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Post by RonThompson on Sept 13, 2003 22:37:10 GMT -5
...if that's what they are called! You know, the portable battery units which can also be used to jump start the car.
The question is-do they work?
I tried one belonging to a friend last year when I had a flat battery out in the desert, and nothing at all. Maybe it was the unit (although it showed a full charge), or maybe the Lexus starter requires a greater current than the unit could provide.
Would it be better to fit a backup battery for emergencies? Does anyone have details how to do it?
Any comemnts/help.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on Sept 14, 2003 15:02:46 GMT -5
one of our members had done it 2 years ago on a Land Cruisers, he placed 2 batteries in the front engine compartment. (See below picture) It's a Land Cruiser 99 model. He used ACdelco batteries, however, if you use Optima Batteries I dont think you really need a dual battery system. You can read all about optima batteries here www.optimabatteries.com they very different from normal batteries, if you use the Yellow Top, you will never run out dry again. It's retailing for 770 Dhs, but if you give me a couple of days I will be updating the website, I made a deal with the local Optima dealer, you will get a special discount upon presentation of you UAE 4x4 Club membership card. there's an outlet in AUH, I will be posting the numbers soon. Optima does not use liquid acid, it's a special battery with a different technology lasts twice as much as normal batteries, read about the specs, you can even install it UPSIDE DOWN if you want to. But whatever you do the golden rule of dual batteries, use BOTH of the same brand to ensure equal amperage and power, otherwise you might screw up your instruments due to unequal EXACT voltage and amperage from different manufacturers. Fouad
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Prasad
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Posts: 54
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Post by Prasad on Oct 25, 2003 9:37:15 GMT -5
I am planning on installing a winch, and some off road lighting. (Warn (driving lights 55w ea) and KC Hilites longrange 130w ea). I already have a sony music system with a jbl amp installed.
Now my question is: would a single Optima battery be enough or would I have to go for another battery to supplement my existing one?
Next question: I have read on the internet that if using a winch and having extra lights plus dual battery system, the stock alternator has to be upgraded to a higher capacity. Any info on this?
Prasad.
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Post by difflock on Oct 25, 2003 10:39:51 GMT -5
Hey Prasad,
Just do the sum of power used by your electric stuff in Amps and see how many amps your car generates. A 60 amps alternator can power a 60 amps winch but then there is no juicleft r lights or anything esle...Usualy, fitting a winch, lights etc...requires at least 120 to 150 amps alternators. Otherwise, you will draw power on the batterie but the battery has a limited amount in storage it can give away before dying....
Difflock
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Prasad
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Post by Prasad on Oct 25, 2003 12:30:51 GMT -5
Hi Difflock, Thanks again for the quick response. I have estimated the current draw for all my acc: + the stock headlights at 100amps. This is if all were on at the same time, which would not be the case.
But its better to go for overkill. Now the question of the winch. I have got the foll: specs from the Warn website for their XD9000i,
Line Pull Motor Current Lbs.(Kgs.) 0 70amps 2000(910) 180amps 4000(1810) 255amps 6000(2720) 330amps 8000(3630) 415amps 9000(4080) 460amps
So if you experienced winch guys could clarify if a winching operation ever does go into the 400 ampere range?
One more for Difflock, I have decided to go for the winch and would certainly need the pullpal.
To sum up if I were to put in a 120 amps alternator with an Optima yellow top would this suffice.
Prasad.
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Post by difflock on Oct 25, 2003 13:13:43 GMT -5
It would be sufficient for one quick pull. In that case, your 9000 lbs winch will use the electricity generated by the alternator during the time of pulling and comlete the lack of power by drawing it from the power accumulated in the battery. This gives you about 3 minutes max to use the winch at full power. After that, the battery will be empty and you only have the power generated by the alternator to keep going. That means that your wich will have very little power but it will still be pulling a bit. But it also means that as soon as you stop winching, you can not turn off your engine. Remember, the battery is empty and needs to recharge. One thing I do often when I have no more juice in the battery but still need to winch is that I would just take a break for about 30 minutes, let the engine run so the battery will recharge and then pull again. It is very usefull to install a second battery when you have a winch. The two batteries will load together but only one will be connected to the winch and the other one is for the rest of the car.
Tlaking about the batteries, the Otima is not the best. It is the best when it comes to sustaining the abuse of the off-road non stop shacking. Normal batteries often die early because the plates inside get damaged beacuse of the shocks they endure on the trail. Batteries are not always manufactured to sustain such vibrations. The optima has been engineered for that purpose but it is not as powerfull in electric storage capacity as some other brands.
The rolls royce of the batteries is the Hoppecke battery manufactured in Germany. They are about twice the price of regular batteries but you get a very strong battery that nothing will shacke out and one of the most efficient in electricity storage.
Difflock
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Prasad
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Posts: 54
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Post by Prasad on Oct 25, 2003 13:43:50 GMT -5
Hey Thanks again Difflock, as a coincidence my car (mercs 300E 4matic 1987) has a Hoppecke battery I put in more than two years ago and have not looked at it since. It still works fine. Will take into consideration your valuable points. Tks again.
Prasad.
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Post by funkyrayman on Dec 11, 2003 4:18:42 GMT -5
A very important thing to think about is that alternators are rated according to their initial cold current. There is about a 15-25% drop when the alternator gets to operating temperature. So an 100A altenator for example, may only give 77A when hot. Can majorly affect calculations.
Another thing to mention about dual battery setups is that you cannot just hook them up together! You need to install some kind of regulator to distribute the charging current seperately, and not allow the batteries to discharge each other.
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khaiwi
Full Board Participant
Posts: 90
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Post by khaiwi on Jan 2, 2004 2:08:09 GMT -5
Hi,
Vehicle with auxilliary lights(200 watts), Winch powerful enough to pull a vehicle (min. line pull power 12% more than the Gross Vehicle Weight ) and some toys inside the vehicle like a cooler or may be sound system/ TV /Video. For such addons we should upgrade the alternator and have dual batteries? so we can run them safely?
Anybody does such a job in a profesional way?
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Jimbo
Senior Board Participant
Posts: 132
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Post by Jimbo on Jan 5, 2004 5:29:42 GMT -5
Sorry to break in, has anybody ever used a battery isolator? I saw a nifty one yesterday at Sara/Rachel trading in Al Qoz. Apparently they allow the use of 2 batteries but prioritize one over the other when it comes to charge.
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Post by Fouad Berjaoui on Jan 10, 2004 18:12:28 GMT -5
do you have directions or a phone number to this shop ??
Fouad
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Jimbo
Senior Board Participant
Posts: 132
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Post by Jimbo on Jan 10, 2004 23:21:51 GMT -5
Hey of course! ;D Call Joseph at 04 340 0255. They have Lightforce lights and power air (Oz made) air compressors. They also do Waxoyl rust protection So has anybody heard of isolators?
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Prasad
Full Board Participant
Posts: 54
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Post by Prasad on Jan 11, 2004 7:59:57 GMT -5
The shop is called SARA car care directly behind the spinneys wharehouse on Sheik Zayed road. The did my lightforces and also are the agents for Go (remote controlled) lights and beadlock wheels.
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Jo
New Board Participant
Posts: 30
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Post by Jo on Jan 7, 2005 7:07:14 GMT -5
Our experience of Hoppecke batteries in Saudi Arabia is that they are prone to cracked cases.
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Post by peterdally on Jun 10, 2005 13:27:16 GMT -5
Sorry to break in, has anybody ever used a battery isolator? I saw a nifty one yesterday at Sara/Rachel trading in Al Qoz. Apparently they allow the use of 2 batteries but prioritize one over the other when it comes to charge.
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