 | Home > In Car Electronics > Which batteries and split charge system with solar? |
 
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| Michaelkan Member Since: 19 Dec 2018 Location: Bath Posts: 149   
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I have two Odyssey PC1500 and CTEK D250SA with Smartpass. It has built in solar input. Very easy to setup.
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5th Mar 2019 2:40pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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I’m looking at the Ring RSCDC30. Looks to to what I want at reasonable money.
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5th Mar 2019 3:29pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4216 
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Michaelkan - Can i ask; where you mounted the D250 and Smartpass? Am considering them myself. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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5th Mar 2019 5:11pm |
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| Michaelkan Member Since: 19 Dec 2018 Location: Bath Posts: 149
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In the battery box under the passenger seat. I’m also using a Victron 712 to monitor the battery.
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5th Mar 2019 5:30pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4216
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If you get chance, a photo of your setup would be of interest. plus any other details like what battery tray etc.
Finally, you don't happen to run a fridge on that set up do you? Sorry for all the questions  2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS |
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5th Mar 2019 5:50pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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Those Odyssey batteries seem to be branded as starter batteries but they can also take being discharged pretty low. Best of both I suppose.
Considering they are both pretty expensive and have a pretty low Ah rating compared to a run of the mill leisure battery. What are the benefits? Why would I want a 65Ah Odyssey battery over a 130Ah deep cycle battery at half the price? |
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6th Mar 2019 1:01pm |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4216
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The world of batteries is complicated. Most leisure batteries are described as dual purpose these days as they have enough CCA to start engines. In fact the factory battery installed in Defenders (Pumas at least) is a dual purpose battery.
Whatever you get, you have the headline Ah rating, but you have to consider how much of that is usable. I think the rule of thumb for a normal AGM battery is that 50% DOD is the most you want to discharge them, so a 130Ah AGM has 65 AH usable energy. Odyssey reckon their batteries are good for 80% DOD so you only need an 80ah Odyssey to have the same usable power. If you've got loads of room you might as well just buy what's cheapest to give you the capacity you need, but if space is at a premium (like in a Defender seat box) you get more usable energy in the same physical space with an Odyssey than you do with Standard AGM. Wet cell batteries have less usable energy than AGM, Lithium are much better. Also, I understand it is ok to mount at least some AGMs on their side which might be useful if it needs to squeeze into a small space. The other thing you need consider is how you are charging. A regular split charge relay will not charge AGM to their fullest potential, you need a DC to DC charger to get the last few percent. But you might not need to and you can trade off a bit of battery capacity for a much cheaper system with a split charge relay. With a DC to DC charger you take a bit of a hit on max charging current in exchange for a better "quality" charge of the battery. I can't seem to find any reliable information on exactly how much slower say a 30 amp charger is compared to a VSR, but it isn't as simple as saying I have a 130 amp alternator it will therefore charge 4 and a bit times faster through the VSR than a 30 amp DC charger, as the alternator output falls away as the battery charges. The only magic bullet I know of is the the Ctek D250 combined with a Smart Pass mentioned above. That system gives you both the high current capability of a split charge relay through the Smart pass with the proper charging profile of the D250 to make sure the battery is properly cared for. It'll cost you around £500 for the privilege, against less than £100 for a good VSR relay. As with anyhting, you pays your money, you makes your choice. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS |
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6th Mar 2019 4:25pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8051  
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I run various split charge systems, durite vsr, national lunar, blue sea. Not much in any of them.
Battery wise, I have run numax leisure batteries for both main and aux battery. Have run these cvx 31 or 27s for last 15 years in multiple vehicles. Camping vehicle or winching vehicles they have done it all. The challenge truck I built in 2010 is still running them. My truck cab rebuilt in 2008 is also still running same numax batts. So you can say they last. I did dabble for one summer on the 110 with two pc1500s. They just didn't cut it for me. A lot of £ and just didn't cope with my camping demands being static for a week with solar. So switched back to numax. Sold the oddyssey. We also ran Odyssey in our Croatia trophy challenges back in 2010. They were good for that use, but running them in 2017/2018 on an ultra4 truck. No such joy. I think there have been some subtle changes at odyssey in last 3 years or so. Cheers James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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6th Mar 2019 4:40pm |
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| Michaelkan Member Since: 19 Dec 2018 Location: Bath Posts: 149
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Mine.
 Click image to enlarge |
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6th Mar 2019 5:46pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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VSRs work absolutely perfect is you have 2 identical batteries like the Odysseys for instance. Then there's probably little benefit in spending the money getting a dc-to-dc system. I also imagine the Odysseys are good for stuff like winching.
I need the second battery camping. I need to power my fridge and stuff. I've had a Numax deep cycle in the past and I found it good. This is where the dc-to-dc system shines, you can use different batteries and get them both fully charged. Space is at a premium though. That's why was hoping someone else had already done the research into which battery pair gives best bang for space in the Defender. I will probably have to get a mounting bracket first, do some measuring. Then build a few cardboard batteries and see what the optimal configuration is. |
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7th Mar 2019 8:55am |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8051
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i have two Numax CVX27Fs in mine mounted on an adapted D44 PC1500 battery tray. gives me the best starting, winching and camping options. topped up with 200X flexible solar. Cheers
James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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7th Mar 2019 11:42am |
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| Les Brock Member Since: 20 Mar 2012 Location: Stroud, Glos Posts: 152
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James,
When you say adapted D4x4 tray how so ?, as mine need changing and I have the same tray Cheers Les |
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7th Mar 2019 12:56pm |
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| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8051
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Hi Les, i took off the two lips on the longest edge, and i think i redrilled the mounting holes in the seat box to attach it to the floor to move the whole thing towards the front of the vehicle and i think its 180 deg out to. i would take a look but i cant see it for the batteries and its tight in there! Cheers
James 110 2012 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
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7th Mar 2019 1:32pm |
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| dantastic Member Since: 04 May 2010 Location: London Posts: 367
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Those Numax are quite cheap. They have a higher Ah rating as well. They look like a really good option!
How's the fit with the D44 tray? Do you think there would be any chance of fitting one if the slightly bigger Numaxs? Like this one https://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/xv30hrmf-leisure-marine-battery.html I will need a tray as well so have yo any idea if other trays would need modification? Or do I need a tray? Will a length of square tube do just fine? |
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7th Mar 2019 1:38pm |
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