albersondh
03-02-2009, 12:25 AM
I know there are kits out there for doing this but I had all this stuff (minus the deep cycle battery) laying around. So I whipped up a dual battery set up that I think anyone could do. This system gives you three modes with a DPDT switch. Obviously the position of the aux battery in this system makes it necessary to remove your OE air box. An alternative to that would be to simply mount your aux battery in another position.
Switch positions:
1: Ignition on switches solenoid on. This gives you complete battery isolation with the key off without worrying about the batteries fighting each other for charge equalization. They are completely isolated in this position, and only connect in parallel when the ignition is on. It also lets you run all you auxiliary crap of the aux/deep cycle battery, without worrying about running your primary battery down.
2: Solenoid off all the time. This puts you straight on your primary starting battery.
3: Primary/aux batteries connected all the time. This is the mode you would select if your primary (starting) battery shit the bed on you. This will force both batteries to be connected together in parallel all the time
Parts:
- DPDT switch. You can get this from most generic auto parts joints. It has six connecters on the back and three positions. I get mine from Home Depot for about $5
- Batteries. I suppose you could use whatever you want. I chose to go with a red top for primary starting, and a Exide Deep Purple deep cycle for my aux battery.
- 200A continuous duty solenoid. I like the Stancor 586-902 for this. They run about $50.
- 15’ 1/0AWG. You may be able to go with some 2AWG but in this case bigger is only better. Check e-bay for cheap battery cable.
- 1/0AWG terminal ends. I used 4.
- 20’ 14AWG, for connecting the solenoid to the switch.
- ¾” heat shrink.
- Angle iron and flat stock for making the battery tray.
- 2 top post terminal ends for connecting to the aux battery.
- 2 side post terminal ends for connecting to the primary battery.
Here is the basic idea:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/Dualbatteryrevised.jpg
This is how it all looks when its finished:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04376.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04377.jpg
I started by making a battery tray for the aux battery. My aux battery is a Exide deep purple. I read some great reviews on these and for $175 it was a better deal than a comparable yellow top. It also has a greater RC than the yellow top.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04367.jpg
This is the third battery tray I have made this way. I’m pretty happy with them. Simple, cheap, easy to build.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04368.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04369.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04370.jpg
I needed to space the tray up about 2" to get it fit without interfering with the contour of the wheel well. I had some 2x6 laying around so I made a template to match the contour, then I traced and cut out a spacer with the 2x6.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04374.jpg
Fits in the empty OE air box location very well:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04371.jpg
I mounted the 200A continuous duty solenoid to the tray like so:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04372.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04373.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04375.jpg
I used 0AWG for the connecting cable. I soldered, crimped, and heat shrunk all the cable ends. Wouldn’t want one of these coming lose and giving me a nasty surprise.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04378.jpg
Wired the batteries in parallel. I used a red top for my primary battery. This works out nice because it’s a dual post (side post and top post) battery. So I just connected the OE cables to there normal top post location, and then I used the side posts on the red top for my parallel connection to the aux battery. On the aux battery I connected the cables to the top posts because I plan on using the side post connection on the purple haze for all my aux connections (CB, winch, amp, inverter, blah blah blah).
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04380.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04381.jpg
Wires from the switch to the solenoid go through an existing fire wall hole that some chuckle heads decided I needed when they installed my electric trailer brakes; I went ahead and installed a grommet for them.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04379.jpg
I put the switch out of the way, I doubt Ill be taking it out of ignition on mode very often.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04383.jpg
If it was not around 17 deg F the whole time I was doing this I imagine it would have been an easy day job. Freezing my ass off it took me about a day and a half.
Switch positions:
1: Ignition on switches solenoid on. This gives you complete battery isolation with the key off without worrying about the batteries fighting each other for charge equalization. They are completely isolated in this position, and only connect in parallel when the ignition is on. It also lets you run all you auxiliary crap of the aux/deep cycle battery, without worrying about running your primary battery down.
2: Solenoid off all the time. This puts you straight on your primary starting battery.
3: Primary/aux batteries connected all the time. This is the mode you would select if your primary (starting) battery shit the bed on you. This will force both batteries to be connected together in parallel all the time
Parts:
- DPDT switch. You can get this from most generic auto parts joints. It has six connecters on the back and three positions. I get mine from Home Depot for about $5
- Batteries. I suppose you could use whatever you want. I chose to go with a red top for primary starting, and a Exide Deep Purple deep cycle for my aux battery.
- 200A continuous duty solenoid. I like the Stancor 586-902 for this. They run about $50.
- 15’ 1/0AWG. You may be able to go with some 2AWG but in this case bigger is only better. Check e-bay for cheap battery cable.
- 1/0AWG terminal ends. I used 4.
- 20’ 14AWG, for connecting the solenoid to the switch.
- ¾” heat shrink.
- Angle iron and flat stock for making the battery tray.
- 2 top post terminal ends for connecting to the aux battery.
- 2 side post terminal ends for connecting to the primary battery.
Here is the basic idea:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/Dualbatteryrevised.jpg
This is how it all looks when its finished:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04376.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04377.jpg
I started by making a battery tray for the aux battery. My aux battery is a Exide deep purple. I read some great reviews on these and for $175 it was a better deal than a comparable yellow top. It also has a greater RC than the yellow top.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04367.jpg
This is the third battery tray I have made this way. I’m pretty happy with them. Simple, cheap, easy to build.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04368.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04369.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04370.jpg
I needed to space the tray up about 2" to get it fit without interfering with the contour of the wheel well. I had some 2x6 laying around so I made a template to match the contour, then I traced and cut out a spacer with the 2x6.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04374.jpg
Fits in the empty OE air box location very well:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04371.jpg
I mounted the 200A continuous duty solenoid to the tray like so:
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04372.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04373.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04375.jpg
I used 0AWG for the connecting cable. I soldered, crimped, and heat shrunk all the cable ends. Wouldn’t want one of these coming lose and giving me a nasty surprise.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04378.jpg
Wired the batteries in parallel. I used a red top for my primary battery. This works out nice because it’s a dual post (side post and top post) battery. So I just connected the OE cables to there normal top post location, and then I used the side posts on the red top for my parallel connection to the aux battery. On the aux battery I connected the cables to the top posts because I plan on using the side post connection on the purple haze for all my aux connections (CB, winch, amp, inverter, blah blah blah).
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04380.jpg
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04381.jpg
Wires from the switch to the solenoid go through an existing fire wall hole that some chuckle heads decided I needed when they installed my electric trailer brakes; I went ahead and installed a grommet for them.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04379.jpg
I put the switch out of the way, I doubt Ill be taking it out of ignition on mode very often.
http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s150/albersondh/DSC04383.jpg
If it was not around 17 deg F the whole time I was doing this I imagine it would have been an easy day job. Freezing my ass off it took me about a day and a half.