Battery Suggestion - Winch- Hella lights - Engel

[SGaynor]

Your current battery has 68 amp-hours and 135 min of reserve. I think you're fine.

If you want, step up to the 34M (PM-1) size - 100 amp-hours and 205 min reserve. With those batteries (or the Odyssey versions) there really is no need for a second battery setup.

If you are worried about running the battery dead, buy this (for $120/$145):

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/antigravity/

 

[TOM R]

Speaking of alternators..... What's my best bet for a high output D1 alternator? Isn't there some GM part that is compatible?

I second this question

 

[DiscoPhoto]

I second this question

Modifying a stock one with 2 stators.

 

[ERover82]

You don't need more power. You need less draw. Why anyone would use beyond a pair of incandescent lights in 2014 is beyond me. There are plenty of round and square LED (or even HID) lights that would look great on an SD rack.

 

[TOM R]

Modifying a stock one with 2 stators.

Say what? And I know bout alt. How is this done?

 

[fishEH]

You don't need more power. You need less draw. Why anyone would use beyond a pair of incandescent lights in 2014 is beyond me. There are plenty of round and square LED (or even HID) lights that would look great on an SD rack.

A pair of those lights is going to run you over $1000. You can buy a lot of batteries for that much.
That said, I really don't understand 7 Hella 4000's. I've never really needed anything beyond my two Hella 4000 cornering beams and my stock Hi beams. I know they look cool but what's the point of that many, really???

 

[p m]

This thread is funny. A person living in New York has - or claims to have - enough candlepower to light up Atacama desert.

The only reason for the second battery that I could understand is the fridge.

 

[jymmiejamz]

What is the amperage from the P38 alternator? What is the D2 stock amperage?

I thought the DII was 120 and P38 is 150. I can't remember for sure though.

 

[seventyfive]

ERR 5834, Alternator (RR) 150 amps
ERR 6413, Alternator (D2) 130 amps

 

[garrett]

Your current battery has 68 amp-hours and 135 min of reserve. I think you're fine.

If you want, step up to the 34M (PM-1) size - 100 amp-hours and 205 min reserve. With those batteries (or the Odyssey versions) there really is no need for a second battery setup.

If you are worried about running the battery dead, buy this (for $120/$145):

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/antigravity/

These look nice until I read that the battery has a life of about 3-5 years according to manufacturer via Amazon. That's not very assuring.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

This thread is funny. A person living in New York has - or claims to have - enough candlepower to light up Atacama desert.

The only reason for the second battery that I could understand is the fridge.

I have seven Hella 4000s on my truck too, but I can't ever remember using more than 3 at a time. Most of the time I use my 2 cornerings for low speed trail use or the three euros for higher speed, open country driving. I can't remember the last time I used my pencil beams.

Regardless, I don't think the second battery is needed for the fridge either. I have the small sized platinum battery and I've never run the battery down with my fridge. Frankly I think the biggest threat to these batteries is letting them sit. My Disco isn't a daily driver, so I have to make an effort to drive it once a week to keep the battery alive.

 

[p m]

Let me try to be nice here... Mike, you've been off pavement enough - can you say honestly you needed any of those? Or this - has the price of these lights and effort to install and wire them been justified?

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Peter, of course I've never needed any of them. They definitely fall into the want category.

Does anyone need a fridge? I doubt it, but it makes things a lot nicer. It all comes down to priorities. If I were doing things all over again, the first thing I'd do is get an ARB fridge. When I first got my Disco, I really wanted to get a winch. Well, I needed to get a bumper then. So I got the winch and bumper installed and my truck's front end sunk down from the additional weight. Time for a lift I guess. And then the slippery slope started. Did I need any of it? Doubtful, but you could definitely make an argument for needing a winch more than any of the rest of it.

But like I mentioned earlier, if I were starting over, I'd get an ARB fridge and go from there. My wheeling these days has transitioned from beating the shit out of a truck type wheeling to much less interesting, camping trip style wheeling. I'm sure that a stock LR4, an ARB fridge and a way to store my gear would be all I would need at this point.

 

[p m]

My wheeling these days has transitioned from beating the shit out of a truck type wheeling to much less interesting, camping trip style wheeling.

Not sure if long-distance overland trips are less interesting type of wheeling than beating the shit out of a truck. Both have their place.

But ever since I saw the original thread, I kept thinking of an instance when I needed more - much more - light on the trail. I enjoy bombing down a wash when I can - but I know that when/if I do it at night, no light in the world will save me from a two-foot rock popping up from nowhere. I could do that on a trail _very_ familiar to me, to every hole and washout and whatnot, but - what's the fun in that?

And, of course, if you're wheeling at night, the most annoying thing you can think of is somebody with gazillion watts behind you.

 

[adriatic04]

not that my input matters on this but I ditched lights I had awhile back due to no use. I liked them when I needed but as priorities changed, they werent worth it.

Looking back, I have to agree with Mike. I would have started with a fridge and a lift and gone from there. With young kids and hardly driving the thing, it is relegated to trips that a fridge would be worth its weight in gold.

 

[kennith]

It's hard to invent logic supporting the fitment of more than two auxiliary lights if your vehicle doesn't occasionally find itself bounding across reasonably open terrain at very high speeds, or being used for long durations in arctic climates.

Some vehicles are fitted with many lights because lights can be broken, and it's always best to have backup systems.

Numerous lights are also fitted to vehicles driven at very high speeds, as such a vehicle requires several lights to appropriately illuminate the entire length of the driver's chosen path.

Certain base vehicles (or any primary vehicle used in complex vehicle-based expeditions) may be fitted with a number of light sources simply to illuminate a camp or working area.

Another reason is sometimes misunderstood.

Some vehicles experience long duration use in deceptively treacherous conditions, such as those found in arctic environments with lengthy darkened periods. There, multiple light sources can be used to illuminate an area to be traveled from several angles at once, even at very low speeds.

This can be the difference between an entirely unexpected and potentially fatal total vehicular loss and a trouble-free journey.

Those are the primary reasons to invest in complex lighting systems. There's nothing stopping someone from buying something they want, though. One doesn't need a reason beyond desire to own such lights.

As for electrical charging and storage systems, the proper advise has been given.

This is not the most accurate analogy, but the hose is the problem; not the bucket. A new or uprated alternator is a good starting point.

Once you sort that out, it's time to consider capacity. Big, fat batteries and parallel connections tend to reign supreme, but they are pointless (aside from an occasional long draw) if your alternator can never adequately supply your electrical needs.

After that, you can learn through experience whether or not you require a secondary, isolated, battery system. This is not a patch to sort out a weak charging system, it is an expensive and reasonably complex decision.

As usual, however, if you want a battery that just fucking works, all the time, every time:

http://buy.northstarbattery.com/

You knew it was coming eventually...

Cheers,

Kennith

 

[Mike_Rupp]

And, of course, if you're wheeling at night, the most annoying thing you can think of is somebody with gazillion watts behind you.

The funny thing is that most of the wheeling I do lately is with my brother and he usually drives in front, so I don't even turn the lights on anymore.

 

[ERover82]

It's hard to invent logic supporting the fitment of more than two auxiliary lights if your vehicle doesn't occasionally find itself bounding across reasonably open terrain at very high speeds, or being used for long durations in arctic climates.

Damnit Kennith, you're going to pop the Camel Trophy visions bubble with your logic.

 

[ERover82]

A pair of those lights is going to run you over $1000. You can buy a lot of batteries for that much.
That said, I really don't understand 7 Hella 4000's. I've never really needed anything beyond my two Hella 4000 cornering beams and my stock Hi beams. I know they look cool but what's the point of that many, really???

I get it. Not everyone enjoys fine wine and caviar off the tailgate of a series II.

He could get 6 of these for $150, use 1/3 the power, put out a ton of light, and still have the spider look.
http://www.amazon.com/Tuff-LED-Lights-27watt-Polaris/dp/B009ES3F0Q/

 

[hafaday]

Not trying to hijack.

I have nothing to add here. but do understand everyone's logic behind the lights, dual batteries, and many a light.

That said... I've seen this alternator on line before. just wondering if anyone is using it, or if it's any good.

Thoughts..

Led's will soon be the norm (in time). more and more makers of them are coming out. I found these guys 2 weeks ago. Again, I don't know anything about them.

Edit: Heck. Nothern tool now carries some LED lights now. el cheepo's of course, made by Ultra-tow. all floods, but thought about putting some on my work truck.