No Top Terminals. Use Side Terminals?

[misweetrevenge]

I drive my truck a lot at night and also use it for camping so lights are very useful. I'd like to install a set facing front and a set facing rear so I can see behind me in pitch black or if I'm mounting the trailer/boat up at night I'll be able to see.

Awhile back I was reading a post on something and they mentioned you can't connect any aftermarket accessories to the side terminals because they can't support the power draw. Is this true?

I tried finding something about it both on here and google but couldn't find anything. The lights would be my only power drawing accessory. I'm planning to add a second battery eventually before I add a stereo and more powerful lights but can I use the side terminals for now without hurting anything?

 

[Smokinthehippies]

you'll be fine.
its a problem when you start getting into heavy draw accessories. saw a guy melt his side terminals down from having his winch wired there.
look at it this way, all the newer trucks have the entire truck wired off the side terminals, no problems

 

[dyeager535]

I've got my electric fans, and relay/fuse panel "center" wired off the side terminal, no issues.

Real problem is figuring out how to do it since the side terminals aren't real friendly for things like jumpstarting and adding wiring. Luckily the threads are standard, so you can use a stud or bolt (instead of the small head bolt used normally) to add ring terminals, etc.

 

[Blue85]

There are some reports of winches melting side terminals, but that's hardly relevant to what you want to do. The key is to make good connections for your accessories. Hack add-ons here can make the truck not start right or not charge right or whatever. If you do end up with high resistance here, the heat can damage the battery eventually.

A great way to upgrade is to get a new battery cable assembly that is a Y. One side will be 2 gauge or something and go to the starter like it does now. The other one will be smaller (8GA?) and you run it to a fuse block where you can now safely add accessories to your heart's content.

The Ford starter solenoid can also be added this way and the stud makes a nice place to add stuff as well.

 

[misweetrevenge]

ok cool thanks for the confirmation guys.

Now I've read up on installing a second battery but most of what I've read is about using it with the main battery or to jump start the main battery when it dies.

I'd like to wire my second battery so the alternator charges it when the engine is running along with the first battery but I want the second battery for only the starter. No accessories. I know people use a second battery for accessories but just adding the second battery and connecting add on accessories to it means the all the stock stuff is still drawing power from the starter battery.

My worry though about the way I want it is that if the non starter battery gets too low the alternator will burn up from trying to charge too low of a battery. Thoughts/concerns on this?

 

[misweetrevenge]

Also, I was at walmart and found studs that you can screw into the side mounts so basically the side would have normal top style terminals. thoughts on those?

 

[badmix]

ok cool thanks for the confirmation guys.

Now I've read up on installing a second battery but most of what I've read is about using it with the main battery or to jump start the main battery when it dies.

I'd like to wire my second battery so the alternator charges it when the engine is running along with the first battery but I want the second battery for only the starter. No accessories.

THis is exactly how I have mine. My Auxiliary battery is strictly as back up, I have nothing running off of it. Its a yellow optima, my main batt is red top. I have everything running off this battery.

Im using a HellRoaring.com setup. I have an insolater that works like this;

With the supplied switch mounted in the glove box, it has 3 positions.

1) Down position - this takes the aux battery out of the circuit, it wont be used by the system and will not be charged by alt.

2) Middle position (normal operating position) - aux battery gets charged but remains out of system

3) UP position - this now combines the aux and the main battery to give extra juice for winching and if the main battery dies, I can flip the switch and fire the truck up with the aux battery.

Ive had this system in my truck for about 5 years with no issues, its not the cheapest setup out there but it works. I just ran an extra batt cable to the isolator and then to a 30amp buss fuse and then to the aux batt. I grounded the aux battery to the frame of the truck.

 

[Fordum]

One thing to remember, they crank the trucks off side terminals with factory setups, so how limited can they be?

A very important thing to remember is that the hole the bolt screws into is a blind hole made out of lead with acid on the other side of it.
The adapter terminals have short enough bolts. But if you use a standard bolt and just tighten it all the way down, it will push through the back side of the terminal into the acid.
Causing a slow acid leak, massive corrosion, and the ruining of the battery.

The proper way, is to put a nut and washer on the bolt first with the washer toward the battery.
Put all the cables on the bolt, and gently screw it in by hand until it bottoms out.

Then back it out a turn or so, hold the bolt with a wrench to keep it from going back in, and tighten the nut down on the cables compressing them against the terminal.

 

[diesel4me]

Yes,I see many side post batteries that had the lead slugs pulled out or the cases punctured from insterting too long a bolt in the holes...and stripped holes from over tightening them too...

I used brass studs in my side posts so 2 cables can be piggybacked and any other accessory wires with ring terminals can be hooked up there..have not had any issues in 10+ years on my plow truck ..

You can use a constant duty solenoid to "separate" 2 batteries and yet allow both to charge while the vehicle is driven or running..a SS-584 Standard number solenoid was shown in an illustrated parts catalog I have,as an auxillary battery switch and it had the wiring diagram shown to wire it up properly..

I've used those screw in "slugs" to convert side to top posts and they do work,but they aren't really the hot setup,high amp draw tends to make them hot because the connection they make is mostly at the threads,the flat surface that butts against the side post casting in the battery usually gets corroded badly there fast..its better to cut off the cables and put a side post terminal on them,or get the right cables --I used the slugs to make it easier to attach battery charger clamps to charge a side post one more than "in" the vehicle..its a temporary solution..

 

[Metrodps]

In my set up I use a dual post battery as my main one and the top positive goes to the secondary battery. Been that way for six years. also woth the top post it makes jump starting easy. Most auto parts stores have a dual type battery.

 

[misweetrevenge]

ok cool thanks for the help guys. Looks like I'll be leaving the terminals alone.

@BADMIX
Which kit do you have? I was on the website and there are a few choices.

 

[Blue85]

I'd like to wire my second battery so the alternator charges it when the engine is running along with the first battery but I want the second battery for only the starter. No accessories. I know people use a second battery for accessories but just adding the second battery and connecting add on accessories to it means the all the stock stuff is still drawing power from the starter battery.

This requires a bit a wiring because the starter post is the main hot terminal for the whole truck. So you'll have to extend the wires with fusible links over to the other battery. Then you'll have the challenge of separating the ignition "start" circuit, so it might be easier to add a pushbutton start at that point.

You can go halfway in on this and let the main battery do what it's always done - then put move anything you think might be a problem draw to the aux battery. And any add-on items would go to the Aux battery. As with most of these setups, the key is to not drain both of them. You don't have to go for high dollar switching setups here. If you're otherwise stranded you won't mind popping the hood and physically moving wires (batteries mounted side by side CUCV style) or moving batteries (battery on each side diesel style). You can always get some use on the thing and then decide later to upgrade.

As for putting top-posts on a side post battery...most of those adapters are sold "for charging only". If the side post in the battery is a weak link, this doesn't remove it. Now you just have 4 battery connections to get loose instead of 2. The only reason to try is if your truck is set up for top-post and you happen to have a side post battery available.

 

[misweetrevenge]

after all the feedback and info I think I'll be using the second battery as an aftermarket accessory battery and emergency jump battery.

Now what kit do you guys suggest for an everyday vehicle. a few lights and a 2 amps and 1 deck will be connected to the second battery.