Fine looking passenger side battery tray there. Very fine.
Budget Dual Battery System
- Thread starter AustinCruiser
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #22
It wouldn't have been possible without your help!!
I have the painless wiring setup, but only bought their isolation solenoid wired up to a Toyota rear heater switch. The switch has three settings 1. Charge both batteries with engine running and isolate the batteries when the engine is off 2. Isolate the batteries regardless of engine running or not. 3. Combine the batteries regardless of the engine status for a self jump or boost during heavy loads.
Total cost was $ 90 for the solenoid and $20 for the Toyota switch.
Total cost was $ 90 for the solenoid and $20 for the Toyota switch.
Just wanted to update w/ my results. This is the best dual battery setup as far as simplicity and cost go. Got it hooked up in my '89 Jimmy and it's been awesome so far. A very slick set up -- I bought the Blue Sea from Ebay for $75 and spent a couple hundred in wire, eyelets, and fuses from West Marine and I have a bulletproof setup now.
Thanks for the post AustinCruiser -- you helped me solve my isolation dilemma!
Thanks for the post AustinCruiser -- you helped me solve my isolation dilemma!
Couldn't you connect both the A & B post of the relay to "self jump" the truck if needed?
alia176
SILVER Star
an observation:
Your winch is on the aux battery. When you're winching, your engine is running and the 120amp relay is energized, charging both batts.
You winch can pull anywhere from 200-700 amps depending on load (how stuck are you!).
Do you think the winch will try to pull some serious juice through your relay from the main batt as well as the aux battery? If so, the 120amp rated contacts may end up getting welded to each other. This probably will never happen but keep that in mind.
Your winch is on the aux battery. When you're winching, your engine is running and the 120amp relay is energized, charging both batts.
You winch can pull anywhere from 200-700 amps depending on load (how stuck are you!).
Do you think the winch will try to pull some serious juice through your relay from the main batt as well as the aux battery? If so, the 120amp rated contacts may end up getting welded to each other. This probably will never happen but keep that in mind.
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Do you have a link to a write up you did of this by chance?
Still working well? I'm about to buy my battery and isolator now and just wanted to see if it was still performing as needed. Have you drained the house battery yet?
Thanks!
Thanks!
- Thread starter
- #29
Still working like a champ. This is a good way to add a second battery without breaking the bank.
Had mine installed for 3 months now with no issues at all. I have a fridge and few other 12V acc hooked up to the Aux battery. Ran the fridge for 3 days with out starting and had no problem starting once the start battery was back up to strength the relay switch and started charging aux battery.
Great cheap simple setup that leaves nothing to be desired. I checked both battery's to make sure they are still working fine and both are working great. I have a marine deep cycle on the aux and it has had no issues taking to load or recharging quickly after. .
Great cheap simple setup that leaves nothing to be desired. I checked both battery's to make sure they are still working fine and both are working great. I have a marine deep cycle on the aux and it has had no issues taking to load or recharging quickly after. .
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This is a great little setup, I do think some of these dual batteries are way over done. Only thing I would do is have a volt meter for both batteries.
Q:
Is the blue seas bar for all the grounds to help isolate the earth for leakage and to help from equallizing the batteries and to make sure they are completely independant?????
Do you have any pics of your setup? Sounds like I'm really interested in combining the two ideas, the bluesea setup with you switch idea to get all combinations.
Do you think I can use 2 gauge wire from Battery A and B to the relay?
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Been collecting parts for some time and now 75% there with the install.
So far have done the following:
1. Relocated ARB compressor from 2nd battery location (underhood space is a bitch with the S/C for sure)
2. Installed OEM battery box from 91 cruiser
3. Installed OEM washer bottles from 91 cruiser
4. Installed LandTank Carbon Canister relocation bracket
5. Installed BlueSea Fuse for line from A to B
6. Installed BlueSea Charging System from this thread to firewall using NutSerts
7. Upgraded main battery lines to 1/0 cables
Still to be completed:
1. Install cables to secondary battery - I too had the question regarding 2ga AWG vs. 1ga. I did all of the calculations and 2ga appears to be OK, but 1ga would give more of a margin for error. Any "expert" opinions? Running about a 12' total run from the main to the secondary.
2. Install power feed to PS rear quarter panel
3. Wire fusebox in rear quarter for accessories
4. Oh yeah, buy a deep-cycle battery
Essentially I am looking at having the secondary battery be setup for camping. Will continue to work with the BlueSea systems products as they are locally available at WestMarine and really, really simple. No need to over-engineer for sure.
Steve
So far have done the following:
1. Relocated ARB compressor from 2nd battery location (underhood space is a bitch with the S/C for sure)
2. Installed OEM battery box from 91 cruiser
3. Installed OEM washer bottles from 91 cruiser
4. Installed LandTank Carbon Canister relocation bracket
5. Installed BlueSea Fuse for line from A to B
6. Installed BlueSea Charging System from this thread to firewall using NutSerts
7. Upgraded main battery lines to 1/0 cables
Still to be completed:
1. Install cables to secondary battery - I too had the question regarding 2ga AWG vs. 1ga. I did all of the calculations and 2ga appears to be OK, but 1ga would give more of a margin for error. Any "expert" opinions? Running about a 12' total run from the main to the secondary.
2. Install power feed to PS rear quarter panel
3. Wire fusebox in rear quarter for accessories
4. Oh yeah, buy a deep-cycle battery
Essentially I am looking at having the secondary battery be setup for camping. Will continue to work with the BlueSea systems products as they are locally available at WestMarine and really, really simple. No need to over-engineer for sure.
Steve
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Its just a ground for the relay its self not a high load ground like a battery or anything.
I have had my system running almost 9 months now and zero issues with it. I have been really happy with it for the cost and simplicity. I use my deep cycle battery for all my camping needs, ARB fridge LED camp lights, 3 x 12V outlets. So far I have really enjoyed and had zero problems.
Moving slowly along with my install. Basically have the whole charging circuit ready for the 2nd Battery, and waiting for the Sears sale in November to pick up a new Group 34 P-1 as my Main, and swap my current battery into the Secondary position.
One side-project I did was come up with a solution for mounting the two negative cables to the block. I was not happy that the Main Neg cable ended up going directly below the oil filter, and that the cable was a bit more stressed than I would like. What I wanted was the cables to come off the block in a nice perpendicular orientation.
So, I asked a friend who used to have a fab shop if he had any spare material which could do the job. He actually had some blocks of mild steel which were already drilled at 90 degree angles. All I had to do was drill one side a little bigger to accommodate the 1mm bolt to the block, and to tap the other to accept a 1mm bolt. Prepped and painted all but the conducting surfaces.
Here is what they ended up looking like. Sorry no pics yet of them on the block as it is pretty hard to even see in there.
Steve
One side-project I did was come up with a solution for mounting the two negative cables to the block. I was not happy that the Main Neg cable ended up going directly below the oil filter, and that the cable was a bit more stressed than I would like. What I wanted was the cables to come off the block in a nice perpendicular orientation.
So, I asked a friend who used to have a fab shop if he had any spare material which could do the job. He actually had some blocks of mild steel which were already drilled at 90 degree angles. All I had to do was drill one side a little bigger to accommodate the 1mm bolt to the block, and to tap the other to accept a 1mm bolt. Prepped and painted all but the conducting surfaces.
Here is what they ended up looking like. Sorry no pics yet of them on the block as it is pretty hard to even see in there.
Steve
Tapage
Club 4X4 Panamá
glad I found this thread .. great solution to run dual battery setup .. thanks for sharing !
Would be nice to have the painless solution listed above too ..
Would be nice to have the painless solution listed above too ..
I love this simple idea for a dual battery system and I am hoping to do this same thing but with my Noco 90 amp isolator. But I was wondering if you guys could help me out because mine has two more posts that I am not sure how to connect. The extra posts are for the Alternator and the other is for a Delcotron Excitation which I have no idea what to do with. So for the alternator that kind of sucks if I have to split the OEM wiring.
OK I am sold on the simplicity of this set-up. I just put my NOCO isolator up for sale along with a Blue Sea switch and am going to just buy this 120A relay. But I plan on mounting it in front of the battery behind the head lights and running my lines straight across in front of the radiator along with my Slee light harness.
great writeup and tips!
