ARB w/ Blue Top Opitma Question

[Toolman]

I'm installing my ARB in my trailer, my question is, Will one blue top Optima AGM be enough juice to run the ARB all weekend ? Or should I plan on installing 2 batteries right away ? Down the line I would like to add some interior and exterior lights to the trailer as well. Has anyone had any luck with one battery on the trailer running an ARB all weekend or will it require a solar trickle charger ?

Thanks for the input.

 

[elcoyote]

I'm installing my ARB in my trailer, my question is, Will one blue top Optima AGM be enough juice to run the ARB all weekend ? Or should I plan on installing 2 batteries right away ? Down the line I would like to add some interior and exterior lights to the trailer as well. Has anyone had any luck with one battery on the trailer running an ARB all weekend or will it require a solar trickle charger ?

Thanks for the input.

No.
Your ARB will draw about 2 amps per hour. Your Blue top if a group 27 or 34 is only 55 amps. You should only draw your battery down 50% i.e. 22.5 amps of usable power. In this case, you would yield only 13.75 hours of operation.

 

[Toolman]

so the answer is no.. however what is the solution ? solar trickle charger.... 2 blue tops ? or both...

 

[tdesanto]

Skip the blue tops, and look into Deka or Odyssey.

 

[Superu]

DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-1 - Group Size 31M

This is what I'm putting in my National Luna PPP this summer to replace the Optima that's in it now.

 

[Toolman]

The reason I'm choosing optima's is that for over 20 years I've been using their batteries and I have no problems ever also I can mount them in any position.. Odyssey I've seen them and heard good things but I don't need the CCA. Never heard of Deka. Die Hard their technology is to new to trust and I don't want to waste my money on something that will fail me plus they are really really heavy. If I'm connected to my TJ I'm okay with the charge line however if it's sitting for a while I need to have a solar trickle charge going..

Any ideas on a good one made for AGM batteries ?

 

[Snowdrift]

Solar panel

http://www.4lots.com/5wattunbreakablesolarmodulehugesale.aspx
I've been using one of these for over three years now and its holding up great, just give them a call and they can help you select the correct size for your application

 

[tdesanto]

The reason I'm choosing optima's is that for over 20 years I've been using their batteries and I have no problems ever also I can mount them in any position.. Odyssey I've seen them and heard good things but I don't need the CCA. Never heard of Deka. Die Hard their technology is to new to trust and I don't want to waste my money on something that will fail me plus they are really really heavy. If I'm connected to my TJ I'm okay with the charge line however if it's sitting for a while I need to have a solar trickle charge going..

Any ideas on a good one made for AGM batteries ?

You may not need the CCAs, but you need the Amp Hours to run the fridge as you suggested. The largest Optima (group 31) has only 75AHs.

The 105AH Deka or Odyssey will provide you with 50% more power than the goup 31 Optima.

If Optima made a 105AH battery, you could go with that, but they don't. So, if you have your mind set on Optima, then go with two of their group 31 batteries. Otherwise, if you want to go solar, you should probably figure at least 40 watts of panels. Remember, the fridge runs day and night, but solar panels can only help you're during the daytime and with decent sunlight.

 

[Toolman]

I have a red top and a yellow top installed in the TJ, so I could connect the trailer and have 4 batteries running the fridge throughout the night which I normally have the ARB in the TJ running on those with no problem...

Can I connect different style batteries ... Deka with Optima without an isolator ?
Can a Deka be mounted in any position ? what model Deka and or what model Odyssey is recommended ?

also I found this solar briefcase charger, does anyone have any experience with these ?

http://sunforceproducts.com/product_details.php?PRODUCT_ID=96

 

[tdesanto]

Straight from the Odyssey website I posted earlier: "Mounting flexibility
Non-spillable design — can be mounted on any side in any position except inverted. Takes up less space in the boat than competitors." I found this info here.

I'm not sure about the Deka batteries. I mention them, because I have two of them in my AT Horizon, and they are outstanding batteries that last a long time. That's 210 amp hours of power, not the typical 55 amp hours of a standard yellow/blue top Optima (group 34).

The solar charger you list is only rated at 13 watts. I'm not sure how much that would help given it's size. That is, I don't know if it's worth it to carry it. Now, if there was something only slightly larger that handled 30 watts or so, then it would probably be worth it.

I would not recommend connecting different style batteries in parallel; I've read countless times on manufacturer's websites where this is discouraged.

I don't know the exact model numbers for these two manufacturers. I would recommend looking for either their group 31 equivalent or look at the amp hour ratings. Look for 100-105 AH ratings.

 

[Superu]

The reason I'm choosing optima's is that for over 20 years I've been using their batteries and I have no problems ever also I can mount them in any position.. Odyssey I've seen them and heard good things but I don't need the CCA. Never heard of Deka. Die Hard their technology is to new to trust and I don't want to waste my money on something that will fail me plus they are really really heavy. If I'm connected to my TJ I'm okay with the charge line however if it's sitting for a while I need to have a solar trickle charge going..

Any ideas on a good one made for AGM batteries ?

1. DieHards are made by Odyssey.
2. If you want 100+amp hrs, you'll need one big or 2 smaller batteries.
3. Any AGM Group 31 battery is going to be heavy.
4. You can mount any of the AGM batteries in any position.
5. I used a Sunsei SE-1500 22.5-Watt 15-Volt Solar Panel Battery Charger to keep my Optima Yellow topped up before I got my National Luna PPP.

 

[2Bcamping]

I have an ARB freezer fridge in my Jeep. It has been there for about 9 months running 24/7.
I have a yellow top Optima group 34. The fridge is on the medium voltage cutoff. It will run for 2+ days without shutting down, even in the middle of the summer.
I still have plenty of power left to start the Jeep after two days of sitting. The Jeep starts right up as if the battery is fully charged.
I would try one Optima first and see if it works for you.
Keep in mind that the fridge compressor does not run constantly. The previously stated 13.5 hrs of run time does not mean that it will only run for 1/2 of a day. It is well insulated and spends more time not running than it does running. You should easily get 2 days out of it with one battery. If it is only going to be plugged in to the trailer and not needed to start your vehicle you could set the voltage cutoff to low and get even more time out of it.

 

[Toolman]

I get 3 1/2 to 4 days sitting when it's plugged in the TJ. Yellow Top and Red Top in parallel. I found a place where I can get them cheap and I'm going to install 2 blue tops with a perko switch as soon as I make the mount for them. Thanks for the input.. I figured out that when I get back to camp I can plug the Jeep into the trailer and I'll have 4 batteries running it through the night.. lights, water pump, etc. Also the solar will help trickle charge it.

 

[Hafwit]

There are a number of factors to consider here. The ARB fridges are great units, but does yours have an insulated cover? How many days at a time do you plan to be off the grid, and what are your other power needs? If you have a dedicated battery for the fridge that is separate from your starter battery (this is similar to the set up in many bass boats for the trolling motor), then you can run it down all the way without sacrificing your ability to get home. If you also have other things that will be drawing power, you need to consider these as well. A solar panel of adequate wattage with battery back up as a completely separate system can keep you off the grid indefinitely if you have adequate sunlight.