own DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM.

[Gertc]

Here is a picture of my own DUAL BATTERY SYSTEM.

It uses a pic microcontroller that have to be programmed to do what you want it to do. I decided that this is how I think it would work best. And please if you think I’m doing it wrong Please let me know. Any suggestions are welcome.

1 First to get the controller to react it must sens that the second battery is connected.
2 As soon as the ignition is switched on a timer starts its count down of 5 minutes. This will give the main battery a change to recover from the discharge of the cranking. Timer cycle is been indicated by an orange light on the controller panel.
3 After the timer has completed its cycle the solenoid will be energized to connect the 2 batteries and start the charging cycle. This will be indicated by a short beeping sound and the green light will light up while the orange led goes out.
4 As soon as you switch of the vehicle the solenoid drops out disconnecting the 2 batteries and stops the charging of the second battery. This is being indicated by 2 beeps and a red light.
5 You can terminate any of the cycles by pressing the button on the control panel. If you start the vehicle and the timer starts timing but for some reason you wouldn’t like the second battery to be charged then you just press the button and it will switch of the timer. If you decide to connect it after a while then you just press the button again. Or if it is charging and you want to disconnect it just press the button. And you can toggle between on and off.
6 But now for some reason the vehicle isn’t running and you need to connect both batteries. All you have to do is press and hold the button for 10 seconds and it will connect the two batteries together for about 15 minute and then disconnects it again automatically ( this is to connect then to give your winch that extra power it will need. But also prevent both batteries been run flat together.)
7 And for an added bonus I decided to add lights on reminder in the circuit. I only needed an extra wire from the lights and some programming. And hopefully it will save my battery from being drained just because I was in a hurry and did not check if the lights are switched off.


Please Any Suggestions are more than welcome.
Most of the time stuff is been manufactured by some guy sitting in an office not knowing what is working out in the field. I hope to get a real good guide line off what the guy’s want out of a system. And so I can build myself a winning system so that all you guys can envy me. And some day I can take over the world.

[Scooter]

And so I can build myself a winning system so that all you guys can envy me. And some day I can take over the world.

In my experience it was always "The Brain" that got it wrong and "Pinky" who got it right

You guys with all this electrical knowledge should come up with a 4x4 electrical guide book of sorts

As per your list, I can't think of anything else you would need from the system but then at the moment mine is giving me headaches anyway.

[Gertc]

scooter is it still fact that it don't want to charge a flat battery or what is the probleme?

[cprinsloo]

Sheeesh, Shert, excellent!!!!

I assume you can fix it if it breaks....

Cheers,

Chris

[Knersus]

Ok Gert myne is die tweede een wat jy gaan bou... :D Ek dink net daar moet eiwers 'n low battery indikasie dalk ook wees ( Ja en dan sal 'n temperatuur monitor ook nice wees wat die temperatuur van die yskas meet op 'n digitale skerm en 'n nice topless blond wat die bier aangee )

Nee wat Gert ek dink jou plan klink baie goed en dit lyk logies. Passop nou net dat NL jou nie miljoenne aanbied vir jou plan nie

Laat weet ons jou eindproduk en onhou DIK kabels

[Family_Dog]

Gert,

Looks great! Would like to see the full article when you have finished it - I would also like to build one up for me. :)


-F_D

[Gertc]

Hi Scooter

I’m going to try and do fault finding over the internet with your help.

I hope you have a digital multi-meter and +/- 5meter auto wire and a 100Watt spotlight or any thing that you can use as a constant load.

First we are going to check if your earth is sufficient.

1 Start by connecting the spot light to your 2nd battery. Now leave it for 10 minutes so that it starts to drain the 2nd battery.
2 Connect the auto wire’s one end to the negative lead of the multi meter. Select V dc on the multi meter. Short the other end of the auto wire with the positive lead of the multi-meter. You should get a reading of 0.000 Volt. Note it down
3 Connect the fly lead (Auto wire) that has become a longer negative lead securely to the engine. Be sure that the fly lead is way from the fan or any moving parts of the engine.
4 Start the engine and wait for the NL system to connect the 2nd battery.
5 As soon as the solenoid connects the 2 batteries, take the positive lead of the multi- meter and press it against the battery negative pole. Make sure that the battery terminal is clean. Rub the lead against the terminal to get a good connection.
6 Take the reading on the multi-meter. Note it down. It should be less than 0.1 Volt.
7 Do the same test to the body of your vehicle. Use a nut or an exposed stud.
8 If you have a separate EARTH cable that runs to the back then you should test on the lug as well.
9 Also test the cable and lugs connection by pushing the test lead through the isolation of the earth cable that is running to the second battery. About 5 -10 cm from the lug. Note the volt reading.
10 Go to back where the 2nd battery are installed. Push the test lead again through the earth cable. Note the reading.
11 Lastly push the positive test lead on to the battery terminal. The reading should not be more than 0.5 Volt. With the 100Watt load still connected. If the reading is more than 0.5 Volt you should check where the volts started to increase and re-secure the joint If the Volt drop is the greatest over the cable it means the cable is too thin.

Disconnect fly-lead for engine after test is completed.


Now to check the Positive supply to the back.

1 Start by connecting the spot light to your 2nd battery. Now leave it for 10 minutes so that it starts to drain the 2nd battery.
2 Connect the negative fly lead to the Positive terminal of the 2nd battery. (If you connect the positive lead you will get negative readings.)
3 Start the vehicle wait for the NL system to connect the two batteries.
4 Once the two batteries are connected push the positive test lead through to positive cable about 5-10 cm from the lug. Note the reading.
5 The next connecting should be on the solenoid. Push the positive test lead through to positive cable about 5-10 cm from the lug. Note the reading
6 Test on the lug (on the 2nd battery side of the solenoid) with the positive lead. Note the reading.
7 Test on the other side of the solenoid. The side that goes to the battery. Note the reading.
8 Test on the positive terminal of the battery. Note the reading.
9 Test on the alternator’s positive terminal and note the reading.

At this point your reading should not be more than 0.5 Volt. The lower the reading the better connections you’ve got. If both the end reading is below 0.5 volt it means that the Main charging system should be in good working order. Then the only thing that can give you problems is the control system. But that can also be solved. I believe that every Dual system should have this solution.

First you will need a 3 pole switch.( Line) (common) (Line)
On your dual battery solenoid you should have 2 thin terminals. One should be connected to the earth. The other one should go to the controller.

Cut the wire that goes to the controller. Connect the end that goes to the solenoid to the centre pin (common) of the switch. Connect the wire that goes to the controller to one side of the switch (line). There should be one terminal open on the switch. Connect that pin to the positive terminal of the battery.

There you have a fail safe bypass for a faulty controller. If you select to the one side the controller will control the solenoid. If you change the switch to the other side you will bypass the controller and switch the second battery in with the first with out damaging the controller.

[Gertc]

[Scooter]

Thanks Gert

I'm hoping to check it all this weekend as I'm off to The Pilanesberg next weekend and although they have power I would still like to test it then.
Will let you know, thanks for all the effort, it is appreciated. :D

Scott

[iHilux]

Please Any Suggestions are more than welcome.
Most of the time stuff is been manufactured by some guy sitting in an office not knowing what is working out in the field. I hope to get a real good guide line off what the guy’s want out of a system. And so I can build myself a winning system so that all you guys can envy me. And some day I can take over the world.

Gertc,

The setup you describe is exactly (well as close as ......) like the NL Dual Battery, and Battery box system is set up. I have been using the system for the past three years, and am very happy with the setup. I can't think of anything you need to change.

You may want to include a "battery monitor" up front with you. This way you can monitor the voltage in both batteries.

What do you esitmate the cost of such setup will be?

[Gertc]

My cost will be under R.100 for the controls. That is excluding the solinoid and cable and lugs.
Solinoid R.169
35mm/2 cable = R. 50.00/m
35mm Lugs = R.5.20 each
Labour = Free. Correction 6 x castle lite.

[Knersus]

Gert jou 6 Castel lights wag vir jou hier in Upington.

[Gertc]

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=5527

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5315

[Polarbear2008]

Gert

I have followed your battery system with great interest. I recently aquired a 01 KZ-TE with what looks like the remains of a dual battery system.

The Cole Hersee solinoid is still there (and seems to audibly enirgise as soon as the ignition is turned to "ON".

There is also a Brad Harrison connector in the loadbox (same location as yours), as well as rather thick cable all along the driver side chassis from the CHS to the loadbox where it is terminated.

Now my question is this. In your opnion, what is the most reliable (and cost efective) way of getting this etup working? Could one "plumb" in your type system? At a basic level I've read guys on the forum talk about a high current switch that needs to be modified first. Where can this be obtained?

I would appreciate your input, as well as anyone elses who has ventured (and won!) down this road.

Thank you in advance.

[Gertc]

Ok sounds like a standard Klerksdorp 4X4 Centre Installation that you have in your Hilux.

I would suggest you start to check if there are 2 cables running from the front to the back. 1 for Positive and 1 for negative. Using the chassis for negative is not a good Idée. The idée is to try and eliminate all possible voltage drops as far as possible.

The solenoid you have is the best to use just check if the connections between the cable and lugs are properly crimped and some people like to solder them as well.

As far as the controller goes that is up to you. Reliable well leave it as it is. The only component that can fail is the Cole Hersee solenoid. Only problem is that if you start on a flat 2nd battery is that you can draw the main battery flat and struggle to start the vehicle. And when you have started the alternator must try and charge both batteries. Where if you can charge the main battery for 3 to 5 minutes restoring the power you just used to start the vehicle and then start to charge your 2nd battery without the access stress on the alternator.

All systems use the Cole Hersee solenoid, some pirate some original. From there you can go to any controller you fancy. Which one is best that I can’t tell you. Some people like Ford, some like Toyota, some like Nissan.

I started playing with my controller and gave it to Knersus in Upington to try it out. He installed his about 6 months before I installed mine. He ordered 2 more last week One for his fader in law. And one for a friend. Family Dog said he is going to install his controller this weekend and I am planning to send 4 more guy’s controllers on Saturday. I asked them to give there honest opinions about the controllers. If all goes well I will be getting 5 opinions of guy’s I have never met. No hard feeling if I get bad reviews just want to know what must be changed to rectify the short falls of the controller.

[Polarbear2008]

HI Gert

Thanks for your comments.

At present my problem is that if I hade to connect it as it stands, I would have no idea as to what is happening or what the condition of the batteries are.

That is why I was asking about the selective isolation of the batteries.

BTW, how much is your kit and can one install it fairly easily?

I understand vehicle electrics i.o.w. I install my own car radios and light sets (without the need for a fire extingusiher :Geek: )

Looking forward to your reply

[Gertc]

My system only controls the Cole hersee solenoid. And can indicate if the solenoid is energized or not. The system is according to me easy to install.

Using 6 wires.

1. Output going to the one end of the solenoid. Other end of ignition going to ground/earth
2. Power from the main battery positive.
3. Ground/Negative
4. Power from the 2nd battery positive.
5. Power from the Lights, I prefer connecting it to the park light closest to the solenoid.
6. Power from the ignition or power from the alternator indication light.

If you want to monitor the battery status you will need to get a battery status monitor.

[Gertc]

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=5527