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

Did they say why not?

 

Didn't think to ask, but after doing a bit more homework and realizing the yellow top should have more than enough cranking power for my starter battery, might just do two of those to simply things. Any idea what gauge I'll need to run to a 2000w inverter in my bed?

 

Is there an existing thread that explains the "Why" for dual battery setups? I don't know everything about my truck and all this thread has done is make me question my single battery with my winch.

 

2000w/12V = 166.67amps. Get a wire rated for at least that much and fuse it for less than the wire rating. I used 1/0 OFC with a 200 amp fuse for a 1500w inverter with about a 6' run from the battery to the inverter. No problems after a couple years. As an FYI a big inverter can flat drain a battery if you're running high amp draw with the truck shut off.

I think you'd be fine with 2 yellow tops for starting and deep cycle duties of that's the route you want to go. The ML-ACR is not like a traditional diode isolator and I don't think it's as important to have identical batteries with that setup. FWIW, I'll be installing the ML-ACR this weekend going from a diode isolator and I will be using 2 different brand batteries with one 26 months older than the other. With traditional diode isolators one battery has the potential to charge the other and can shorten it's life. This is not how the ML-ACR works as the solenoid more-or-less opens when the truck is off.

 

The "why" is to get more amp hours in the truck for when you're off-the-grid camping and such. More amp hours allows you to run equipment, leds, fridges,etc without having to start the truck to recharge. It basically allows longer time of power use before you have to charge. Secondly, it would allow you to self-jump if that's how your system was setup and your starter battery failed. Most of us on this forum use dual batteries for the former rather than the latter. If you're just worried about a winch I think you'd be ok with a single good battery rather than a dual setup. Just make sure you have the truck on when using your winch.

 

Yellow tops are also rated for starting, FYI.

 

Thats pretty much why i want to go dual batteries. I plan to add a fridge, outlet to charge phone, electric blanket, winch, plus some other stuff. All off a second battery so if for some reason it gets drained it doesnt leave me high and dry. Plus switch to a deep cycle battery which are better for being drained, charged, drained. Well more so than a regular battery

 

That's what I was assuming, I noticed the battery monitoring systems and thought that perhaps there was something I was missing but your post clears it right up for me I appreciate it.

 

I haven't been in here in a while but I thought I would toss out some knowledge that I have.

^this longer warranty is exactly why I did yellow top.

Blue tops are basically the same thing but they are, again, basically the marine version of the yellow top. It is designed for use in boats so, if I remember correctly, it uses a different material for the contact points. I believe the shorter warranty is because of the harsh conditions that boats see on a constant basis.

My auto shop suggested taping receipt to the battery so I used clear packing tape to seal the receipt and to attach it to the back side of the battery.

My info could be wrong but I was told that you could have issues having a deep cycle and starter on the same system. The deep is designed to be discharged and recharged multiple times while the starter should only handle heavy quick discharges.

A visual aid for those that need it lol

 

All good info here. I'll just add that since yellow tops can do start and deep cycle duties it seems like you can't go wrong with those for our purposes if you want to go optima. You get both in one and the extra 12 months of warranty. Group 31s only have the 24 months warranty tho.

 

Ya, I agree. I used the 34/78 because its easy to find and replace, has the 36 month warranty and I actually used the front posts for my setup. I price matched mine at $199 and bought 2 of my 3 while they were doing a $20 mail-in rebate ($40 towards my ATV battery haha).

I would love to do solar panels

I have no idea why but I have an obsession with the functionality of solar panels. I know there are negatives but I would love to do a solar panel set-up to run my house off of.

 

Anyone know the factory battery cable gauges? Need to source ring terminals/lugs for the factory drops which I'm re-using for now.

 

I think they are 4 gauge. @12TRDTacoma Might remember when we did his.

 

This is what I have

 

Group 34?

 

Aaron, Remind me what you're planning... Is it 2 batteries in the bed? Or one in stock location and one in bed?

My setup is the latter, and I went the easy route and made about a 4 or 6 inch 1/0 extender with a ring terminal on each side. One side connects to the battery and the other side I used a 1/2" or 3/4" long copper nut and bolt to connect to the starter and stock fuse panel rings. I cut off the weird end of the connector on the starter to battery drop leaving the hole intact, straightened it, and drilled out the hole to accommodate my battery connectors.My extender bought me enough distance where nothing is stretched. Everything else I replaced in the big 3/4 I left the existing grounds and added a few more.

I haven't replaced the terminals on any cables but I'll tell you what I think they are. I believe the starter cable is 2 gauge, the factory run from battery to the fuse panel is 8 gauge. I removed the stock alternator to battery cable altogether so I don't remember about that one.... But my guess is 4 gauge. On the negative side there is a small 8 gauge from battery to body and a 4 gauge to engine block (I don't remember exactly where that last one ends up).

Hope that helps.

Edit: now that I look at it. Starter cable looks to be 2 gauge

 

We never found out what guage they were but 4 guage sounds about right. Don't quote me to it though.

 

Positive connectors. Extender, bat to alt, bat to ML-ACR


These are the grounds. The two on the right are my 1/0 replacements. On the left is the stock ground and my additional 4 gauge to my aux fuse panel. Both look to be 4 gauge.


This is the end of my extender. The starter looks to be 2 gauge (bigger than the 4 gauge ground in above pic). And the one running to stock fuse panel looks to be 8 gauge (smaller than the 4 gauge ground)

 

Appreciate the info...Guess I'll have to figure it out. Bought a few of each size lug terminal for some trial and error. Bought a hydraulic crimper as well.

I wish it was as easy as leaving a battery up front, but both of my batteries will be in the bed. This dual battery project was supposed to be easy...haha I'm over my proposed budget already. Now I remember why I never did this from the get go and went with a large single battery up front. Which in turn did damage to my inner fenders.


I found this while googling, absolutely incredible job. http://www.bodenzord.com/archives/477 I'm sure he is a TW member, WOW very thought out.