*CLOSED* - DO NOT REPLY TO THIS THREAD: OFF-GRID ENGINEERING Dual Battery Trays & Wiring Kits

Brantley gilbert in July. Last time I went I got drunk as fuck and don't remember the whole show but no more drinking for me so should be cool but had to buy 6 tickets. Dual batteries would have been so much nicer

 

awe man thats gotta be a good show! and memories can be overrated anyway

 

I saw him when he came last year and this year he's playing with colt ford so it will be bad ass but still woulda rather had a dual battery set up haha fml

 

When considering a voltage meter for a dual battery setup, do I need one that monitors both batteries? Still waiting on Switch Pros to put a voltage meter on their setup but they are telling me it will only be able to monitor the battery it is connected to. Guessing I would then connect it to the accessories battery (not the starter one). I am only asking bc most of the voltage meters I have seen for dual battery setups monitor both batteries. And theoretically, I would really only need to monitor the accessories battery bc once that dies or is low, then I fire up the engine and power it back up....right?

 

Good question. If you only had the ability to monitor one battery, I would advise monitoring the starting battery. Since thats the one thats going to get you out of trouble. Ideally though, you would monitor both.

When hooking up a switch-pro to a dual battery system, it needs to be hooked to the auxiliary battery. That way, all your accessory loads are being drawn from your second battery and thus not affecting your starting battery. If they are designing their product to monitor the battery its attached to, thats fine. If you want to monitor your starting battery, simply hook up a second volt meter. Otherwise, I can make you a harness that monitors both on one meter.

 

I would prefer to monitor both with/from the switch pro. How much would that harness be and what does it look like?

Btw...waiting for a couple hours to install the dual tray. Sitting in my garage.

 

Sorry for the confusion. I can't modify the switch-pro to monitor both batteries (well.. I probably could but Id have to see how they wired it). I can simply make you a harness with two fused hot-leads (one to each battery) and a ground. You can run this harness to any voltmeter you like. If its dual battery volt-meter, it would be very easy. If it's a single volt meter, you would simply run the hot leads to a SPDT switch. That switch would determine which battery the monitor saw.

One thing to remember is: When you have a dual battery system and the batteries are connected (which is the majority of the time) both batteries will read the same voltage. When the batteries are disconnected, it actually can take up to 24 hours of rest before the battery reads a true voltage.

 

Im also very stoked to see this installed. You may be the first one to have an OGE dual battery tray fully installed.

Try and keep your patience when installing the nuts on the bottom of the tray. It is very difficult but it is doable. I went with a traditional nut and bolt combo because of my experience with some other designs (from other manufacturers). Some of the other dual battery trays available use self tapping screws which are very commonly overtightened and stripped or simply come loose over time.

Also, the overall fit is very tight. Just remember, it may take you a few hours to get it installed but it took me weeks to figure it out!

 

For those that would like a different battery tie down option... Here it is! Introducing, version 1 of my new SLIMMER, NON-CONDUCTIVE, tiedown. They will eventually be made in black. This one will be going through strength testing and then it will be available as an option when purchasing a tray. I will also offer them individually to folks that have already purchased a tray.

 

NICE! I'm in for a couple of those when they are complete. Don't get me wrong the original tiedown is awesome, works great and looks bad ass. Buuuut, I've already done a bit of spot welding on one of them LOL. No matter how aware and careful you are, adding more cables and rearranging lugs can be invigourating at times.

 

Does the passenger side tray works with a Volant CAI? Do these work with Optima batteries?

 

Check out IBS -- Intelligent Battery System -- does a lot of the charging and monitoring as well as the isolation and dual charging. I've got one in my system right now, and it allows me to see a bar graph of each battery. Also just ordered the Switch-Pro as well as an internal Blue Seas dual fuse panel Might be needing some custom cable and to check out your dual battery mount.

 

Hmmm. IBS does make a very nice product. For those that have it already, I don't see a need to switch. However, for those that are considering my system vs. theirs... its worth the conversation.

I looked at both the IBS kits and National Luna kits when designing mine. I wanted mine to be way more robust and way more complete.

So, lets compare.

IBS vs. Off-Grid Engineering/ Blue Sea kit

200 amp relay vs. 500 amp relay (both voltage sensing and automatic)
4 AWG cable vs. 2 AWG cable (1/0 AWG is an option with OGE as well)
DIY vs. pre-terminated, pre-finished cables (OGE is bolt-in ready and fully labeled for easy installation)
2 marine terminals vs. 4 Mil-Spec terminals
No cable protection vs. Techflex wrapped cables
No circuit protection vs. optional circuit protection

In addition to all of these upgrades, the OGE kit comes with a bag of misc. heat shrink, zip ties, extra lugs, and everything you need to get the job COMPLETELY done. There is nothing else to buy. Plus, you get damn near 24 hour tech support by yours truly (sometimes, I sleep, sometimes).

Thank you @sfcacique for bringing these systems up. And please don't feel like Im bashing your system or the one that IBS has designed. As I said, its a great kit. I just take immense pride in mine as well... and I hope it shows. If you're interested in a dual tray or custom cables, let me know! Id be happy to make some awesome cables for you in any gauge you wish.

 

Im sorry. I haven't had the opportunity to test it with the Volant brand. It does fit with the K&N brand though! So, if they're similar, it should work. You can always send me a pic (straight down, from the top) of that area and I will tell you if it should fit!

And yes. The passenger side tray will work with the Optima Group 35 and 34 batteries. The Optimas are shorter than most batteries though. This is why Optima provides spacers with all of their batteries. It is advised that you either use the spacer or let me know when you order and I'll cut the tie-down rods shorter.

 

ARB Air onboard under the hood, Check out Slee Off-Road- they buried a single compressor in an innovated way. If you come up with a Dual Compressor spot, I would be interested.

 

..i was trying to remember where i saw these mounts...

 

There's a couple of other comparisons left between the two, but we can discuss that at a later date. Something tells me you will be branching out in the near future to support other systems besides National Luna -- again nothing against it, just different comparative advantages and disadvantages.

I wish I had known your options were around when I had mine installed. My primary purpose was to have the cables customized/per-terminated. I used 1/0 cables for a lot of the larger amp draw area, however I am sure they were machine crimped vice the hydraulic version you use (better). I'll PM you some more details on what I basically want and see how we might either tailor what you have, modify what I have or specifically add to. As you say, it is not much of a discussion point if you already have one or the other.

 

I think the Volant box is bigger than the K&N.

 

Thanks. Good info. Will figure something out sooner or later.

 

Trying to get at it this weekend or next. May end up having mechanic install if I can't find time.