What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Dual battery wiring schematic, will this work?

divorced

divorced

3/4 ton status
Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Posts
5,114
Reaction score
0
Location
.
Ok, here what I want: I want to run a secondary battery that is always connected to my primary battery while the truck is starting and running(charging) but isolated when the truck is off. I want to be able to use the secondary battery to jump start the primary battery if it is dead. The diagram below is what I came up with and it looks to me like it should work and the only parts I need are the cables and a solenoid. The "+12 volts switched ignition" connection will be made at a point that is hot through start and remains hot in run and the "manual switch in cab" will be a toggle switch that gets it's power from the secondary(isolated) battery to energize the solenoid for jump starting myself. So, will it work?



17458Copy_of_01-08-05.jpg
 
Looks like it should work. Just don't forget to the turn the manual switch off once you get the truck started, otherwise the next time you leave something on you'll be screwed. (I wouldn't know from experience or anything ;))
 
Not sure if what you drew would work. I did a similar set up but used two Ford solonoids. I got a battery isolator from an auto parts store so the alt. would charge them both. Then wired the chevy starter so when the fat wire got juice the starter would work.I then hooked both batteries to their individual Ford starter solonoids then ran the 12 volt starter wire to each so when you turned the key they both worked. I then ran batt. cables to the starter from the soloniods 2 gauge or 4 gauge works fine. I then hooked all the truck electrical system to the one batter not the other, so the spare battery only got used when you started the vehicle, but it still got charged. So if you left somthing on and the main battery died it didn't matter the other battery could start the truck and keep it running. I'll try and do a picture to better describe.
 
I run a painless performance dual battery setup in my DD, I'll take a look at it tomorrow and get back to you.
 
Isolator

I have run two batteries in two K-10's then in my K-5 and fixing on doing my newest one.

I've used a battery isolator and it is totally worry free and runs my winch as well as a cig lighter receptacle for a 110 vac converter. I've jumped myself off several times when I had a dead main battery and jumped other people as well front or rear. I ran 1 gauge bumper to bumper so I can run the winch or plug in jumper cables in either end.

Anyway, a battery isolator is the easiest and and most fool proof setup. JC Whitney around $70.00 purchase and mine has lasted for over ten years no problems and always fully charged.
 
I thought of a battery isolator, but then would I still be able to use both batteries to start the truck? Actually what I have is 4 batteries for a semi truck. I plan to use one under the hood as the primary and put a bank of three in my toolbox as the secondary. I want to get a winch have have all four batteries connected when using it. It may be overkill, but it will look cool. :D
 
I did almost the same thing and it's been working great for years. The only difference is that I can choose which battery to be the primary. To force a jump from one battery to the other, I put the switch on "both" and they get connected together.

dual_batteries.jpg
 
I arrived at the same conclusion that BillaVista did. I used a marine combiner switch on my Sub , mine is w/o the AFD or whatever b/c I knew I wouldn't be switching with the engine running. B/c the vehicle sits for long periods I mostly use the switch to disconnect the bateries from the vehicle and each other.
I am contemplating putting a true constant duty solenoid in to charge the second battery. I have used isolators in the past and I do not like them. There is a voltage drop across them which results in the batteries never getting fully charged. They come close, but never all the way. That shortens their life span.
I've seen new isolators which have a true battery voltage sense terminal, which is needed for the real late model GM alts. I've also seen their price. I'll stick to a marine switch and a charge relay or solenoid.
 
:thinking

Why would you need two batteries at the same time to start your truck? I like the idea of having a multi-bat setup; one battery can be primary, one for accessories, etc.
 
willhol said:
Why would you need two batteries at the same time to start your truck? I like the idea of having a multi-bat setup; one battery can be primary, one for accessories, etc.
Click to expand...

The extra cranking power is nice in the winter. The big thing though, is that you can jump one battery with the other. If I let my truck sit too long, or leave the radio on, or whatever, then I can switch them in parallel and fire the engine right up. Then they both get charged while I'm on my way home.
 
Mastiff said:
The extra cranking power is nice in the winter. The big thing though, is that you can jump one battery with the other. If I let my truck sit too long, or leave the radio on, or whatever, then I can switch them in parallel and fire the engine right up. Then they both get charged while I'm on my way home.
Click to expand...


Ya, it's nice in the winter. It's also nice in the summer if I am runnin' the snot out of it in the mud and it dies because hot motors seem to crank over kinda' hard. I also want an idiot proof system so I can have both batteries charging all of the time without having to manually flip/turn a switch (because I will forget to flip it back) and be isolated when they are off so if my main battery would get drained I could still use the others to start.
 
I use a dual battery isolator to make sure both batteries are charged automatically, because I would forget a switch. I use marine battery terminals on both positive battery terminals, so I can switch any load (ign, starter, winch) to the live battery. Never had a problem with charging voltage or battery life.
 
I wired mine together in parallel and have left it for over a month at a time and it still starts like a dream.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom