2nd Battery Questions..anyone use smaller then regular size battery?

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dtt255

dtt255

Joined
Oct 30, 2007
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I was wondering if anyone has add a smaller second battery. Meaning like a golf cart battery, etc.

After racking my brain there is not anyway I can see to fit a 2nd full sized battery in the engine compartment. There is room for a smaller battery.

It would be running all the extras (extra lights, winch, ham, radar, etc.)

Anyone tried anything like that?

TIA
 
Consider replacing your existing primary battery with a larger AGM/deep cycle battery and run everything off of that. Then add a second, smaller "jump start" battery.
 
Ok that all makes sense, but how does the truck know which battery to start off of and know which battery to pull the accessory power from?
 
I use an Odyssey motorcycle sized battery in my Acura. It's starts fine in my garage but I don't know how well it would work in cold weather.
 
dtt255 said:
Ok that all makes sense, but how does the truck know which battery to start off of and know which battery to pull the accessory power from?
Click to expand...

The way you wire it and an isolator or battery management system. Search the FAQs of the 80 section, there's good dual batt write ups.
 
dtt255 said:
Ok that all makes sense, but how does the truck know which battery to start off of and know which battery to pull the accessory power from?
Click to expand...

The problem at least in the 100 is all the power goes to that fuse pack next to the positive terminal before it splits off to the starter/big fuse box. I think he's asking more about how does one split off the wire that go to the starter from the others that go to the fuse box. The two batteries will be connected to the alternator via an isolator so if one battery drains, it can't inadvertently drain the other battery.

I guess another thing you could do is get one of those small Odyssey batteries with their mounting bracket and mount that on the opposite corner of the front engine compartment (in front of the the airbox on the 100 V8 or where the second battery goes on the 100TD that has the cyclonic airbox) and leave it disconnected, through a set of jump cables in the back, then replace the main battery w/ a big deep cycle AGM. At least you'll have a second battery on hand, albeit it won't be automatically charged unless you install the isolator.
 
With a dual battery set-up you need to disconnect the + cable from the alternator (at the alternator), insulate it well, and then run a cable from this same location to the isolator/switch.

This is per Scott (Mobi-Arc) via Kevin (Boston Mangler).

I still need to do this...I just haven't found anyone with tiny hands to reach in there to get at the + alternator cable :rolleyes:.

It would have been alot easier at the time I did my 90K...it might just have to wait until the next 90K ;)
 
Trunk Monkey said:
So, using an isolator, what's the proper cabling for a 2nd battery on a 100? I didn't have to run anything to the alternator on my 80, just between the batteries and the isolator.
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If you connect the isolator to the 100A Fusible Link you essentially have not isolated the 2 batteries. See my post above. The current from the alternator needs to be routed through the isolator so the isolator can provide the one way charging circuit thus isolating the two batteries from being essentially bridged.

Scott (Mobi-Arc) probably has a diagram he can post up the shows the proper method of installation. So I assume the 80's don't have this same type of Fusible Link?
 
The diesel version of the 200 comes from the factory with two batteries. What does the gas version have behind the passenger side headlight that is in the way besides the PS reservoir, which could be relocated. How about a picture?

I know Opposite Lock makes a bracket for a 3rd battery that attaches to the frame, behind the rear passenger side wheel. Maybe it can work for you.
 
The 80 has a fusible link in line with the + off the battery. IIRC when my Hellroaring was wired in we just ran from the isolator to the + on each battery. But what you're saying makes sense, the isolator would be the gate from the alt. to decide where to send power. I just don't remember doing it.
 
In theory, I think the alternator would run to the isolator (instead of directly to the battery), then the isolator connects to each isolated battery. One battery then runs to your deep cycle accessories, one to your starter. You could add a marine-grade battery switch to allow the starter to start off either battery.

This is easy to do on my primitive 1980's Toyota, but on the 100, everything connects via the fuseable link. How do you separate the fuseable link for the starter from that for the accessories?
 
Well I decided to go with a Odyssey 2150.

A local battery shop I spoke to
said they want me to bring the truck down so that they can test a few things out.

First they want to make sure that with everything running that the alternator is not going to be running at max the whole time.

Plus they want to make sure that I am not going to be draining a battery that large faster then the alternator can re-charge it.

I will post the results of those findings!

Thanks for the help everyone!
 
I think the alternator on the 100 is at least 90A.
 
hoser said:
Besides the winch, what added electronics do you have?
Click to expand...

Already have the larger driving lights on the bull bar.

I am going to be installing a Ham Radio, some new Amps for the stereo, radar.

In the future I am going to get a compressor, air lockers, etc.

There really is not any room to add a second battery as the only place is where they have the power steering stuff and some little device that says 'Do Not Touch, Hot!" I think it is for the lights.
 
no worries, I have had a Odyssey 1700 in my 100 for 4-5 years, not one single issue, the ARB fridge runs year around and it may sit for a week at a time. I run a pair of smaller Odyseeys in my 40 series, I wanted duals in the stock location and they have worked wonderfull, used a Wrangler PP dual bat set up(same as in my 80 and 60)

Its worked fine with my Warn 9500, which has not gotten alot of use...

I have a Slee aux battery tray(in the 100) and did have a Orbital in it, but never wired up the dual batteries, just topped off the Orbital from time to time, figured I would just jump the main if it ever died, just havt been in the mood to install all the dual battery bits, prolly rip all the stuff out of my old 80 series....aint gonna be using that rig anymore.

I did rob the orbital out of the 100 as I needed it for the 60(one died)


dtt255 said:
Well I decided to go with a Odyssey 2150.

A local battery shop I spoke to
said they want me to bring the truck down so that they can test a few things out.

First they want to make sure that with everything running that the alternator is not going to be running at max the whole time.

Plus they want to make sure that I am not going to be draining a battery that large faster then the alternator can re-charge it.

I will post the results of those findings!

Thanks for the help everyone!
Click to expand...
 
Well I got the Odyssey 2150 installed this morning. Was about 1 1/2 longer then the stock Panasonic but they fabricated a new bracket and then some extension for the hookups and all was good.

It seems that one of the positive wires goes right into the fuse box and is extremely short so without the extension, it would not have worked.

The truck runs so much better!! LOL....

They were amazed that even with the a/c on high and the high beams on that it still never got above 13.4 volts.
 
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