Slee Dual Battery Tray - What batteries have you used?

[brizzle]

I am working on a dual battery setup and intend to use the slee main and aux battery trays. I want to have matching batteries and have decided on Odyssey's. The Odyssey 75/86-PC1230 will clearly fit in both locations but I would like to use the 35-PC1400, same price and more power. Problem is the pc1400 is .78 inches taller than slee's MT7-75DT recommendation.

What batteries have you used?

Can anyone confirm I would have the clearance for battery posts with another .78 inches of height? I have asked slee and they can't confirm at the moment.

Thanks everyone!

 

[cmck]

I am working on a dual battery setup and intend to use the slee main and aux battery trays. I want to have matching batteries and have decided on Odyssey's. The Odyssey 75/86-PC1230 will clearly fit in both locations but I would like to use the 35-PC1400, same price and more power. Problem is the pc1400 is .78 inches taller than slee's MT7-75DT recommendation.

What batteries have you used?

Can anyone confirm I would have the clearance for battery posts with another .78 inches of height? I have asked slee and they can't confirm at the moment.

Thanks everyone!

I have the slee version 2 dual battery tray with the MT7-75DT battery installed. It has military terminal clamps facing the front with positive toward the passenger fender.

I placed a roll of 1" tape roll on top of the positive terminal even with the outer edge of the terminal cover. This sits just below the fender seam as the photo shows.

I closed the hood and the gas strut just struck the outer edge. Note the slight black marking on the tape roll. I have about 3/8 of an inch available to move the battery away from the fender. Come to your own conclusions and or try fit one just to be sure. My conclusion is that it possible if your really sure of you measurements. In addition there is more clearance if you flip the terminals to the rear as the hood slants up and away.

 

[brizzle]

I have the slee version 2 dual battery tray with the MT7-75DT battery installed. It has military terminal clamps facing the front with positive toward the passenger fender.
View attachment 1378158
I placed a roll of 1" tape roll on top of the positive terminal even with the outer edge of the terminal cover. This sits just below the fender seam as the photo shows.
View attachment 1378159
I closed the hood and the gas strut just struck the outer edge. Note the slight black marking on the tape roll. I have about 3/8 of an inch available to move the battery away from the fender. Come to your own conclusions and or try fit one just to be sure. My conclusion is that it possible if your really sure of you measurements. In addition there is more clearance if you flip the terminals to the rear as the hood slants up and away.

Thanks! That is a huge help. Pretty sure I'm going to try and make it work. I'll definitely post it when complete.

 

[cmck]

Update: I have put in the arb dual compressor and the space between the MT7-75DT is tight. I ended up moving the battery as far to the rear as I could and toward the passenger fender. This movement allows the metal air tube to just clear by 1/4" the side battery posts. The metal air tube is rotated about 35 degrees to the engine side.

I ran the greatly shortened arb wiring harness out the bottom and to the side. I moved the diagnotic port forward to the an air filter bolt.

Here is a shot from above that shows the location and the clearance of the hose.

 

[brizzle]

wow, that is tight and exactly what I am looking at doing, probably going to end up sticking with the recommended dimensions just to be safe. Thanks for the update.

 

[4Beast]

I am working on a dual battery setup and intend to use the slee main and aux battery trays. I want to have matching batteries and have decided on Odyssey's. The Odyssey 75/86-PC1230 will clearly fit in both locations but I would like to use the 35-PC1400, same price and more power. Problem is the pc1400 is .78 inches taller than slee's MT7-75DT recommendation.

What batteries have you used?

Can anyone confirm I would have the clearance for battery posts with another .78 inches of height? I have asked slee and they can't confirm at the moment.

Thanks everyone!

Do people always run matching batteries? I have seen people advocate for having a start battery with more CCA and a deep cycle for the aux, as it wouldn't be harmed by being fully depleted? is that the norm, or some kind of terrible idea?

 

[brizzle]

At this point I have done a pretty decent amount of research into the question of matching batteries or not. Some people still will tell you that you need to match or you will wear them out faster or they won't perform. This is mostly a misconception due to the fact that this is very true in a series application vice parallel which is what we are doing. In a parallel setting, type is more important than size. Generally speaking different size batteries have different rates of charge and discharge. Different types of batteries have different charging profiles (requiring different chargers, voltage, and amp profiles). These differences can put strain on the larger to bring up the smaller and on the flip can limit the larger batteries ability to take a full charge. If you stay with the same type, meaning AGM, then you at least have similar charging profiles. Most people I have seen are upgrading their start batteries to AGMs that have both good CCA ratings but deep cycle performance as well. Some will tell you that you can't get the best of both worlds but most expensive AGM deep cycles have as good or better CCAs than stock wet batteries of the same size. My final thought is that you should opt for the biggest AGMs with the best specs, after that it is just a comparison of price and warranty. Right now I am leaning toward Odyssey group 31 2150 for the start and 75 group PC1230 for the aux. These are the exact same size as the Slee recommended Interstate batteries but have better specs. The x2 power batteries have the same specs as the Odyssey's but are way more expensive. I have seen people say they got them around $250 which would be about the same price as the Odysseys but I have only seen them over $300.

Here is a video I put together talking about picking the batteries for my buddies 4runner and my land cruiser. It is a bit boring but I was home on medical leave and needed to do something to keep from going crazy It is going to be a little while before I get everything and install but I'll be sure to let you guys know what I ultimately decided.

 

[jrmudder92]

Right now I am leaning toward Odyssey group 31 2150 for the start and 75 group PC1230 for the aux. These are the exact same size as the Slee recommended Interstate batteries but have better specs. The x2 power batteries have the same specs as the Odyssey's but are way more expensive. I have seen people say they got them around $250 which would be about the same price as the Odysseys but I have only seen them over $300.

Okay so i'm doing the slee second battery kit and need some help. i want to do two of the same kind. as of now the x2 power battery's are cheaper the the odyssey ones. but can only find a start battery and not one for the slee tray. what did you end up doing?

 

[4Beast]

Okay so i'm doing the slee second battery kit and need some help. i want to do two of the same kind. as of now the x2 power battery's are cheaper the the odyssey ones. but can only find a start battery and not one for the slee tray. what did you end up doing?

I'm not he OP, but I ended up getting two Bosch AGMs, a 27F and a 34 for the second. They have been great so far...

 

[vman07]

I'm not he OP, but I ended up getting two Bosch AGMs, a 27F and a 34 for the second. They have been great so far...

Is your Bosch 34 a deep cycle ? I thought the whole point of the 2nd battery was to be able to run things off it like a fridge, lights, power , etc , when the truck is off...

 

[brices123]

I installed Odyssey batteries in both locations. I installed the PC1500/34R in the main (factory) tray and the PC1230/DT in the Slee second battery tray. The PC1500 is shorter than the factory battery, so I had to use a space (pieces of wood ).
Everything runs and functions great. I paid $525 for the two batteries (plus tax).

 

[4Beast]

Is your Bosch 34 a deep cycle ? I thought the whole point of the 2nd battery was to be able to run things off it like a fridge, lights, power , etc , when the truck is off...

The Bosch is a regular AGM. As I understand it, the characteristics that determine whether a battery is deep cycle or not (primarily the thickness of the lead plates) are appreciably less relevant with AGM than traditional flooded lead acid batteries, and even with the blue top vs the yellow top Optimas, there seems to be little actual difference. That said deep discharges will negatively affect the battery (it will for deep cycle too, just less) but some sources seem to claim that it can still handle hundreds of deep discharges. In reality, If I have a "good" camping/overlanding year I may get out 30 nights, so even if it deeply discharges each of those nights (which it doesn't) that would still likely get me 4 years of use or more, which isn't terrible. In reality my dual battery is for peace of mind, I like to know that I can utterly kill it (which I don't) and still be able to start my vehicle. Also AGMs are good at limiting discharge during non-use and charge much more quickly than flooded batteries. My truck sits for a long time sometimes, as I don't drive a lot, so that seems positive as well. Hope this helps. Others can certainly offer their insights too!

 

[gatormark91]

Double-nut the battery hold-down J-hooks. There isn't much room between my MT7-75DT and the hood lift gas strut. You want to make sure that thing is SECURE so it doesn't slide at all towards the fender. I guess you also need to check the width of any battery other than the Interstate for that same reason.

 

[brizzle]

Okay so i'm doing the slee second battery kit and need some help. i want to do two of the same kind. as of now the x2 power battery's are cheaper the the odyssey ones. but can only find a start battery and not one for the slee tray. what did you end up doing?

Sorry I am late to the thread, I was off grid this weekend. I still haven't tackled this mainly due to other projects but also still considering options. I am definitely going with the 2150 in the start location and was going to install the slee aux mount and mock up the 35-PC1400 in cardboard or something to check clearance before I buy. I am pretty sure it will fit, although tight. I may chicken out and go with the 75/86-PC1230. My most recent thought is to rewire the aux as the start and start as the aux. This would be a follow on project. I saw someone do this in a 200 series and a 100 series owner on here mentioned doing it. The idea makes me a little nervous but the 2150 should last twice as long when used as the auxiliary. Pretty sure I will be tackling the initial dual install in the next month or so and will definitely let you all know. Can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted this! I am slacking.

 

[jrmudder92]

Sorry I am late to the thread, I was off grid this weekend. I still haven't tackled this mainly due to other projects but also still considering options. I am definitely going with the 2150 in the start location and was going to install the slee aux mount and mock up the 35-PC1400 in cardboard or something to check clearance before I buy. I am pretty sure it will fit, although tight. I may chicken out and go with the 75/86-PC1230. My most recent thought is to rewire the aux as the start and start as the aux. This would be a follow on project. I saw someone do this in a 200 series and a 100 series owner on here mentioned doing it. The idea makes me a little nervous but the 2150 should last twice as long when used as the auxiliary. Pretty sure I will be tackling the initial dual install in the next month or so and will definitely let you all know. Can't believe it's been almost a year since I posted this! I am slacking.

You think this would fit SLI34-78AGMDP - X2Power Premium BCI Group 34/78 AGM Car and Truck Battery (Dual Terminals) at Batteries Plus Bulbs
It’s 1.4 in longer but same width. And .16 shorter.

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

Fits perfectly in the older Slee Aux tray.

 

[jrmudder92]

View attachment 1572913 Fits perfectly in the older Slee Aux tray.

I have the new style try. Wish I️ had the old. What battery is that? The one i linked?

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

I have the new style try. Wish I️ had the old. What battery is that? The one i linked?

Yep

 

[brizzle]

You think this would fit SLI34-78AGMDP - X2Power Premium BCI Group 34/78 AGM Car and Truck Battery (Dual Terminals) at Batteries Plus Bulbs
It’s 1.4 in longer but same width. And .16 shorter.

Looking at @cmck pics above, I don't think it will. From his pics it is real close to the strut and fender on the outside and an AC line on the inside.

 

[jrmudder92]

Looking at @cmck pics above, I don't think it will. From his pics it is real close to the strut and fender on the outside and an AC line on the inside.

What if you flip the battery backwards?