Yesterday I started phase 4 of my split charge installation - the first 3 phases being 1) research, 2) more research, and 3) buying stuff (quite a lot of stuff).
Phase 4 was converting from dual (parallel) batteries, to a single start battery.
I decided to keep the start battery on the driver side as this is where the fuse box is - this seemed as good a reason as I could think of. The passenger battery has very few connections: both +ve and -ve run into a sheath that drops almost straight down before they separate again at the other end, with the -ve bolted to the engine and the +ve carrying on backwards to the starter motor. Both the engine -ve bolt and starter motor +ve feed nut where tricky to reach, and required the wheel and bash plates to be removed for access. The +ve terminal is also connected to the +ve terminal on the driver side battery via a cable running over the rad fan shroud. These are the only 3 things connected to this battery, and with them undone the passenger battery loom comes out easily (there are 2 large cable ties that hold it in place).
I then ran a new 60mm2 sheathed cable (I had bought some previously out of curiosity) from the starter to the driver side positive battery terminal - routed the same way that the old cable ran up and over the rad fan shroud. I also ran a new 40mm2 sheathed cable from the -ve engine mounting point (on the left) to the start battery using the same route up and over the fan shroud.
Passenger side battery removed:
On the driver side there was a short chassis earth that was now too short - the battery terminals on the new Odyssey battery are on the opposite side compared to the previous battery (toward the front rather than back, but still correct right vs left) - so I made a new 16mm2 sheathed lead. There is also what looks like a second engine -ve lead from the starter battery down to the bottom right side of the engine/gearbox - I re-attached this lead as it was getting dark and it could reach the new battery terminal, but I will replace this with a new 40mm2 sheathed cable as well.
On the positive battery terminal I connected the +ve feed for the fuse box, the new starter cable, the +ve for the new headlight loom, and the +ve for the Econokit relay. There will be more cables attached in a later phase e.g. the vsr.
I bought new marine grade battery clamps as well as an isolation terminal clamp. I was going to attach the positive marine clamp onto the isolation clamp (to have a quick disconnect in case of smoke), but the post on the isolation clamp is smaller than a battery terminal. So I connected the +ve cables directly to the isolation clamp.
Mounting the batteries looked like it was going to be a challenge. The Odyssey battery is longer, narrower and not as tall as the stock battery. The extra length meant that it didn't sit flat on the stock battery tray. Fortunately the Odyssey battery comes with its own battery box, so I drilled a few holes and riveted the battery box to the wheel arch. I'm not 100% happy with how secure it is, so will come back to this at some point to make it more secure. I'm also waiting for a rubber battery strap to arrive which, if attached in the correct places, could give the extra security that I want. (When I mount the leisure battery on the passenger side, I will probably have a local fabricator make a new battery tray for me.)
Battery box mounted:
Once everything was hooked up, I put the isolation knob back and gave the starter a go. It started first time, on the button and no smoke
And having driven it some more today, I'm think it runs slightly better too
Phase 4 complete:
The hydraulic crimper that I bought is definitely worth a mention - what an amazingly easy to use tool, and does what it is supposed to, every time. The job would have taken twice as long without it. It comes with a range of dies for different thickness of cables / ring lugs - I used the 8mm, 35mm and 50mm dies for this job. Perfect crimps every time.
Eitherway, you can't have too many fuses...
. The CTEK D250S is a DC-DC charger that looks like it might be exactly what I need.
