just curious to see the setups you guys got.

i see isolators from $45 to marine stuff at $300+

r u running one regular batt. and one deep cycle?

 

What are your plans for needing dual batteries? Do you have a winch? Do you want a second starting battery for emergency? Big stereo, lights?

Jason

 

winch, lights, emergency starting. in the future, wanna get the electrical squared away now

 

A lot of guys will run a Optima yellow top as the main battery and a red top as the back up. The yellow top, being multipurpose, is great for a winch battery as well because it has deep cycle characteristics.

Some decent isolator kits are from Painless and Hellroaring. They get rid of the bulky manual switch and use relays and switches instead. They give you the option of running each battery seperately, or both.

You also don't want to forget about your alternator when you upgrade. I used to run the large case Ford alternator for many years. But I have recently upgraded to an internally regulated 130 amp 3G.

I have had dual batteries on my to do list for many years. I run a single Optima with the large alternator. I have winched without the engine several times, left the stereo on for hours at a time and it has never failed to start.

Jason

 

I used a Ford continuous solenoid between the 2 batteries. Relay operated via the stator output of the alternator. Got to make sure you use something that will take the load. (amperage)

 

is it automatic, or do you have to manually switch, does it work the same way as an isolator?

what's the application? what kind of car did you get it off of?

 

I also run a Ford large body alt. I started out with 2 red top Altimas and an isolater. The isolaters don't last and the red top that was the backup battery only lasted about 4 years. I replaced it with a yellow top and it has lasted about 6 years so far. The red top that is the starting battery is still going strong after 12 years.

My suggestion is to up grade to an internally regulated 3G and 2 yellow tops with No isolater. My second battery fits exatly oposite the stock one on the Drivers side by the core support. Just buy a new battery tray and bolt it in.

I haven't felt like I needed an isolater.

I am running 2 Rockford amps that pull at least 60 amps each. I also have a Warn 8000I winch and have used the starter to move the bronco at least 30 feet. The extra juice is awsome. But with no isolater and both batteries drawn down, it will sqwak the alt belt at times. And it's plenty tight.

 

I get them off Camper specials or buy them new. Just a continuous operate solenoid. Isolates when the truck not running. I used the stator winding of the alternator to operate it so it is always disconnected from the main battery when the truck wasn't running. You could put a momentary switch in the truck to operate the solenoid so you could use the aux battery to boost the main battery.

Under heavy winching you could run both batteries down if the truck is running.

 

I went through 2 continuous duty solenoids bought from NAPA. They work fine on campers where the drain is slow but won't hold up to long winching sessions with the engine running and a powerful alternator, battery combo.

 

Maybe all are not made equal. Th,eose are the same relays that the Warn Winch uses so the should work under load cause after all all it is is a solid copper ring making contact with a solid copper stud which is the best. Only thing that would hurt them is arcing but since they are operated when the motor is running no arcing. I assume you were burning out the operate windings in a cheap solinoid.

 

I've always used a marine manual switch, nothing to screw up.

 

on my truck i just run both batts conected + to + and - to - with 3 different grounds, i run 1 red top and 1 opima imperisnator, i have/had a larger stareo and about 16+ offroad lights and plans on a winch. and when i go camping i light up the whole site so we can set up when we get there after night fall.

 

The problem is that those setups tend to charge up to the point of the weaker battery (even with 2 identical batteries, they may not be the same). With some of the automatic isolation/ switch setups, it will alternate between the batteries depending on need. And, in the case you run down one battery, you can switch over to the secondary battery for starting.

Jason