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

Awesome. Maybe I’ll throw the fuse back in then.

 

I know people who moved their batteries to the spare tire location, dual batteries in fact. It's a fine location but you it would be wise to protect them with a skid plate. Another good spot is under the body on the opposite side of the fuel tank.

 

I have a similar on-demand setup using two solenoids and a DPDT switch in the cab to activate the solenoids.

In the simplest set-up, you would just install an on/off switch between the two batteries. You can start with this setup and see how you adjust to it; I would think that eventually, you'd get tired and annoyed of having to open the hood every time you want to turn the switch on/off.

I took the next step of adding a 200-amp solenoid relay (Hersee 24213) between the two batteries instead of an on/off switch. The relay is controlled by a low amp switch in the cabin. You need to take the added measure of protecting the solenoid studs cause they will stick out and you can easily ground them if you're not careful.

 

Power Steering fluid bottle bracket fits perfectly when relocating using part of the ABS Module and the air intake tube without modifaction to the bracket.

 

Hello all

I have a 9k lb Warn winch and thinking about a dual battery up grade.

I am handy, plumber by trade but not looking to reinvent the electrical wheel (not my strong point)

Do you guys recommend a kit. I see RedArc has a nice Tacoma kit with all the wires and lugs terminated.

No idea the quality of it and wondering if you recommend a complete wiring harnes kit without putting everting together seperetly.

Any recommendations?

Thank you

 

Do you have a link? I don't know a lot about Redarc.

 

I am no expert but it looks like a quality set up but expensive. I don’t spend a penny until TW gives it a thumbs up.

I was looking around and found a site for a company called Adventure Ready out of Seattle Washington

Their site is Adventure-ready.com

Check it out and let me know if their on the level.


Thank you

 

This?

https://adventure-ready.com/store/toyota-tacoma-dual-battery-kit-remote/

Looks alright. To me $775 is a lot of money for an isolator, aux battery tray and some cables but YMMV. Those Redarc isolators are used in Australia and those guys know how to set up overland trucks, so it's probably nice. But it's only 100A so you'd need to be aware that you can't override it manually to parallel the batteries for winching or maybe even self jumping.

 

That looks like the same battery tray as off grid engineering

 

It is an OGE tray.

 

My main concern was killing the battery through use of the winch.

I am no expert so I have to ask, why would you need to parallel the batteries.

I thought that when one was drained due to use the second one kicks on.

Does that option help with the power to the winch?

 

Being able to manually connect the batteries is a requirement for some people. You can run a winch longer that way since with heavy winching there's no way the alternator will keep up forever. So you will eventually drain them.

To me it's not something that is important because I don't want to end up with two dead batteries instead of just one. Also your winch has a duty cycle and you'll need to let it cool eventually so the real life chance that you will drain two batteries is lower. To do it you'd probably over heat the winch in the process.

IMHO the only reason I might in normal use force my batteries into parallel when the engine isn't running to jump myself. But even that is probably not a "normal" case. It means a battery probably died and isn't charging anymore or the alternator is kaput. Perhaps I left the head lights on. Anyway, the work around for that is a pair of jumper cables, which I carry anyway.

So in my case the only reason a 100A relay would be too small is I have a 130A alternator, so if I've run the aux battery way down it's theoretically possible that the relay is undersized. But the reality is you rarely will get a full 130A from an alternator and even if it does happen to produce the full rated current the amount going to the aux battery is unlikely to be every amp anyway. The truck itself consumes power, the ECU, lights, radio, etc. So 100A is probably not going to run at 100A or more often.

 

Thank you for the intel, that is why I love TW and always post before I start tearing shit out of my truck.

Trying to read all the posts to educate myself but confusing as all hell.

On the site I did notice they have an option for a manual override switch. Not sure if that parallels them or not.

The one thing I noticed on the website from their pictures of the install was a lot of circuitry mounted right next to the battery. Looked a little too exposed for my taste. Shouldn’t that stuff in a box or something so it doesn’t get soaked then blowup .

Once again I am a plumber so shit blows up for me and a weekly basis and I’m just trying to minimize that aspect of my life. Lol

 

I ended up buying my own hydraulic lug press and I'm glad I did. I ended up making lots of customized cables to replace the ground cables and what not. Then used it to upgrade the wiring in my daughter's Corolla on an alternator upgrade. You do need to buy other parts: different size lugs; heat tubing; conduit tubing; terminals; and battery cable - got my crimper on Amazon and most of the wiring parts from Crimp Supply.

If you'd rather not do your own, your local battery shop should be able to provide customized cables ready to go.
In my area, https://deepcyclebatterystore.com/battery-cable-for-sale/

 

Now hear is the million dollar question and I know it is as loaded as a ammo can filled with hand grenades and dildos.

At what point do you think you need to jump to a dual battery set up.

My normal wheeling may be three days in the woods in the NY winters with maybe one use of a winch And that’s a big maybe.

I tend to lean toward caution and when I go into the woods it’s only one vehicle so I’m on my own to get out but I am thinking the jump to dual batteries is if you do serious wheeling and use the winch a few times a day?

No idea, just throwing the question out there.

Considering I have to pass the purchase through the requisitions department (my angry German Ukraine wife) any input would help.


Thanks

 

As the saying goes...

...especially if you go out on your own.

 

aot


I have alot of extra wiring going on from led bars to strip lights, interior and exterior cosmetic lights, switches and a wireless controlled 12k winch. I fuel all of this with an Optima Yellow top.
Over the past week, my buddy and i went wheelin 5 times in deep snow, he and I got stuck 6-7 times each and i winched us out every time. My battery never hesitated at all, it took maybe .05 seconds longer to crank the next day. But hardly noticed it and thats all that happened. Been a week now and the truck starts up instantly just like normal.
IMO...
You do not need a second battery unless you want the ability to jump yourself... For better lack of a phrase. I don't know wtf a guy could be doing where you need two batteries just to get by.

 

Running a 12v water pump and 12v heating element

 

With the truck off?!? I have a water pump and a heating element in the pvc tank and have had no issues with one battery.

 

A US Army Special Forces General Officer said in a meeting I was in, “If you have only one, God will punish you.”