I have a question about dual batteries?

[tundraman89]

A while back i was looking at putting 2 in my truck and at that time i decided not to do it but now i need to badly. I have looked thru the forms to find what im looking for and still cant find it. If i remember right there was someone who had done it to their truck and had pictures of it and i think he found it as a kit can anyone help me on this?

[highlevel]

I saw that. It was rambrush (at least the setup I saw was his). Sweet system and the batteries fit nicely. Check out his pictures. Hellroaring is the outfit that has the setup(s) for sale.

[rambrush]

Yep go take a look at my gallery for Pics. used the hellroaring kit, 2/0 welding cable, military spec cable ends soldered and crimped with shrink tubing for protection.

[accrockett]

Maybe a silly questions....but what is the benefit of having two batteries?

[RobertT3]

^ good question^...

[spenser24]

I see in your gallery that your new 2 are pretty much the same physical size as the old 1? So I guess I have the same question as to the overall benefit? thx

[hofkamp83]

Rambrush,

Did you change the alternator out with a larger one and do need to engauge the solenoid to charge the second battery?

Andrew

[SE2000]

There are different reasons to add battery capacity. So you have to answer why, and to figure out if you need to isolate the batteries. Emergency vehicles run multiple batteries and isolate theirs so they don't discharge the primary starter battery

[spenser24]

Looks like he's driving his POV, not a rescue vehicle.

I glanced at the hell-roaring site. Looks like it would come in handy if you were doing a lot of backwoods, off road stuff and were concerned about getting stuck with a dead battery in the middle of nowhere.

[SE2000]

Originally Posted by spenser24

Looks like he's driving his POV, not a rescue vehicle.

I glanced at the hell-roaring site. Looks like it would come in handy if you were doing a lot of backwoods, off road stuff and were concerned about getting stuck with a dead battery in the middle of nowhere.

Never thought it was used as a rescue vehicle, just using an example of needing multiple batteries. running lot of power hungry amp(s) may call for a different solution. A deep cycle battery isolated may be the way to go.

And if it is just offroading, I may go a different route than dual batteries

[Rrumbler]

What is the benefit of two batteries? In a stock, as it came from the factory truck, none - mostly. Adding accessories such as off road lights, winches, compressors and air setups, high volume audio setups, and many other items that were not on the original vehicle pretty much requires an extra battery, one that is isolated from the stock system, so use of the accessories will not draw down the "main" battery; leaving it for operating the vehicle and its necessary systems. In normal aux-battery setups, the second battery is isolated - that is to say it is not directly connected electrically to the main battery - through an isolator, a device that has a set of diodes and switches in it that only allow current flow in one direction. The alternator and both batteries are connected to the isolator and the alternator provides charging current for both batteries, but the batteries cannot cross feed between themselves. In adding accessories, they should be connected to the aux. batt. only. An aux-battery should usually be of a Deep Cycle configuration, which allows discharging it to almost zero volts, and then recharging to max, many times, without doing any harm to it. So, in essence, it is adding an entirely separate, additional electrical system to a truck. One advantage of an aux setup is that if your main battery runs down or fails, you can jump it from the aux with jumper cables, or in some isolator setups, by means of a switch on the isolator. Of course, if there is a problem in the "main" system that caused the "main battery" failure, it must be corrected, or it will kill the aux, and then you'll be really stuck. One other consideration in an aux battery setup is the isolation of the negative side of the aux battery; you should, ideally, run a separate negative, isolated from the chassis and the main battery negative, to totally isolate the two systems. Most times this is not done, but there is a good possibility for interconnecting the two systems on the negative side, and causing a lot of unforseen problems. Thus, you would run a negative cable to a terminal block or blocks located at or near the location of the added accessories, and electrically isolate the accessories and connect their negatives, or grounds to the terminal block to complete the circuit.

['00 Tundra]

a buddy of mine has a COMPLETELY custom 4 runner (dubbed the 24-runner because of the 24" REAL Dub spinners) with an absolutely insane audio system that puts out 16,000 watts to the 2 12" subs alone, not including the rest of the speakers...if you include the one under the hood, he has 7 batteries. 4 of them actually have 2 positive terminals on each, one for regular 12 volt usage, and an additional terminal to put out 16 volts.

just thought i'd share that little story of having more than one battery in a vehicle

[tundraman89]

I need two batteries because if you count up each led light i have it comes to about 2 thousand lights plus all my fire lights and if its sits up for 3 days it dies and there is a good advantage of having two batteries.

[rambrush]

Wow you all have been busy while I have been working!

I went duals because of a winch and a air compressor coming in the future. While in Montana in July we forgot and the left the invertor running powering the laptop. I was able to flip the switch to the 2nd battery and it fired right up. I have the 130 amp alternator already with cold weather package. Some switch to the Sequoia 150 amp unit. The 2nd battery stays charged through the hellroaring kit with no flipping of the switch.
Sorry for the ramble but hope it helps.

[5 Speed]

I have had a dual set up for over 5 years with Hellroaring and a Blue and Red Top Optima because of my 4WheelCamper on the back, never have to worry about starting in the morning after running lights, etc while camping. Fabricating the extra tray took a little time but after that, haven't touched the system.