Adding 2nd Battery--Any problems?

[Pete Vermont]

I just bought a new 22-ft International, primarily for myself on multiple-day flyfishing trips and week-long shooting competition trips. My former 32-ft Excella had two batteries but the new rig has one.

Has anybody experienced building a special box to add a second battery in parallel with the factory-supplied battery? My new unit does have the solar charging system and I do carry a 1000-watt semi-silent Honda generator for recharging, but a single battery doesn't last long on a week-long trip in the hinterlands.

Would there be any problems with the Airstream charging system? If wired in parallel, it wouldn't it be just iike having ONE battery with larger capacity?

Pete in Vermont

[overlander63]

two smaller batteries would be like one bigger one. Depending on how much sunlight you are going to be involved with, it may be bettr to get the largest AGM battery that will fit in the tray, and a good-sized solar panel. Cost would probably be similar if you have someone else do the work, and you wouldn't have to worry about containing and venting the second battery.
(BTW, AGM batteries don't vent hydrogen like a wet acid battery).

[Kajtek1]

2 different (different age) batteries are not recommended to be wired together, because having different voltage the worse will pull the better one down.
Saying that I never had any problem for running 2 different batteries while in constant use of discharging/charging. In the past when I had trailer in the storage 1/2 from the lake, I put older motorcycle battery in it just for the brakes and water pump on those short trips from the site to the storage.
Than driving SUV for weekends I was bringing big battery charged at home, that I put under the trailer and hooked up to the small battery with alligator clips. On longer stays, I was taking the big battery into SUV when we drove somewhere and was charging it there with cigarette plug adapter.
Worked as a charm. Never had a need for generator at those times. Even at 110F spending few hours in the water made AC unnecessary.

[davidz71]

Pete,
I'm contemplating just such an addition to my '86 Sovereign. I have a metal box sitting between the tongue frame rails now for tools, ramps, etc. I plan on having it removed and a deeper as well as a slightly taller box welded in. It will be large enough to house two Trojan 27TMH 12 volt batteries. Since the battery lug on the positive post has cracked, I intend to replace both cables after the box is built and welded in. This probably won't be done until the middle of the summer. Like you, I have solar on the roof and a generator should I need it. It would be nice to have that extra cushion of battery power since the trailer is without shore power the month of April and for several months starting in September.

[wbrownrr]

Pete,
I've done this very thing to our 22' CCD. I had a new battery tray fabricated at a local muffler shop which holds two group 24 batteries. I give credit for the idea to rseagle, who has posted often on this forum and has some excellent pictures of his set up. Search the following threads, although there are others discussing the addition of batteries:

Upgrade to 2 x 6v Batteries on 2005 Int'l 22'

and

2nd Battery?

Hope this is helpful.

[Pete Vermont]

Thanks for the comments folks. I think the way to go is to fabricate a bracket, weld it on and install two AGM batteries. During a few years with a 20 ft "other brand" trailer i had one battery and it was always running down in the middle of a rainstorm or other time when going outside to rig the generator was difficult. Nearly ALL my use is boon-docking, so dependable battery life is important.

HAS ANYBODY also tried upgrading the two 20# propane tanks on these smaller AS models to 30# bottles? Is there room and what about the affect on the tongue weight, assuming I'd also go with two batteries?

[Kajtek1]

I had originally 30 lb propane tanks on my Safari, but I am going with 20 lb now. You might find a space for bigger tanks and probably batteries as well on your tongue and you can control the tongue weight by moving heavy items to the rear, but having most of the weight away from the axles will make the set more prone to proportioning (?) and fishtailing.
Hard decision.

[rseagle]

Pete,

Here is what I did for my 22 footer.

[Bill M]

Yes, one Bat would not last the night in our 05 28''CCD. We simply strapped a battery box over the metal box with a Group 31 yellow top Optima ( already had the battery) and it just fit behind the propane locker. We also added a 1000 W Yahama lightweight generator (converted to propane since we tow with a diesel Excursion. This gives us some AC when we need it and charges the batteries. We don't reall have enough battery power to use a functional inverter. Our old 1976 25' had two 4D AGM's over the wheel well and a 1500W inverter charger.
Our new system worksfine, just doesn't support the AC, which iswn't too important for us WA/MT travelers.
BillM