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

So guys question as far as running a dual side by side tray on a 1st Gen what are my options? I see way more for the 2nd gen and it seems a majority of 1st Gen trucks run stock battery location and then 1 on the opposite side

 

Im looking into the same idea.

 

It would be nice . I just wanna keep all the wires to a minimum so a side by side battery tray would be nice

 

I did a test fit with 2 optima d34m and i think they will fit with a little work.

 

Find a good tray yet ? Or are you gonna try fabbing one up?

 

Some 1x1 inch angle and a couple of small welds shouldn't be too hard to get done.

 

I plan to make something

 

This is almost exactly what I was looking to do. Gonna do it behind the driver side door I think. Any way to get a parts list if you still have it?

 

I dont have a parts list but I can probably rattle off most of the stuff to do it like I did (big 3 and aux battery)

- 22ish feet red 1/0 cable (i did 20' of a pure copper cable for flexibility and 10' of a CCA but i also installed an inverter under drivers seat. Used knuconceptz from Amazon, although I think people have success with welding cable)
- 12ish feet black 1/0 cable (also knuconceptz)
- 12x 1/0 ring terminal (knuconceptz) get a couple extra in case you mess some up soldering
- 2' red 4gauge cable (knuconceptz pure copper for runs to blue sea fuse block)
- 2' black 4gauge cable (knuconceptz pure copper for runs to blue sea fuse block)
- 6x 4gauge ring terminal (get a couple extra in case you mess some up)
- aux battery of your choice.. the optima didnt last so I replaced with a northstar 31
- 2 sets of battery terminals (i got military grade/style and also replaced the OEM terminals after the big 3 upgrade)
- blue sea fuse panel
- 100amp bussman circuit breaker (added after photos were taken)
- 1x knuconceptz inline waterproof ANL fuse holder 0gauge (for the aux battery installed in the cab. I removed the second one to starter battery in the engine bay after replacing powergate with ML-ACR)
- 1x 200Amp ANL fuse for the inline holder above
- shoreline 27M marine plastic battery tray with nylon strap (to secure aux battery behind the seat.. 27M size fits a size 31 battery like a glove) soliconed and screwed into the floor with the strap under the tray
- ML-ACR (I switched out the perfect switch powergate for a ML-ACR due to benefits of the solenoid type isolator over the diode type)
- battery monitors - i like the peakDBA dual monitor in the cab, and in the bed I have a single digital monitor wired to a on-of-on momentary switch so I can monitor both batteries with one monitor from the bed
- also invest in a good battery charger right away spec'd for the type of batteries you have. I got the 25Amp c-tek charger for fast charging because I have 204amp hours worth of batteries and charge them at the same time about 1-2x per month
- Its not required but I recommend that if youre putting in an AGM aux battery that you replace the starter battery with an AGM as well so that they both charge correctly and you dont shorten their life

- To add an inverter under the drivers seat buy an inverter (i bought 1500w energizer) add 8'more red 1/0 cable, 6'more black 1/0 and 2'more black 4gauge cable. Add another 1x200amp fuse and holder and a few extra ring terminals

- any brands of cable, fuse holders, fuses, terminals, etc will work. that's just what i used for convenience at the time

id be happy to get some updated pics if it helps

 

Yes that would be great whenever you have a chance. Thank you

 

ATO with painless dual battery setup maybe eventually I'll go blue sea, but I got the painless for the right price

ATO pre-wiring

new terminals


Finished minus 1 wire for manual connection

 

Well almost have it setup. Have my switch panel in my tool box and battery mounted. Was able to run my fridge for 4 days on solar alone.


Not to mount and wire up the blue sea ml-acr.

 

Nice looking install! I finally have mine done too, need to write it up...

I felt pretty good having the dual battery setup but realized it's not much good for a buddy if neither of you have jumpers! Whoops!

 

thanks
I had a bunch of extra 1/0 guage cable after my winch install. You can see my cables in my tool box. No issues jumping people.

Now if I could find the time to finish the install I could jump my self with no cables...

 

It looks like you have an inline fuse on both power wires leaving the Blue Sea distribution block. Is that so? I thought the point of having a distribution block was to house fuses for your powered devices.

 

Good eye! Yeah, so those two red leads are for the compressor and the included compressor wiring harness had those inline fuses. When I first installed the fuse block I just took the compressor leads off the old battery terminal and went right to the fuse block to test (which is when this picture was taken). I've since removed those inline fuses (shortening the cable a bit) and rely on the fuse block itself to protect everything now.

 

Are there any pros/cons to having the second battery side by side vs having it on the passenger side other then weight distribution?

 

Wish there was someone that made a nice aluminum battery hold down that said Tacoma or SR5 or something other than TRD and TRD Pro...

 

Split-
Pros- weight distribution, safer for your oem battery mount. Some have reported the sheet metal underneath cracking under the weight and hard wheeling.

Cons- lose that other space for other mods like an air pump.

Together- the opposite.

 

Good to know, thanks.