Hi!
I am converting an 03 Safari and I have questions about hooking up a secondary battery.
I will be hooking up a voltage identifier, split charge relay, and a deep cycle battery, and wiring out to my appliances through a small fuse box.
What gauge wire is required to run from the starting battery/ alternator to the house battery? The alternator is 105 amps. My understanding is that is right on the line that a 4awg wire should be used for.
Im thinking I can just run a positive wire to the back of the van as long as I can use my Voltage Identifier in the House battery compartment and just hook the negative feed to the ground? I’m not sure I am making sense or not. The VI I am using is generally used for Daytime Running Lights, Like This one
After that I believe I have a handle on the rest of the circuit.
Any input would be greatly appreciated and I am more than happy to clarify more info you need.
Mike
Greetings!
I’m not understanding the purpose of this “voltage identifier”. Most systems consist of going from the starting battery to isolator/relay/solenoid to house battery(s). Mine uses a continuous duty solenoid, a normally open solenoid, so that when the engine is off it draws no power. Finally you go from your house battery(s) to a fuse box, then your goodies. No “voltage identifier” needed.
The wire between the starter battery, the solenoid, then the house battery(s) should be no smaller than the big wire on the positive side of your starter battery. Public opinion seems to be to keep the house battery(s) as close to the starter battery as possible. For this reason, my house battery is behind my drivers seat. In a Safari, you might even have room under the hood.
I ground everything to the chasis using the same size wire as the positive wire running to the application… I slightly oversize the wires, but not the fuse, for a just a little bit of added protection against melt downs.
Hope this helps.
Cheers!
The voltage Identifier coupled with a 12v relay like this one should do the job of your solenoid and complete the circuit between the 2 batteries when the alternator is running, and break it to isolate the batteries when the alternator is off for a fraction of the price. the identifier attaches to the small prongs on the back of the relay and the positive wire from B2B hooks to the large prongs.
Thanks for your input on wire and fuse sizes! That is what I was looking for!
Mike
Greetings!
I don’t know… It just seems to me like you’re over complicating something that’s pretty simple & basic.
Each time you add a new component, you’re adding an extra point of possible failure. If that component isn’t readily available almost anywhere, then you’re inconvenienced longer, or even dead in the water. Buying online via Amazon etc. can be very convenient, but there’s a lot of value & peace of mind knowing that you can repair/replace whatever is needed in the nearest town.
Cheers!
Thats a good point about being replaceable. As ive already begun the process I think I will wait until it fails to change/ upgrade. Fingers crossed i guess!
Thanks for your input!
Greetings!
hehe… If there’s mistakes to be made, I’ve probably made them… Experience is a great teacher, and if we learn from our mistakes and don’t repeat them, slowly but surely things get better…
I was very fortunate to have some great mentors along the way. Half our crew lived on wheels, while the other half lived in motels. Pushing nearly 50 years of being a nomad, now I can pass on my knowledge and experience to others.
Cheers!