AaronArf's 2012 DCSB Build

So you just cut off the ends on your factory harness and used butt connectors? Do you remember what Guage wires stock is

Good to know that it does a decent job.

And @ckeene9 lol

 

I would guess that stock is around 4ga.

 

Yep, been working fine for me for last couple years. Got a chance to get rid of that goofy positive terminal yota supplies for the starter. I believe 4 gauge or maybe 2. I'll have to check my home made wiring diagram and see if I wrote it down lol

 

I did the same with all of the OE cables, chopped and extended so I could route them better.

 

Reserved for dual battery build/battery relocation.

The main goal of doing this mod was to get the Diehard 31M removed from the factory battery mount because the oversize battery was damaging my inner fenders, causing stress cracks. Also a nice feature is redundancy, I will be able to switch between battery one and two, dual and all power off. I will lose a bit of bed space but oh well!

Parts used:
Artec Group 34 side by side battery cage
Optima Yellow top Group 34/78 batteries X2
Blue Sea Battery Bank Switch (PN 9001E)
Blue Sea PowerPost Stud terminals 5/16" stud (PN 2002) X 2
Blue Sea HD Battery On/Off Switch for a winch isolator
3/4" Black Starboard HDPE, misc. hardware
Knukonceptz 1/0 OFC wire
Knukonceptz 4/0 OFC wire (winch pwr wire)
Knuckonceptz Battery terminals x4



Parts piling up...

Figuring out how to lay out the power panel in the stock battery location

Marine Starboard HDPE Thanks to Tony for cutting this at work for me!!

Used some bolts/washers as a stud.

Test mount



Press in threaded inserts to mount the switchs/terminal studs on the HDPE.

Came out pretty nice!!


Painted the Artec mount with Rustoleum bed liner. Should have test fit first, was banking I could use the pre-drilled holes...nope nothing easy. They don't line up with the ribs in the bed so I used the center ones and re-drilled 4 holes.

Waiting on some terminal ends and a few other odds and ends so I can start running wire and mounting the battery bank switch behind the seat in the cab.

Update 2/3/16:
battery isolator switch and in-line fuse mounted on hdpe behind the pass rear seat


Also chopped up the stock battery harness and crimped on new ring terminals for the stud mounts.

 

That's a good amount of weight transferred. Does she handle any differently now?

 

Looking good on the battery project Aaron!

 

Haven't even driven it yet!! Still a work in progress...if only this weather would give me one good day I'll have it wrapped up. Gotta route the wires from the bed to the front/into the cab.

 

She's running! Trucks drivable again, still need to run the winch pwr cable but I'm not going to mess with that until a warm day. I'll update this with details later

 

Clean work Aaron, truck looks excellent brother

 

Do you notice any difference starting from that far away? looks clean man

 

Shouldn't with that gauge wire run.

 

No noticeable difference, even with going from a 1150CCA battery to the 750CCA Optima's. I'm at .02 voltage drop from the battery to the terminal studs under the hood with the 1/0 OFC wire.

Ended up running the winch power today, 4/0 and there is zero voltage drop from the battery to under the hood.

I most definitely can feel a huge difference on the road! Almost 100 lbs moved from my front driver corner trucks road manners are much more predictable.

 

Wow, that's awesome to hear. I was thinking about doing a single battery upgrade but I've been torn between a diehard 31 group or an odyssey. It sounds like the diehard puts out way more CCA, but the odyssey handles abuse better? Are either of them worth it for a single battery upgrade? I have an Autozone duralast gold right now haha

 

I love this but I'm thinking more under the bed for a battery box. Glad to see you moving the weight off the front.

 

Die hard platinums are rebranded Odyssey's...pretty sure sears discontinued the 31m.

Whatever you do, get the battery relocated elsewhere.

If I had the room under my bed that's where I'd stash them, prime opportunity for you since you chopped all your factory stuff out already!

 

Yes I did! I was thinking that area or opposite the fuel cell.

 

Exhaust might cramp your style on the pass side

 

Agreed, best bet is where the spare used to be.

Il have the bed off in a few weeks. We will figure it out then and I'll have to hit you up when I pull the trigger.

 

Awesome, might have to follow your foot steps, I planned on running solar and moving my 31 behind the seat and using a smaller battery upfront to cut the weight down. But this option allows me to keep two decent size batteries.