Battery upgrade

[Kinchyle]

I'm about to put 2, 4" attwood turbo fans in my RXT. I'm a little worried about the juice that will pull off the batter (8.8amps).

Would this work if I mounted it on the ski. It's a solar trickle charger.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-SOLAR-PANEL-12-VOLT-BATTERY-CHARGER-CAR-TRUCK-BOAT-RV_W0QQitemZ5620973362QQcategoryZ14951QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I was also thinking of getting a battery gauge. Would this tell me if my battery is getting low ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SMITHS-BATTERY-CONDITION-GAUGE_W0QQitemZ8003244713QQcategoryZ9903QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Used-Autometer-Volt-Gauge-Phantom-Battery_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33681QQitemZ8003485466QQrdZ1

[way2fast]

For the solar charger to really add anything to your battery, you would have to have the ski standing out in the sun for days. It might keep the battery charged if the ski were idle for a long period of time, but it isn't going to help a ski that is using more juice than the charging system can provide with the engine running.

The gauge will tell you that your battery is low...but you will know this when you try to start the ski and just hear a "click, click" Actually I do use these gauges on drag boats where the elec fuel pump, trim etc. take more out of the battery than the charging system can replace.

Richard

[Shibby1485]

does the battery guage on a car tell you the volts left in the battery or is it telling you the volts that the alternator is putting out? .. i've always heard different opinions on this, like if the battery is near dead but the car is running it will still say like 12/13 volts bc that's what the alternator throws out.... but then i've heard the complete opposite opinion. jsut wondering since we're on the topic of battery guages.

[Lurker]

well since the alternator and battery are hooked together it will give the voltage at the battery (confusing?). Now there are several different things that it may tell you depending on the car and if the car is running or not. If the car is running and the alternator is turned on you will read the voltage from the alternator. If the car is running and the alternator is turned off (battery has good voltage) then you will read the battery voltage. If the car is turned off then you will read battery voltage. Of course wiring problems like shorts and load (accessories being on) will cause the battery voltage to read low even if it is freshly charged.

FOr these seadoos I would worry about what kind of power (watts) the mag is capable of putting out. You may start destroying parts by overloading the system.

[Kinchyle]

FOr these seadoos I would worry about what kind of power (watts) the mag is capable of putting out. You may start destroying parts by overloading the system.[/quote]

I'm going to have 8.8 amps from 2 fans. I'm going to relay them to the battery.
I'm hoping the battery can hold that. If I get a gauge I can see if it's on 12V.
Think this would be ok ?

[PAINKILLER]

man K first a stereo system, now 2 fans whats next a blender.

[bic1]

Ammeter

You may find it more beneficial to use an Ammeter instead of a voltmeter. If you show "+" then you're charging. A "-" reading with everything on would indicate you should switch somthing off as you're draining the battery, even whilst running the engine.

[Kinchyle]

man K first a stereo system, now 2 fans whats next a blender.

GREAT IDEA! a margarita maker at 70mph

[Kinchyle]

Re: Ammeter

You may find it more beneficial to use an Ammeter instead of a voltmeter. If you show "+" then you're charging. A "-" reading with everything on would indicate you should switch somthing off as you're draining the battery, even whilst running the engine.

good point.
So I would need something like the below link ? Would this just hook up to the battery or do the fans hook up to it somehow ?

http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?Ntt=ammeter&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&searchinresults=false&N=0&target=egnsearch.asp

Just saw this one I like

http://www.cardomain.com/item/FSHMETERVR