Dual Battery Setup (12 Viewers)

[weejub]

Got her done and running tonight. Haven't tested the ARB Fridge or anything in the back, yet, though. Have to finish the base board now. Got the side electrical board done, but don't have a picture - - looks like a drunk octopus, anyway . Don't h8 on my "re-purposed" red positive terminal on top of my 2nd battery ground for now to make sure I don't rub on the hood - it is close I need to get a black one and move that one over to one of the positives.

Here is the fuse placement for the line going to the back:

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Looks like it will work fine. Did the LED come on confirming it combines the batteries when charging?

 

[weejub]

It did, but it took a while - maybe 15 mins.

Fridge is running fine. I let it go tonight to see how it does in the AM.

The wireless remote isn't working. Need to figure out how to pair that, or something

Thanks again for all the help, Andrew and everyone!

We are off tomorrow to see the Outer Banks!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Full report needed. Once the batteries are basically charged, it should take 30 seconds or so. What voltage is the alternator charging the #1 battery?

Look in the manual but it should combine in 30 seconds at 13.5 volts or 2 minutes at 13.0 volts. Then disconnect at 12.75 volts.

Have a good weekend and enjoy some cold ones knowing the #1 battery is untouched and will start your truck!

 

[NC LX]

Now that your back from the trip, how did the setup work out?

 

[weejub]

Austin - It worked great. I have several changes that need to be made for fit/finish as the whole thing ended up being finished quicker than it should have been

Andrew - I never saw my house battery or little Odyssey get below 12.7v from the meter I have in the back while parked and car off. I need to actually check things out in detail - it was such a rush to get everything done. Gauge in truck shows close to 14v, but haven't put the meter on it.


Issues:

1. I am getting some rubbing on the red cover over the house battery negative terminal on the hood without really pushing the hood high via the adjustable rubber thing. This is causing the left side of the truck hood to be tilted low.

• Going to try to plane down my 1.5" tall board a bit.
• Going to route the edges and clean up the top cutting-board hold down for looks and to let the wires come down a bit on the terminals.

2. Cables are too long in the back - need to be shortened to fit properly with the board

• Will likely be removing the bed liner to install a bed slide. Going to make a decision here, first, so when I cut the cables I can re-route them.

3. Need to upgrade my wires from my breaker to stuff - need to install some lights.

4. Breaker bar does not turn off - - it only trips IF you have an issue Not going to change for now. Need to validate the correct amp breakers by workload.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

By #4 is your breaker working? It's important, that's why I like fuses!

Glad things are working as they should. But do check on the time of ACR relay closure. When you start up, it really should be just a few moments-and certainly less than 1 minute. You may want to run the LED to your cab so you know it's combining as it should. I ended up doing that in all 3 of mine.

Inside the cab, dual volt meters and the LED will keep you fully updated what's going on with your batteries.

 

[concretejungle]

I"m confused about your #4 comment as well? What do you mean it's not turning off? If i hit the test button it will turn off the breaker on mine. I clip the armature back and it's back in service.

 

[weejub]

On #4 - I thought they were switch breakers like inside your house vs only a breaker. You can't switch them off - they only go off once the breaker is thrown (Push Button Reset Only). Before that they are simply floppy and working. Once they breaker is thrown, they firm up and you have to push them down to reset them.

I should have read the fine print that was literally in BOLD

Push Button Reset-Only - Blue Sea Systems

 

[concretejungle]

Amazon.com: Bussmann (CB185-150) 150 Amp Type III Circuit Breaker: Car Electronics

Dang man, yea the above is what i use and really like it. I know Andy prefers the fuse.

 

[weejub]

Well I need several circuits so the breaker is great and I don't have to worry about pulling fuses and checking them. I just thought I could switch off at the circuit level

I could probably put the Bussman in line AFTER my Anderson PowerPole on my board and before the breaker circuits. I have the 80 Amp fuse under the hood. Could possibly go with this Amazon.com: Bussmann CB185-80 High-Amp Breaker: Home Improvement

Need to plan out how I fit this on the board as well:

Amazon.com: Victron BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT Charge Controller - 15 Amps / 75 Volts: Electronics

 

[concretejungle]

Andy taught me that you should fuse close to the battery. He said no more than 13 inches from the battery. That's why my breakers are all attached at or around the battery box.

 

[mtweller]

Andy taught me that you should fuse close to the battery. He said no more than 13 inches from the battery. That's why my breakers are all attached at or around the battery box.

Absolutely - the purpose of a fuse is to protect the wire from overheating and causing a fire. If you put it further downstream, there's more "unprotected" wire between the fuse and battery. If you have a failure between the fuse and battery, the fuse is useless, so you want to eliminate that chance. Ideally, a fuse would be connected at the battery.

 

[NCFJ]

I have been using this set up. With this you have two main fuses right at the battery and you can pull direct power for starter and winch right off the main pole.

 

[weejub]

Andy taught me that you should fuse close to the battery. He said no more than 13 inches from the battery. That's why my breakers are all attached at or around the battery box.

From the house battery, I have the following 80A fuse on 6AWG on the firewall. Total run is about 18 feet. Fuse is about 21 inches from battery terminal.

Absolutely - the purpose of a fuse is to protect the wire from overheating and causing a fire. If you put it further downstream, there's more "unprotected" wire between the fuse and battery. If you have a failure between the fuse and battery, the fuse is useless, so you want to eliminate that chance. Ideally, a fuse would be connected at the battery.

Thx - Love @NCFJ 's set up, but don't really understand how they work and how to connect. I will do more research. Would have been so much easier, too. I am sure there will be a round two of this stuff going down

 

[weejub]

I have been using this set up. With this you have two main fuses right at the battery and you can pull direct power for starter and winch right off the main pole.

OK - not hard to understand here with pics and reading about them

So this could have been pretty damn tight had I had the time to wait and get all this info.

 

[weejub]

Had daughter start the truck and the LED went on within 1 min - maybe 30-40 secs . . my "one Mississippi" wasn't very scientific.

Starter batter was at 12.57V prior to start. House battery was at 12.77V prior to start. With car running was getting 14.17v at battery terminals.

Need to check batteries after running a bit.

 

[NCFJ]

Them boat guys have things figured out

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Had daughter start the truck and the LED went on within 1 min - maybe 30-40 secs . . my "one Mississippi" wasn't very scientific.

Starter batter was at 12.57V prior to start. House battery was at 12.77V prior to start. With car running was getting 14.17v at battery terminals.

So, it's working perfectly! Great job in the end. Those are basically normal resting voltages.

Regarding fuses-as close to the battery as possible. The boat standard is 7 inches. That's why I like the MRBF. Then your fuse is right at the battery. The only issue is the the MRBF is kind of a new thing, and they are not that common, so you have to take your own spares.

 

[NCFJ]

The only issue is the the MRBF is kind of a new thing, and they are not that common, so you have to take your own spares.

X2!! They just are hard to beat for simplicity. You can also step them out for a more complex system, run one at the battery, fuse it for say 200 amps, run a cable to the rear of say an SUV and put a panel inside one of the rear quarters. Use a post and mount a double there with two fuses. This also keeps all your primary fusing the same. If you do it with dual batteries, all the better.