Dual battery installation

[NotaVegetarian]

Dual battery installation



Decided to Install a dual battery setup in my 1979 Bronco. The second battery will power all the auxiliary lights, winches, 1000 watt inverter, and USB chargers. The isolator will keep both batteries charged from the single alternator.

Here is a simple list of the parts added

(Note left the vendors off, just use Amazon you’ll find the right parts)

Dual Battery Isolator Kit 12V 140Amp, with Voltage Sensitive Relay. This is a must for dual battery systems. It allows for additional starting power if needed, and keeps both batteries charged without additional strain on the alternator.

4 Gang Rocker Switch Panel with USB Charger Voltmeter, to operate additional lights, charge usb devices, and power for the crane winch.

12V Fuse and Relay Box with 6 Pcs Relays 6 Slot ATO/ATC Blade Fuse Holder Box Block. Fuses and Relays to keep each power circuit separate.

Battery Power Cut Master Switch Disconnect Isolator for Vehicle. This disconnects positive power from the front winch when not in use.

Additional battery tray to secure the second battery.

Picked up an additional 20 feet of 4 Gauge AWG red and back Wire, some additional connectors too.

Another 24F battery

It’s a simple setup, the isolator kit came with straight forward instruction. The relay and fuse box didn’t come with any instructions, buts it’s simple, the white wire goes to the switch, yellow goes to device, black is ground, red goes to positive.

 

[miesk5]

Yo Not,
Thanks!
BTW, see dual battery links in my site @ http://schwimserver5.com/index.php?index=75

 

[johnnyreb]

Yo Not,
Thanks!
BTW, see dual battery links in my site @ http://schwimserver5.com/index.php?index=75

I just bought a heavy duty set of jumper cables . Cut the ends off and got new battery ends and hooked them to the battery . Ran over 5 years and never had any problems. I installed the extra battery . For the reason where I used to hunt.Way back in the hills . Where you very seldom seen anyone and didn,t want to walk out 30-40 miles. It was in a 78 model. These newer ones---very fragile --I try and stay away from.

 

[johnnyreb]

Now I ONLY had it wired up as starting power----NOTHING ELSE.

 

[Tiha]

Great info,

Is your second battery a deep cycle?

I had used a similar setup before with a deep cycle battery and even if I drove for 24 hours the deep cycle would not charge enough to run anything. Not sure if it was my battery, or setup or what was going on. I gave up on it.

 

[johnnyreb]

Great info,

Is your second battery a deep cycle?

I had used a similar setup before with a deep cycle battery and even if I drove for 24 hours the deep cycle would not charge enough to run anything. Not sure if it was my battery, or setup or what was going on. I gave up on it.

No--it was a regular battery and I nevery had any problems. Like I said before. I only used it as a starter helper--NOTHING ELSE.

 

[johnnyreb]

No--it was a regular battery and I nevery had any problems. Like I said before. I only used it as a starter helper--NOTHING ELSE.

Isn,t the deep cycle battery what people use on their electric motors on boats ? I,d think they would be real powerful and have great cranking power. I remember I had a small battery in my dump truck and I got alot of water in my tank from this gas station and it caused my truck to quit and I carnked on the starter a good bit to get the truck out of the road-----I do not remember the brand)

 

[wyo58]

Great info,

Is your second battery a deep cycle?

I had used a similar setup before with a deep cycle battery and even if I drove for 24 hours the deep cycle would not charge enough to run anything. Not sure if it was my battery, or setup or what was going on. I gave up on it.

When you can check out the amperage out put at different rpm's. They are usually 85 to 100 amp alternators but their full output is at like 6k rpm. I don't know about you but I rarely hit those rpm's if ever. Their output at say 2k is still about 1/3 of the rated output. I splurged for a 150 amp alternator so at 2k its putting out 50 amps.

 

[johnnyreb]

When you can check out the amperage out put at different rpm's. They are usually 85 to 100 amp alternators but their full output is at like 6k rpm. I don't know about you but I rarely hit those rpm's if ever. Their output at say 2k is still about 1/3 of the rated output. I splurged for a 150 amp alternator so at 2k its putting out 50 amps.

I had the big battery in my bronco and never had any trouble with it. I don,t know the amperage of the alternator either,but this spring when I start working on it again. I,m gonna get a high amp alternator for it.

 

[johnnyreb]

Now when I will hook BOTH battery up in my bronco. I check both battery and the alternator out put. To make sure the alternator will be matched--to not UNDER CHARGE or OVER CHARGE. Because I,ll be having a winch added onto it. I,ll also have relay (s) to protect it and anything else that I might add later on.

 

[NotaVegetarian]

Here is a picture of the stuff I’m using. The extra black cable is in the box. And the auxiliary switch panel is installed in the truck. the auxiliary battery will power all the off road lights, and winch. Will have a power cutoff connected to the winch. More pictures to come

 

[NotaVegetarian]

Ok finally got it assembled and wired in.


second battery shows the cut off switch for the front winch



fuse panel for auxiliary lights, power, relay panel wired in for auxiliary lights, power. I know a little over **** but the circuits are protected.

 

[wyo58]

I like it Johny! Looks great

 

[johnnyreb]

I like it Johny! Looks great

Its Mike,s--thanks anyways. Now Mike. On the passenger side where you have the Ford power box behind the canister. Wouldn,t it be good to move the canister. So the power box could be kept cool?

 

[NotaVegetarian]

Hey brother the canister has been there since new, the original bracket has been working pretty well, think I will leave it

 

[iam4ncsu]

Looks sharp.
I took a different path in my 93, since the battery tray was corroded out anyway. I just run them in parallel and got a 300Amp alternator.

 

[NotaVegetarian]

Still have some wire clean up to do on the inside. It’s slow for me still recovering from the back.