ferrettkitt Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 (edited) At the moment I am having some fun with my Ferrets batteries in that they keep on flattening to the point that I can not encourage it to start even with the starting handle cranking away. I have a battery cut off switch fitted (air_filter side) I forgot to use it on two occasions and used a trickle charger on each battery to bring them back to life. It seemed to work in that I had it running from the batteries last weekend (27/12/2012). Today when I wanted it for the Frostbite run both batteries were flat as pancakes. Lights off internally but obvously they still draw from the batteries hence the cut off switch, VR 353 and DCCU were connected any ideas on where else that could be drawing power from the system? I am checking the battery connections and the batteries tomorrow when I have tools and the trickle chargers have been running overnight. For those of you that do not know the Ferret is fitted with two batteries one under the air-filter (black) and the other under the electrical boxes (green). Not the best picture its the only one I can find of my own vehicle. [ATTACH=CONFIG]70783[/ATTACH] As the batteries will be exposed tomorrow I will be fitting my trickle chargers semi permanently to the battery terminals and I want to fit a 24v to 12 v voltage dropper at the same time, so that I can run a sat nav if I need too. What is the best way of fitting the voltage dropper to the batteries or to the inter-vehicle slave lead socket? Edited December 27, 2012 by ferrettkitt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david56 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I to would like to fit a voltage dropper so that I can charge my phone and sat nav any idea what to buy that delivers a stable voltage? David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I to would like to fit a voltage dropper so that I can charge my phone and sat nav any idea what to buy that delivers a stable voltage?David http://www.maplin.co.uk/productsearch?criteria=10A%20DC%2024V%20to%2012V%20Voltage%20Convertor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 http://www.durite.co.uk/pdf/2012/5/05.2_Equipment_and_Accessories-Voltage_convertors.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 I to would like to fit a voltage dropper so that I can charge my phone and sat nav any idea what to buy that delivers a stable voltage?David I bought one off e=bay last year I'm not sure if its good enough but they seem to go kaput regularly so my better half says as they bill hauliers for new ones. Its usually the case that the more you pay the better the quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 I to would like to fit a voltage dropper so that I can charge my phone and sat nav any idea what to buy that delivers a stable voltage?David Most satnavs & phone chargers are 12-24v input anyway. Better check your particular equipment specs but out all mine run straight off 24v. :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 are your brake lights coming on after u have parked up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcoycqms Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 What I do with my ferret is to disconnect the earth lead on the batteries,I usually disconnect the battery under the air filter as I find that is theeasiest one to get to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 What I do with my ferret is to disconnect the earth lead on the batteries,I usually disconnect the battery under the air filter as I find that is theeasiest one to get to. My master battery cut off is on that battery under the Air-filter and I know what you mean about access, I have a seat on that side rather than a bin which makes access easier. For the other side its either take the bin off or drop the escape hatch and tyre. Its not a runflat but its still heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 are your brake lights coming on after u have parked up? The batteries should be isolated but something isn't right and at the moment I'm up for thoughts on what it could be. I'll be pulling it apart tomorrow to see if anything has come loose or dropped down near the prop shaft on the petrol tap side. :banghead::banghead::banghead: That how I feel at the mo one step forward two steps back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 Most satnavs & phone chargers are 12-24v input anyway. Better check your particular equipment specs but out all mine run straight off 24v. :-D Tom Tom I'll have to have a look when I find it and its instructions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolman Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Andy I've got a cut off switch on the negative of battery 1 (under air box). It's a terminal mounted switch which I have added as a temp measure until I get round to fitting an switch which it easier to access. From the drivers seat I can "just" reach between the air filter and the battery box to reach the switch, with the lid removed. See below: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Disconnect-Switch-Isolator-Cut-Off-Switch-/360484845730?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53ee9238a2 Works a treat, but not if I need to cut the batteries off in a hurry!! (if you know what I mean) Good for security too. Cheers Matt P.S. if you batteries have been flattened beyond a certain point, they won't recover i'm afraid. Once a lead acid battery drops below a certain voltage it will never return to the same capacity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 28, 2012 Author Share Posted December 28, 2012 Andy I've got a cut off switch on the negative of battery 1 (under air box). It's a terminal mounted switch which I have added as a temp measure until I get round to fitting an switch which it easier to access. From the drivers seat I can "just" reach between the air filter and the battery box to reach the switch, with the lid removed. See below: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Battery-Disconnect-Switch-Isolator-Cut-Off-Switch-/360484845730?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53ee9238a2 Works a treat, but not if I need to cut the batteries off in a hurry!! (if you know what I mean) Good for security too. Cheers Matt P.S. if you batteries have been flattened beyond a certain point, they won't recover i'm afraid. Once a lead acid battery drops below a certain voltage it will never return to the same capacity. I have a nice American battery cut off switch that bought of gentleman who sold all the Champ and Ferret locks on ebay which eventually made it to champspares. I'll dig out a picture as I think they were originally fitted to WW2 tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I have an easy, though expensive answer to the 12 from 24 volt question. The Oddsey battries come with a seprate set of accesory outputs. You series two up but still have 12 volt take off from each battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I have an easy, though expensive answer to the 12 from 24 volt question. The Oddsey battries come with a seprate set of accesory outputs. You series two up but still have 12 volt take off from each battery. Not the best idea, causes lots of problems with one battery being discharged/ charged more than the other. This is a common problem in the marine industry with big battery banks, and the source of many headaches for boat owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 as a comparison two year old batts on my fsc no cutoff fitted will start fine after longest i have left it 6 weeks. only prob i had with batt discharge was corroded master cyl causing as stated brake lights to come on half hour or so after parking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 as a comparison two year old batts on my fsc no cutoff fitted will start fine after longest i have left it 6 weeks. only prob i had with batt discharge was corroded master cyl causing as stated brake lights to come on half hour or so after parking up. I have an idea that it might be the radios or the dccu clansman battery charger but as I haven't made it up to the farm yet I cannot confirm. I haven't used my Ferret very much this year so this might be my punishment as it were Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff66 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 got to drive em helps stop those wheel stations leaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 got to drive em helps stop those wheel stations leaking! She's marking her spot as it is :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Not the best idea, causes lots of problems with one battery being discharged/ charged more than the other.This is a common problem in the marine industry with big battery banks, and the source of many headaches for boat owners. Gel acid battries like the Odesey are less prone to that form of problem than the conventional type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Gel acid battries like the Odesey are less prone to that form of problem than the conventional type. Without going in to it too much...technically you are correct because gel batteries are supposedly more robust. However the problem comes from discharging one battery more than the other, therefore, either the least discharged battery gets fully charged and the most discharged doesn't see a full charge, or vice versa, and the most discharged battery gets a full charge and the least discharged gets cooked. Gel batteries are much more sensitive to charge voltage than conventional wet cell batteries though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Without going in to it too much...technically you are correct because gel batteries are supposedly more robust. However the problem comes from discharging one battery more than the other, therefore, either the least discharged battery gets fully charged and the most discharged doesn't see a full charge, or vice versa, and the most discharged battery gets a full charge and the least discharged gets cooked. Gel batteries are much more sensitive to charge voltage than conventional wet cell batteries though. While that may be true in general, the OP only wants to run a SatNav or 'phone charger from the 12V supply. They're typically powered from a USB connector, so probably about 5W max? I don't see that would be much of an issue for asymmetric discharge. To be really safe you could run one device off each battery if earthing isn't a problem. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Most satnavs & phone chargers are 12-24v input anyway. Better check your particular equipment specs but out all mine run straight off 24v. :-D Have you check whether your devices are 12-24v? Would save a lot of trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redneck Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 While that may be true in general, the OP only wants to run a SatNav or 'phone charger from the 12V supply. They're typically powered from a USB connector, so probably about 5W max? I don't see that would be much of an issue for asymmetric discharge. To be really safe you could run one device off each battery if earthing isn't a problem. Andy Even the way the batteries are connected can cause problems, not really an issue with 2 batteries but in a marine situation where 4 or more batteries are linked the resistance across the connections causes problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich C Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 http://www.durite.co.uk/pdf/2012/5/05.2_Equipment_and_Accessories-Voltage_convertors.pdf Andy, I have just fitted a 24 to 12 volt unit in 04CC12. I bolted the unit under the bottom of the single ammo box holder on the LH side. 24volt feed is from the junction box via 2 pin connector and the output is a motorcycle waterproof cigarette socket mounted below the hole in the ammo box holder. You have to take the ammo box out to plug something it but it is hidden! Rich C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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