More batteries
- scott the viking
- Posts: 3864
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:35 am
More batteries
A while back I was involved in a debate with a guy, and now that we have an electrical section...I feel it would be a great time to bring it up...
He was running four VERY large off-road lights on his rail. He was air-cooled and still running the old generator...Well...we in here all know what this is going to lead to...if the charging system can't keep up with demand...then it can't charge the battery...so the battery goes dead while you're driving...His answer to this problem was to add another battery...and no matter how much I tried to explain why this was not going to help...he would hear none of it....NOW...the reason I bring this up is that I have heard more mention of running another battery to power lights...and I am not talking about a second battery hooked to an isolator, so it would prevent the main battery from dying...but rather just two batteries for more power....I am not going to explain why this will not work...because...apparently...I am no good at explaining it...seems simple to me...but I am not getting my point across....SOOO...maybe you guys can run with this topic and go into detail.
He was running four VERY large off-road lights on his rail. He was air-cooled and still running the old generator...Well...we in here all know what this is going to lead to...if the charging system can't keep up with demand...then it can't charge the battery...so the battery goes dead while you're driving...His answer to this problem was to add another battery...and no matter how much I tried to explain why this was not going to help...he would hear none of it....NOW...the reason I bring this up is that I have heard more mention of running another battery to power lights...and I am not talking about a second battery hooked to an isolator, so it would prevent the main battery from dying...but rather just two batteries for more power....I am not going to explain why this will not work...because...apparently...I am no good at explaining it...seems simple to me...but I am not getting my point across....SOOO...maybe you guys can run with this topic and go into detail.
- MedicTed
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:59 pm
Electricity equates very well with water. A car has a battery (bucket), generator/alternator (fill line) and load(s) (drain line). If your bucket is continually running empty, you can get a bigger bucket (more batteries), however it is a patch, not a repair. The proper repair is to decrease the amount going through the drain (use less lights, etc.) or to fill the bucket faster (get a bigger generator/alternator).
- david58
- Moderator
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- Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:14 pm
Scott tell the guy with two batteries his bucket has a hole in it, and you can prove it.
MedicTed wrote:Electricity equates very well with water. A car has a battery (bucket), generator/alternator (fill line) and load(s) (drain line). If your bucket is continually running empty, you can get a bigger bucket (more batteries), however it is a patch, not a repair. The proper repair is to decrease the amount going through the drain (use less lights, etc.) or to fill the bucket faster (get a bigger generator/alternator).
Hot, humid air is less dense than cooler, drier air. This can allow a golf ball to fly through the air with greater ease, as there won't be as much resistance on the ball.
- MNAirHead
- Posts: 9570
- Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2003 6:12 am
How do those Westy kits work then?? Or are they more dubble gum candy..
Is the theory that you charge just one at a time.. then switch over and charge the other?
2nd Generating System
We used to run 3 batteries when I was desert running.. common system used the generator.. then we fabbed a mount for a GM generator...
Why?
Our thought was that we'd only have the bare minimum stuff off the generator.. then all the lights, sound etc on the Optional Generator.
3rd battery?
I'm sure many of us have driven without a charging system.. I've commonly been able to run in day time for about 3+ hours without any generator or regulator.
Is the theory that you charge just one at a time.. then switch over and charge the other?
2nd Generating System
We used to run 3 batteries when I was desert running.. common system used the generator.. then we fabbed a mount for a GM generator...
Why?
Our thought was that we'd only have the bare minimum stuff off the generator.. then all the lights, sound etc on the Optional Generator.
3rd battery?
I'm sure many of us have driven without a charging system.. I've commonly been able to run in day time for about 3+ hours without any generator or regulator.
- MedicTed
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:59 pm
- scott the viking
- Posts: 3864
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:35 am
- MedicTed
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:59 pm
Here is one example of a method to not use two batteries.
http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort= ... 7&cat=2661
http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort= ... 7&cat=2661
- Badbugtwo
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2002 12:01 am
The charging system is supposed to keep up with the demand while running. The battery is for starting the vehicle, running anything while the engine is off and taking up the slack if the demands exceed the charging system.... but only for short term. A second battery will just prolong the inevitable, and unless he is running deep cycle batteries, it is going to get more expensive to replace the batteries then to just upgrade the charging system!
Hey, have him retrofit one of these 250 Amp alternators on there!
Hey, have him retrofit one of these 250 Amp alternators on there!
- scott the viking
- Posts: 3864
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:35 am
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- Moderator
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- Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:01 am
I am with scott on this one 2 buckets just takes alittle longer to empty out than one
here is a thought , next time you flatten a battery out ....lets say by leaving a big set of driving lights on , then get your vehicle boosted so it will start , after driving for a while .. lets say 5 mins , stop get out and grab ahold of your alt or gen housing you might be startled by how hot it is
So now when you overtax your electrical system current out put capabilities you are shortening your alt life by a large amount because of this increased temp
here is a thought , next time you flatten a battery out ....lets say by leaving a big set of driving lights on , then get your vehicle boosted so it will start , after driving for a while .. lets say 5 mins , stop get out and grab ahold of your alt or gen housing you might be startled by how hot it is
So now when you overtax your electrical system current out put capabilities you are shortening your alt life by a large amount because of this increased temp