1 Starting and 1 Deep Cycle Marine, or 2 Starting Batteries

[evldave]

Sears currently has a wicked online sale for the Diehard Platinum batteries...for $355, I can get a Group34 Starting battery (~$185) and a Group34 Deep Cycle Marine ($170). The sale ends today, so I gotta decide ASAP.

These are going in my H3 (yes, they will fit)...At some point, I'll be running a winch, it's currently sitting on the floor of the garage, but I also run electronics in the truck as well that will be run on a 2nd circuit once I get the two batteries. I'll may also run the fridge in the truck on occasion (it usually goes in the trailer), but it won't be in the truck full-time.

So is it better to go with two starting batteries (mostly for the winch), run isolated except when winching, with the electronics off the second battery...

...or 1 starting, 1 deep, run isolated, with the electronics off the 2nd battery.

I don't spend a lot of time in one place, only a couple trips per year where I might stay stationary...most of the rest of the time is drive, camp, drive, camp.

Right now I'm gearing towards 2 starting batteries, mostly for redundancy and the ease of running the winch plus having an easy jumpstart if needed.

Anyone have some thoughts? I'll be ordering these a little later this afternoon for pickup tonight, yay!

 

[ssssnake529]

I have one of each. I run a refrigerator, so a deep cycle is a good idea for me.

 

[silvrzuki77]

Hey there, if you can post some pics I would appreciate it. I'm looking at doing the same setup in my h3. What mount are you using?

 

[Scoutn79]

I run two identical starting batteries. Theory is that whenever the chassis battery gets bad I would move the start battery to the chassis location and install the new battery as the starter battery. This way I always have the best battery to turn the engine over.
Darrell

 

[evldave]

Hey there, if you can post some pics I would appreciate it. I'm looking at doing the same setup in my h3. What mount are you using?

There was a group buy on a dual battery mount on some of the hummer forums awhile ago, but I don't think they are available anymore. I'll be building my mount this week, I'll shoehorn two group 34 batteries in place of the stock battery and wire them isolated w/ignition off and connected when running.

I decided to go with 1 starting and 1 marine starting/deep cycle. This allows me some flexibility with the trailer and still allows me to start the truck off the 2nd battery if i have too. I'll be wiring a second circuit into the cab for all of my 'stays plugged in all the time' stuff that will run off the deep cycle.

It looks like the winch sitting in my garage is going to require a pretty decent rebuild, which will have to wait until winter, so that won't be an issue for now (I'll go winchless for the rest of the summer). I'll probably hook the winch up to the main starting battery and call it good.

Not an ideal setup, but with 2 batteries in the truck + 1 in the trailer, should prevent any no-start situations out in the middle of nowhere, which was my goal

 

[evldave]

I run two identical starting batteries. Theory is that whenever the chassis battery gets bad I would move the start battery to the chassis location and install the new battery as the starter battery. This way I always have the best battery to turn the engine over.
Darrell

This is a good idea. I might go with this if/when I start to have this issue down the line.

 

[Salue]

Dave,
I was debating the same thing when I did my dual batteries a few years ago and decided to go with dual marine (Sears PM-2, Group 34). I was looking at the specs between the marine and starting and they are the exact same. The only difference was the marine has the extra posts for accessories. I had a feeling that they were the exact same battery with the added post. You do only get 3 years instead of the 4 year warranty; I'm sure it has to do with them expecting a marine battery to be used more for deep cycling for a trolling motor or something. I haven't had any issues with them yet. A couple of weeks ago when I was at the Sears Automotive in Redmond, I actually asked them about the batteries and the worker said they were the same battery with the extra post. Not sure if he's correct but that's what he told me. The pro of getting the marine was having the extra terminals for adding accessories. The con of it is you lose a year of the warranty.

Salue