Dual Battery System and Power Outlets

Hi all,

Just about to take delivery of our Evoque, and apart from being extremely excited, am also planning a camping trip with it. I was planning to set up a fridge to be plugged into the cargo 12V power outlet. But as I will be travelling into country Queensland (AUS) I am not too keen on running out of battery power.
Has anyone come across installing a second battery into the Evoque? Preferably under the bonnet without making any structural changes.
ARB does have a dual battery system but it looks like it might only be for bigger cars.

On a side note am I right in saying that the car runs power to the cargo 12V outlet even when the car is off and that it will cut the power if the battery is drained too much so that the car can still be started?

Cheers
JED

You could carry a booster pack just in case the car does not start.If this happens you can keep the car running to charge the booster back up .

(18-05-2012 10:45am)broady43 Wrote:  You could carry a booster pack just in case the car does not start.If this happens you can keep the car running to charge the booster back up .

Good advice - I always have a fully charged one in the car if I have to leave standing for a long period, for example if I'm on holiday. It's important to get one with sufficient cranking power, though, especially for a diesel, so steer away from the cheap ones regardless of the claims made for them. (Look at the spec. in details, and expect to pay at least £100).

Jed, there is not a lot of room under the bonnet. Not sure where a second battery would go. As for camping, depending on the size of your fridge, it will take up a fair bit of room in the cargo area. Where you thinking of putting in some slides for the fridge etc. maybe you should also consider a trickle solar charge for the battery.

Jed - did you ever go with the DBS - I too am considering the same. let me/us know if you had any success...

http://babyrr.com/forum/Thread-Dual-batt...al+battery

(20-05-2012 08:48am)Barneyridge Wrote:  maybe you should also consider a trickle solar charge for the battery.

Also - on this note: is there any risk to running one of these solar units...? Charging the battery whilst connected etc...

Hey all,

Re Queevo - no i didn't end up getting a DBS. Went camping without a fridge. Unfortunately the back is not that spacious so am still looking into options re connecting a fridge. I was thinking probably a portable battery system with a solar charger - living in queensland a solar charger would probably cover it most of the time. Thinking getting roof racks and putting the solar panel up their, using the car 12v outlet during the day if no sun, and may use a trickle charge at the same time.

Would be interested to hear how other people get on. Ideally it would be interesting if anyone manages to get a installed DBS like the ARB systems.

(22-07-2012 09:06pm)QUEEVO Wrote:  Also - on this note: is there any risk to running one of these solar units...? Charging the battery whilst connected etc...

QUEEVO, my solar trickle charger has dire warnings about damage to the charger if you try to crank the engine with the panel still plugged into the socket in the instruction sheet. I suspect that although it has blocking diodes to prevent
the panel discharging the battery overnight or when there isn't enough daylight to charge it, there isn't anything there to protect the panel against a huge power demand either