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

Many thanks! So far I've seen only 15 pages at the beginning of this thread and 5 at the end. I will search for yours and have a look. Thanks again for the help. Edit: and thanks for the page reference!

That is a cool setup. I'm on one of two paths: a very small deep cycle under the hood or a more standard size in the cab or bed. The battery you're running would work great in the cab.

 

Hey, what wheelchair battery are/were you using???

 

Anyone have any recommendations on how to fit a 200A fuse on the end of this cable? Install video shows it a little different and the fuses that are currently on it are rated differently it appears. Left showed 250A and right side reads 70A. Screenshot of video for comparison to what I have going on.

 

So what’s the latest wisdom on mounting/distribution— rear bed panel (thinking on the front bedrail? Are there some templates/molle panels that work?) vs. engine bay?

LiFePO4 brands? — Victron / Redarc Redvision/ Bluetooth/WiFi apps? RV, camper van/marine insights? Distribution blocks still going with Blue Sea blocks? Just starting to plan a build with a Super Pacific camper in the future in mind.

many ideas to go with; would like to have a solid foundation — like when hams say, “get a mobile unit” for your first rig, you ignore for awhile then end up getting one anyway at some point and wondered why you didn’t just get the damn mobile unit in the first place.

thanks!

 

So I just found this thread looking to throw a 2nd battery in my truck. That video looked really familiar, we made this for my friends tacoma years back when we were into audio. I actually didnt get a Taco till 2017.

 

Bumpity Bump? Any wise, experienced people willing to share here?

 

“Best location” depends on your rig and how you use it. Best advice would be to read the whole thread and sidetrack to any build threads that you have common ground with. If you go with a raised bed platform the dead areas in front of the wheel wells become prime locations but some use the engine bay, rear cubbies, back or jump seat area, there’s no ideal for every need but just about every idea has been covered so dig in.

 

Thanks, I look forward to hours of browsing over a hundred threads.

I haven't seen a high-mounted rail panel yet (closest I've seen is a SuperPacific with a window molle panel that solves many problems) I'd mount a control panel/interface there. I think I'm leaning short-term, toward a Bluetti mounted in the back, with (?) a DC-DC converter to to keep it topped off, or just create a 8WG wire run with a switched relay (?) and add a barrel connector to connect to the solar generator.

 

There are no less than 371 ways to install a "electronics" center. You'll have to get your camper installed and then sit in it and decide where to put the gear. I don't want anything under the hood. Nothing. I put my simple gear in one spot, accessible to the drivers door and that was the best situation for me. Toyota gave me a 6' bed so why would I try to cram all that shit under the hood. Makes no sense to me but I've worked professionally on cars/trucks for a few decades, and the engine bay is for the engine, not creature comforts to light up your campsite, or drag your best friend out of the ditch. LOL.
Just my 28 cents.
Zim

 

That's where I landed— placing electronics/"house" items in the bed as well; I'm taking it fairly slow and simple though.

 

Part of the plan but a low risk beneficial first step was adding a digital voltmeter to my Makita automotive charger so I could closely match battery voltages before/after charging. Also let’s me see how they’re aging.

the charger isn’t plugged in, that’s battery voltage only on a mostly discharged battery.

 

I got to page 59 and figured I'd post my weekend project.

 

Needs some tacozord love.

 

So i got a good deal (free) on a like new ATO kit. Has anyone had luck with batteries other than Optima? I’d rather go another direction (Odyssey)

 

I run Odyssey, have been for about 3 years. Quite happy with them.

 

Optima are hands down the worse AGM batteries on the market. They were among the best about 15 years ago. The best AGM batteries you can buy now are going to be Northstar or Odyssey. if you can drop about $400 on a great AGM battery, go with Northstar.

 

X2Power BCI Group 31M 12V 1150CCA AGM Marine & RV Battery - SLI31AGMDPM at Batteries Plus

you can also use online discount codes for this

 

Do you have them in an ATO tray? That’s my biggest worry

 

Doing mock-up today. It looks like I’ll have to extend my factory battery cables a bit to make this setup work. Originally I thought my Northstars had the polarity flipped from the OEM battery so I could keep the original terminals.



I’m assuming the regular ol large-gauge butt splices will work, but has anyone just entirely replaced the factory battery cables altogether? On the 3rd Gen it looks a little more involved than the 2nd Gen.

 

How hard was the meso lower switch panel install? I've been putting it off but need to knock it out. Do I really have to take the entire dash panel apart? Or has someone figured out a shortcut? I thought about trying to cut it out in my truck lol