KraftyPg said:If you want these things to run while the ignition is off work out how much power each item uses and you can work out how many AMP the battery needs to be.
Even if you plan on using these items with the engine running it would also pay to know the power consumption because the Alternator in a D22 is only about 80 AMP (Approx, I can't remember exactly what others have said it is but it's here somewhere) and you don't want to draw more than the Alternator can put in or nothing will last for long.
KraftyPg said:Personally I'd go for a deep cycle but that's purely a price thing. I haven't tried an Optima and figured I'd wait until the prices dropped until I did, there is some bad reports on some Optimas (but that's like everything) but it's hard to tell if people were misusing them or expecting the wrong things from them.
The LED bars (if suitable for the purpose) would drop the power consumptions down dramatically. I'm still not a huge fan of them but for what you are trying to do they might actually be well suited.
Old.Tony said:The D22 might only put out 65A from its alternator but it hauls 500A to turn the diesel engine over, so I'd be very conservative on that fuse. You're not protecting it from the charge rate of the alternator, you're protecting it from the dump rate of the battery, and it could conceivably be as much as the CCA figure on the battery - in mine, that's about 700A.
Which battery? It does definitely depend on how much coin you want to spend. Let me try and summarise the auxiliary battery range for you (this specifically excludes "SLI" - Starter, Lights, Ignition batteries).
"Ordinary" deep cycle batteries are the cheapest but require regular maintenance in the form of weekly/monthly fluid level & specific gravity checkups and 3-6 monthly "equalisation" charges (where the battery is deliberately overcharged to make all the cells perform equally). Expect one of these batteries to last you between 2 and 5 years.
"Gel" deep cycle batteries are the next dearest (about twice the cost, too). They MUST be charged at a lower voltage than normal batteries (14.1V max) - any more and air pockets will form in the gel until they stop conducting. I believe that gel batteries are well worth staying away from. Expect a well-treated gel to last you between 2 and 5 years as well.
"AGM" deep cycle batteries are the most expensive, come in different configurations and can be charged at phenomenal rates. They can be drained significantly with little or no long-term detriment and some - particularly the spiral wound ones designed for military use - can withstand an enormous pounding before they fail. Expect an AGM to last between 4 and 10 years.
Batteries might last longer than that. They might last less - if you over-discharge them, or physically mistreat them (high temps, cheap chargers) then their lifespan will be reduced.
If you're short on coin, grab a normal deep cycle and a bottle of distilled water. Otherwise, consider an AGM.
So where do I get a 700Amp fuse?
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