[anderclean]

any one know if you can link 2 batteries to double your power and staying (working) time ?
eg. would two 85 amp batteries linked be like one 170 amp battery ?

we get continual problems with 2 poles (via 2 pumps) working all day without the van running.

does any one do this (linking)  ?

thanks
rob

[callum macleod]

I have thought of it but never tryed it as i don't use that much power.

[jeff1]

You can link two battery's to double the current out-put, but you must wire them in parellel.

ie possitive to possitive and negative to negative, this will double your current out-put. but if you wire it wrong you will double your voltage to 24v and damage your pump.

If you have or can borrow a multi meter I suggest before connecting to your pump check the voltage out-put of the battery's if it reads 12v, then you have wired it correctly, if it reads 24v then you have wired it wrong.
Hope this helps

[Tim Morton]

Yes you can link 2 batteries together, but you would be advised to put a fuse on each battery before the link, 170Ah capacity if shorted out would turn into a raging fire very quick.

Have you got 2 vari-streams? If not have you thought about getting 2? I've run a 100psi 6L per min shurflo pump for 7hrs from a 22Ah battery and still had power left at the end, all down to having a varistream.

Tim

[anderclean]

thanks for your replys.

tim
i run 2 poles, 2 pumps through 2 eco-flows.
the eco's don't always shut dowm when the hose is dead ended and this concerns me because of the battery............

[Tim Morton]

I dont know anything about the eco-flow, but I know that the vari-stream also will keep the pump going for a bit after shutting off the flow valve, I think it does this to build up to the pressure in the hose and di-vessel.

The pumps you are using should say on them what the currant draw is. If you add the two results together it'll give you what the max currant draw will be. If you are running the pumps slower than full rate then you will be drawing less than the max. Take the max amps figure and multiply that by your working time in hours and that's the max that you will need for your battery.

Are you sure that your 85Ah leisure battery is getting fully charged up? Do you rely only on the split charger to charge it up? Unless you are driving for 2-3 hours at the end of the day I dont think you'll get even close to fully charged. Do you have a charger that is designed for Leisure batteries of your size?

Tim

[anderclean]

thanks tim

i'll do the math and see what i can work out in the week.

my 85amp battery was tested today and they said it was on its way out............
i've bought and fitted a new 110 amp today so we'll see how that goes.

yes i do have a suitable charger for high amp leisure but i never used it before, relying on the alternator.

the eco-flow is supposed to be the same as the varistream (and vice-versa).

[Tim Morton]

I think that you would need to charge up the battery with the charger at least once a week, maybe twice a week. the reason your last battery went south was that it got fully discharged and wasn't fully charged up again. leisure batteries dont like being fully discharged, it damages them.

Tim

[anderclean]

thanks for the advice............

[neil100]

Make sure your battery charger as a trickle charger option on it, it takes a lot longer to charge up but it helps prolong the life of the battery plus it is more effective in use in that it keeps it charge better.

If you put it on fast charge their is to many amps per hour for a lesiure battery, the higher the amp charge the greater the heat, it can cause the plates to buckle and warp over a period of time there bye resulting in a shorter battery life while reducing its effectivness.

I run 2 poles from 2 pumps. I have 3  x 85 amp batteries. I take two in the van at one time, When I get home I put one on trickle charge and put the new one in the van. I normally use one for 6 hours then switch over to the other one for the last 2 hours.

Works a treat.

Nel.