It got a little scary last night

[Infidel67]

Originally Posted by gtstorey

I'm struggling to come up with a scenario how wiring either on parallel or series would damage the battery. In series you get 24 volts but that will hurt everything other that the battery and would not keep the batteries charged. In parallel and nothing bad happens, just like using jumper cables or how many diesels 12v trucks are wired.

It looks like an internal battery problem to me.

So I should take my big ass sub out and visually check the Yellow Top DH7
of any signs? the charge is holding steady with just that one battery.

[gtstorey]

No it looks like the battery that is bulging had an issue, maybe an internal short.

But having a battery that is hard to access is not a good idea either. Especially with a complex system.

Another option on a problem would be a failing voltage regulator that is overcharging the system.

[Infidel67]

Originally Posted by gtstorey

Another option on a problem would be a failing voltage regulator that is overcharging the system.

Right. I am going to run some checks and see if I get any high spike voltage from the Isolator or the Alternator, I have a Battery monitor in between which will record that.
Thanks

[NZZL1]

Originally Posted by Infidel67

Look at the Pic and you can see it

The pic is not that clear, but if you are charging both batteries in parallel, then that is your problem.

Originally Posted by gtstorey

In parallel and nothing bad happens, just like using jumper cables or how many diesels 12v trucks are wired..

The charging system measures a number of variables and specifically controls the charge rate for the main battery. A second battery wired in parallel will be subjected to the same charge rate applied to the main battery, and this charge rate will be totally inappropriate and even moreso as the second battery is a completely different type and size.

This is how you do a second battery!
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=42

[Infidel67]

Originally Posted by NZZL1

This is how you do a second battery!
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=42

This is great stuff. Also you have Lithium I just have 2 AGM's, not two different ones.
separated by an Isolator that switches automatically between 2 batteries measuring the voltage between the two, they're not in series or parallels.
Lets say if I'm working on the Car and listen to music I put my trickle charger on the front where you can jump start the car. Big Battery + on 1st. input of the Isolator, and my smaller + one on the 2nd. input. When voltage drops below 12.3v it switches to the one below.
Been working great for almost a year, but since it was sitting a long time (no charge) the smaller one died or a few cells failed beyond repair.
The system runs strong and you can definitely tell Bass wise when only running one Battery.

[chevy pilot]

Hmmm..

OEM charging system measures also current and temperature.

How does it know what battery is being charged,it thinks it's constantly charging the OEM battery...

[NZZL1]

Originally Posted by Infidel67

When voltage drops below 12.3v it switches to the one below.

Originally Posted by chevy pilot

OEM charging system measures also current and temperature.

How does it know what battery is being charged,it thinks it's constantly charging the OEM battery.

Unless you have wired the second battery to support the "variables" that I mentioned (and as stated by chevy pilot), the second battery will eventually fail. The bulging battery case is an indictor of sulfation.

I suggest you refer to the linked follows in understanding how the battery charging system works. This one of the reasons why my second battery system is largely separate and independent of the OEM system.

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showp...47&postcount=3

[Infidel67]

Ok one more time for the slow ones, first of all I think your Battery System is way Overkill with Lithium cells, for what? the little Sub the Alpine Amp and a 4k High Def TV system?
Even mine is Overkill, I never had my lights dim, or what not.
The Main Battery is solely for the 3500 RMS Skar Amp who drives the Sub, the smaller Battery(Rated for 1200W) is for three smaller Amps, one Taramp 2ch. (Tweeters alone), another Taramp 2ch. for two small 8" Skar Subs and finally A Rockford-Fosgate 4ch. for my fronts.
It's hard to tell from that pic but the smaller Battery is independent from the larger one. the smart isolator switches between the two constantly measuring voltage from both, one goes below 12.3v it switches and will charge that one, and back and forth it goes.
Also, I have to mention that it was a budget build over a bet or it wouldn't be looking like it does lol.

[NZZL1]

Originally Posted by Infidel67

I think your Battery System is way Overkill with Lithium cells

There are number of pros and cons for various types of battery chemistry, but in my case the LTO battery is perhaps a little undersized at 40Ah (LTO has lower energy density and I had limited space available) which is offset by the superior charge and discharge current ratings ie. 10C / 400A continuous (the math is nominally 4.8kW for 6 minutes of discharge), or 20C / 800A for 10 seconds. LTO are also inherently safe and in addition to the charge and discharge current ratings, they have a superior 25000 charge / discharge cycle rating compared to other battery chemistry, however they also cost about 4x more than other battery chemistry. My selection of LTO was more about this charge/discharge/cycle "balance" of the system than any actual load or output numbers,

Before I changed to LTO, I had "worn out" three 750CCA lead acid batteries as they are not designed to handle continuous high peak loads (such as a sub-woofer), nor are they designed to be completely discharged (which happens with long updates of my Windows PC). Whilst an AGM battery is more durable due to construction and has slightly different discharge capabilities, they still they have the limitations of a lead acid battery chemistry.

In my case, I also added a bank of capacitors that have low ESR (equivalent series resistance) and high ripple current ratings. This is a "real" capacitor and completely different to the little capacitors that are typically hiding inside the retail products with big "fake" cans for cosmetic effect. ESR and ripple current are much more important than "Farads".

I have an electronic engineering background and I understand what this all means in powering a dynamic load such as audio system, but for the audiophile, what an LTO battery means is that the voltage can be maintained whilst high peak current is being delivered to the load. Despite a LTO battery having a slightly lower cell voltage the delivered power is consistent, and does not fluctuate very much based on the peak load current, and ultimately this is reflected in the superior quality of the output sound (amplifiers operate best when the voltage remains constant)

FYI, I have attached a schematic of my two battery system. Note the load management by the two contactors, and the independence of the LTO battery charger. The LTO battery charger operates completely independently of the Gen5's charging system being in bulk, absorption or float mode in charging of the main battery.

In your case and the smart isolator switch, it is still not clear to me, that your wiring of the second battery is even compatible with the operation of the Gen5's so-called "smart" charging system that I linked prior. Perhaps you could read this again and explain how your second battery is supported by the "smart" charging system https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showp...47&postcount=3

Whilst your audio system has some impressive "big numbers" for load or output, these high peak loads will only add to this charging question, and the battery life issues that you seem to be experiencing. I don't think that I can offer much further advice, until you have addressed what I think is an imbalance in the design of your system ie. you have a big alternator, and you have a big load, but the charging and load management of the battery seems to be lacking (actually it is obvious that something is lacking by the bulging battery case).