Antigravity Battery assist

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 04/15/2015 at 14:50 • Filed to: None

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Anyone have any experience with the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ?

I'm trying to decide how I want to deal with electrical support in the truck.

OPTION 1

National Luna Dual battery system with split charge isolator and monitor (additional deep cycle group 34 battery required)

pros -

The real deal, LOTS of amp hours for "house" use.

Completely isolated for reduced electrical liability.

Battery linking for start battery jumping without doing anything but pressing a button

Cons -

Kit is expensive

A new battery is expensive

Dual batteries in front of the axle means bad things for ride height and handling.

OPTION 2

National Luna remote battery kit (additional deep cycle group 34 battery required)

pros -

All the same as the installed kit, but its remote so I can install it anywhere and remove it when I don't need it.

Cons -

even more expensive than the kit

Harder to hardwire house electrical, mostly just used for a few accessories

Option 3

Replace starter battery with group 34 deep cycle (dual cycle) battery and buy an Antigravity portable jump starter pack

pros -

Cheaper (still $300-400)

Little additional nose weight

No change required to current house/vehicle electrical (house electrical is currently isolated but limited to 1 battery hot and 2 ignition hot circuits (20a/each)

Battery pack also charges phone/camera/etc

Cons -

no dedicated "house" battery

Not automatic/foolproof charging or standby power (you have to make sure its charged before you need it and shouldn't leave it plugged in.)

Starting battery still liable to drained with a house laod but can be jumped with charged Antigravity

What do you think?

Mattbob > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 15:15

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wait, are you trying to run a house off of car batteries that are still in your truck? What is your scenario? I know a bit about batteries and electrics.

HammerheadFistpunch > Mattbob 04/15/2015 at 15:19

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no, in this case the "house" refers to the source of power for non essential vehicle functions. Think: Camping fridge, gps, camera/phone chargers, additional lighting, etc. Its an RV/Marine term. i.e. there is the starting battery and a "house" battery. Though i did toy with the idea of creating enough additional electrical output from a vehicle to use it to run basic home needs like a generator...then I figured a generator was cheaper and easier.

Mattbob > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 15:25

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it seems like you need one of these and a couple deep cycles. Should be able to do that stuff yourself. Maybe throw a voltage indicator on there, or if you want to get fancy put an actual state of charge computer on it. http://www.amazon.com/Perko-Battery-…

What is your usage scenario? Are you looking to use both batteries for house power, then jump the car, or some combination thereof?

HammerheadFistpunch > Mattbob 04/15/2015 at 15:27

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meh, if im spending the money and adding the weight of 2 batteries i want something with split charge and automatic isolation. People have gone this route but it doesn't interest me

HammerheadFistpunch > Mattbob 04/15/2015 at 15:44

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The idea is that all house electrical would be run exclusively from the house battery and that the start battery would be just as it left the Toyota factory. The idea is that the house battery split charges with the start battery when running and then is automatically isolated from the start battery when off, preventing rundown of the start battery. In the event that the start battery goes flat (lights on all night, etc) then you hit the link button and the house battery and start battery are linked so you aren't stranded.

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 18:46

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I have used one several times. I have had one for the last year.

We've used three in line to weld and then start up a diesel land rover and Expo. All without a recharge.

I have usually used mine to charge phones, cameras etc while out and about. I have never fully used it up even after several friends phones being charged fully and my own twice. I like it.

For trucks, check out the low voltage disconnects used in marine applications. A "battery brain" is cheap and it saves me every single time I wear the battery down too far. Just click it back so it's connected and start the truck. No heavy complicated dual battery system needed. It has saved me and many friends. I think it's worked for me in actual instances 12 or so times. Sometimes just at an airport parking lot and some of those were in the middle of nowhere.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tim 04/15/2015 at 18:51

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wait, how did you tie three of them in series?

HammerheadFistpunch > Tim 04/15/2015 at 19:03

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like so?

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Prog-B…

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 20:08

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Exactly, I run EVERYthing that takes power on the other side of that. That way if there is any parasitic draw it will still work to shut it off. It shuts it off with a wide margin of safety so it may be a bit premature, but it never fails to start

After a dual battery system failed on my truck and caused me to get stranded I removed the second battery, sold the system and went to this.

The guys at Adventure Trailers swear by this setup and turned me on to it a long time ago. 1 BIG battery and this works well. IMHO

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 20:11

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Similar to how you would with car batteries, but pairing the micro-starts together using their provided jumper cables.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tim 04/15/2015 at 20:14

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I am sold on a group 34 dual cycle, and now this, though I still think I would be happy getting an xp1 as safety and to charge up all my gear

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 20:18

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Yah, I took the microstart on my bikepacking trip. Recharged my phone and the other guys. It only lost 1 light telling me that it had barely been used. I'm sure it could have jump started a weak battery still.

(Even my emergency SPOT has a port that I could use the microstart to power if the batteries died and I needed rescue.)

For batteries have you read the whole Sears Diehard Platinum thread on Expo? When I moved from Optima's to those batteries a while back I was shocked that one of those "sears" Odyssey batteries was "near" the CCA and Amp hours of 2 optimas. Pretty stellar battery.

HammerheadFistpunch > Tim 04/15/2015 at 20:19

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Thats the one Im planning on getting Sears Blue group 34

Tim > HammerheadFistpunch 04/15/2015 at 20:28

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Love mine. Drop by the local sears and try to pick one out with the newest manufac. date. I grabbed one that was a year old and then returned it for one at a different local sears that was just a month old. Why not have a newer one since a battery is a constantly degredating object. :-)

HammerheadFistpunch > Tim 04/15/2015 at 20:29

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I was going to do that at lunch today actually...but didn't have time.