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dual battery setup

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deuce2110

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k so im new to ck5 and im tryin to setup a dual battery setup, aint quit sure how to do it tho. i want to use 1 battery to only crank off of and use the other battery for all my lights, winches, radio, cb, ect.... anything will help! thanks!
 
Search for "battery isolator." Tons of threads, many with my very minimalistic opinion, and many with Ryoken's complicated gadget-driven mindset. (Both equally valid, mind you :D )

-- A
 
You will need a battery isolator, isolator button (if you want), 2 batteries and a big a** fuse like 100 amps or so.

A bigger alt will help also
 
dremu said:
Search for "battery isolator." Tons of threads, many with my very minimalistic opinion, and many with Ryoken's complicated gadget-driven mindset. (Both equally valid, mind you :D )

-- A
Click to expand...

I resemble that remark... :wink1:

actually, I consider mine quite simple... :doah: the ACR is the only "gadget"..


OP.. basically you have 3 choices in dual bats, parallel, isolator or an ACR... You may want to check out Hellroaring's stuff.. http://www.hellroaring.com/
 
I am always saving for the setup from 12voltguy.com

Looks like a decent setup, way cheaper than the hellroaring stuff.

The 12voltguy one is about $120 for teh wiring aspect.

Then, you can buy a used drivers side battery tray from a truck with factory dual batteries, and just drill a couple holes that are pre-dimpled from teh factory. In my 91, i just had to move my charcoal canister - i mounted it to the side of the battery tray.

You can also mount your 2nd battery custom, but i wanted to go the easy route.

Then pick up a second battery of your choice.


Cost -
$120ish for dual battery setup
$30ish for used battery tray
$50-150 for 2nd battery
$2-50 for beer required for said install.


There are ways on this site to do it without manually switching it, but i woudl prefer the 12volt guy issolator setup.
 
forgot he had one...... his panels are sweet...

Everyone knows my battery diatribes, thought I'd change it up and offer a link... :haha:
 
Im running the HELL ROARING setup. It is fairly simple. If you go this route you need to call them and tell them what you want to do. There are 2 ways run dual batts.

You can have both batteries drawing loads (main for starter and aux for winch, etc etc) The drawback to this approach is you could drain both batts at same time, esp. if you have a short in the line somewhere (parasitic draw)

The other approach, the one I use, is to have aux battery as a backup. I have all my stuff connected to main battery, the aux battery is strictly as backup or if I need to combine the 2 for mo power for winching. The aux battery is not effected by a parasitic draw on the system.

The switch I have, has 3 positions.

1) Up - combines both batteries for extra power, both batts getting charged

2) Neutral - both batteries being charged, but only main is drawing power, but if I disco the main batt. the aux will still be in the circuit and will power the truck. This is the position it stays in all the time.

3) Down - removes aux batt. from circuit, no juice and is not being charged. I have to put it in the position if Im working on electrical and need to keep all power.
 
Lets see if I cant give a visual. :)

Here is the aux battery. I got the tray from LMC, the sheet metal was dimpled, so it was easy to drill and mount.

The pos. goes from battery to 100amp buss fuse to the Isolator and then to the starter. The neg is just ground to the frame.

(and yes, the wires to the left are all cleaned up now. behind the isolator is my painless wire aux fuse panel for lights and gauges)

BICInstall0007.jpg


Better shot of isolator, small wires go to switch

BICInstall0003.jpg


The switch, mounted in glove box

BICInstall0001.jpg
 
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