List and Show your Dual Batteries Setup
- Thread starter lexwoody
- Start date
TheMike
Adventurer
cruiseroutfit
Well-known member
Used to be a bunch of pics in this thread:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12742&highlight=battery&page=2
Not sure if the photos are still being revived or not.
Here are a couple of mine:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12742&highlight=battery&page=2
Not sure if the photos are still being revived or not.
Here are a couple of mine:
Attachments
Jacket
2008 Expedition Trophy Champion
flyingwil
Supporting Sponsor - Sierra Expeditions
I put dual Odyssey 1200's Batteries in the stock location with a Sure Power 1315-200 battery isolator / combiner and used marine cables to complete the wiring:
This was later replaced with a National Luna kit.
I mounted the National Luna Intelligent Solenoid - Dual Battery Isolator in the same spot that the surepower unit was located on the fire wall to the drivers side of the brakes.
This was later replaced with a National Luna kit.
I mounted the National Luna Intelligent Solenoid - Dual Battery Isolator in the same spot that the surepower unit was located on the fire wall to the drivers side of the brakes.
EricGagne
Adventurer
Installed in a FJ Cruiser. National Luna Solenoid from Equipt1, Odyssey PC-925 Battery, home made cables using gauge 2 wire, home (badly) made (alleged) "battery support" 
Not the nicest or most professional installation but it was cheap, it did the job and after 6 months nothing has moved.
Not the nicest or most professional installation but it was cheap, it did the job and after 6 months nothing has moved.
teotwaki
Excelsior!
Optima yellowtop battery mounted on fenderwell using battery tray made to fit, leveled by poly spacers underneath. Leaving room for the hood gas strut was critical.
Control solenoid (200A continuous) mounted to battery tray. Battery control is essentialy manual: Secondary battery in parallel only when ignition switch is on (battery isolated when ignition is off), secondary battery isolated from primary, or secondary battery can be forced in even if primary is dead (self jump start mode). See control switch pix below.
Control switch in cab. Dual color LED: Green when ignition switch on, red if battery is forced across primary battery.
Wiring to control switch through firewall. Main battery lead next to it.
Dual 30 Amp thermal breakers from the battery feed these two new outlets in the back
I also swapped out the old stock battery for this DieHard
Control solenoid (200A continuous) mounted to battery tray. Battery control is essentialy manual: Secondary battery in parallel only when ignition switch is on (battery isolated when ignition is off), secondary battery isolated from primary, or secondary battery can be forced in even if primary is dead (self jump start mode). See control switch pix below.
Control switch in cab. Dual color LED: Green when ignition switch on, red if battery is forced across primary battery.
Wiring to control switch through firewall. Main battery lead next to it.
Dual 30 Amp thermal breakers from the battery feed these two new outlets in the back
I also swapped out the old stock battery for this DieHard
I ended up building essentially the set up that I planned here:
(Sorry no pics, my camera is defunct). The second battery is a Sears Diehard Platinum (Rebranded Odyssey) and is mounted under the sleeping platform in the bed. It is fed with #6 wire from a 100A solenoid and 100A breaker in the engine bay. While I have run the control wire for the solenoid to the dash, I am still waiting for the switch to arrive. The switch is a SPDT (on - off - on) that will in one position have the solenoid come on with the ignition, in the off position the aux battery is always isolated, and in the third position the solenoid is always on (for self jumping). Does anyone have a suggestion of a good place to tap an ignition only (ie NOT off or ACC) wire near the center console on a 99 Tacoma?
I like the ability to manually isolate the aux battery from the charging circuit. It occurred to me that if you were to heavily use your aux battery and drain it, then make a series of short trips you could drain you main battery. When aux is drained, most of the charging current will go to it and the main battery will not get it share of the charge until it is depleted to a similar level, which could lead to a dead main battery. With an isolator switch you can isolate the aux battery until you are driving a longer distance, and switch it in once the main battery has had time to recharge. I think some controllers may even have a timer that switches in the aux battery after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.
(Sorry no pics, my camera is defunct). The second battery is a Sears Diehard Platinum (Rebranded Odyssey) and is mounted under the sleeping platform in the bed. It is fed with #6 wire from a 100A solenoid and 100A breaker in the engine bay. While I have run the control wire for the solenoid to the dash, I am still waiting for the switch to arrive. The switch is a SPDT (on - off - on) that will in one position have the solenoid come on with the ignition, in the off position the aux battery is always isolated, and in the third position the solenoid is always on (for self jumping). Does anyone have a suggestion of a good place to tap an ignition only (ie NOT off or ACC) wire near the center console on a 99 Tacoma?
I like the ability to manually isolate the aux battery from the charging circuit. It occurred to me that if you were to heavily use your aux battery and drain it, then make a series of short trips you could drain you main battery. When aux is drained, most of the charging current will go to it and the main battery will not get it share of the charge until it is depleted to a similar level, which could lead to a dead main battery. With an isolator switch you can isolate the aux battery until you are driving a longer distance, and switch it in once the main battery has had time to recharge. I think some controllers may even have a timer that switches in the aux battery after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.
corax
Explorer
How about the cigarette lighter? Is it only live when the ignition is on?
Another option that usually only comes on when the engine is actually running would be the defroster grid (not sure if your truck has one) - for battery drain issues, it usually can only be turned on with the engine running - but that wouldn't help you if the battery is already dead (would need the engine running for it to work)
How about the HVAC or blower motor? Most only come on with the key in ON and not in ACC
The blower motor (before the switch!) is probably a good idea, I only think that works when the car is on. I will have to see if the harness for the blower switch is easy to get to. On my Tacoma the cigarette lighter comes on with ACC.
