3 Batteries - WTF???

[dp bradford]

If you can rig up suitable switching for when parked up, and provided the main starter battery is happy starting the Bongo on its own, then you could connect the second battery in parallel with the leisure battery and you'd have a lot of useful leisure battery power for e.g. wild camping use.

If you're going to connect two batteries in parallel it's best if they're both the same capacity in Amp-hours

Dave

Useful info there Dave. My LB is 110Ah and the one I've been using in parallel is 75Ah. Any views on that? Should I not be doing it?

Well technically - no you shouldn't; a high capacity battery connected in parallel to a lower capacity one may not get fully charged, and the smaller capacity battery may get overcharged, thus shortening its life... In fact, you should really only use two identical batteries of the same age: but that said, I wouldn't really worry too much, Bongos are pretty resilient

Take a look here for a slightly more techy answer

Dave

[scanner]

If you're going to connect two batteries in parallel it's best if they're both the same capacity in Amp-hours

Dave

Well technically - no you shouldn't; a high capacity battery connected in parallel to a lower capacity one may not get fully charged, and the smaller capacity battery may get overcharged, thus shortening its life... In fact, you should really only use two identical batteries of the same age: but that said, I wouldn't really worry too much, Bongos are pretty resilient

Take a look here for a slightly more techy answer

Dave

I think IIRC from many years ago, it's OK if they are both being charged but if left connected just to each other, the smaller one will discharge into the larger one or something.

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks guys. In my case I charge them separately and just connect when in use (the guy with the winter battery would - I guess - be doing that). But I can see issues (in theory) even during the discharge. Life's to short to follow all the rules though

[dp bradford]

.... Life's too short to follow all the rules though

Oh, yes...

Dave

[mikeonb4c]

I feel a Bongo slogan coming on

Life's too short....to follow all the rules

Yup, could look nice stencilled discreetly down the silent silver of the lower body work