Dual Battery Set-Up

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Bluetribal

Bluetribal

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
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280
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Sandy Eggo
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www.markkuz.com
My battery is quickly dying and I am afraid I will have to replace it this week before getting all of the parts for my dual battery set-up and my trip back home to the high desert. So first off I need to select a good starter battery to go with the DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-1 - Group 31M for my second deep cycle accessory battery. Should I stay with the Sears Die Hard or Platinums?

Once I get all the bits and pieces I plan to set-up my dual batteris just as Kevin (Boston Mangler) did with the Blue Seas 4-way switch: Baja Overland

Next I would like to hear opinions on routing the wires across the front of the radiator or looping all around the back firewall to connect the two batteries to the PS battery tray..
 
The Platinums should be a rebadged Odyssey. Which is made by the same company as the Optimas, Johnson Controls.
If you are using 2/0 welding cable for connection the 2nd battery there won't be much voltage drop that short of a distance.
I would try to use the flame resistant wire loom and utilize the direction that looks the cleanest/neastest. I would think if you could get it up under the radiator support it would almost be hidden.
 
There are write ups on mud I've seen routing the cable across the front/top of the radiator. I just dropped mine down below the radiator, accross and up to the primary battery. Too long a run to go back to the firewall, accross and back up.

Stick with a good old Diehard for your primary. Just MHO.
 
Rambrush said:
The Platinums should be a rebadged Odyssey. Which is made by the same company as the Optimas, Johnson Controls.
Click to expand...

The odyssey and DHP are made by Enersys. They are a much, much better battery than the Optima.





Mark,

just curious, are you going with a group 24 as the PS battery or a second 24F? The way toyota designed it was to keep the positive terminal away from the
fender in the event of a wreck. If you use a group 24 on the PS, you will achieve the same effect (keep the positive away from the fender). Group 24 and 24F have the positive and negative terminals reversed.

I too am going with the manual disconnect, with my radio equipment running off of the second battery.
 
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I have the Sears DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-1 - Group Size 31M and really like it. I am only running one battery for both starting and the fridge and so far it has been a great choice in my opinion. This might be a good choice for both your primary and secondary battery....
 
Hey Mark,

Definitely agree on your choice of batteries, the first thing I noticed after I put in mine was the cranking speed was faster - that has to be a good sign, right?

I don't get why though, you want to put in one of those crude (but simple) battery switches? Is it the simplicity or robustness, or....?

The best, coolest, high-tech-iest(?) way to control the dual batteries is to use a 200 amp solenoid to connect the two batteries and then a 3-way switch on the dash to control the solenoid.

In one position, the two batteries are connected as soon as the alternator starts to charge.
In position two (middle) the two batteries can be completely disconnected from each other.
In position three, the two batteries can be jumped together in case the first battery dies and needs a boost.

A little tricky on the wiring side, but definitely easier in the long run. And I'd hook up a volt-meter to the 2nd battery to keep an eye on State Of Charge.

Dan.
 
It sounds like you have some good recommendations on batteries. And I didn't know that Platinums are rebadged Odyssey. I have Odysseys on mine and have been very satisfied with them.

I would route the cables in front underneath the support that holds the hood latch. It seemed easier, and cheaper since battery cable will add up pretty quickly.
:cheers:
 
sdnative said:
Mark,

just curious, are you going with a group 24 as the PS battery or a second 24F? The way toyota designed it was to keep the positive terminal away from the
fender in the event of a wreck. If you use a group 24 on the PS, you will achieve the same effect (keep the positive away from the fender). Group 24 and 24F have the positive and negative terminals reversed.

I too am going with the manual disconnect, with my radio equipment running off of the second battery.
Click to expand...

That's a good point I will look into the Group 24 rather than the 31 since I will be putting the deep cycle batt. on the passenger side.
 
SoCal_80 said:
I have the Sears DieHard Marine Battery, Platinum PM-1 - Group Size 31M and really like it. I am only running one battery for both starting and the fridge and so far it has been a great choice in my opinion. This might be a good choice for both your primary and secondary battery....
Click to expand...

Yeah but these deep cycle Marine batts. are expensive so I rather just have a good starter battery since I can jump myself if need be.
 
Bluetribal said:
Yeah but these deep cycle Marine batts. are expensive so I rather just have a good starter battery since I can jump myself if need be.
Click to expand...

Expensive, ya i agree! I got it on sale so the price was a little bit less painful. I carry a small jump box in the event the battery goes dead on me but so far, no issues at all.

Good luck on your battery quest!
 
fj80toyman said:
Hey Mark,

I don't get why though, you want to put in one of those crude (but simple) battery switches? Is it the simplicity or robustness, or....?

A little tricky on the wiring side, but definitely easier in the long run. And I'd hook up a volt-meter to the 2nd battery to keep an eye on State Of Charge.

Dan.
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I am going with Kevin's set-up. It seems to be the easiest and the less chance I am going to screw it up. And I won't need an instruction manual to remember how to use it a year from now when I am out in the middle of no where. So if all I have to do is pop the hood and rotate the dial I am good with that.
 
So looking through the Die Hard Batts. and I see North & South in the description. I would assume that it's the side the pos post is on but the photos don't seem to indicate that. I know I can't rely on an internet picture but trying to figure out what one I want for the US Driver side.
 
Group 24F is factory issue for US DS. The terminals will be reversed on a group 24 non-F.

The North and South you are seeing are not platinums. The website does not show any group 24 or 24F platinums, so you'll probably have to call the store.
 
Bluetribal said:
So looking through the Die Hard Batts. and I see North & South in the description. I would assume that it's the side the pos post is on but the photos don't seem to indicate that. I know I can't rely on an internet picture but trying to figure out what one I want for the US Driver side.
Click to expand...

OK, figured out that the North & South is just the temperate zone. And I found a 24-F DieHard Gold that I may go with.
 
Just got back from picking up my main starter battery at lunch from the Sears on Claremont Mest Blvd. I decided to go with the DieHard Platinum P-2 Group 65 battery. It is smaller in size than the DieHard Inernational Group 27 I have in now but the posts are on the front side so I will have to lossen up the slack in the wires for them to reach.
The dimensinos are 7-2/5" High | 7 1/5" W | 11 4/5" L and it has a 930 Cold Crank at 0°, 135 Reserve Minutes & 75 Amp Hrs.

So this weekend I am going to switch out the main battery and install the washer bottle bracket and second battery tray to get ready for the second battery. The second battery will be the Group 31 Marine Platinum that is so popular on this site but I think I will be waiting until after Christmas for that $$$ Bad Boy.
 
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