[Bonk]

Looking to increase the run time for an "older version" 24V Dodd Battery Pre .
Have been using it in the stock configuration with four 12V 5Ah batteries and with the
charger shown below..........







.....was wondering if one could substitute four of these (12V/10.5Ah) ....



....to increase the run time ? Obviously the set of larger batteries would need to be
external with pos and neg leads to the chassis . Would the Soneil charger have any
issues charging the 4 larger 10.5Ah batteries ?
Or is there a simpler battery configuration to increase run time while still using the
Soneil charger ?

Ooooor  , is there a way to forego batteries altogether and use a traditional plug-in
 24V linear power supply ?
The  benefits of being "off the grid" are lost , but wouldn't have to worry about run time
or the cost of battery replacement .

Bonk ....
 ....(slightly electronically challenged) 

[Danny Richie]

Looking to increase the run time for an "older version" 24V Dodd Battery Pre .
Have been using it in the stock configuration with four 12V 5Ah batteries and with the
charger shown below..........

That's one of the reasons the newer ones used external batteries.

.....was wondering if one could substitute four of these (12V/10.5Ah) ....

So long as they are external you can use them.

....to increase the run time ? Obviously the set of larger batteries would need to be
external with pos and neg leads to the chassis . Would the Soneil charger have any
issues charging the 4 larger 10.5Ah batteries ?

I don't think the charger will have any issue with the larger batteries.

We also noted improved dynamics with the larger batteries. I use a 100 amp hour Power Sonic on mine. Mine also runs on 12 volts and not 24.

Or is there a simpler battery configuration to increase run time while still using the
Soneil charger ?

Just bigger batteries.

Ooooor  , is there a way to forego batteries altogether and use a traditional plug-in
 24V linear power supply ?

Yeah, and hello no noise floor. And the cost of building a good power supply is costly. Batteries are cheap.

The  benefits of being "off the grid" are lost , but wouldn't have to worry about run time
or the cost of battery replacement .

And a decent power cable cost more than a 100 amp hour battery.

[Bonk]

Thanks Danny .
Larger batteries it is 

[jules]

If you're aiming for 24V you'd probably be better off with 2 X 12V larger batteries in series than 4 X 12V smaller batteries set up as two pairs in parallel. It's not a great idea to charge batteries in parallel because no two batteries are exactly equal and differences are exaggerated over time and many charge/discharge cycles.  "Weaker" batteries become a sort of backwater.

With batteries in series this can't happen as all the power has to flow sequentially through the chain.  You can still finish up with differences in the individual battery voltages but nothing as serious as can happen with charging batteries in parallel.

My house is off-grid, solar-battery powered so batteries feature highly in my interests 

[Bonk]

Thanks jules . Good info and more to ponder

[Captainhemo]

agree with  jules.   A  couple  say  50 ah  AGM batteries wired in series  will  give you great run times.  I use a single  50ah 12v AGm battery with my 12v Dodd and it'll last  a long time.  You'd still need a  24v charger, you  could charge the  2  batteries in series, the charger  would just  "see" them as  one  24 / 50 ah  battery.

jay

[Bonk]

I like the idea of two vs four batteries .
But I am a little lost as to how one would connect 2 batteries in series looking at the attached pic .
Would a short wire be needed between 2 and 3 as well as between 6 and 7 ?
Or is it as simple as connecting one battery to 1 and 4 . And the other battery to 5 and 8 ?
Sincere apologies for the elementary questions 
And thanks for the help 

Bonk

[skalos]

Hello all,

I have the 12 volt version with the outboard battery.  Can I use a used car battery?

Steven

[Danny Richie]

Hello all,

I have the 12 volt version with the outboard battery.  Can I use a used car battery?

Steven

Don't put a vented style battery in your house. Use only the AGM style (sealed) batteries.

[mlundy57]

I like the idea of two vs four batteries .
But I am a little lost as to how one would connect 2 batteries in series looking at the attached pic .
Would a short wire be needed between 2 and 3 as well as between 6 and 7 ?
Or is it as simple as connecting one battery to 1 and 4 . And the other battery to 5 and 8 ?
Sincere apologies for the elementary questions 
And thanks for the help 

Bonk

Bonk,

Position 8 is the positive connection to the amp and Position 1 is the negative connection to the amp.

To connect the external batteries in series, the positive post of one battery is connected to Position 8.

The negative post of that battery is connected to the positive post of the second battery.

The negative post of the second battery is connected to Position 1 in the amp.

Here is a pic:

[Bonk]

Thanks Mlundy .
That's exactly what I needed to see !!   

[Kellymack]

I just connected (2) 12volt power sonic batteries in series and the dynamic is very noticeable and impressive. Bass has slightly more poop too. This is a great idea. I got the 35 ah battries which give me a total of 70 ah.
I love the pre amp and now with the upgrade in power, even more,!!!

Thank you

[mlundy57]

I just connected (2) 12volt power sonic batteries in series and the dynamic is very noticeable and impressive. Bass has slightly more poop too. This is a great idea. I got the 35 ah battries which give me a total of 70 ah.
I love the pre amp and now with the upgrade in power, even more,!!!

Thank you

Two 12V 35AH batteries in series will give you the equivalent of one 24V 35AH battery.

When batteries are connected in series, the voltage doubles but capacity (amp hours) stays the same. When two batteries are connected in parallel, the voltage stays the same but the capacity doubles.