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

Good to know.

 

I'm not sure that's correct. Even sealed maintenance free batteries on aircraft vent, however it's considerably less than flooded lead acid.

 

You're right, though they only vent in the case of being over charged which shouldn't ever happen unless there's a charging issue with the alternator.

 

Yeah, copper is expensive..

Another more flexible option is: https://crimpsupply.com/wire?wire_wiresize=2410

 

Yea, much safer than flooded cell batteries but still need ventilation. That said cars/trucks don't seal 100% either.
http://rvnerds.com/2017/11/01/electrical-myths-part-4-agm-batteries-dont-need-venting/

 

I wouldn't run a negative cable. Attach a lug to the frame somewhere near remote battery. I also don't use heavy gauge wire if I don't need to. Just size wire for anticipated load. If I have an emergency and need to start truck with remote battery in the bed, I just use my jumper cables.....

Speaking of, I've found that if I do need heavy gauge wire for something, it's often cheaper to buy a set of jumper cables and cut them up than buying wire "by the foot". Weird.

 

Not the best pictures. Used one of the stock drain holes as a start, made an aluminum base and had aluminum brackets on the bottom of the bed acting as large washers to ensure the composite was safe. Not the best picture and no wires hooked up yet.

I used the same system on my flatbed and it has so far held up
This picture is when I was taking the bed off so it was more to show the condition of the bed and not necessarily the battery. Also why my home made bracket is gone. Wires just came up in the space that was left.

 

You're benefiting from the manufacturers economies of scale. They buy huge quantities of wire, so it's dirt cheap compared to what you can buy it at. Even after they mark it up. It's also possible that the jumper cables are copper clad aluminum wire, which is cheaper than pure copper wire.

 

Yeah, for sure jumper cables are of a lesser quality wire then the high-strand count ones linked above. I mean jumper cables really arent meant for more than 10-20 seconds of use, so who cares if they get hot. Dont think I would use them in a permanent install.

 

Look to be the same based on description. What am I missing?

 

*slaps the roof of the Tacoma*


“Only the best for this gal”

 

Yes. Nearly all of the super thick 0 1/0 jumper cables are CCA . Many of the smaller 2-4g cables are all copper, you just have to read carefully.

 

What are you running in your truck that needs continuous duty rating of a 1/0 cable?

 

Probably just the convince factor of being able to order exactly X feet and not have a bunch left over.

Nothing, Im just saying I feel better having a high quality copper wire with good thick insulation, as opposed to not having that

 

Self-jumpstart or relocating both batteries out from under the hood. Past that just chack an ampacity chart for wire size and maybe up-size it once for ease of mind.

 

If your jumper cables are getting hot in under 30 seconds, they're way undersized. If the wire in the jumper cable is properly sized, there's no reason you couldn't hack them up for a constant duty application.

 

Seems okay for retail prices. I sell something similar for $60/ft at 2700 feet

 

Nice, looks good. I just don't think I have drain holes in my 96 unfortunately. I'm going to just drill a hole through the bed liner and then through the bed to run my 4AWg wire through. My dual battery is in my engine compartment, running my positive lead to my inverter and fuse panel in the bed.

 

You have drain holes. They don't have to be big to let the water out. Most likely you just haven't noticed them, they're under a layer of dirt, or the holes in the liner don't line up with the holes in the bed. Look in the front of the bed near the cab. They're there.

 

My liner definitely doesn't have holes in it. But you're saying there are holes in the bed under the liner? Can you see them from underneath the truck? I have a big built out bed and drawer system on top of my liner right now and can't take all of that out. Hoping to locate the holes by looking under the truck and running the wire up to the bed through the drain holes. What are the diameter of 1st gen drain holes? Can a 4AWG wire fit through that? I believe diameter of 4 AWG is right around 11mm-12mm