Connecting a portable air compressor to dual battery system

I've been using a smittybilt air compressor which I keep in the bed. I replaced the power cables with longer , heavy duty cables with alligator clips which reach the battery. When I use the compressor, I simply grab the cables from the bed and connect them to the battery.

I am now installing dual batteries (with REDARC charger) and wondering if it's okay to hardwire the compressor to the auxiallry battery. I imagine I would need to replace the cables and I am not sure how I would secure the cables to auxiliary battery. The aux battery will also be charging other things like an SPOD and other accessories.

 

Should be fine to connect to the aux battery.

Your best bet would be to snip the alligator clips and add standard cable lugs at the end you can then attach to battery terminal clamps or the threaded accessory posts some batteries have.

 

That's what I figured. Is there such thing as a panel for multiple accessories that connects to the terminal?

 

I have my smittybilt compressor simply wired straight to the battery. Mine has its own fuse and power switch and was originally designed to clip to the terminals anyhow as you said. I was thinking of adding it into my aux fuse/relay/switch panel, but found that as I used it, having a switch in the cab or even a second one near the bed cubby where I have it mounted would be not needed. I simply replaced the wires running from the compressor with heave duty awg wire (I forget what gauge rn) and added matching rated ring terminals to the positive terminal & grounded it in the driver wheel well where there is another ground bolt for the fuel stuff back there. That way the ground was short at like < 3ft and to the frame.

 

there's stuff like this:

$38 Vgate Lead Acid Battery Terminal Clamps, 8AWG up to 4/0(XL) AWG Gauge, 12-Way Connectors, Positive and Negative (+/-)(Pair) for SAE/DIN/EN Tapered Top Post

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Term...sprefix=battery+aux+post,aps,154&sr=8-1-spons

Not recommending that exact one, but something like it. Also, I'd recommend the negative leads go to the same bolt as the short 6" one off the battery, not the actual negative post if that makes sense. Makes it easy and still simple to disconnect the negative if need be without all the cluttler.

 

Ideally you'd probably have a fuse panel if you were mounting multiple accessories, but not sure what the amperage draw of your compressor is. Many of the ones you see in dual battery setup are limited to 30A per fuse. If higher than that going directly to a bus off of the battery with an inline fuse (or even better, breaker) might be better.

 

A Bus bar (front long, horizontal bar) or a bluesea distribution hub (the left side thing under the plastic cover) is what you seek.

That said, an air compressor is high enough draw, I'd wire straight to the battery. The stuff you see in the pic that aren't connected to the switchpro are all single amp accessories.

 

I have my auxiliary lights all going to an SPOD system. I also have a winch and the compressor both of which will be connected directly to the battery. If I understand correctly, It sounds like I may not need to run a distribution hub .

 

Sounds like you're totally fine as you describe.

 

I knew I forgot something. I'm wondering what Guage wire I need to run from the compressor (in the bed) to the battery. Apparently the longer the distance the thicker the guage but I'm not sure the specifics.

 

There’s some good charts on Google, that’s what I’ve used in the past to ball park it.