Announcement: Important message regarding Site Behaviour and Terms of Use. Click here to read.
SKP
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 165
 
|
Is it OK to leave my Aux battery unused in my D3 (Optima yellow top with Traxide system) or should I draw some power out of it every now and again 
I have had it installed for 6 months now, but have not been able to embark on 2 intended expeditions because of health issues
|
 Sun Aug 31 2008 8:10am |
|
|
drivesafe
Joined: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 272
|
Hi SKP, the system is a fit and forget set up, so no matter how you use it, you won’t harm anything.
There is no need to put any load on the Optima, it will be fine no matter how long as you leave it unused as it will be keep in top operating condition by your D3.
Cheers. 2007 TDV8 RR Lux + 2005 D3 SE V6 Petrol
|
| Sun Aug 31 2008 9:17am |
|
|
SKP
Joined: 07 Feb 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 165
|
Thank you for your prompt reply Drivesafe. 
Is their any benefit in me putting a dual volt meter in my D3
If yes, what type would you suggest
Cheers,
Steven
|
| Mon Sep 01 2008 7:05am |
|
|
drivesafe
Joined: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 272
|
SKP wrote:Is their any benefit in me putting a dual volt meter in my D3
Hi Steven and a simple answer, NO.
If you have a digital multi meter, thats all you need.
These a lot of hype about putting volt meters on dual battery set ups but they are really only good for one indication and that to show that the is a charge voltage being applied to the batteries but volt meters DO NOT show if the battery is actually taking the charge, so in my opinion, they are next to useless.
The problem with trying to use the voltage as an indicator for the State of Charge of the battery is that a battery can be totally stuffed but holds a float voltage that may give an indication that the battery appears to be fully charged and not until you connect a load of some form do you find out the battery is cactus.
The only way to keep track of how your battery is going is to fit something like an Xantrex battery monitoring system but then your looking at around $400 to $500 dollars and a hell of a lot of wiring. 2007 TDV8 RR Lux + 2005 D3 SE V6 Petrol
|
| Mon Sep 01 2008 8:29am |
|
|
eran48
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
Location: Sydney
Posts: 124
|
Drivesafe,
Can you explain a bit more on how a volt meter isn't much use in not showing the proper state of the battery? I was planning to put a volt meter in just to know what voltage is going round the vehicle. If the engine is off and there is a load on the battery (say the headlights are left on), wouldn't the volt meter give some indication to how healthy the battery (or batteries) is?
I was actually planning to put two volt meters in to meter the two batteries separately. I assume that I will be able to do this once the Traxide system kicks in and isolate both batteries?
By the way, your system is still working beautifully in my car with zero issues 
Cheers.
|
| Mon Sep 01 2008 11:51am |
|
|
drivesafe
Joined: 23 Feb 2006
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Posts: 272
|
Hi eran48, volt meters can be very useful if you know their limitations.
I use multi meters to monitor whats going on in my vehicles but it’s only to see what voltage is reaching what areas of the vehicle with specific load being powered in these areas, such as what voltage is at the driving lights or the voltage at the auxiliary battery with the fridge running.
The problem is that most people do not understand that, as posted earlier, this is only good to indicate the immediate voltage and is not a good indicator of the state of charge of the battery.
Taking voltage readings over a period of time, with a known load connected to a battery will ( if you know the formula ) give you a very accurate indication of the batteries true state of charge, but this is neither convenient nor something most people would choose to do.
Whether you fit the one or not is up to the individual but just how useful they are is a bit debatable, for the reasons given above.
If your battery is not holding a charge, in most cases you will probably find out through the actual failure of the battery as quickly as you will find that battery is faulty by using a volt meter. 2007 TDV8 RR Lux + 2005 D3 SE V6 Petrol
|
| Mon Sep 01 2008 12:58pm |
|
|
ianv
Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Location: Murrumbateman
Posts: 286
|
Hi Guys,
Agree on the volt meter limitations, if someone asks I'll send them to an autelectrician as they can properly check the cranking ability of the battery against it's stated capability and judge condition properly, mostly they do this for free as well. Much better result and if they have to change a battery then it will get recycled properly.
Ianv TDV6 S. Air Susp, locking Diff, Warn Winch, ARB bar, IPF lights, dual bats, G4 ladder, Frontrunner roofrack, rear wheel carrier, long range tank, Hannibal awning, 240V inverter, Cooper ST's, UHF, HF-VKS737 N3559
|
| Thu Sep 04 2008 12:22pm |
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
