FYI Fitter 2x125AH batteries to our Starlight

[gregcope]

Hi all

For future reference, I have just fitted 2x125 lead acid maintance free batteries from battery Megastore. DC31s;

http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/product/DC31/

The reason this is of note, is that they only just fit. mm to spare.

Domestic bank capacity was 200AH, now 250AH. Had to make longer battery connections.

View attachment 43301

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Someone will probably be along shortly to explain why it's better to take the -ve and + ve connections from the two parallel batteries rather than-as your picture shows . Good to get additional capacity though.

 

[gregcope]

Someone will probably be along shortly to explain why it's better to take the -ve and + ve connections from the two parallel batteries rather than-as your picture shows . Good to get additional capacity though.

What you cannot see is that the +ve and -ve have leads off them under the locker wood.



But yes, someone else might find fault!!!

 

[Allan]

By coincidence I have, this weekend, fitted a new 50w solar panel to the coach roof, new 50w solar panel to lay or prop up in the cockpit, new solar controller and two Alphaline DC31 batteries. I've deliberately used more power than usual tonight and they are still at 13volts.
I'm off to Ireland Thursday so probably won't need the extra power for the fridge!
Allan

 

[gregcope]

By coincidence I have, this weekend, fitted a new 50w solar panel to the coach roof, new 50w solar panel to lay or prop up in the cockpit, new solar controller and two Alphaline DC31 batteries. I've deliberately used more power than usual tonight and they are still at 13volts.
I'm off to Ireland Thursday so probably won't need the extra power for the fridge!
Allan

What solar controller did you use?

My day was less constructive in comparison

I need to move my life raft to mount a solar panel in its place first. Next weekend maybe...

 

[macd]

What you cannot see is that the +ve and -ve have leads off them under the locker wood.

It's impossible to be certain from the photograph, but Ken's point is that it looks as though both the main + and - leads connect to the right-hand battery, then each spurs to the left-hand battery. If so, this would work the batteries unequally, the right-hand doing substantially more work than the left, which is clearly not ideal.

The ideal option is for the main positive feed to go to one battery, the main negative to the other, with appropriate spurs from each.

See this link for chapter and verse: http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html

 

[Allan]

What solar controller did you use?

My day was less constructive in comparison

I need to move my life raft to mount a solar panel in itself and place first. Next weekend maybe...

I bought the dual battery controller and a 50w framed solar panel from www.renytek.co.uk for £90.
Allan