 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Advice wanted: Twin battery installation |
 
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324  
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Hello folks,
Before the summer, I want to install a twin battery set-up in my 110. I've fitted them before to Discoverys and know my way around the wiring but never in the relatively cramped seat box of a Defender. I've had a read through all of the threads I can find but none seem to cover what I'm looking for, hence this thread. My biggest query is about what I can actually fit in the space available. I don't want Optima or Odyssey batteries; ideally, I want a couple of more regular lead acid ones, which is where it gets tricky. All of the pictures of various installations that I've found seem to favour either Optima or Odyssey so I'm struggling to work out what other options might exist, both for the batteries and the tray to support them. So, can anybody offer any pearls of wisdom? I like the idea of the Devon 4x4 tray as it states that no drilling is required to fit, but it also states that it's designed for Odyssey batteries:  Click image to enlarge Second choice is the one sold by Flatdog but that is clearly aimed at Optimas, although I guess others may fit this design:
Another option is the one from Gwyn Lewis but again only if I can find suitable batteries to fit. Are there others that I haven't found that allow a wider range of batteries to be fitted? Has anybody used less obvious batteries for a similar installation? The second battery will be for running a fridge and other accessories without the engine running so I'd really like it to be a 'leisure' type, but also of a similar size to the starter battery, so nothing too difficult then 
Thanks for looking. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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26th Apr 2018 8:25pm |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238 
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I have two Numax/Enduroline CXV1000s from Tayna fitted with no tray and a standard battery clamp:
Click image to enlarge I believe the flatdog one will not fit taller lead acid batteries. 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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26th Apr 2018 8:47pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Hi Steve,
How did you get away with no tray? Are the batteries sitting at an angle or are they clamped against the sloping parts of the battery box? Or something else? Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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26th Apr 2018 9:05pm |
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| ibexman Member Since: 13 Dec 2008 Location: Essex Posts: 2956
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Take a look at gmb mount site
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26th Apr 2018 9:48pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1768 
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Click image to enlarge It's not... pretty, but it is a pair of 100Ah batteries in there. No clamp as there's no room, I added some dense foam to stop them jumping up, but you need to drop the second one from a bit of height to get it down anyway! The Varta is shorter (height) but longer (length) than the yuasa, and sits up on the step quite nicely. Chosen because it was lurking spare in the garage. The negative terminals have to go at the back, as they get a bit close to the seatbox lid! |
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26th Apr 2018 10:46pm |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238
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Both of my batteries sit with the negative terminal under the edge of the seatbox with that end of the battery raised. The positive end of them sits at a lower level. If I had used a battery tray the positive terminals would have been too close to the lid. I then used the standard battery clamp (piece of angle with two tent pegs) and it fits nicely. I have not modified the box in any way to fit them in this way.
You can see slightly better in the below picture where the exposed part is where the positive end of the batteries sit: Click image to enlarge The other bits I have within that seatbox is two Albright HD Contactors, one which isolates my winch and Anderson Connector, and one which connects the two batteries together. I have a switch which allows me to manually connect both batteries to peform a self jump start or if i wish to use both for winching. This is the best photo I have of the solenoid setup: Click image to enlarge In addition to the winch my second battery also powers and auxiliary fuseboard under the center cubby box where by extra relays also live: Click image to enlarge You can see the LR voltage sensing relay which I use to trigger my contactor between the two batteries (i have adjusted the switching voltage slightly from stock as the TD5 alternator is quite powerful). I have another one of these voltage sensing relays under the driver's seat for the towing electrics too. Cheers, Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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27th Apr 2018 8:20am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5884 
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Steve, where did you get your under cubby box from? 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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27th Apr 2018 9:41am |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238
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From YRM:
https://yrmit.co.uk/product/lt77-r380-cent...-defender/ Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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27th Apr 2018 9:47am |
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| TJH1985 Member Since: 22 Aug 2016 Location: Midlands Posts: 238
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Do you just use the standard lid on top of that?
Im gonna order some stuff.. Thanks for all the info great stuff! |
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27th Apr 2018 9:53am |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238
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I use the standard lid but you have to remove the little bit from the back which hooks under the seatbox as that no longer fits, it is only a few spot welds to remove though.
I have three lengths of convoluted tubing running from that tray, one going to each of the other seatboxes and one running out of the rear with the wiring to the eberspacher to keep all of the wiring contained and neat. Let me know if i can provide any more info, always happy to help with wiring 
Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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27th Apr 2018 10:01am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5884
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Thanks Steve I was going to ask about fitting the cubby box back in place, looks like I will need to drill some holes to allow the bolts through for the cubby box to attach to ? 1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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27th Apr 2018 11:08am |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238
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John, I refitted the cover from the centre of the seatbox using the original 4 self tapping screws which let me re-attach the cubby box to the original rivnuts in the lid.
Just need to be careful of the length of the machine screws through the bottom of your cubby box. Mine were about 55mm long and would have made contact with the fusebox i fitted beneath. The two smaller holes you can see i have drilled in the front of the YRM tray are for the original rivnuts in the lid to protrude through. The larger centre hole allows the OBD socket to pass through. My cubby box seems to be solid enough mounted in this way. Make sure you seal around the YRM tray/seatbox/lid though as quite a draught comes through! Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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27th Apr 2018 11:13am |
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| excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5884
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Cheers Steve. Hence the two smaller holes either side of the big hole for the ECU diag cable? 1999 Defender TD5 110
Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock |
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27th Apr 2018 11:15am |
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| rallysteve Member Since: 10 Feb 2014 Location: Cumbria Posts: 2238
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Yeah indeed they are! I guess you read my reply before i edited it to add that info
Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread |
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27th Apr 2018 11:18am |
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