4 Battery back up?
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4 Battery back up?
Hey guys, as you know amps is something these idi engines love.
I travel way out in the boondocks quite often and was wondering if you guys could give me pointers on back up batteries.
I bought two new batteries, I still have the old ones as they hold a really good charge and would like to use them.
My idea is to fab a battery tray for all 4 batteries under the floor of my 94 idi econoline and hook them in parallel, preferably with a quick disconnect to the reserve batteries so theyre not drained.
Any ideas, guys??
Thanks guys!!!!
I travel way out in the boondocks quite often and was wondering if you guys could give me pointers on back up batteries.
I bought two new batteries, I still have the old ones as they hold a really good charge and would like to use them.
My idea is to fab a battery tray for all 4 batteries under the floor of my 94 idi econoline and hook them in parallel, preferably with a quick disconnect to the reserve batteries so theyre not drained.
Any ideas, guys??
Thanks guys!!!!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,411
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From: Victor, MT
well here is my idea for such things, totally up to you where you put it but myself being a Sheet Metal Insulator when im a civilian, i make things like boxes and stuff out of steel or aluminum. Get some 1/4" steel, you can fold it or cut and weld, take your pick. Then make your box to fit all four of your batteries with either a lid that fits over it or flips open, make sure you either getting stainless steel or covering it with paint to prevent rust from ruining it. The quick disconnect can be done getting battery cable to connect your positives together on your secondary batteries then running them into a female/male end of a plugin, then attaching the opposite end to the starter cable and do the same for your primary batteries. Then get cable for your ground which you can ground to your steel box.
Complicated idea but i have done something like this for my father's truck when he has his camper/horsetrailer on it. we personally have the battery box bolted onto the frame on the passenger side.
Complicated idea but i have done something like this for my father's truck when he has his camper/horsetrailer on it. we personally have the battery box bolted onto the frame on the passenger side.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 4
From: Victor, MT
well here is my idea for such things, totally up to you where you put it but myself being a Sheet Metal Insulator when im a civilian, i make things like boxes and stuff out of steel or aluminum. Get some 1/4" steel, you can fold it or cut and weld, take your pick. Then make your box to fit all four of your batteries with either a lid that fits over it or flips open, make sure you either getting stainless steel or covering it with paint to prevent rust from ruining it. The quick disconnect can be done getting battery cable to connect your positives together on your secondary batteries then running them into a female/male end of a plugin, then attaching the opposite end to the starter cable and do the same for your primary batteries. Then get cable for your ground which you can ground to your steel box.
Complicated idea but i have done something like this for my father's truck when he has his camper/horsetrailer on it. we personally have the battery box bolted onto the frame on the passenger side.
Complicated idea but i have done something like this for my father's truck when he has his camper/horsetrailer on it. we personally have the battery box bolted onto the frame on the passenger side.
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I replaced them because the previous owner purchased the batteries used, new batteries are cheaper than a tow. I currently have them fully charged 24/7 in the back of my van just for a quick swap. You can never be more prepared when youre 250 miles from the nearest gas pump. Yes, it gets that isolated in some of the woods I venture into. Not too far from Aune's neck of the woods. ;D
Anybody got a wiring diagram?
Thanks for the info!
Anybody got a wiring diagram?
Thanks for the info!
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2008
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Allen, what I'd probably do is have the two old batteries as "running" batteries, then have the new ones as "starting" batteries - this way you can run the old batteries down to nothing if you wanted to, and you'd still have enough battery power to start the engine. They sell nice battery isolator switches at marine supply places, for apparently boats need them cause they run two types of batteries (deep cycle and regular starting)?
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Postmaster
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Dave, but would those be able to handle the starting current? In a camper/RV the deep-cycle battery is disconnected during engine start, while in his case I think he would want the extra batteries to be part of the starting circuit so there will be quite a few amps going through that isolator switch... Altho I suppose he can wire it up like a camper/RV and designate his factory-location batteries as starting batteries only (and drop the new ones in there), while having the ACC circuits powered off his rear-mounted batteries only... Gotta have some pretty-good sized diodes in the charging cables between the alt and the two battery banks tho, else one pack may try pulling juice from the other through the charge cables (which would defeat the purpose of the isolator switch).
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: West Valley Utah
I would use a manual switch like this How to Wire a Marine Battery Switch | eHow.com. All batteries get charged but only the ones you want are used depending on what you select.
I've used the same type of switch on the huge heavy equipment batteries (they are like 4 batteries in one case) with no problems.
I've used the same type of switch on the huge heavy equipment batteries (they are like 4 batteries in one case) with no problems.
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Yup, that's the switch I was talking about. But I'm not sure they allow for charging of all batteries, seeing how in the diagram there there are no provisions for separate charging cables - thus charging will only be done to the battery selected with the switch.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Victor, MT
I replaced them because the previous owner purchased the batteries used, new batteries are cheaper than a tow. I currently have them fully charged 24/7 in the back of my van just for a quick swap. You can never be more prepared when youre 250 miles from the nearest gas pump. Yes, it gets that isolated in some of the woods I venture into. Not too far from Aune's neck of the woods. ;D
Anybody got a wiring diagram?
Thanks for the info!
Anybody got a wiring diagram?
Thanks for the info!
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