Anyone have experience with onboard battery chargers?

[trailhunter]

Wrangler here with a genesis dual battery kit on 2x oddysseys. My alternator may have a difficult time charging two AGMs, I'm looking for some feedback on someone who is running this kind of setup and what the wiring is like, any feedback is appreciated!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[trailhunter]

Wrangler here with a genesis dual battery kit on 2x oddysseys. My alternator may have a difficult time charging two AGMs, I'm looking for some feedback on someone who is running this kind of setup and what the wiring is like, any feedback is appreciated!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Interesting no hits, no one running into this problem with dual batteries?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Mike W]

I have dual AGM Batts on a Traxide setup. I use a CTEK (56-353) MULTI US 7002 charger to keep them healthy. The charger stays in my garage though, and plugs in through a port on my grill. It doesn't go on board. I have taken it with me before and used camp site power to charge though.

 

[Road]

Interesting no hits, no one running into this problem with dual batteries?

It's only been sixteen hours since you posted last night and it's a weekday now, and a lot of the country is under big weather. So a lot of folks may not have seen your post yet.

Your thread title may be a bit misleading, too... if you mean these Genesis Dual Battery Kits. They're not really on-board battery chargers, at least from what I can see, but a kit that provides mounting brackets, wiring, and an isolator.

I suspect a lot of people with dual battery setups don't actually have an on-board battery charger like @Mike W mentions, which are wonderful products, but have an isolator like is in your kit. Or have on-board solar charge controllers to control power coming in from panels. Some may have something like a NOCO Genius 2 to help control the charge when hooked up to 110. That's what I have in my trailer. But they aren't really chargers, either.

It may just be an alternator issue, but will defer to those who have more experience with typical Wrangler alternators and dual battery setups in Jeep products.

I do run dual Odyssey batteries in my trailer with both a solar charge controller and the NOCO Genius mentioned above, though neither is used when the trailer is hooked up and I'm rolling, as then my vehicle's alternator charges both batteries via the 7way hookup. So far, over more than 13,000 miles, no problem with my alternator keeping up or my batteries not being charged.
When I add dual house batteries to my vehicle, though, to complement the dual starting battery set up, I may go to a larger capacity alternator to handle it all.

Might be if you change your post's title to "Dual Battery Charging Issue in Wrangler" you'll get more people peeking in, some of which may have expertise with Wrangler alternators.

Here's hoping someone with more knowledge than I have with your setup chimes in!

.

 

[nickburt]

Which type of battery doesn't really come into it. Yes, some are supposedly designed to be more for starting and cranking and others for long slow discharge, but the principles of charging remain the same.
I have been doing some research into on board battery charging and have now come to the conclusion that dc-dc chargers are the way forward.
I've run split charge for years in the Mitsubishi, and now the Defender, but having delved more into ways of improving efficiency and maintaining battery condition, I'm of the conclusion that a decent dc-dc charger is a better way of doing it.
I'm considering a Ctek d250 and, when I get round to fitting solar panel(s) a Smartpass.
The 5 stage conditioning is so much better for the batteries and helping maintain condition, charge and longevity.

Alternator output counts for a lot. If you're running a standard alternator (usually 60 to 80 amps), then trying to keep up with a larger starting battery and big auxiliary battery or batteries, powering things like fridge, inverter, winch(es) etc... then a bigger, or even dual alternator set up will be needed.

 

[Road]

Which type of battery doesn't really come into it. Yes, some are supposedly designed to be more for starting and cranking and others for long slow discharge, but the principles of charging remain the same.
I have been doing some research into on board battery charging and have now come to the conclusion that dc-dc chargers are the way forward.
I've run split charge for years in the Mitsubishi, and now the Defender, but having delved more into ways of improving efficiency and maintaining battery condition, I'm of the conclusion that a decent dc-dc charger is a better way of doing it.
I'm considering a Ctek d250 and, when I get round to fitting solar panel(s) a Smartpass.
The 5 stage conditioning is so much better for the batteries and helping maintain condition, charge and longevity.

Alternator output counts for a lot. If you're running a standard alternator (usually 60 to 80 amps), then trying to keep up with a larger starting battery and big auxiliary battery or batteries, powering things like fridge, inverter, winch(es) etc... then a bigger, or even dual alternator set up will be needed.

I've been looking at the CTEK charging units and their Smartpass for awhile now, and they seem to make it a lot easier, with no other isolator needed, to set up a house system to go with the starting system. Interesting that it, like my solar charge controller on the trailer, is 5 stage.

 

[nickburt]

I've been looking at the CTEK charging units and their Smartpass for awhile now, and they seem to make it a lot easier, with no other isolator needed, to set up a house system to go with the starting system. Interesting that it, like my solar charge controller on the trailer, is 5 stage.

5 stage is the way forward to better battery maintenance and therefore longevity.
Ctek are becoming my go to battery kit.
I've had Tmax split chargers, and others, but they all suffer the same problem - volt drop due to increased resistance of cheap parts. Not to mention poor quality connections on the side of a relay housing. While OK for average daily use and occasional longer treks, they'e not really efficient enough for longer self sufficient trips.
Ctek are so much better built, both the technology and the build quality.

 

[Road]

5 stage is the way forward to better battery maintenance and therefore longevity.
Ctek are becoming my go to battery kit.
I've had Tmax split chargers, and others, but they all suffer the same problem - volt drop due to increased resistance of cheap parts. Not to mention poor quality connections on the side of a relay housing. While OK for average daily use and occasional longer treks, they'e not really efficient enough for longer self sufficient trips.
Ctek are so much better built, both the technology and the build quality.

The CTEK I was looking at awhile back, and the CTEK D250SA (newer model) you linked to both have a built in MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) controller, too, which eliminates the need for a separate solar charge controller. Very helpful, and might be what I do for my van.

I think a lot of folk become confused and think these types of units, the CTEK and NOCO and ZAMP, etc are somehow magical and charge up the batteries on their own, independant of any power source.

Hopefully this will help the OP here in figuring out what he needs for his Wrangler, though I suspect a higher output alternator will do the trick. Hopefully.

The CTEK DC charger controls the power from the alternator and another source like solar and determines which is most efficient for the current state of the batteries, then adjusts the voltage and current it's sending to the batteries according to how charged and how hot they are.

The NOCO controls the power from a 110 hookup and does the same as far as battery state and condition.

The ZAMP controls power from a solar panel and adjusts what it allows to the batteries via 5 stage charging.

That's my understanding, at least.

 

[Mike W]

Which type of battery doesn't really come into it. Yes, some are supposedly designed to be more for starting and cranking and others for long slow discharge, but the principles of charging remain the same.
I have been doing some research into on board battery charging and have now come to the conclusion that dc-dc chargers are the way forward.
I've run split charge for years in the Mitsubishi, and now the Defender, but having delved more into ways of improving efficiency and maintaining battery condition, I'm of the conclusion that a decent dc-dc charger is a better way of doing it.
I'm considering a Ctek d250 and, when I get round to fitting solar panel(s) a Smartpass.
The 5 stage conditioning is so much better for the batteries and helping maintain condition, charge and longevity.

Alternator output counts for a lot. If you're running a standard alternator (usually 60 to 80 amps), then trying to keep up with a larger starting battery and big auxiliary battery or batteries, powering things like fridge, inverter, winch(es) etc... then a bigger, or even dual alternator set up will be needed.

Even better than DC-to-DC setups... http://www.traxide.com.au/isolators/sc80---90-amps-standard.html

 

[nickburt]

Even better than DC-to-DC setups... http://www.traxide.com.au/isolators/sc80---90-amps-standard.html

Going to have to study that ... thanks for sharing.

 

[nickburt]

Interesting principal and effectively provides an automatic version of the manual linking found on most split charge systems and allows less (and equal) discharge when the engine isn't running.
I've seen similar systems run in parallel to dc to dc or split charging, although more normally found in solar charge systems.

 

[Road]

Even better than DC-to-DC setups... http://www.traxide.com.au/isolators/sc80---90-amps-standard.html

One difference I see is that it doesn't allow, at least that I could see, for inputs of power from different sources like solar, which the CTEK can detect and then determines which is most efficient to use to charge your batteries. Cool system though, in allowing the more charged bank feed back to the other.

 

[Mike W]

One difference I see is that it doesn't allow, at least that I could see, for inputs of power from different sources like solar, which the CTEK can detect and then determines which is most efficient to use to charge your batteries. Cool system though, in allowing the more charged bank feed back to the other.

The traxide isn't a charger, its just managing the loads. I also have a Victron BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT Charge Controller with VE.Direct Bluetooth Dongle hooked up directly to the aux battery. It will charge the start battery also when the traxide has them connected. The Victron just sees the 'battery' as one or both if they are connected. It has its own charge/float/etc modes.

I connect a CTEK charger in my garage when its just sitting for long periods. But the solar isn't doing anything when I use that.

 

[Road]

The traxide isn't a charger, its just managing the loads. I also have a Victron BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT Charge Controller with VE.Direct Bluetooth Dongle hooked up directly to the aux battery. It will charge the start battery also when the traxide has them connected. The Victron just sees the 'battery' as one or both if they are connected. It has its own charge/float/etc modes.

I connect a CTEK charger in my garage when its just sitting for long periods. But the solar isn't doing anything when I use that.

Ahh, right, of course. Interesting set up then, with your Victron MPPT, especially if, as I understand your system, the Traxide is allowing any charge via the Victron and panel to go from the stronger bank to the lesser, whichever it may be at any given point.

I like the Victron products, and am glad to see there's a place in NC just opened that has both CTEK and Victron, among other things. Redarc, too, maybe? I'll have to look...I'll be writing them soon.

My big question is, with my diesel system and one cranking battery under the hood and the other cranking battery along the driver's side frame rail, where do I intercept the line to install either a CTEK or Traxide for the house batteries I'll be installing. . . from the illustration on the Traxide page, looks like simply interrupting the positive between the two. Which is good, because I'd like to put dual house batteries along that same frame rail, and the controls, fuseblock, monitor, charge controller etc right above it inside the van.

Still learning, still educating myself. Appreciate the link and info.

 

[Homeguy]

I’ve got a Genesis Dual battery kit and I’m running 2 yellow tops. I’ve got no issues with charging. I would check to see if you have a draw on the batteries or if you may have a problem with your alternator.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[nickburt]

Ahh, right, of course. Interesting set up then, with your Victron MPPT, especially if, as I understand your system, the Traxide is allowing any charge via the Victron and panel to go from the stronger bank to the lesser, whichever it may be at any given point.

I like the Victron products, and am glad to see there's a place in NC just opened that has both CTEK and Victron, among other things. Redarc, too, maybe? I'll have to look...I'll be writing them soon.

My big question is, with my diesel system and one cranking battery under the hood and the other cranking battery along the driver's side frame rail, where do I intercept the line to install either a CTEK or Traxide for the house batteries I'll be installing. . . from the illustration on the Traxide page, looks like simply interrupting the positive between the two. Which is good, because I'd like to put dual house batteries along that same frame rail, and the controls, fuseblock, monitor, charge controller etc right above it inside the van.

Still learning, still educating myself. Appreciate the link and info.

I've just been delving into this further.
I'm sold.....
Traxide (SC80 or USI 160), Victron MPPT and a Ctek for when hooked up to shore power.
Now all I have to do is find a Traxide supplier in the right part of the World ......

 

[trailhunter]

I've just been delving into this further.
I'm sold.....
Traxide (SC80 or USI 160), Victron MPPT and a Ctek for when hooked up to shore power.
Now all I have to do is find a Traxide supplier in the right part of the World ......

Tell me how you plan on wiring it

 

[Renegade]

I have installed NOCO Dual Bank charger in my Hummer.

After a trip to Big Bend I learned I was fine when vehicle was on, but when stopped and going for hikes, some of several hours, I could not leave vehicle on and charging stuff. This sucked most for ARB fridge. But at any given moment I was trying to charge:

Phone
iPad
GPS
GoPro
GoPro Stabilizer
SonyCam
Fridge
Flashlight

So I bought a GoalZero Yet 400 Lithium for 33% off at Safari Show. Awesome unit. I also decided to add 120VAC to Hummer, with plugin capability like a RV. I added a NOCO dual port (Hummer has 2 batteries) charger too. So what does this mean?

When vehicle is off (say parked in nowhere for hike), GZ keeps fridge running for up 30 hrs on a single charge. When I get back to hotel, campsite, I just attach 120VAC to vehicle and the GZ gets charged, the Fridge runs off the AC, and both batteries get topped off.

 

[Road]

I've just been delving into this further.
I'm sold.....
Traxide (SC80 or USI 160), Victron MPPT and a Ctek for when hooked up to shore power.
Now all I have to do is find a Traxide supplier in the right part of the World ......

There is a new outfit in North Carolina, here in the states, that is offering both Victron and CTEK, but I can't find them now. Had seen them on instagram and wonder now if they can get Traxide. If I find out anything, I'll let you know.

 

[Mike W]

Since he is getting ideas from me, ill answer.

Looks like traxide updated the kit I ordered, but its essentially the same.

My aux battery looks like:

The DT-90 has the ABG aux isolator built into it. But mine is separate.