Dual batteries

[Godwin]

I often travel into remote areas and almost always solo and the possibility of becoming stranded due to a dead battery reared its head. I had recently returned from a trip and had the battery fail the following week. I've been thinking about a second battery, had one installed years ago, and have been planning on reinstalling one at some point. The recent dead battery pushed this up on the priority list. I used stainless steel trays from here Stainless Steel Battery Trays for TOYOTA LANDCRUISER - https://stainlesstrays.com/. High quality stuff.

Second battery necessitates relocation of the overflow bottle and a SS bracket is available for this. The stock hose barely works, it's stretched tight so I'll be replacing the stock hose with a longer one.

Wiring of the setup will come later and I think I'll use a unit from Blue Sea to control battery charging.

 

[Godwin]

On the driver side holes are present for mounting a second battery tray but these are simply holes. You can use bolts with nuts but I decided to add in a couple of nut serts.

 

[F226continental]

Nice, I need to do this as well.

Jim I saw this hognose while on a remote national forest lake, thought you might enjoy

 

[OSS]

I found space to mount the overflow bottle on the passenger side

 

[Godwin]

I found space to mount the overflow bottle on the passenger side

View attachment 2734564

My passenger side is too crowded.

 

[Spook50]

I often travel into remote areas and almost always solo and the possibility of becoming stranded due to a dead battery reared its head. I had recently returned from a trip and had the battery fail the following week. I've been thinking about a second battery, had one installed years ago, and have been planning on reinstalling one at some point. The recent dead battery pushed this up on the priority list. I used stainless steel trays from here Stainless Steel Battery Trays for TOYOTA LANDCRUISER - https://stainlesstrays.com/. High quality stuff.

Second battery necessitates relocation of the overflow bottle and a SS bracket is available for this. The stock hose barely works, it's stretched tight so I'll be replacing the stock hose with a longer one.

Wiring of the setup will come later and I think I'll use a unit from Blue Sea to control battery charging.

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I hadn't seen his new/current design for holding the overflow bottle. I like it much better than the original. Need to order a couple hold downs from him for when I go back to G31 and go the dual route. Still keep waffling back and forth between a Hellroaring setup and a National Luna setup.

 

[DrRock]

Timely topic, I just ordered a stainless tray for my passenger side to replace the questionable one and so that I.can install a group 34 Odyssey battery. Looking forward to seeing your finished product so I can learn once I’m ready for this.

cheers. James

 

[Godwin]

Timely topic, I just ordered a stainless tray for my passenger side to replace the questionable one and so that I.can install a group 34 Odyssey battery. Looking forward to seeing your finished product so I can learn once I’m ready for this.

cheers. James

This is a good thread to read through Dual battery systems; making sense of the options - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dual-battery-systems-making-sense-of-the-options.1160297/ When I get something together I'll be going for functional simplicity.

 

[cps432]

I installed a diehard agm group 34 battery and I can leave my lights and radio on all weekend and not put a dent in the charge. I thought about getting a second one.... not sure if I really need it though. I just had to trim a bit off the edges of the stock battery tray for things to sit level. And the negative terminal just barely clears the hood.

 

[Godwin]

Finally finished up the wiring and Blue Sea ML-ACR controller over the past couple of weekends. The controller connects or disconnects the batteries. Finding a good place to mount was the first task and I found the spot in the inner fender. I used a couple of nutserts for mounting.

Bottom of the Blue Sea unit has two posts, one labelled "A" that receives a cable from the primary, or starting, battery. Second post is labelled "B" and that feeds + to the secondary, or house, battery. Made sure these posts and wires were well covered.

Thee long cable from the starting battery to the Blue Sea passes in front of the radiator. Cables were purchased from McMaster Carr and cable lugs from Waytek.

Using the in-cab switch the batteries can be connected, disconnected, or allow automatic connection. The switch panel is from @ChaserFJ60, switch blanks from Wits End and I also have the lock switch plugged in here.

 

[OSS]

Since its unfused by anything, make triple sure chafing can't happen anywhere. Driving on dirt roads sets everything in motion, especially plastic insulation rubbing against metal. Also the radiator top tank can get awfully hot when the engine is really pushing it. Hope the wire insulation is up to that heat.

I like those BlueSea components

 

[poptart]

Nice, set up. I've had the extra tray in my 62 for over a year now. Just never got around to buying the Blue Sea ML-ACR and second battery, before buying a second project that's demanding more of my time and funds currently.


The second tray makes a nice flat spot to place tools though lol

 

[red66toy]

Great stuff! Anyone know if that stainless steel bottle bracket will work with the FJ62 overflow bottle?

 

[cps432]

Great stuff! Anyone know if that stainless steel bottle bracket will work with the FJ62 overflow bottle?

I think it does. I vaguely remember reading about it years ago when searching dual battery setups.

 

[Godwin]

Great stuff! Anyone know if that stainless steel bottle bracket will work with the FJ62 overflow bottle?

It will, same part number FJ60 or 62.

 

[red66toy]

It will, same part number FJ60 or 62.

I think it does. I vaguely remember reading about it years ago when searching dual battery setups.

Thanks! This is a project I have put off for years... Another piece of the puzzle to collect

 

[Godwin]

This thread was helpful Dual battery systems; making sense of the options - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/dual-battery-systems-making-sense-of-the-options.1160297/ in deciding how I wanted to put this together.

 

[Elbert]

Finally finished up the wiring and Blue Sea ML-ACR controller over the past couple of weekends. The controller connects or disconnects the batteries. Finding a good place to mount was the first task and I found the spot in the inner fender. I used a couple of nutserts for mounting.

Bottom of the Blue Sea unit has two posts, one labelled "A" that receives a cable from the primary, or starting, battery. Second post is labelled "B" and that feeds + to the secondary, or house, battery. Made sure these posts and wires were well covered.

Thee long cable from the starting battery to the Blue Sea passes in front of the radiator. Cables were purchased from McMaster Carr and cable lugs from Waytek.

Using the in-cab switch the batteries can be connected, disconnected, or allow automatic connection. The switch panel is from @ChaserFJ60, switch blanks from Wits End and I also have the lock switch plugged in here.

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has this dual battery setup been working good long term? I did not catch what two batteries you are using ...size and type. I'm thinking of jumping into the blue sea club.

 

[Godwin]

has this dual battery setup been working good long term? I did not catch what two batteries you are using ...size and type. I'm thinking of jumping into the blue sea club.

I'd have to check the size. One battery is an Interstate and the other a Walmart brand. Yes, this system continues to work. I generally have the secondary battery offline, or disconnected, and only switch to both to top off the charge. When winching I'll generally connect both. I manually connect or disconnect the batteries, there is a way to activate the switch when the ignition is on and disconnected when off but I have not tried to set that up. I learned that if batteries are left connected over a day or two they will drain. I think it may be due to keeping the magnetic switch on. I've used this setup once or twice for a self jump start which came in very handy.

 

[dbbowen]

has this dual battery setup been working good long term? I did not catch what two batteries you are using ...size and type. I'm thinking of jumping into the blue sea club.

Another option is National Luna. Ive had their dual battery kit on my 60 for about 3 years now with the 2f and the 5.3. Its been pretty good so far. I still keep a Noco jump box in my truck, and the second battery basically just runs my fridge and baby monitor camera... or i run them in parallel when i use my winch.

The national luna has a solenoid that isolates your starting battery at key off and at start up, and after 5 min or if your starting battery reaches full charge of 14v or whatever you can hear it clunk and it will run the two batteries in parallel to charge the second battery off of the alternator. It also has this ugly clunky battery voltage indicator for the inside of the truck that i kind of hate but its nice to have.

I mounted and did all of my stuff exactly like how @Godwin did his