[Rover] Primary Batteries

[Sean Waite]

The 100Ah AGMs I use top out at 30A or so continuous pull. We run a pair of
them with a worst case of about 45-50A worst case draw and usually much
less. With 75A expected draw you're looking at 3 of those in parallel or
more likely going for heavier batteries.

A lot of people like the 6V golf cart batteries in series+parallel to get
12V at the expected capacity and current rating. I'm using 12V batteries,
it's what I found.

I'm topping them off from the car while in motion. Definitely get some
heavy power poles, or rather the Anderson SB series connectors. You don't
want to overdraw your car battery while stopped. We disconnect when parked
and then reconnect in motion. I need to pick up a big marine battery switch
or something so I don't have the mechanical cycles on my connectors and
also to make it easier to switch (our first rove required a wrench to
disconnect 200Ah of battery from the car at each stop while on a rush. Not
my idea of fun)

I found really heavy gauge jumper cables, 4AWG or so, and have been using
that wire for connecting things. The jackets are probably overly thick but
it was the best price I found for that wire.

I fuse with 80A fuses. I probably could reduce that rating but I wanted to
leave headroom for the battery string to charge.

I've thought about all sorts of other enhancements but there are other
priorities and this works. Bring a fire extinguisher.

73/Yours in Scouting
Sean Waite, WA1TE

On Wed, Apr 8, 2020, 16:27 Ev Tupis via Rover <rover at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Hi List,
>
> Could you offer me some insights?
>
> I have a need to supply ~75 amps @ 12v during TX.  My plan was to put a
> battery (or two?) in my trunk along with the amplifier to keep leads short.
>
> I'd keep that battery "topped off" by running some 6AWG from my
> under-the-hood battery.
>
> Any recommendations for a battery for the trunk (or other insights)?
>
> Ev, W2EV
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