2002 Disco II. Where to Put Hellroaring Isolator??

[Riflman]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking here for a while but haven't posted much. I finally have a question that I cannot find the answer to and am hoping someone here has already dealt with.

I've got dual batteries installed in my D2. I've been running two Optima yellow tops in Parallel. I bought two new Odyssey PC1500's and a Hellroaring BIC-95300B and am converting to backup configuration. With dual batteries and a relocated washer bottle, it's kind of tight in there now. I need to install the BIC, a T-Block and a Distribution block. I'm having trouble figuring out a good place to install the BIC. If anyone with a D2 is running a Hellroaring or similar Isolator and can recommend or post a pic of where they mounted it, it sure would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[lwg]

While not exactly what your running I did something similar in my D2. I used the National Luna isolator and built a heat shield around the batteries and mounted it and my primary accessory fusebox to it. I plan on adding a small heat shield to the engine side to protect from a few degrees of heat. I also need to cutout some channels in the existing mount, paint it and put rubber edging on it to protect the wires. Probably in a few weeks I'll finish that up.

 

[Riflman]

Wow. I love the extra terminals on your PC1500's!! I ordered mine without since I thought they would be on the sides. DUH!!! That would have simplified things so much! Oh well. I'm getting some JL Audio triple connects to handle the extra connections.

Questions for you. I notice you have the negative cables wired in parallel. Is that enough ground? I thought I had to wire both batteries to separate locations to get enough ground. Second question...From the factory, there are two positive cables running from the positive battery terminal. One runs to the fuse box and where does the other run? Does it go to the starter or the alternator? I'm assuming that the positive cable that runs from the fusebox goes to whichever one the battery does not supply directly... Also, where did you pick up your fusebox for your accessories?

 

[lwg]

Wow. I love the extra terminals on your PC1500's!! I ordered mine without since I thought they would be on the sides. DUH!!! That would have simplified things so much! Oh well. I'm getting some JL Audio triple connects to handle the extra connections.

Questions for you. I notice you have the negative cables wired in parallel. Is that enough ground? I thought I had to wire both batteries to separate locations to get enough ground. Second question...From the factory, there are two positive cables running from the positive battery terminal. One runs to the fuse box and where does the other run? Does it go to the starter or the alternator? I'm assuming that the positive cable that runs from the fusebox goes to whichever one the battery does not supply directly... Also, where did you pick up your fusebox for your accessories?

I have the advantage of being able to really check out the batteries since we resell them.

Regarding the ground, While they are connected in parallel they are setup so that if either ground were to loose connection with it's respective battery the other would still be attached to it's respective battery. Also note that the ground length is very short, less than 18". According to all the AWG specs for the max load that can be drawn the cable size is adequate + 1 size larger. I have virtually no voltage loss so I'm guessing the ground is good, plus it's the factory battery ground as well.

On the positive side, one cable goes to the fuse box and the other goes to the starter/alternator circuit. This is pretty standard in most vehicles.

Regarding my fusebox, I can't remember specifically where I got it, but it's a Monster Cable box if that helps. I'm guessing I got it at a Car Audio store many years ago. It has nice little locks that keep the cover from falling off. I have 3 AWG fuses rated at 70A, 40A & 40A, they are the main fuses for my forward 100A fusebox, my rear 50A fusebox and my car stereo

 

[Antichrist]

While not exactly what your running I did something similar in my D2.

Generally a nice looking setup, but I have to be ask, very bluntly, why did you use such crappy terminals on the earths?

edited for clarity

 

[LandyAndy]

Generally a nice looking setup, but I have to be ask, very bluntly, why did you use such crappy cable ends on the earths?

The correct term is cable lug, and by the looks of the photo their crimped using the correct tool too. Not crappy at all, the correct product for the type & size of cable. I have them on all of my battery & winch cables. Just because their not the size of a block of steel doesn't make them crappy, their spec'd to the size of cable, cable current running capacity & expected max currect transient.

 

[Antichrist]

I was actually referring to the terminals, not the lugs.
The lugs look fine and I use the same thing, heat shrinked in probably the same way.

 

[Riflman]

Well either way, they look better than my existing setup.

I had issues with burning out batteries while running in parallel, hence the isolator. The pic below shows the setup without the batteries in parallel OR running through an isolator. While waiting for the hellroaring kit, I just put the batteries in and separated them and have been using my driving lights sparingly and trickle charging occasionally.

LWG:

So I'm trying to understand how you rigged your auxiliary fuse box. I was looking at this one: http://www.keenzo.com/showproduct.asp?ID=1197092

It has a negative bus. They also sell one without. I admit I'm confused at how to run my wires. Many blocks are single polarity. In doing my research, I think I'm getting that many people run power to a block and then just ground close to the actual switch for whatever they are trying to run. Is this correct? I read something about the shorter the better.

I currently have 3 big light force lights with relays (one per light) and a CB running direct to the battery, each with it's own fuse. I plan to add a total of 12 lights on my rack (4 x front, 2 x rear, 2 x each side), plus constant 12 volt female receptacles x 3, a 1000w pure sine inverter in the rear, anderson quick connects for a rear winch and under body lights. That's a lot of stuff.

Next year I plan to add a charging station for a third battery in the rear (trolling motor) and a fridge. Once I do that, Mike suggests another Hellroaring isolator should be added.

My immediate concern is what I need to properly handle the existing lights, CB and work lights around my rack. I lost my reverse lights when adding the GD bumper (I used my reverse lights and amber bulbs for the turn signals). I'm not sure if I'm going to use rear work lights on a switch using the fog light switch and tap into the fog wires in the rear columns. Will the factory wiring handle dual work lights? If I get hassled by the 5-O, I'll wire in some LED lights to the reverse circuit to make it fully legal. I'm wondering now if I should run a separate wire (0/1, 2 or 4 awg??) to the rear and put a separate fuse box back there.

OK. My brain is starting to hurt. Do I need a box with or without negative bus? If with, I'm assuming I run the positive and negative wires in the same box?? You mention multiple fuse boxes. Do you mean auxiliaries or factory boxes? I have a 150Amp fuse from Mike at hellroaring I'm supposed to add in the circuit for the isolator. Right now, my accessories each have their own fuse.

 

[Antichrist]

There are a lot of different ways to wire things. I wouldn't say there is any single "right" way. Heck, you could wire everything with high amp switches and not use relays, if you wanted to. It really depends on what works for you.
Generally I look at it as what is the total load on the battery, and what is the safest most cost effective way to wire the various circuits that create that load.
For instance, if you have 4 150 watt lights in the rear, 20' from the battery you could

1. Wire them directly from the battery using 4 10 gauge wires with a 20a switch each.
2. Run 4 10 gauge wires to the back to 20a relays each of which is fed by #14 wire controlled by a 1a switch.
3. Run a single #4 or #6 wire to the rear and then split it to 4 relays, one to each light.

There are pros and cons to each way.
The more loads you add the more complicated you can make it.
The key is to make sure all the components, whether they are switches, wires, relays, fuses, etc, are sized properly for the load they will carry and the length of the run.

My personal preference is larger gauge to near groups of loads, then split it there as needed in a manner appropriate for the circuit.

 

[lwg]

Generally a nice looking setup, but I have to be ask, very bluntly, why did you use such crappy terminals on the earths?

edited for clarity

Don't worry you won't offend me. Just not sure exactly what your talking about. Are you referring to the positive and negative battery connectors?


Riflman:
To answer your question. Generally you want a fuse as close to the battery as possible that will handle all of the load for that particular circuit at any given time. If that circuits shorts to ground somewhere you want a very quick blown fuse to protect from blown battery, welded parts due to amperage or worse case, fire. So I always place a main fuse as close as possible to the battery, generally within a few inches, less than 12" for sure. I then parted to 3 separate circuits who each have their own fuse box. I actually run two of the Blue Sea fuse boxes, the 6 position in the rear of the truck and a 12 position in the engine bay. The rear has both positive and negative utilized as grounds are harder to come by back there. I found a really good factory ground (misnomer I know) and ran the fuse negative to that position with the appropriate wire gauge. The front is positive only as the accessories on that circuit are much more spread out.

Front fusebox 100A rated 8GA wire from battery:
Upgraded Headlight harness
backup light
Auxillary lights on ARB
Wireless remote for winch
Center Console 12V Accessory
Dash switch lighting power

Rear fusebox 50A rated, 8GA wire from battery:
Ham Radio
3 12V accessory plugs

You have to be careful when routing power wires as you don't want abrasion to short them out and you don't want the magnetic field to interfere with things like speaker wire, HAM radio anything, etc. I generally keep all power to one side of the vehicle and signals on the other, spread out from each other a bit.

 

[Antichrist]

Don't worry you won't offend me. Just not sure exactly what your talking about. Are you referring to the positive and negative battery connectors?

All I can really see are the negative.
These

The exposure of the dissimilar metals (copper/tin/steel) to air and moisture will lead to galvanic corrosion. They should really be crimp, or solder, terminals with heat shrink on them to seal them like the lugs you did. Or else lugs with mil-spec terminals (which is what I prefer on both neg and pos as it offers greater flexibility of connections).

 

[lwg]

All I can really see are the negative.
These

The exposure of the dissimilar metals (copper/tin/steel) to air and moisture will lead to galvanic corrosion. They should really be crimp, or solder, terminals with heat shrink on them to seal them like the lugs you did. Or else lugs with mil-spec terminals (which is what I prefer on both neg and pos as it offers greater flexibility of connections).

I actually disagree. At first I wanted the "High Quality" terminals. But ultimately the studs on the batteries are made of lead, as are these terminals. The corrosion you speak of will happen very slowly over many years. I do regular maintenance on my truck and will catch this long before it becomes a problem.

BTW, both negative and positive are the same.

Now for my simpler explanation. It was the only terminal I could find that layed flat and didn't require ordering online. Basically I don't have a lot of vertical space available above the batteries before it would impact (read short) to the hood. Ultimately I will upgrade to better terminals. But I still stand by my initial statements that they'd be fine.