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

That is an excellent idea! So simple, so absolute!

Thank you.

 

Question for all of you. I'm looking into a second battery that would be used exclusively by the camper/micro RV. Now storing the battery in the bed would be almost out of the question due to the bed drawers I'm finishing up so I was thinking about alternate locations.

One that was suggested was using my spare tire plate underneath as a cage so I could keep the battery fumes out of the living space, but it would also be protected from all the terrain difficulties. The system would be solar generated to keep the battery charged.

Would this even be doable? Has anyone attempted this? I'm a visual person so photos would help.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...a-lets-see-what-you-got.543660/#post-17593955

 

I found that maybe 5 minutes after I left this post here haha. Thanks my man

 

A friend of mine with and Explorer mounted his 2nd battery underneath the truck, and has not had any problems.

My only concern is, if you live/travel in an area with water/mud puddles. You could (but may not) have problems. Seal the box, and possibly have a water drain hole.

I suggest using an AGM battery for that mounting location.

 

The caking of mud and dirt is definitel an issue so sealing it would have to be done. Then some sort of venting. Also water crossings I would need to take into account, everything greased up up.

Maybe even just sealing the terminal portion with venting and drainage? Thanks for the AGM suggestion, definitely going to be doing some more research on this

 

Use an AGM, mount it sideways so that water doesn't sit ontop, easier access to terminals and easy washing if/when mud gets caked up. I don't know the conductivity of mud but if we can touch both terminals with bare skin (80ish% water) then I don't think mud would be much of an issue.

 

Had to do a quick Google search for what is so special about AGM batteries. It basically elimantes the need for sulfuric acid and distilled water inside of the unit so that I can mount it on and axis/plane?

 

Pretty much, Absorbed Glass Matt, sealed battery that you can mount any orientation and is more resilient to offroad use.

 

Optima sucks. I've only had issues with them. Northstar or Odyssey is better choices. Even the Interstate AGM is good. I'm sure it's been mentioned here before, but don't put standard, non sealed, batteries that vent inside your cab. Stick with AGM and you'll be good.

 

I have my dual battery in the engine compartment. I’m hoping to run the power cable from that battery underneath the cab and up into the bed but can’t seem to find a hole to feed it into. Do 1st gens have bed drain holes?

Has anyone ever done this here? Drill a hole in bottom of bed? Not sure where to drill.

 

I drilled a hole and used a big grommet from Home Depot like the one below.



Used 1/0 all the way from the engine to the bed. I drilled through the composite bed.

 

dual batt set up delivers tomorrow!

 

Where did you drill through the bed? Any pics? I just want to drill in the right spot where it goes through to the top, dont want to drill in and not be able to get the wire through to the bed.

 

Drill from the top down then? But honestly your bed is probably really thin, just drill in the front right near the curve.

 

I like this idea. I never utilize the space behind my rear seats anyway. But - don’t batteries off-gas toxins?

 

Is this welder cable priced at about the going rate? Didn’t know it would be so much...

1/0 Gauge Premium Extra Flexible Welding Cable 600 Volt COMBO PACK - BLACK+RED - 15 FEET OF EACH - EWCS Spec - Made in the USA!

$170 EWCS 1/0 Gauge Premium Extra Flexible Welding Cable 600 Volt Combo Pack - Black+Red 15 Feet of Each - Made in the USA

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016HFD788/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CRiICbMB5RGF1

 

$31 Blue Sea Systems 1003100 CableClam with Stainless Steel Dress Cap, 1.40"

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Sys...argid=aud-643330155750:pla-569055951106&psc=1

 

AGM's are sealed batteries, so they don't vent any gasses and can be mounted in any orientation

 

When I shopped around when I did mine, Amazon had the best prices