Maxwell Engine Start Module

There is a great thread started on Kevin Rutherford's website (Let's Truck) from some guys building their own Ultracapacitor ESM.

It doesn't look hard from some of the youtube videos posted there.

 

As far as batteries go, why not a couple of these bad boys? seems like that would be all you need for 10+ hours on electric A/C

PC 1800FT Specs:

• 1800 cranking amps
• 1600 HCA
• 1450 MCA
• 1300 CCA
• 475 minutes reserve @25 amps
• Short circuit current 3800A
• 214Ah@20/hr rate - 190Ah@10/hr rate
• Measures 22.1" x 4.92" x 12.44"
• Weighs 132.3 pounds
• 3/8” stainless steel stud terminals

http://odysseybatteries.com/batteries/pc1800.htm

 

for the 70 KJ it's $1,720....ouch

http://www.koldban.com/product_p/800011.htm

 

They're very long batteries. I'll measure my battery box and see where they could possibly fit.

 

UPS made a delivery today.



This thing is light compared to a truck battery. 21lbs and will crank a big truck motor by itself with 1,800 Cold Cranking Amps.

Now waiting on 7 AGM deep cycle marine batteries to come in at Sams Club for my sleeper AC and truck electrical needs. $179.32 at Sams Club is the best deal I could find for AGM deep cycle marine batteries.


What I find need is that I now don't have to isolate 2 banks of batteries to just have an electric APU that will now have 7 group 31 deep cycle batteries to power a sleeper AC. This will also be supplemented by my solar panels that should make it no problem with 10+ hours of AC without idling and never have to worry about the truck not being able to crank with the Maxwell ESM separate from batteries like another battery bank just for cranking.
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Just got mine together to replace my 4 batteries today. The Maxwell ESM from Truck Country of Davenport, IA for $747 plus tax and shipping and 3 Duracell deep cycle AGM Marine Batteries from Sam's Club for $179.32 each plus tax.


Here is the AGM battery I am using.

I am going to replace the main batteries with these and add 4 more AGM batteries on the other side to have 7 total deep cycle batteries for nothing but hotel loads in the truck with the Maxwell ESM for nothing hut cranking the truck.

 

Have you guys looked at the 6Volt style deep cycle batteries that are used in Rvs and golf carts? I am not sure on the dimensions, but you have a lot more amps using 2 6Volt batteries than a 12 Volt. The 6Volt batteries also come in different heights for more capacity. I know Deka, Interstate make different sizes. The last 6V batteries I got was at Costco and they did well on my Cushman truck. It used 6 of them for the 36V electric motor.

 

Trojan makes a lot of variety of golf cart and vehicle batteries too.

 

The 7 new AGM batteries rated at 105 AHs each = 735 AHs
Big truck fridge uses around 6 amps/hr
8,000 btu AC unit during the daytime will use around 42 amps/hr

6 + 42 = 48 amps/hr x 10 hr break = 480 amps

Batteries 735 amps - 480 amps needed for 10 hr break = 255 reserve amps

My existing solar panels added with my new solar panels should add back around 150 amps over that 10 hr period to the batteries to increase the reserve to 405 amps after 10 hrs of no idle time. This will insure the batteries lasting longer because the reserve amperage never dropped below the recommended 50% capacity of the deep cycle batteries that would be anything over 367 amps reserve.

Deep cycle batteries are made for this 50% discharge compared to cranking batteries get hurt every time they are discharged more than 10% of there rated capacity.

This is what makes the Maxwell ESM used with deep cycle batteries a great long term choice for a true no idle electric APU system.