Small Auxiliary Battery With ESS?

[TIDALWAVE]

I have been musing about a different setup...assuming that the Rubi inverter is ignition controlled. Running a smart battery charger off the inverter into a AGM type auxiliary battery for my ARB frig/LED camp lites, etc. I just can't justify $1K to install a dual battery setup under the hood. I am probably also carrying a jumper starter pack.

Sponsored

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

I still think something like this (dunno enough about them to recommend brand/type, just posting random 1+ KWHr unit from Amazon) would be a better application of the tech, and provide significantly more power than even a large deep cycle battery and simplifies the wiring a bit.

https://www.amazon.com/Inergy-Kodiak-1-1kWh-Power-Generator/dp/B01MQVPLFM

Plus you can remove it and use it for other things, or to take inside your tent, etc (the listing of electric blanket hours drew my attention for cold spring/fall nights under the stars, or long race days sitting in the starting hut waiting for race / weather delays... Ooh yeah that would be nice )

Also, a good single combo starting + deep cycle battery like Odyssey or Optima is OK, but having separate source (even if just another of the same JL battery) is a better idea IMO so an error/mistake, faulty wiring, or failure doesn’t leave you stranded.

 

[TIDALWAVE]

Sorry for the delayed response, I've been traveling for work. No the auxiliary battery is small so it's really not like a dual battery set up and wired to the main battery, at least in my Grand Cherokee anyway. That being said I've run my ARB fridge for 2 to 3 nights without starting the Jeep. I carry a jump starter pack in case but the fridge pulls about 1 amp hour average so your pretty safe going 2 nights. If I'm not mistaken the battery in the Grand is 80 amp hours and the battery in my Wranglers were 70. HTH

If the aux battery is wired in parallel to the main battery, why go to the trouble of having a small second battery? Simply have a higher capacity main battery. I wasn't planning on using the aux battery as a camping battery but rather as a way to tap off a relay controlled feed to my own AGM camping battery.

 

[COBill]

Are engineers really that stupid?

Stupidity is in the eye of the beholder, but yes, some cars did require an ECU reprogram if the battery went dead or was removed.

More recently, several model years of Audis had an electronically controlled transmission that would require a flatbed tow to a dealer if the battery died or was otherwise disconnected as the transmissions would remain locked into whatever gear they were in when the vehicle lost power.

 

[RubiRob]

I disconnected my JL's main battery overnight and the thing still had all power.

 

[BillyHW]

I disconnected my JL's main battery overnight and the thing still had all power.

Can you look around the engine compartment to see where that extra battery is located? It should be like a quarter of the size of the main battery. It may not even be in the engine compartment. In the GC it's underneath the console in the cabin.

 

[RubiRob]

Will do. I tried looking last night but there was nothing obvious in the dark depths of my garage. I'll look today and get back to you.

 

[MikeM1968]

The smaller auxiliary battery in the Grand Cherokee video looks pretty much like a motorcycle battery

 

[digitalbliss]

Can you look around the engine compartment to see where that extra battery is located? It should be like a quarter of the size of the main battery. It may not even be in the engine compartment. In the GC it's underneath the console in the cabin.

Theres a picture on another thread
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...r-2018-wrangler-engine.661/page-11#post-79262

 

[Merica!]

Here it is!

 

[BillyHW]

Hey good find guys.

I wonder how you access it. Looks like you may have to move the battery tray and/or fusebox tray to get at it from above...or remove the wheel well liner to get at it from the side . I'd say the placement is rather...inelegant.

 

[RubiRob]

Yup, that's why I couldn't find it!

 

[COBill]

Hey good find guys.

I wonder how you access it. Looks like you may have to move the battery tray and/or fusebox tray to get at it from above...or remove the wheel well liner to get at it from the side . I'd say the placement is rather...inelegant.

Don't you remember the Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Sebring (and others) where the battery is in fact in the wheel well?

Or perhaps the Chevy Lumina where it is under the windshield washer reservoir.

 

[LeaN69]

I stopped going to model 3 forums over a year ago since I cancelled my tesla model 3 reservation (I came to my senses)
Did I somehow wonder off back there??

Someone please direct me back to Wrangler forums, thanks!

 

[BillyHW]

How the small auxiliary battery probably works in the JL:

https://www.yuasa.co.uk/info/technical/auxiliary-back-batteries-explained/

Sponsored