QUESTION: DUAL BATTERYS

Has anyone been able to install dual batt. under the hood?

 

I am pretty sure this has been done. Let me see if I can try to find that link.

EDIT: This is on a FJ Cruiser but you get the idea.

http://www.sandiegoracers.com/newblog/pt/blog/default.aspx?id=9&t=FJ-Cruiser-Dual-battery-Install

 

RuggedT has a dual battery set up

 

Yes. Multiple hits via Google including:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/product-reviews/195579-dual-battery-install.html
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/137788-dual-battery-tray.html
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/sierra-expeditions/136373-ibs-dual-battery-kits.html

 

Are you sure you really need 2 batteries? I have seriously considered a national Luna dual battery setup for my winch and fridge but sometimes I think it's just not worth it. I have seen a few people manage a dual battery setup under the hood but you can always get the national Luna removable power pack for a little over $500 not including a battery.

 

You need a new alternator and mounts. Easier to just bring a charge 12v batt along.

 

Funny this is my post from 5 years ago when I installed the dual batteries in my FJ Cruiser. (sandiegoracers.com site)

Couple years ago I sold the FJ and bought a diesel Landcruiser.
I installed a National Luna Kit which has worked flawless in the two years I have used it.

I highly recommend the National Luna Kit if you want to run dual batteries in your vehicle. We go down to Baja a lot and run an Engel fridge off the 2nd battery. Pretty much can camp in one spot for a couple days running the fridge with no worries about killing the battery.
I am looking to install the same kit in our 2007 2.7 Liter Tacoma when I have time

Will be sure to do a write up here.

http://www.biocruiser.com

 

You don't need a new alternator to run the National Luna Kit
Basically it does not start charging the aux battery until the engine has been running for 5 minutes or so which protects the alternator from overload

 

Back when I was driving OTR, my truck (Freightliner Century) had six batteries all wired in parallel. Why would this not work with our trucks? Do we really need a dual-battery monitoring system?

 

By isolating the batteries you never can drain your starting battery from devices (fridge) etc you have powered off the aux battery

 

Well, yeah, no kidding. But is that all? Seems kinda, I dunno, too simplistic an answer.

 

Bob, I'm getting my dual battery setup sorted out and am using the tray from Columbia Overland and am jamming a bulk order with Sierra Expeditions to get the battery isolator and some other stuff that I would like to use for mine.

 

While you can put in a fancy dual-battery system, I'm with the guy who mentioned that it's easier for most people to just buy a couple of deep-cycle batteries and charge them at home before your trip. My Dad and his fishing buddies do this and have plenty of electricity for their week-long fishing trips.

Edit: Remember too that you don't want to deep cycle a starting battery as this will decrease its life. Not to mention that if you don't need the second battery you don't have to be carrying around all of that extra weight.

 

Sierra Expeditions is great. Quick shipping and good customer service.
Unfortunately Columbia Overland does not make a tray for the 2.7 ltr last I checked.
May have to fab my own.
Post your build up once you start your project.
Bob

 

True that would be a solution but for extended trips the dual battery system works great.
PLus you don't have to worry about lugging the batteries back and forth.

What's nice about the National Luna kit is that once it is installed you pretty much forget you even have it until you hear the click of the solenoid engaging after you have been driving a bit.

Good point about not using the deep cycle as a starting battery.

 

Just about any RV has dual battery set up some as simple as a high current relay to disconnect the truck battery boats also use similar systems. The best dual set up is a combiner or smart relay. They sense the voltage of both batteries they will not combine both batteries until the truck battery is charging at 13.2 volts and will disconnect when the truck battery falls to 12.7 (full charge voltage). They are also bidirectional meaning if you charge the remote battery when it's voltage climbs it will combine and charge the truck battery also. Most boat stores or RV stores will have them in stock most are under $100.

 

Let me clarify a bit:

You can start off a deep cycle and it won't do it any harm, you just won't get a lot of cranking amps and might not be able to start your truck in cold weather. However, if you use a regular starting battery to power your camper and keep draining it very low and then recharging like you would a deep cycle battery you will quickly eat up the plates and won't get many years out of it.

 

Quite a few combiners allow you to bypass the system and use the other battery to help you with a weak start battery. Most often remote batteries are not wired for any thing other then charging and the wire gauge is not heavy enough to crank the engine regardless of what the battery is for that you would need a battery switch that would handle several hundred amps. You only need a #8 or #6 to charge your remote battery because you are not using power from the start battery any way. The best bet would be good jumper cables if you think you'll ever have trouble with your start battery your deep cycle battery will probably start it just fine like 1980 said deep cycles do not have the CCA like a start battery does but a truck in a good state of tune starts easley any way.

 

Thanks everyone for the tips! I will be buying the luna kit! I was in in vegas for a nascar vacation a i met a guy with this set up,very sweet. Just got to save up some more bucks. Thanks to everyone for there thoughts and ideas. I will post pics when i start the build. Thanks again BOB.

 

I've thought about installing the luna to run a fridge. Do I use the existing fuse box to tap into for power or do I have to install a seperate fuse box connected to the aux. battery for fridge, etc.?