I have only just noticed that the battery in the TUG (in there when I purchased it) is a calcium battery. A search online brought up some interesting issues/problems with these including charging problems, suddenly going flat, etc.
Has anyone had any issues with this type of battery?
I recently had the brake controller and the charging wire to the battery of the van through the 12 pin plug installed and am wondering if there are any known issues?
Also fitted Redarc isolator with circuit breaker in lieu of fuse.
All battery's can have troubles. if you using near civilisation. Just use till calks then change. Otherwise I'd be swapping fot an Exide Extreme or similar. AGM's etc NOT good near engine heat.
Redarc Isolators ok. But for similar money you can get an Electronic one which does more and keep battery's more fully charged. I upgraded 6 yrs or so ago.
I've replaced a couple of solenoids in those Redarcs
By law...The breakaway is SUPPOSED to run on it's own battery. I've just bought a new one for my van $66 del.Incl battery/box. If you have it coupled to your tug battery. and what it's meant to stop happens. IE van uncouples from tug.
The van brakes will NOT hold on.
IF you do wire to alternative source, Make sure it's VAN battery NOT tug battery OK.
A bitlike uncoupling runaway train from carriages. while standing on train. Whoops.
-- Edited by macka17 on Monday 26th of September 2016 05:30:35 PM
By law...The breakaway is SUPPOSED to run on it's own battery. I've just bought a new one for my van $66 del.Incl battery/box. If you have it coupled to your tug battery. and what it's meant to stop happens. IE van uncouples from tug.
The van brakes will NOT hold on.
IF you do wire to alternative source, Make sure it's VAN battery NOT tug battery OK.
A bitlike uncoupling runaway train from carriages. while standing on train. Whoops.
-- Edited by macka17 on Monday 26th of September 2016 05:30:35 PM
macka17,
Thanks for the reply and I never had one as a vehicle battery before.
Re the Redarc, I will look for the electronic one as you suggested.
I don't need a breakaway as the van is only a pop top and is less than 2 tonne.
MINE is a full height but also just LESS than 2 ton.
Not legally required.
But for $66 and an hrs work.
Bloody good peace of mind I reckon.
A 1 ton van running away.
will kill somebody just as dead as a 2 plus ton one will in my eyes.
I don't want to look somebody's parent husband in the eyes
and have totell them my van killed them
because I didn't have a breakaway system on it.
I have an Exide brand, Calcium/Calcium battery as the engine battery in my Fiat Ducato It is a hybrid of a start and deep cycle battery
I have no idea how old it was, when I purchased the vehicle around July 2014 The engine bay (where my battery is situated), is on the small side, and would therefore be hot, newer models have the battery away from the engine bay When not using the vehicle (at least one month at a time), I isolate this battery
Check to see what the tugs charging system is set up for. If you use a calcium/calcium battery in a vehicle tailored to charge standard batteries you are likely to undercharge the battery. If you put a standard battery in a vehicle designed to charge Ca/Ca batteries then you will overcharge it.
Unfortunately you did not provide a full question for us. Without the make and model of vehicle w can not tell you what battery you should fit. Go to the service department for youfr vehicle and ask them.
__________________
PeterD Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top Retired radio and electronics technician. NSW Central Coast.
Check to see what the tugs charging system is set up for. If you use a calcium/calcium battery in a vehicle tailored to charge standard batteries you are likely to undercharge the battery. If you put a standard battery in a vehicle designed to charge Ca/Ca batteries then you will overcharge it.
Unfortunately you did not provide a full question for us. Without the make and model of vehicle w can not tell you what battery you should fit. Go to the service department for youfr vehicle and ask them.
PeterD
TUG is 2010 Toyota Hilux Xtra Cab Petrol 2 WD. Will check with local Toyota Dealer.
Going off track for a minute, when refering to breakaway systems, how often has this occured that anyone is aware of? And what caused the breakaway in the first place?
Mine has what appears to be a motorcycle battery located under the bed (along with other electrical apparatus), but I cannot tell what condition it's in. There doesn't appear to be any sort of monitoring of it.
I run Bond Calcium batteries and have no problems. I run a Redarc LV charger from BT50(comes in 20 or 40amp) to charge them and when parked I can run a solar panel thru the Redarc to keep charged. The redarc will charge as long as it gets between 9 and 38 volts, this is good if you want to mount the charger in the van boot as it wont matter if you have a little boltage drop. As PeterD said, you have to have multi stage charger or you will not be fully charging the battery. Boost will see around 15v, then absorb will be 13.5 to 14v and then it will go to float.
-- Edited by Jenko1 on Sunday 9th of October 2016 03:46:51 PM
