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

Thanks! I was hoping so since I'm about 2 feet shy of enough 0 awg to run a second line to the fuse block from the batt in the bed. So could I run a jumper from isolator to fuse block? They are about 6 inches from each other. I figured crimp, solder, and heat shrink two ring terminals on a 6in piece and call it done. That would be acceptable?

 

Yea. As long as it’s on the same side of the battery you’ll be good

 

Gents, from some sources I am learning that for a dual battery system it’s ideal to have the same type, size and age of batteries. Yet other sources state that there is a starting battery type and that a different type (AGM) is a better choice for the accessory battery.

Is one opinion here incorrect or are they both correct, but just different?

 

Both correct, kinda. If you link them via a blue sea ml-acr or simmilar you want them the be the same type, same age and it’s good to be the same size.
If you link them with a dc-dc controller where they never connect to each other then they can be mid matched.

Optima, Odyssey and others are agm which is a better battery.
Most agm’s can and will say if there dual purpose(starting and deep cycle)

 

Excellent. Thank you.

 

From what I have read and heard, if you have a 'dumb' isolator like the ML-ACR -- dumb in the sense that it doesn't know the differences between battery types -- you should stick to 2 of the same type batteries. With some of the 'smart' isolators/chargers/etc I believe many of them offer the ability to mix batteries to suit your needs. For example, I am running dual AGMs linked with an ML-ACR. I am considering a smaller Li-ion in the bed for the fridge, and planning on linking this battery to my solar system and aux AGM battery with a smart system -- I think CTEK offers one that works well.

 

Hello All, I'm interested in running a 12v cooler off of a second battery, can you point me to the most practical setup I could run to add a 12v outlet in the bed?

Thanks I'm reading through the thread but didnt see anything yet.

 

It's not that simple of a question to answer.

 

Thanks for this info. What CTEK are you looking at?

 

http://www.perfectswitch.com/isolators/

 

I'm thinking this might do the trick, but I need to look into it a bit more. It might require some more parts to get the last battery working well.

CTEK 40-186 D250SA 5-Step, Automatic DUAL 12 V 20 A Battery Charger

https://smile.amazon.com/CTEK-40-186-D250SA-Step-Charger/dp/B005LBCVL4?sa-no-redirect=1

 

Where are you guys sourcing battery cages for 24f's? I looked everywhere and all that was coming up was for 34's like trail gears.

 

I ran the perfect switch single rectifier for a couple years and switched over to the ML-ACR. You can’t unlink the batteries with the perfect switch nor could you use the house battery to start the truck unless you swapped the batteries out or ran jumper cables. I’m much happier with the ML-ACR.

 

According to this chart, the two sizes are very close dimensionally. I am guessing a cage made for a group 34 will also work (or be made to work) with a group 24.

https://www.jegs.com/Sizecharts/bcigroup.html

 

Not for a Tacoma, although they make a Tacoma kit as well.
This is from Genesis Offroad.

 

Yeah I compared northstars dimensions to trail gears cage and it looks like I'd def need to mod it. Even their 24F I got from them is different dimensions from my current 24F I have in the truck. I need to modify my box that holds my winch solenoid in order to get it in the truck. It's a little longer and a little thinner, but the bottom footprint is still the same size.

 

That's true. I found Northstar and Odyssey (same dimensions) 24Fs to be slightly taller than other 24Fs. It could be an AGM thing.

 

how is the ML-ACR a "dumb" isolator? Per blue sea's website, I was under the impression that it has a "smart sense" both battery banks to automatically manage the charging of each battery. If it is able to do this, why is it not ideal to have two different batteries for this type of isolator?
It seems like most people here go with the ML-ACR so that means that they all must get two idential batteries to run with it, which seems to be a more expensive option as far as the dual battery system goes (having to buy two batteries instead of just one for aux use). Why are the other isolators considered to be "smart" and to be safe with two different batteries not more popular in general over the ML-ACR?

 

By dumb it’s meant that when the batteries are connected it’s no different than running a wire between the two. The alternators is the one that charges both batteries.
A “smart” system takes power from the main battery and sends it to the aux battery. The 2 batteries never know the other exists.

A relay is a “dumb”
The ml-acr is an over glorified relay.

 

Good feedback, thanks! I've been shopping around and it popped up.