you need a new iPhone for better pics!
TWT -- The Wrenching Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jfz80
- Start date
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Had a no-start with Moonshine yesterday morning. She would crank, just too slow to fire, like the battery was low (but it wasn't). I knew that my battery cable situation was dismal so I used the no-start as an excuse to finally re-do my main battery cables and wire in my second battery.
Since the starter is on the DS of the cummins, I changed my original setup up to make the wiring cleaner. I ran the main power cable from the starter to the DS battery, and the main engine ground from the engine head to the DS battery. The DS battery is wired in parallel to the PS (primary) battery. Using the large gauge cables for everything really gets the juice flowing, and having these parallel 930CCA batteries causes the truck to crank SUPER fast.
I know that everyone says "wire your batteries with an isolator", but I didn't want the added complexity, nor added cost, of a controller and switch. Having the batteries in parallel doubles my capacity, which is really what I was looking for. When I add a winch I'll likely add a big marine switch so I can disconnect the "house" battery from the main battery when I'm camping or whatever. That'll be perfect for me.
Big fat engine ground.
Since the starter is on the DS of the cummins, I changed my original setup up to make the wiring cleaner. I ran the main power cable from the starter to the DS battery, and the main engine ground from the engine head to the DS battery. The DS battery is wired in parallel to the PS (primary) battery. Using the large gauge cables for everything really gets the juice flowing, and having these parallel 930CCA batteries causes the truck to crank SUPER fast.
I know that everyone says "wire your batteries with an isolator", but I didn't want the added complexity, nor added cost, of a controller and switch. Having the batteries in parallel doubles my capacity, which is really what I was looking for. When I add a winch I'll likely add a big marine switch so I can disconnect the "house" battery from the main battery when I'm camping or whatever. That'll be perfect for me.
Big fat engine ground.
@jfz80 I'd vote for standard hinges instead of a piano hinge. They would make it easier to remove the lid if you ever needed to use it as a jack base. I've done that a bunch of times - just last week in the median of Hwy 74. I used T-nuts on the lid to make removal/install faster versus nuts and washers.
RedHeadedStepChild
Proudly wearing my MC1R mutation!
Looking good.
I like your style with the piss tank. Don't know how I hadn't noticed that before.
I like your style with the piss tank. Don't know how I hadn't noticed that before.
Smart thinking John!
That is a good idea. I think they also make regular hinges with removable pins, so you don't even need a tool to take the hinge apart.
That's a hurricane creek special right there. Somehow my overflow tank bounced out on that trip and all I had to replace with was a gatorade bottle!
elkaholic
Left turn ...freakin wipers!
@GLTHFJ60
Nothing wrong with wiring the batteries in parallel without an isolator. Almost all of the domestic diesel pickups are wired exactly as you have done though the positive and grounds typically come from the opposite batteries. The engine batteries in my RV are wired as you have described and they spin the ISC pretty nicely as as well
Nothing wrong with wiring the batteries in parallel without an isolator. Almost all of the domestic diesel pickups are wired exactly as you have done though the positive and grounds typically come from the opposite batteries. The engine batteries in my RV are wired as you have described and they spin the ISC pretty nicely as as well
NCFJ
Supporting Vendor
Yes, very common set up on many light and medium duty trucks. I got accustomed to running isolators on everything from working on boats. I ran a 3 battery system on my CC with twin motors. Basically a house battery and a battery for each motor. I would eventually isolate yours just as an insurance policy at some point. The only down side of straight parallel is that if one battery dumps it will pull it's mate down with it over time.
The 60 series guys are grilling me for not having fuses in the positive cable path between batteries. I see their point, but if we're going to talk about fusing off all potential dead-short hazards, then there are a few other circuits that should be fused.
Do y'all think I need a fuse?
Do y'all think I need a fuse?
elkaholic
Left turn ...freakin wipers!
I would wrap that wire in some heater hose for chafe protection and call it good. A maxi fuse and holder for the kind of amps you are talking about gets spendy ... If you do anything, go with a circuit breaker.
I would not worry about it. Go open the hood of any Dodge/Ram Cummins truck or any PowerStroke and you will not find a fuse. You will find careful OE wiring routing to avoid chafe.
I would not worry about it. Go open the hood of any Dodge/Ram Cummins truck or any PowerStroke and you will not find a fuse. You will find careful OE wiring routing to avoid chafe.
Blue sea circuit breakers only go up to 200A. Do I need a 900A+ fuse/circuit breaker because my batteries can put out 930 CCA (each)?
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Surface-Circuit/dp/B007P5UNNW/
That's what I was thinking too.
elkaholic
Left turn ...freakin wipers!
Fuse protects the wiring ... Size the fuse to save the wire. Blue Sea has a good resource in their printed / pdf catalog to help you.
But it is all academic since you really don't need it
But it is all academic since you really don't need it
Last edited:
Fuse protects the wiring ... Size the fuse to save the wire. Blue Sea has a good resource in their printed / off catalog to help you.
But it is all academic since you really don't need it
Duh, I always forget that fact. The limiting factor is always the wiring.
You're the man
NCFJ
Supporting Vendor
X2 on this
I have wired my fair share of vehicles and boats and never felt the need to add a fuse in line on a main power cable. I have gone overboard on sheathing, including what Sam mentioned, heater hose. If you look under the hood of almost any vehicle with similar set ups to yours, you will find sections of that wire with what amounts to heater hose. These are suspected high abrasion areas.
The other thought is that adding a fuse adds another 2 more connections minimum, in that particular line. Your money is better spent on a flexible conduit of some sort with extra protection in suspected rub areas.
I
I agree in making sure your winch wires are properly protected. This is what I found last week....
I agree in making sure your winch wires are properly protected. This is what I found last week....
I
I agree in making sure your winch wires are properly protected. This is what I found last week....
Jason told me about that, but damn, the pictures really drive the point home.
Do you know what caused it?
RedHeadedStepChild
Proudly wearing my MC1R mutation!
I think this image shows what i believe happened. The only unprotected part of the wire was rubbing against the battery hold down and rubbed through the rubber insulation until i had metal on metal.
NCFJ
Supporting Vendor
See the conduit at the bottom of the cable? That should come up to the end of the cable. I also do a wrap in high quality tape as well. That particular cable I would also sheath with some hose from now on.
I generally run the primary winch cable through a solenoid mounted close to the battery. Only a short lead between the battery and the solenoid is always hot. The rest of the wire out to the winch is dead until I throw a switch in the cab. Not only is the solenoid a switch, it is also a fuse and generally blow before a major wire melt down, that is once you've thrown the switch.
I generally run the primary winch cable through a solenoid mounted close to the battery. Only a short lead between the battery and the solenoid is always hot. The rest of the wire out to the winch is dead until I throw a switch in the cab. Not only is the solenoid a switch, it is also a fuse and generally blow before a major wire melt down, that is once you've thrown the switch.
I never thought before to fuse the winch, but now i'm considering it for the next install.
