battery and alternator question

[tim-green]

Can anyone help? I have just bought 2 new exide deep cycle batterys as I will be fitting a winch, however I was also going to get a split charging system and a larger alternator to complete the install, however I have been told that because my 200tdi has the old v pulley for the alternator anything larger than 65 amps would burn out the fan belt, also I have been told by scorpian Racing that I should just connect the 2 batterys together as a split charging system does not work when you are talking about the amps drained from a winch, does anyone have any experiance of this?  :(  :?

[davidlandy]

leave it at 65 amps

more would be nice, but 65 should do.

I have run with twin exxxides , split charge and a 65 amps for 2 yrs ok.

[doctorvaltar]

I'm in exactly the same boat. Two batteries, how should I wire them up? I've been told by loads of people to wire the two batteries in parallel. The problem with that is you run both batteries down when you are winching, defeating the point of a second leisure only battery

I've got an auto box on mine so I was a bit worried about running down both batteries and not being able to start again. With my old manual S3 we just pushed down a hill and bumped it if the batterty went flat. (I can't now it doesn't work the same) If I use a split charge system I'll always have power to start the engine if I need to and get home.
 
If you read the link I have attached there are some useful comments and a very useful link at the bottom that someone has spent a lot of time writing out and drawing diagrams

http://forums.mud-club.com/viewtopic.php?t=13685&highlight=split+charging

[unknownmanxman]

I have a 200 with the V belt pully and i run a 120 Amp alternator, had no trouble from and ive had it for years!

[unknownmanxman]

Have a look at these two pages.... These may help clear things up!

They claim their split charge system can handle winching!

http://www.x-eng.co.uk/X-Charge.asp?MID=32
http://www.x-eng.co.uk/X-Store.asp?SL=30&MID=4

[defenderdan]

I have a national luna split charge system on my 90 and it works fine for winching. But that said i'm taking it out. I run two deep cycle batteries and a starter battery and a 65 amp alternator just hasn't got the ability to charge them fully. i'm leaving the 65 amp alternator in place to charge the starter battery and fitting a 100 amp alternator too to charge the winch batteries.

[tim-green]

Does an early 200tdi have the space for a 2nd alternator and do you use the same pulley but with a longer fan belt  :?:

[Manicminer]

I'm in exactly the same boat. Two batteries, how should I wire them up? I've been told by loads of people to wire the two batteries in parallel. The problem with that is you run both batteries down when you are winching, defeating the point of a second leisure only battery

Surely you can have the 2 batteries wired in parallel for charging and wire the winch to only 1 for winching.

[defenderdan]

I'm in exactly the same boat. Two batteries, how should I wire them up? I've been told by loads of people to wire the two batteries in parallel. The problem with that is you run both batteries down when you are winching, defeating the point of a second leisure only battery

Surely you can have the 2 batteries wired in parallel for charging and wire the winch to only 1 for winching.

If the batteries are connected together permenantly for charging they will also discharge together. You would need to be able to seperate the connection to prevent flattening the starter battery when using power but not running the engine. That is what a split charge system does, you can effect a very cheap alternative though by simply putting a cut off switch between the batteries.

[defenderdan]

Does an early 200tdi have the space for a 2nd alternator and do you use the same pulley but with a longer fan belt  :?:

I am mounting the second alternator where the air con compressor would go (as in later models). I have fitted a twin pulley to the water pump / viscous fan pulley and i will run it from a seperate belt.