Deep Cycle AGM Batteries

by William | Dec 4, 2020 | Blog, Dual Battery Systems, Uncategorized

Lithium car batteries

Lithium is the lightest of the solid elements and is the most popular types of rechargeable batteries. The very first lithium batteries were not rechargeable.

It has one of the best energy/weight ratios. The self-discharge rate is also low so when it is not in use it does not lose its charge very quickly.

In fact, lithium batteries were initially unstable and unsafe and around charging times they were particularly unsafe making them unsuitable for the market. This is when they discovered that lithium-ion was the way to go.

Being twice the energy density of standard nickel-cadmium batteries they make an excellent car battery. Lithium-ion batteries do not require much maintenance and on top of this advantage, they do not require memory or scheduling cycling.

Traditionally Lithium Batteries have been used only for Hybrids but they can be used in normal petrol engine cars and especially in 4WD where a second battery is used to power camping utilities such as camping fridges and power inverters. In this case, a normal lead-acid battery is used for the first battery and the Lithium Battery is used for the camping or alternate use requirement. Where you are travelling for long periods you need a second battery so as not to rely on your main car battery essential for starting the engine.

So to be clear the advantages of a Lithium Battery is their weight, they are much lighter than lead-acid batteries. They also cope with the charge and discharge cycles a lot better than the traditional lead-acid batteries. However, there are a few disadvantages which should be mentioned. Compared with a lead-acid battery a Lithium Battery’ output will drop a lot faster when the temperature decreases. They do require proper charging and can have cell failure if not charged as manufacturers recommendations. They are also quite expensive in comparison. A well-designed Lithium Batteries however do not cause these problems such as the EnerDrive Lithium Batteries.

Deep Cycle AGM battery

An alternative to the Lithium Battery is a Deep Cycle AGM battery which is a lead-acid battery but with several differences. AGM is short for Absorbent Glass Material.
So the battery has 6 cells of around 2 volts each making 12 in total. The positive and negative lead oxide plates react with the sulfuric acid electrolyte producing electrons and this electrolyte is suspended by the sponge-like glass fibre maintaining an even distribution with the lead oxide plates.

Although the AGM battery is sensitive to over or undercharging it is basically sealed and needs no maintenance so you can not spill any of the contents. They are mostly shockproof and do not corrode. They also are more efficient at discharging and recharging. It is claimed they have higher starting power. In general, they do cost more.

Another advantage is they typically last sometimes more than twice the regular lead-acid battery. When supplying a twin battery for a camper or 4WD we usually provide and install the DC105-12 Deep Cycle AGM Battery as the second utility battery.

What is the Deep Cycle part of the name mean? Traditional car batteries were not designed for continuous draining and recharge as they are used to start the engine and are then used for small power uses while the engine is running and the battery is continually being recharged. However, if you are using the second battery system as a power supply for your camping fridge you will not have the car running at the time and there will be a constant drain on the battery. A deep cycle battery will have thicker plates which help it cope with constant charging and recharging. The thicker the plates the longer it will last.

Deep Cycle batteries are designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. Deep-cycle batteries can be repeatedly discharged and recharged without causing damage or shortening their life.

An Inverter and Battery system for Tradies

by William | Sep 1, 2020 | Blog, Dual Battery Systems, Inverter Systems

ePOWER 2000W True Sine Wave Inverter

As a tradie you may be interested to know that we are installing 2000w true sine wave inverters into builders and electricians work vehicles and yutes. This allows the use of electrical power on-site when there is no other electrical power available.

Features

The ePOWER’s contemporary is easy to use offers reliable power service both AC power and 5V USB power for your tradies work vehicle or caravan and other 4WD or commercial vehicle. A multitude of AC powered appliances can be run via this inverter and the 5V USB power can charge many devices simultaneously.

For operating motor loads, and to reduce stress on surge protection circuitry, true sine wave output power is perfect and also ensures longer equipment life. There are audio alarm warnings and error codes informing the user.

The automatic shutdown protects overload, over temperature and low/high battery conditions and there is a high surge capacity for products that require more power to start (2 x constant)

Provide are mounting brackets for a fixed installation including heavy-duty DC battery stud connectors and 5V USB port.

Included a 6 Meter Remote On-Off Switch

200Ah Lithium Battery ePOWER B-TEC 12V

We can also install a dual battery system which allows you to utilise your inverter without a drain on your car battery. We are using the 200Ah Lithium Battery ePOWER B-TEC 12V which has a list of impressive features.

This Lithium Battery is available in the range

12v 100Ah,125Ah, 200Ah and 300Ah

The battery is also available in the ranges:

24v & 36v 100Ah,

It is designed and meant for deep cycle uses.

This battery has a management system which provides the following information: Battery Voltage, Current (Amps), State of Charge (SOC), Health (SOH) and Status.

This management system will also show Individual Cell Voltage, Battery Temperature, Cycles, Alarms and other Battery Event Information.

There is also a monitor to optimise individual Prismatic cells inside the battery while the battery is in use which prevents over charge and over discharge, over temperature including short circuit prevention.

In short this battery management system keeps the battery safe and ensures precise and accurate use of the battery system.

These are the size and weight savings, Lithium v AGM scope;

100Ah Lithium = 160Ah AGM

125Ah Lithium = 200Ah AGM

200Ah Lithium = 320Ah AGM

(The figures are based on average discharge depth for both Lithium @80% and AGM @50%

Providing 60% more power than a lead battery of equal rates it is also almost 50% lighter in weight and has a 30% smaller footprint. No contest!

This battery is great for installing into a tradies work auto in combination with the inverter mentioned above. Come to that it is also perfect camper trailers or four-wheel drive AUX battery. Caravans would benefit as would communication sites.

Installation that need single deep cycle battery meeting the amp hour capacity would do well to choose this ePOWER B-TEC 12V 200Ah Lithium Battery

Enerdrive is regarded as the leader in the field of lithium batteries and energy systems for Mobile, Marine and Remote applications.

It is also worth noting that the B-TEC battery is capable to be paralleled to a second B-TEC battery of the same size.

It is also suggested that no more than 2 batteries should be connected and loads when paralleled should not exceed the current limits of a single batteries BMS.

This 200Ah battery can only be used with an inverter with a maximum of 2000W capacity.

There are larger than ePOWER B-TEC battery so look at the Enerdrive Pro Series Power Pack Systems. These Pro series can offer multiple parallel and series connections with Active Cell Balancing Protection across the entire pack

For the full range check out their website and remember we can install any of their products cheaper than you can buy from them:

Enerdrive Range

LED Auto Electric Accessories

by William | Jul 15, 2020 | Auto Electrics, Blog

LED Autolamps

We provide quality automotive aftermarket lighting

Our TIR optics range which stands for “Total internal reflection” has great optical design and the injection-moulded plastic polymers is shaped into a refractive lens inside a reflector.

The LEDs, include a clever feature which precisely focuses each LED and so provides minimal glare and stray light to the final beam, which is great for any oncoming traffic.

The eliminate scattered light loss is only half the story because the cost is also greatly reduced.

The TIR7 LED

Total Internal Reflection

7” (189mm x 175mm x 65mm)

TIR9, a larger 9” version (244mm x 228mm x 73mm),

Powerful directed lighting for greater safety and visibility. This means better value!

When you are driving in tough off-road environments you need equipment that is designed to withstand the rigours and these lamps fit the bill as they are housed in die-cast aluminium for the best strength and also boast an adjustable strong painted 4mm stainless steel mounting bracket. The bolts and fittings are also stainless steel.

Additionally included are rubber dampers which for obvious reasons prevent the worst of the vibrations. As for testing they have been tested and passed the IP68 water and dust ingress requirements They have also been thermally tested to -50°c to +75°c which means either hot or cold environments are going to be no problem!

In the TIR7 we use 32 high powered 5-watt Osram LEDs which has a total output of 160 Watts giving you 25200 Raw Lumens.

TIR9, the larger of the two has 37, 5-Watt Osram LEDs at 185 total watts giving you 27800 Raw Lumens.

Inbuilt park light function

PMMA TIR lens material
Clean white light – 6500k
Safe driving vision.
Voltage range of 9-32 Volts
The current draw of 9.2 Amps for the 7” and 12.0 Amps for the 9”.

LED Autolamps provides a harness wiring kit which is easy to fit including yellow, blue and clear polycarbonate protective covers as accessories.

Get more info by ringing us now

LED's for Autos

Smart Start Interlock Service

by William | May 27, 2020 | Blog

Smart Start Interlock

Smart Start Interlock is a company that provides services and technical devices that are installed in the car, that prevent intoxicated people from driving the vehicle. Here at Monteltham Auto Electric we install, service and look after the ignition interlock devices.

Accredited Interlock installer

Monteltham Auto Electric is an accredited Interlock installer and we have been approved by the State Government. These devices can only legally be installed, removed or monitored by approved and accredited installers. Monteltham Auto Electric is an accredited Interlock installer and we have been approved by the State Government. These devices are only legally installed, removed or monitored by approved and accredited installers.

These Interlock devices basically prevent the engine being started without going through and passing the breath test, the device will also initiate random tests from time to time requiring you to pass the test. If you fail to take the test this is recorded and will be considered a violation. Random tests can be requested any time the engine is running.

Smart Start Interlock Servicing

The program also schedules a regular service for the device installation. There is a service window of 2 weeks, a week each side of the schedule date. Missing this window will prevent you from operating your vehicle. There is also a fee for remote unlocking. Book your service early with us, we will be happy to accomodate you.

The service involves calibration and checking that the device is operating as it should. The calibration is a routine download required by the state, and a technician downloads your test results from the Ignition Interlock Device, uploading them to the report that we send to your monitoring authority.

How does a SmartStart Interlock work?

What is an interlock device? How does it work. Basically, you blow into the mouthpiece which measures the amount of alcohol in your blood and as long as it is below a certain level, you can start and drive your car. How do we know it’s accurate?

The Smart Start ignition interlock devices use ethanol-specific fuel cells to detect alcohol. This ethanol-specific fuel cell turns alcohol into an electric current, even very small amounts of alcohol will produce an electrical charge. No alcohol present, then no electrical current. If however you have recently been drinking alcohol there will be alcohol in your breath, and, the fuel cell will create a current and is stronger the more alcohol there is in your breath. So there is a direct relationship between the amount of alcohol in your body and the electrical current created in the fuel cell.

As long as the amount is under the limit which is 0.02 BAC the test is passed and the engine is enabled to start. Greater than this threshold and the vehicle will not start.

These Smart Start Interlock devices are similar to the traffic police and the devices they use to test a driver, they are state-of-the-art and accredited by both European and Australian standards.

If you want more information on the Smart Start Interlock system please get in touch. We will be happy to help you. Don’t forget we provide a full vehicle service for all rangers of vehicles including petrol, diesel and 4 wheel drive vehicles. We are expert auto electricians servicing all of Melbourne and based in Montmorency, not far from Eltham and Greensborough.

We also provide a wide range of car spares including batteries, LED’s, solar systems and other camping and off road essentials.

Smart Start Interlock Servicing Melbourne

Car Servicing in Melbourne

by William | Apr 28, 2020 | Blog, Services

Melbourne best car service

How important is your car to you in getting around the urban sprawl of Melbourne? Depending who you are the replies will vary but the chance is high that the answer will be very important for as good as the public transport system is here in Melbourne it still does not make getting around as easy and convenient as your car. So, it is common sense to look after your vehicle with regular servicing and maintenance based on your recommended maintenance period or kilometres driven between the last service.

In the long run, regular car servicing and maintenance will save you a lot of money and keep you safer on the road rather than neglecting.

The Car Maintenance Basics

The basics of car maintenance are, of course, something you can undertake yourself however here at Monteltham Auto Electric we are here to help you with a first-class car service wherever you are in Melbourne.

Car Manual

A good start with knowing all about your car is the car manual which is usually kept in the cubby or glove box. You can learn a lot by giving it a read. If you don’t have one you can usually find one online to download. Inside the manual, you will find a section which deals with servicing, maintenance, and the time period needed between servicing.

Checking the car servicing basics

Some of the things you will have to check will be water hoses, belt drives as the fan belt, check the oil levels and colour and the condition of your tyres. What everybody thinks of first when they consider a car service is the oil change. Your engine health depends on the level and condition of your oil. Dirty oil will contain contaminants such as worn metal grains and dirty oil and an abundance of these dirty oil contaminants will cause more of the same, wear out all moving parts, and degrade your engine mechanics. The message here is changing your oil, regularly, check your manual for the period between oil changes. It will usually be measured in months or miles/kilometres between the last service.

Car Oil

Oil Change – How Often: 3 months or 3,000-5,000 miles or 4828/8046 kilometres. The oil filter will also require replacing.

Other fluid checks

On the subject of oil changes, there are other liquids that need to be checked and topped up. Consider other fluids such as brake fluid, radiator fluid, windscreen wiper water and detergent. You may also be able to check transmission fluid which you do by checking the dip disk associated with the transmission. Safety first and remember let the engine cool down before you start opening fluid caps, as radiators, for example, may contain very hot water under pressure. Scalding is possible unless you let the motor cool and open the cap carefully allowing any pressure to escape first.

Hoses and belts

Essentially hoses wear out over time and may show bulges or cracks and may be ready for replacement. If you find you engine is overheating it may relate to a split hose and a leaking radiator. Check all your belts, fan belts and the like. You may have heard a car screech when the car is started and the engine turns over. A terrible sound but probably indicates a loose fan belt where undoing a couple of nuts will allow you to tighten up the fan belt tension and cure the terrible screeching sound.

Windscreen wipers

Other filters needing replacement is the air filter and should be replaced at least one a year. Check you windscreen wiper blades, you will probably notice them wear down when in a storm they just do not wipe the windscreen free and clear with each wipe leaving distorted lines of water remaining on the screen. Change your wiper blades.

Car battery
Check your car battery and connections or terminals. The positive and negative connection points can accumulate with white or discoloured deposit. Remove this deposit with a wire brush or with a little water and baking soda. Winters can really drain a car battery, you can check the health with two tools, a multimeter and a battery hydrometer.

Using a multi-meter, you can find out if the battery has enough charge to run your auto system. A healthy battery will have a multimeter reading of around 12.5 volts. With the headlights on the battery voltage will drop to around 11.5 volts. Using the battery hydrometer, you can check the specific gravity of the battery fluid is between 1.27 and 1.30

These checks are all possible to do at home with simple tools however there are other systems that require a little more in dedicated system tools to check and optimise complicated systems such as performance engine tuning or air conditioning services. Based in easy reach of Eltham, Greensborough, Templestowe and Diamond Creek, Monteltham Auto Electric is ideally placed to help you with all your auto and car servicing and repair requirements. Even if you want to do it yourself, we will be happy to give you advice, please give us a call and remember we also supply a range of spares include batteries, wiper blades, LED’s and other car electrical parts, bulbs, wiring kits, camping solar panels.

Call Us: 03 9435 1198

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