Dual Battery Setups! Let's see them! Multiple Batteries Thread!

As of now I'm just using a cheap solar panel on my dash to help battery I'm sure it doesn't do much but can't hurt.
I plan on doing something like this on the roof of topper.......someday

 

I've thought about something like that, might just have to do it. I don't even get over 35 mph going to work and might get up to 55 once a week.

 

@Nate87 did a pretty slick hidden panel install into his Prinsu rack.
Panel install

 

I did a 50w panel made by Renogy Solar that feeds into a charge controller to my aux battery. It gets up to 13.2-13.5V, but honestly I don't think it does much in the way of charging my battery. Granted, the way my system was setup technically the panel was charging about 150Ah (both batteries). I read on some RV and off-the-grid sites that you really need 1 watt per amp hour for solar charging on a perfect sunlit, clear day so 100w might be able to handle one 31M in a perfect world. Nate's 100w panel might be enough for one 31M battery, but he has no way of directing the panel toward the sun and if it gets dirty it loses efficiency quickly.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I believe your #2 is an optional wire. There's another member here that explained it a bit better. I'll look for it. I'll be doing this project myself soon.

 

Thank you! I found it after quite a bit of googling. Page 9 of this thread. It seems the isolation wires 1-3 are optional and mainly for boats where they may have to crank the engines for a while before getting them to start. Im just gong to tape them off. I'm glad I dont have to go searching for a "start key switch to starter solenoid" wire. It sounds like a PITA.

After more reading, I think my #1 wire is just for power to the switch LEDs and not voltage sensing. The yellow LED wire in the diagram is for LED ground. I am going to try to hook it up to the ML-ACR post that I hook up the Aux battery to and I will report back. I might hook it up thru the aux fuse panel since it needs a fuse. We will see.

 

I don't remember if I posted this on this specific thread but this is the diagram I cam up with for myself with a little editing.

 

That's helpful, thank you again. Your diagram looks much more like our systems than the one from BS. I ordered the Peak DBI monitor tonight too. Someone had posted about adding a switch so that the LEDs were not on all the time. I did a calculation for a 31M battery (100Ah) and calculated that the monitor could be on for 5000 hours before draining the battery. (100Ah * 1000mA/A) / 20mA draw = 5000 hours. Its probably more like 10000 hours since 1/2 of monitor is hooked up to separate 100Ah batteries. I'm comfortable with that

 

Think about all the OEM cars with factory alarms that have the blinking LED. not worried about it

here's some test fit pics for anyone curious what will fit behind the driver rear seat.


^ Optima 34/78



^DIEHARD 31M

Since I have the factory JBL system I'm going to be running dual optima 34/78 in the bed. Ditching the subwoofer and amp to stick the batteries behind the seat is just too much. With it all disconnected I had zero radio....so it's staying till I go full retard with the truck. (Cage etc)

Artec mount dead center in the bed on the front bed wall. I'll post pics as soon as it shows up.

 

Be careful with the side mounted batteries. I know the Optimas aren't supposed to leak.... Mine does. I'm about 2 months out of warranty and I've heard of them telling people to kick rocks so I'm not even going to try. Sticking with NorthStar and the 4 year full warranty as soon as my optima craps

 

My 31M Diehard had to be warrantied after only a year...your Optima's made it 3 with no issues? I'll take that.

 

2 years! I understand not replacing a deep cycle from overuse. But if your "leak free" battery is not leak free that's a manufacturing issue

 

Thought Optima's had a 36 month warranty...

 

Not yellow top "commercial" (31A) or Blue tops.

 

Well that sucks! Blue tops are basically the same thing as yellow tops that just have terminals and studs. I chose the 34/78 because of the cost/warranty and ease of finding. 31M was a PITA to locate locally when SEARS sold them.

 

Right. Then I'd always buy a yellow to get the extra 12 months of warranty if you don't want a "commercial" group 31 sizes yellow. It looks like there are also some overlap on yellow tops that are considered normal versus commercial with different warranties (12 vs 36 months). I don't know if they are marked differently or whatever but I see D34 mentioned with 2 different warranties, for example.

 

Probably comes down to how the battery was procured and are marked differently. The ones I just received are clearly marked 36 month

 

You're probably right. Mine was marked 24 months. Good luck with yours. I think 36 months is a perfectly reasonable warranty. Save your receipts where you can find them just in case.

 

Had a question re: red top vs. yellow top. Just got a Blue Sea 7622 ML-ACR to run an extra battery for my alternator and misc. accessories. I know the red is for starting and yellow for deep cycle, but is it ok to have one of each? I called Optima and they said its not ok to charge in parallel, but Blue Sea said its fine. Obviously I'm a noob when it comes to electrical, so any advice is appreciated. Thanks