My Simple Dual Battery Setup Is Done (99%)

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Kevin,
Great thread again. Very simple!

Although I understand the need for dual battery for either winching or added power source I am very ignorant on a '4 Way Switch.'

I think I understand the postions on the switch but correct me if I'm wrong.

Off = No charge to either battery.
1 = charge to only first battery.
2 = charge to only second battery.
Both = no charge to either battery.

Thanks,
Jim
 
jklubens said:
Kevin,
Great thread again. Very simple!

Although I understand the need for dual battery for either winching or added power source I am very ignorant on a '4 Way Switch.'

I think I understand the postions on the switch but correct me if I'm wrong.

Off = No charge to either battery.
1 = charge to only first battery.
2 = charge to only second battery.
Both = no charge to either battery.

Thanks,
Jim
Click to expand...

Off = No charge to either battery.
******Correct, but also no power to anything. "Off" position disables both batteries. The radio presets and ECM will be reset as well. Kind of a pain, but a cool little added theft deterrent

1 = charge to only first battery.
****** Correct

2 = charge to only second battery.
****** Correct

Both = no charge to either battery.
****** No, this means that the rig can draw from and or charge both of them at the same time. this is somewhat dangerous if the rig isnt running because you take the risk of draining both of them. Me personally, i will only be using the "Both" position when i am driving to charge them! I am still not 150% sure that both batteries will recieve a full charge by this method.

This will be a wait and see approach. I might need a solenoid/isolator afterall. I dont think so, but i am not 100% sure. I dont know much about this stuff, so i am learning on the fly. Some more knowledgeable folks seem to think it will work fine, so that is comforting!

In my warped inexperienced mine, this setup SHOULD be fine! I will know more soon! :D
 
I like your setup and it's simplicity, but with all the switching from 1 to 2, would it have been a major pain to mount the swtich in cab so you dont have to pop the hood all the time? I almost think I saw this somewhere, but maybe not.
 
Now that i got all of the fitment dialed in, i will be upgrading it to a 3/8" distrubition block with the appropriate rubber boot to cover it all for safety!
Click to expand...

Would this beefier distribution block be in the same spot? Upon closer inspection I was refering to the two screws holding the whole thing in place. Putting a backing plate on the other side and screwing the baseplate of the distribution block down through the vinyl/plastic battery compartment wall and into the wood backing plate would help immensely in terms of strength. If not wood then another material, but then it would need to be bolted down.

Fine work. Just adding my 2 cents.

Ron
 
Montana Cruiser said:
I like your setup and it's simplicity, but with all the switching from 1 to 2, would it have been a major pain to mount the swtich in cab so you dont have to pop the hood all the time? I almost think I saw this somewhere, but maybe not.
Click to expand...

No, it would have been fairly easy. I was tempted to put it in the lower portion of the center console, but i figure under the hood is a tad harder for a thief to find, especially at night! It is bright red and all but every little deterrent helps! I open my hood a lot anyways. I constantly check my oil. Its never low, but its a habit thing! This will now get me in the habit of doing it more! :D
 
roncruiser said:
Would this beefier distribution block be in the same spot? Upon closer inspection I was refering to the two screws holding the whole thing in place. Putting a backing plate on the other side and screwing the baseplate of the distribution block down through the vinyl/plastic battery compartment wall and into the wood backing plate would help immensely in terms of strength. If not wood then another material, but then it would need to be bolted down.

Fine work. Just adding my 2 cents.

Ron
Click to expand...

Yes, the new 3/8" block will be in the same spot (i already have my custom cables made for this spot and dont want to have to redo it) and i already have the back plate for the back side of the plastic mocked up. It will be held in place using a bolt, 2 washers, a lock washer and a nut (probably a nyloc). Pics will follow!
 
If one does not want the cost to move the water bottle and buy a factory battery tray are there any other places a battery could be stored? I noticed a lot of room where I think I could put a battery on top of the spare wheel and would also have room next to it for a 120V converter.
 
To avoid needing to relocate the water bottle and installing a factory battery tray could I just use a smaller battery that I could strap in that place?
 
Beautiful!! Nice to know I'm not in left field with some of my ambitions for my rig. Did you keep the stock alternator?

It is interesting that I posted a question about power inverters and got bumped to the Outfitting forum where nobody seemed to have a clue what I was asking.
 
nice job!

at the risk of offending the purists here, I have been toying myself with the idea of getting one of these portable battery packs for the odd unexpected starting job. Of course, not the same utility level, but can't beat the price and ease of installation (none)!

Not sure if the typical one would start the cruiser OK, though. Anybody knows?
 
Ted44 said:
It is interesting that I posted a question about power inverters and got bumped to the Outfitting forum where nobody seemed to have a clue what I was asking.
Click to expand...

We knew exactly what you were asking and you were presented with several good alternatives, the best of which was to reconsider the tool you were using for the job. An electric chainsaw would be inadequate for most (probably all) of the times that I have had to clear downed trees from the trail. If your primary compliant was carrying the fuel in the cargo area then carry the fuel on your rack.

If you insist on using the wrong tool for the job then get yourself a really, really big inverter and the biggest electric chainsaw you can afford. Add a dual battery set up and you should be in business if you don't come across any big trees across the trail. Your next problem will be to make sure you're always the lead truck because it would suck to be tail gunner and have 10 trucks stopped in the dark on a narrow trail and the only saw available has a 50' extension cord. If you need versatility the electric saw just doesn't cut it (pardon the pun.)

-B-
 
Ted44 said:
It is interesting that I posted a question about power inverters and got bumped to the Outfitting forum where nobody seemed to have a clue what I was asking.
Click to expand...


I dont know the exact post you speak of being moved, but i have noticed the mods here have a tendency to favor some folks by letting them keep lame ass posts here and bash others by moving them!

Does "Just Got My 80 Heres Pics" belong in tech? No, but it stays there! :D Actually, all 50 of them stay there! :D

I see repeat posts every week asking which OME springs should i get, or What tires will fit my rig, or so on and so forth, I dont see the mods jumping down their throat to SEARCH as they do to some other members, that are actually asking decent questions! Whatever, i am over it! :D
 
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e9999 said:
nice job!

at the risk of offending the purists here, I have been toying myself with the idea of getting one of these portable battery packs for the odd unexpected starting job. Of course, not the same utility level, but can't beat the price and ease of installation (none)!

Not sure if the typical one would start the cruiser OK, though. Anybody knows?
Click to expand...

Yes, i used my coworkers to jump mine once! Those things truly are lifesavers! Well, not LIFEsavers, but pretty damn handy!
 
Montana Cruiser said:
I like your setup and it's simplicity, but with all the switching from 1 to 2, would it have been a major pain to mount the swtich in cab so you dont have to pop the hood all the time? I almost think I saw this somewhere, but maybe not.
Click to expand...

Maybe this is the picture you were thinking about. It's from a heep forum. Those guys are keen on the OEM look.

Dualbattery5.jpg


The switch connects this "simple" dual battery wiring. :D

Dualbattery6.jpg


-B-
 
Wow, i thought my install was clean! :D

Maybe i will cook spagetti tonight, paint it yellow and red and throw it in my engine compartment! :flipoff2:
 
Is it not OK to run a power inverters (for charging the video camera or the laptop - not a chain saw) from a single main battery as long as the engine is running? Then i would carry one of those cheap Costco battery jump packs or maybe better a new spare battery.
 
Boston Mangler said:
I dont see the mods jumping down their throat to SEARCH as they do to some other members, that are actually asking decent questions! :D
Click to expand...

Actually people used to jump down peoples throats to search ALL the time but it was a general consenses to back off a bit and give the repeat posters a break.

Back to the topic at hand, thanks for the great write up BostonM! I'm in need of the same mod. Do you think the longer run back to the switch will cause too much voltage drop for the starter? Obviously it works but I'm wondering how much extra cable length is used in your design over the OEM cable length. With high current loads, IR drop can be an issue.


Riley

p.s. instead of a electric chain saw, just pack a hand swede saw, works great and doesn't take much room.
 
Riley said:
Back to the topic at hand, thanks for the great write up BostonM! I'm in need of the same mod. Do you think the longer run back to the switch will cause too much voltage drop for the starter? Obviously it works but I'm wondering how much extra cable length is used in your design over the OEM cable length. With high current loads, IR drop can be an issue.
Click to expand...

There shouldnt be much, if any of a voltage drop because i used 2awg cable. Either way, it works great and i have zero problems as of now! Woo Hoo!
 
Nice write up! Thanks for the the pic of the heavy duty battery terminals. I am going to put those on the cruiser and the runner right away. Feeling kinda sheepish that I have not seen those before and been screwing with those pos cheapies all these years. :o Also bookmarked your install for when I have time for that mod.
Thanks again.
 
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