jfarsang wrote:I can't see the battery hold down cross section. Did you put it back ? If your batteries are loose and the positive connections are as in the pictures (bare/open), there is a possibility of them touching the frame if you go over a bump,etc.. and causing some not so good things.
You are right (and thanx for the reminder), there is no hold down cross section (and there has never been any since I own the car...). I wanted to finish the setup before fixing everything in place, and I will soon (although it is funny how tight and how difficult it already is to move the batteries in any possible direction...)
jfarsang wrote:100A is the minimum what I was recommended by an electronic shop/alternator place for our rigs in a aux/dual setup.
When you say 100A, are you talking about the isolator? Or the alternator?
I am not an electrical geek, so here is what I understand about the necessities for a bigger alternator (and in the meantime of a bigger isolator): if you have lots of components drawing much power out of the battery or if you stand still for a long period of time using continuisly small appliances, you will need bigger rig to sustain your consumption.
In my case: I have no winch, no fridge, no extra sound amplifier, and not planning on having such voracious appliances. I also got rid of the a/c system. The auxiliary battery will run an inverter for our portable computer and mp3 readers, regular car accessories (lights, radio and so on). I bought 3 low consumption led for inside lighting.
I think the emptier a battery is the more power it draws out of an alternator. As long as the charge of the auxiliary battery stays a "regular maintenance charge", it should never get even close to the capacity of the alternator or of the isolator.
The more important purpose of this dual battery system is to keep the starting battery as full as possible to prevent any cranking problem in our cold north-easthern climate, our to avoid having it half emptied because a door was badly closed while hiking all day in a remote area.
And,well ... they didn't have any bigger isolator where I bought it ...
