Finally Finished Project!

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Dual Battery Project that is...

I know, I know... This should be in the "power systems" forum, but I just had to share it with all you guys too.

I built the tray and mounted the batteries back sometime around the end of 07 and just now ordered the rest of the stuff to make it work. I went with the isolator and "battery manager kit" from Wrangler NW. It actually worked out for me to get the Jeep YJ kit minus the tray (since I already built one). I would recommend this kit and the company to ANYONE. Super nice people to deal with and customer service that is top notch. Anyways, here it is...

And the interior "battery manager switch"...

 

[Paul R]

Looks great! Is the radiator overflow the only thing you had to move in order to place them there?

 

[bmh]

that's sweet. I like the same location idea.

 

[Dusty T.]

Very nice fit and finish, and thank you for sharing pics of the batteries! That actually gives me an idea for some better post connectors for "piggybacking" additional wires off of. The stock ones are a bit cheezy- at least on my truck anyway.....

 

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Looks great! Is the radiator overflow the only thing you had to move in order to place them there?

Actually, it was pretty tricky. If you look in the right hand side of the battery picture, you can see where I did a little bit of sheet metal work. I had to cut and roll the inner fender about an inch and a half. I then moved the radiator overflow bottle and attached a bracket to the side of my tray.

 

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Very nice fit and finish, and thank you for sharing pics of the batteries! That actually gives me an idea for some better post connectors for "piggybacking" additional wires off of. The stock ones are a bit cheezy- at least on my truck anyway.....

The terminal connectors you see on the red top came from Wrangler NW and are pretty nice. The ones you see on the yellow top came from Advance Auto and are called "Marine Connectors".

 

[SWDesertTaco]

Slick

Nice, I like the use of space! Great to have them in the same spot for convenience.

Just curious...how secure is the bracket for the radiator overflow, nothing like Murphy's Law for it to knock loose on a washboard road and into the fan housing.

Awesome job

 

[Paul R]

Actually, it was pretty tricky. If you look in the right hand side of the battery picture, you can see where I did a little bit of sheet metal work. I had to cut and roll the inner fender about an inch and a half. I then moved the radiator overflow bottle and attached a bracket to the side of my tray.

It looks really clean! I would love to see other pictures at a different angle if you get a chance to see where you rolled the fender and how you mounted the overflow This is something I want to do eventually...

 

[BigTaco]

Nice work! Why one red top and one yellow?

 

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Nice, I like the use of space! Great to have them in the same spot for convenience.

Just curious...how secure is the bracket for the radiator overflow, nothing like Murphy's Law for it to knock loose on a washboard road and into the fan housing.

Awesome job

That was my main goal for this project, to have them in the same space. I wanted everything, including the isolator to be compact and simple. As for the radiator overflow bottle bracket, it's pretty secure. It's actually the factory bracket that I removed and attached to another piece of steel that was then welded to the tray.

It looks really clean! I would love to see other pictures at a different angle if you get a chance to see where you rolled the fender and how you mounted the overflow This is something I want to do eventually...

I will try to get some more pics.... thanks for the compliments!

Nice work! Why one red top and one yellow?

First of all, I already had the red top under the hood. Second, from my research, I decided that the red top would be the best option for both my starting battery and my winching battery. The yellow top, being a deep cycle battery, will be reserved for everything else, including the refrigerator and camp lights. Being that those items will be left on when the truck is off, the deep cycle will be able to handle the repeated discharging (hopefully)

 

[SWDesertTaco]

Again, an excellent job. Have you mounted up an aux. fuse box as well? I'm curious if/what you went with?

I wouldn't mind seeing additional pictures as well.

I like this alternative rather than the pass. side of the vehicle by moving the cruise control etc.

 

[Off-Grid Engineering]

Auxillary fuse boxes come next. I believe I am going to use an all weather type, like the Blue Sea. I will be mounting one in the bed/ camper area and one in the cab. I'll post pics when I am done.