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These days it\u2019s getting more and more common to find 4WDs, utes, vans and campers that have some sort of dual battery setup for camping.<\/p>\n
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There is always a starter battery to start the engine, but most campers, overlanders or off roaders will fit an auxiliary battery (also known as a house battery) to their vehicle that allows them to run a camping fridge and other electrical accessories much more reliably.<\/p>\n
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One of the most important considerations when looking to install a dual battery system is the battery type \u2013 ideally you\u2019ll want a Deep Cycle Battery<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n WHAT DOES DEEP CYCLE MEAN?<\/strong><\/p>\n Deep cycle batteries<\/strong><\/a> are designed and built differently when compared to traditional starter batteries. Your starter battery is designed for a sudden and short burst of power as it starts the engine. This is a \u2018shallow\u2019 cycle because the battery is only discharged for a short burst and is then recharged.<\/p>\n A deep cycle battery<\/a> <\/strong>is designed to be deeply discharged \u2013 slowly and over a longer period. They generally use thicker or larger lead plates inside, that minimise internal build up and ensure there is more material for the batteries\u2019 internal chemical reaction to occur, for longer use and a more constant power output.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n On the other hand, starter batteries use a larger number of thinner lead plates to increase surface area \u2013 this allows them to put out short bursts of high current required to start a vehicle, but the thinner material means build up occurs fasters, preventing the chemical reaction required for power andmakes them more likely to fail if discharged down to a low capacity over and over – if you try and use a starter battery as a camping battery, you\u2019ll shorten its overall life.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n TYPES OF DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n There are many different types of deep cycle batteries<\/a><\/strong>\u2013 there are standard flooded lead acid batteries that use a liquid inside and need to be checked and topped up over time. There are maintenance free batteries that still use a liquid electrolyte, but are sealed and can\u2019t be topped up and there are also new and expensive technologies like lithium batteries.<\/p>\n Arguably the best value and most suited to camping, 4WDing and overland travel is the AGM type. AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat and it simply means that inside the battery there is a tight mesh of glass fibres that actually absorb and hold the electrolyte in place \u2013 this has a few very important benefits.<\/p>\n CHARGING AN AGM BATTERY<\/strong><\/p>\n AGM batteries<\/strong><\/a> need a specific charging voltage to make the most of their extra power though \u2013 while some flooded batteries will charge at around 14 volts, AGM batteries can need as high as 14.6V for a full charge. If charging at home, choose a charger that is capable of charging AGM batteries<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 while if you want to charge in your vehicle while driving or with solar power, the best option is a DC-DC charger with AGM function \u2013 this takes the power from your vehicle\u2019s alternator \/ starter battery and outputs the correct voltage that\u2019s required to fully charge your second battery.<\/p>\n WHERE TO PUT YOUR AUXILIARY BATTERY<\/strong><\/p>\n Where you position your second battery will depend on two main factors; first, your specific vehicle, setup and layout and second, your deep cycle battery type.<\/p>\n Flooded deep cycle batteries should not be used inside your vehicle and are more suitable for use under the bonnet or in the back of a ute or pick up. This is due to the fact they are not sealed and will vent gas as they\u2019re used. This gas is flammable so avoid ignition sources or sparking electrical connectors near the battery.<\/p>\n Sealed AGM batteries can be used safely inside your vehicle \u2013 just ensure there are advertised as being a sealed non-gassing, leakproof design. They are also suitable for use in the back of a ute, however most types do not cope well with extreme heat and therefore you should avoid mounting your AGM deep cycle batteries under the bonnet.<\/p>\n Whether you want to install a dual battery system, upgrade your existing setup or simply want the ideal camping electrical system, make sure you\u2019re using a deep cycle battery!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 These days it\u2019s getting more and more common to find 4WDs, utes, vans and campers that have some sort of dual battery setup for camping. \u00a0 There is always a starter battery to start the engine, but most campers, overlanders or off roaders will fit an auxiliary battery (also known as a house battery)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123456,"featured_media":7261,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7266"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123456"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7266"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7266\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7268,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7266\/revisions\/7268"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.emgcloud.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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