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easy way to run dual batteries

9165 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  abigfoot, 
C
I am tring to find the easiest way to run 2 batteries. The most cost effective way as well. What can hooking a battery to the other battert do?( positive to positive, negative to negative.
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C
depends on how you hook it up. you might get a longer lasting 12Volts or you might get 24 volts and burn stuff up. why do you want 2 batterys? if to have power and still be able to strat the truck after killing the battery then you got a couple ways to go. a battery isolator and run after market stuff to the 2nd battery. you can get a battery selector switch and eather select the battery when needed or add a 2nd alt to your motor to power keep charging the 2nd battery.
ok in the motor home i got an isolator this will use one alt and charge 2 batterys
in my Bronco i going to install a selector dial (like on a boat) so i can go any comb of connections i want. they are both cheap and easy to install......mike
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C
okay the reasons

1) That way if one dies I have a back-up. 2) I run about 14 off-road lights. I would like to be able to not have to keep getting a jump start ever time I leave the truck site for more then a couple of days. I have a 86 with a 350 carb motor. I run my headlights off of a toggle switch, tail-lights off of a toggle switch, A radio, a CB, And 14 off-road lights. Also have a winch. If this helps.
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Crawdaddy
looks like you definitely want a battery isolator setup. In addition, you may want to go with a deep cycle battery for the 2nd battery, and leave the main as a regular battery. The reasoning for this is that deep cycles can take a deep discharge better. The downside is that they don't provide quite as much starting current from what I understand. This is pretty much the same setup as I'm going with, unless I go with 2 of the huge racing batteries my uncle's drag car has (I think they're big deep cycles, but I'll have to check). With that many lights, you may also want to upgrade the alternator if you haven't already. Then of course, dont forget to upgrade your battery wires.
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T
You might wanna consider going to a bigger alternator since your running 14 lights ...

dunno i go off roading with 4 4" offroads and never had an issue with not seeing anything why so many lights? you trying to guide an aircraft or something ? :lol:
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Crawdaddy
TahoeFever said:
You might wanna consider going to a bigger alternator since your running 14 lights ...

dunno i go off roading with 4 4" offroads and never had an issue with not seeing anything why so many lights? you trying to guide an aircraft or something ? :lol:
Click to expand...
He may be doing what I'm planning on doing....lining an entire Suburban-sized roof rack with offroad lights so you can have 360 degree light, and LOTS of it :-D Once I'm done, I may outrun him...I may not. It all depends on how the project goes.


more light=good
little to no light=bad
so, we can determine that more light > little light
plus.....it just looks cool :lol::great:
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T
you got to send a pic of this ! when done but i still would go with a bigger alternator since you're killing a battery everytime it means that your not producing enough juice to compensate for the runway :lol:
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C
will post pics soon

I have a mean green alt. about 200 amps. I have a friend who ran his dual batteries buy hooking the second battery positive running to the alt wire, and he doesn't seem to have any problems. Has far as the lights I want to make sure I can seem at night in the woods. I have as follows. 4 - 6" lights on the custom made tube front bumper. I have 6 - 8" lights on the light Bar, 2 - 8" lights above the barn doors aimed at the back corners, and 2 - 6" lights fabbed in the bottom of the barn doors.(for the people who like to leave their bight lights on)
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Crawdaddy said:
He may be doing what I'm planning on doing....lining an entire Suburban-sized roof rack with offroad lights so you can have 360 degree light, and LOTS of it :-D Once I'm done, I may outrun him...I may not. It all depends on how the project goes.


more light=good
little to no light=bad
so, we can determine that more light > little light
plus.....it just looks cool :lol::great:
Click to expand...

I love to make the night time look like the day time.(I'm afraid of the dark.:lol:)
Plus the people that don't take a hint when you flash your brights for them to turn theirs off, They really love all the light
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FireRed
Good stuff above, something else you may want to consider depending on how you set it up is a dash push button and a solenoid between the batteries to be able to combine them for a jump start if needed. It is very simple and cheap to setup, every 4X4 I have had I put one on. I like splitting the loads and using isolator, one or the other alway has enough to get it cranked. Added note I have very good luck and good service life out of gel cell deep cycles, I much prefer gels in the woods they hold their juices in the rough stuff!!!

Phil
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C
2
going to post picture

I had to redo my lights since someone figured they needed my lights more than I did. Now I only have 2 6" lights on the grill. 2 6" lights on the hood. 2 6" lights on the roof(middle) 2 7" lights on the roof(outsides).


See less See more
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D
Got any

coldsteel1993 said:
I had to redo my lights since someone figured they needed my lights more than I did. Now I only have 2 6" lights on the grill. 2 6" lights on the hood. 2 6" lights on the roof(middle) 2 7" lights on the roof(outsides).


Click to expand...
pics.....pics....any pics.....
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Crawdaddy
There were pics there 2 years ago, but this thread can be officially considered as "dead", as are the pics therein.
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K
I'm considering a painless wiring kit.

Here's an older review. This unit has a manual switch.

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/dual_batteries_backup_battery/index.html




The unit the have now has no switches and is automatic.

http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcatalog/largeview.php?SearchField=40120
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A
collinsperformance said:
depends on how you hook it up. you might get a longer lasting 12Volts or you might get 24 volts and burn stuff up. why do you want 2 batterys? if to have power and still be able to strat the truck after killing the battery then you got a couple ways to go. a battery isolator and run after market stuff to the 2nd battery. you can get a battery selector switch and eather select the battery when needed or add a 2nd alt to your motor to power keep charging the 2nd battery.
ok in the motor home i got an isolator this will use one alt and charge 2 batterys
in my Bronco i going to install a selector dial (like on a boat) so i can go any comb of connections i want. they are both cheap and easy to install......mike
Click to expand...
Pos to Pos Neg to Neg you can have 100 batteres this way (parallel wiring) and it will still be 12 volt,but very strong:lol:pos to neg pos to neg increases voltage.(series wiring) hence two in this manner would give you 24 volts which you dont want because it will make everything extremely bright, before it smokes:gasp:
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