Relocating dual battery setup? Also looking for electrical info/gurus

[jjlaughner]

OK I want to do a dual battery setup. Probley use the Marine Dry cell Procomp battiers (the next time 4wheel parts has there $99 sale). I'm thinking about mounting them, one on each side, in front the rear wheel wells or maybe both on the floor behind the drivers seat. Under the rail on the drivers side I'm going to mount a 1500 watt Marine power converter. How hard is it going to be to run the wires up front, with the setup for dual batteries? Will have to make several large wire runs or just one up to the front to the starter (maybe one to a distribution block for the extra lights and future winch connections?)

Should I mount the batteries to the floor (in my case is 1/8" diamond tread), or should I buy/build the little boxes to hold them?
I'm also thinking of running electrical conduit along the (future) cage to route all the electrical wires through so there's not loose wires everywhere since the batteries will behind the seats and have a couple or several wires running up front.

several questions and probley 10 different ways of doing it /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

Anyone done this, pics?

 

[BobK]

If they are going to be in the bed I'd build something around them to protect them,you never know what can happen on the trail.

 

[skratch]

Build a sealed box and vent it to the outside.
Even the gel-cells have some fumes and they are still flamable.

 

[jjlaughner]

yeah I'll build the boxes and vent them into the rear inner wheel wells or something. I'm more worried about placement, wiring and the dual battery componets. Its all int he conceptual state right now /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[justinf]

I would make one run to the engine compartment and hit a terminal block to feed power to the engine (alternator starter, etc.) Then make a second run for the winch. I wouldn't put the winch on the same conductors the engine is running off of. Make sure you size the conductors running up front adequately.

 

[TorkDSR]

[ QUOTE ]
. Does OPTIMA ever Gas?
When used with a properly regulated constant voltage charging system (such as an alternator) the OPTIMA will usually not emit hydrogen gas. However, gassing can occur when charging at higher voltage levels or in extreme high temperature conditions. In automotive applications this typically will not happen if the alternator/regulator stay below 15 volts.

[/ QUOTE ]

i wouldnt worry about venting them... cover them if you wanna keep from dropping a hi-lift on em and shorting them out

 

[skratch]

That's what I was thinking too.
1 run with like 1/0 or 2/0 cable to a junction block.
I'd also run a 4awg high copper cable from the alt. to the batteries rather than the junction block.
And yet another seperate run of 1/0 or 2/0 cable to the winch.

This is similar to how we wired up the Hummers in the service when we added the winch on a few of em.
Most of those also had an extra set of batteries in the rear and the second alt. upgrade as well for all the radios and such.

 

[justinf]

I agree, I would also run a separate wire from the alternator back to the battery. Wire sizes sound pretty good too, I would use copper welding cable for ease of installation. The winch cables, I would wait to run them, and find out what winch you are getting for sure, I don't remember what size my winch cables are.

 

[bcrewcaptain]

I agree with all, protect, protect, protect, some off-gassing is going to occur..no way around that with a normally functioning alternator, aloow as much air space as you can to keep from a build up, as for wire, welding wire as stated above is the best. call up a local welding shop and see if they have any scraps around, the company I work for gets 3-4/O for under $2 a foot and I'm sure it can be found so a similar price locally...good luck!

 

[or2play]

I have my battery in the bed of my suburban. I drilled two holes in the floor, put wire groments on them and ran the cables down. I have a 2 gauage pos going to the starter. I ran it up in the frame rail so its protected. For the neg, I grounded the engine to the frame in front and grounded the battery to the frame in the back. That way only one battery cable is running the lenght of the truck.