Dual Battery Switch

[soundman]

Hello

Has anyone installed a dual battery switch on there rig. I'm thinking about installing a second battery and want to add a dual battery switch as well. I use these on my boats and they work great. I know the marine grade is over kill but that is whats available.
Any thoughts.

Thanks Dennis

[Ruffus]

Hey Dennis
I installed a dual battery right after buying my Sprinter 360QDS. I found that over extended storage that the gas detectors and other items put a slow constant drain on them so I installed a ParkPower contour battery switch in the battery compartment and problem solved. Now no one can mess with the front leveler jacks and they can't get to the switch without the key which I have. Easy to install and very inexspensive around $20. The only thing that is a little inconvenant is that I have to reprogram the units remote control everytime we hook up, wow that means I have to push two buttons (:
Jim B.

[linebiker]

Hello

Has anyone installed a dual battery switch on there rig. I'm thinking about installing a second battery and want to add a dual battery switch as well. I use these on my boats and they work great. I know the marine grade is over kill but that is whats available.
Any thoughts.

Thanks Dennis

Just got through putting one on my toy hauler, like you marine grade was locally available so used that. Rated amperage good for my 5.5 genset. Was concerned with clearance issues (wires to metal mounting surface) so mounted a piece of fiberglass board to wall (steel) then put switch on top of that. My rig did not come with battery tie downs, and only room for group 24 batteries. Modified rack and purchased two battery trays with straps from Gander Mtn then used Napa 8301 DCM group 27 batteries made by Deca. Had my cables made at local parts store too, good terminations, flexible wire and color coded. Much better than what it was.

Picked up a mountable digital volt meter with a low voltage alarm for about $30 from Sailors Solutions and will get that in someday. I want to run a dedicated wire for that, built in batt indicator reads off inverter it seems....and is only good for closeoligy.

[atsource]

Today I was at my local Interstate shop looking into a second battery and switch. The salesmen suggested that I install the same size battery so they charge evenly. I wasn't thinking about there being a charging issue and had been hoping to get a bigger second deep cycle battery. I don't want to ditch the original one since it is brand new. Any thoughts?

Back to the original thread- What would be the benefit of having a battery switch that isolated batteries? Wouldn't it be better to run them down together?

[linebiker]

Interstate guy has sound advice my opinion, one of several reasons for battery switch allowing isolation. Would be best to separate batteries of different size and age, may need to use and charge separately. If nothing else when one fails you have another to operate. You like me likely do not want to by one more unit with a good one on site. Buying one larger batt you will never have a matched set as they will age at different times. There is no right and wrong answers just what your budget and goals are. I needed more reserve, and battery supplied with my unit was not best model for deep cycle use. If I had the foresight would have modified new box in way to use old batt, then parallel two new batts. That would have made batt 1 on switch my two new ones and batt 2 the used batt. Still may do that unless family member needs my used batt.

May get to take mine out and try this weekend if rain holds off!

[atsource]

Thx linebiker. I ended up buying a matching size battery (550cca 690 mca), but I'm having second thoughts about having enough power - we run the heater a lot. I think I'm going to go with the larger marine battery and add a selector switch.

I was looking at the Perko 8501DP (250amp continuous, 360 intermittent). I've seen switches by Blue Sea that are 300amp and 350amps. Is 250amps enough for a travel trailer?

[Festus2]

Not sure why you want to install a battery isolator switch if you have 2 12V batteries wired properly. The battery isolator switch that I think you are referring to is essentially used in marine applications. You can use Battery #1, or Battery #2 or both. Usually, you have a 'House" battery for running all the 12 V stuff - lights, etc. and a "Starting" battery that is used only for starting the engine(s). If you are on a boat, at anchor, you certainly dont want to drain both batteries leaving you with no juice to start your boat engine. That is why they use the isolator switch - so that they can keep 1 battery isolated and kept only for starting.
If you are planning to install another 3rd battery as a backup, then that may call for an isolation switch.
In an RV environment, there doesnt seem to be any need to keep one battery isolated and in reserve to crank over an engine or as a backup. In most cases, if you have 2 12v batteries, people use both of them at the same time (wired in parallel). When they get low, you can top them up with a generator, a solar panel or by hooking up to your TV.
Some people install a battery cut-off switch so that nothing will work unless the switch is turned on at the battery. Some switches have a special key or can be locked to prevent someone from turning them on or turned off to shut down everything in the RV - stereo clocks, detectors, etc.

My choice would be to get 2 6v batteries ( wired in series) such as those used in golf carts and not bother with any isolation switches. They will usually provide you with more amp hours (usually) and will run your lights, etc for a longer period when dry camping. They are both heavier and more costly and 12v's but better IMHO.

[atsource]

My ractional for the isolator was so I could keep the new smaller battery (which came with the trailer) and get a second that was much bigger, then manage them using the switch. Ideally I would buy two of the bigger batteries and parallel them.

At this point my question is, is the Perko's 250amp rating sufficient for travel trailer use or do I need to go bigger?

[linebiker]

My ractional for the isolator was so I could keep the new smaller battery (which came with the trailer) and get a second that was much bigger, then manage them using the switch. Ideally I would buy two of the bigger batteries and parallel them.

At this point my question is, is the Perko's 250amp rating sufficient for travel trailer use or do I need to go bigger?

In short 250 should be more than double enough. I used that same one on my Toy hauler, used a dc clamp amp and checked starting current on a simiar sized generator to mine, it showed around 130 amps. Unless you are starting a generator like me, (comming off hip here) bet for normal camping peak amps would never see 50.....operating slides and jacks are the big common users of amps. Oh well thats my thoughts anyway.

You looked on rv.net yet? Lots of talk on batteries and such on that site.

[atsource]

Thx for the input.

[PSDave]

Once again ... SOLAR panels to the rescue. My continuous-on electronics in my trailer (and truck) take so very little current, that I just put a 5-Watt solar panel (CW) on the back bumper (bumper has clear shot to the South, just like for dish type satellite.) Use your latitude as a guide for how "high" to aim the panel. There's enough direct or indirect sun light to keep up with those small items. ... (I have a 1.5-Watt unit for the cab of my truck, on the inside)
PSDave

[fiddlinrver]

I am new to this forum but was active on our old Hitchhiker one. I appreciate all the tidbits and help.

Hubby is installing a battery cut off switch on our new Cougar 278RKS today. We want to stop battery drain and also secure the landing gear switches so no one can mess with them while stored. We opted to get money off the purchase by not taking the 12 volt battery but bringing our own 2 - 6 volt Trojan batteries in a duel battery box. We had 4 of these in our huge HH and power never ran out while dry camping over a week (of course without the heater running).

We are excited to get out camping but are in the process of sorting all the "stuff" we carried in the bigger unit and downsizing. We had lived 7 month at a time in the big one for the last 3 years.

Dianne

[Festus2]

One of the first upgrades we did with our 27RKS was doing exactly what you have done - scrap the single 12V battery and get two Trojan 6's. That was followed by getting an 85W Kyocera Solar panel which I chose not to mount on the roof. Instead, I built a track in one of the storage compartments where I keep the panel when not in use. When in use, I built a lightweight, folding easel/sandwhich board and set it up outside. There are obvious disadvantages to this kind of setup but there is already enough stuff on the roof and I didn't like the idea of drilling 4 more holes and mounting it up there. In conjunction with the solar regulator, it keeps the 2 Trojans charged with normal and sensible use. Now, if only the sun would appear.

[fiddlinrver]

Hubby installed a battery cut off switch yesterday. We put in 2 Trojan 6 volt batteries (didn't take the 12 v that came with the 5er). He put the switch knob through the front bay wall so the switch is in the big bay and body of unit on the wall above the batteries in the front bay.

Reasons for using a cut off switch: stop the draw when parked AND a big one for us is that with the switch off, no one can open the slide or use the landing jacks.

Next step is installing an alarm system in the big bay. If someone does get in, the alarm goes off...and then they would have to figure out or know where to turn the battery cutoff switch back on. Just an added security feature for us.

After all this gets done we will reorganize the bay storage items. We sold a big Hitchhiker so must downsize what we think we need as this bay is smaller. That was the plan when downsizing to a smaller 5er.

Dianne

[Seann]

Thx linebiker. I ended up buying a matching size battery (550cca 690 mca), but I'm having second thoughts about having enough power - we run the heater a lot. I think I'm going to go with the larger marine battery and add a selector switch.

I was looking at the Perko 8501DP (250amp continuous, 360 intermittent). I've seen switches by Blue Sea that are 300amp and 350amps. Is 250amps enough for a travel trailer?

If you bought a battery that has a CCA rating it is not really suitable for a house batter in an RV. it is a starting battery that is designed to run stereo equipment. Your best bang for the buck (and yes it is expensive) is to get 2-6 volt golf cart batteries, hooked up pos to neg to give you 12 volts.