the battery's are different a/h, size, type etc then it may not fully charge both.
if the battery's are different a/h, size, type etc then it may not fully charge both.
As @NoWorries has said, if the batteries are connected in parallel then you only need to connect the charger to one and both will charge.
The charger will see it as a 200AH battery.
As a result it will take longer to charge than a single battery, but they will end up being at the same voltage after charging.
Most twin batteries would be installed and charged this way.
The charger will see it as a 200AH battery.
As a result it will take longer to charge than a single battery, but they will end up being at the same voltage after charging.
Most twin batteries would be installed and charged this way.
So......if not using Setec charger and, if you have more than one battery, install in parallel and connect 240v charger to one battery and they'll both charge?
I'm not worried about solar as I know that works but I've learnt something today!
As said, I'm no expert!
I'm not worried about solar as I know that works but I've learnt something today!
As said, I'm no expert!
Hi all, but if a newbie here, but someone mentioned different amp hours. I am doing some branding/design work for a company and as payment I am getting a 120 amp hour battery. I wanted to put in in out jeep as a dual battery for the fridge, but I am thinking of installing it in the new caravan until I can save for all the additional stuff.Our new van has a 100amp hour battery. As someone mentioned earlier, if I install it in the caravan and charge it on 240, will the 120 amp hour battery get fully charged?
Hi @BBBFLASH
With two different batteries (100ah and a 120ah) you should really keep them separate.
Connected together the Setec charger will operate on an average voltage and not give optimal charge to both. They will also try to 'equalise' leaving one battery less than 'full' as the higher voltage battery attempts to charge the flatter one. The same reason you don't mix old batteries with new in a torch.
I have a setup with the original Jayco supplied battery and another different make 100ah that I separate really easily with one of these. A couple of battery leads from supercheapauto and it was all wired up in under an hour.
You can switch it to connect both in parallel or simply call one battery 1 the other battery 2. I run batteries separately and in reality have one in reserve should the other run down to the point where low voltage cut out kicks in and switches the system off. (Just reach under the bed and switch to the other battery).
I tend to alternate batteries to keep everything fully charged. In reality I'm yet to run one down to the point of cut out so am even starting to consider if two are necessary for my mainly led lighting load. That said, a few cloudy days where the solar didn't charge too much and I'll be glad to have my reserve in place.
Hope this helps.
Have two batteries in mine as well. Battery switch to separate/select the battery. Different batteries (amp/brand/age) will have different charging characteristics. If one collapses it wont mage the other. Generally I only need one but it's nice to know that if we are in a spot where the solar can't be set up in the sun we have another day with fridge and electronics.
Agree and have the same marine battery switch. Also got each battery connected to individual voltage meters and flick the charger between both every few weeks when in storage. Usually, the main house battery runs all Jayco components whilst the other battery is primarily for the winch in the back of the base station to get the jet ski in and out- but can be used to run lights etc if needed.