Has anyone ever mounted a second or third battery sideways underneath and between the frame?

After reading about the Hawker dry cell battery, I was thinking that a couple thin batteries could easily be put in series under the truck possibly mounted to a homemade box and or skid plate to seal and protect them.


Can someone help here?

I recall someone posting to this site a number of great pictures of the frame they were painting or coating with some special product but my searches failed to turn up anything. If anyone can post that link here maybe it could start a good discussion on this option.

 

I haven't seen the pictures you're referring to but it wouldn't be hard to make a mounting system to mount a sealed battery box on the frame rail. By wiring the batteries in series you will double the voltage in that line...is that what you're trying to do? What is your use for the extra battery?

 

you're referring to wiring the batteries in parallel right (+) to (+) and (-) to (-) right........ this will double your amps and keep your system working off of 12V

if you wire in series you're doubling your voltage while keeping your amps the same.

 

Sorry I shouldn't have said series. Whether using small 12V or 6V batteries where would the best mounting place be? Besides my potential for careless wiring :-) what other issues might make this a bad idea? Would it be a good idea?

I haven't found the discussion but here's the frame pictures I recalled seeing... (POR15 coating).
2000 Ford Excursion 4x4 - Underside Restore

 

i was running 2 batteries on my mud drag truck for a long time wired up is parallel with no cut off switch or isolator.one was a 750cca and the other was a 950cca. rock crawler guys (jeep/buggy) often run more than one battery for multiple winch application and extra capacity.

you'll probably get more opinions on a rock crawling forum, and different applications as well, BUT there would be no harm in adding another battery, other than the ding in the pocket book of adding the cost of the battery and wires. some people will say you need to have a cut off switch between the two batteries, so when you need the extra capacity you can switch the other battery on, and some will say you'll need a isolator between the 2 batteries, so your vehicles system will run only off the main battery, and won't drain the second battery.......both are very good ideas, but sometimes not necessary. the big thump thump stereo competition guys will use the isolators to run their system off 1 or 2 extra batteries while parked and the car is off. that way they can still start the car when the go to leave because the system was isolated to the extra batteries and not the main battery of the car.

as for the mounting location, i do remember seeing the pics that you are describing. they made a separate cross member to mount the extra battery with a box around the battery mounted on the x-member. there was also another pic a while back where someone mounted a second battery with a custom bracket right next to the OEM battery location in a 5.4L SD.

me personally, i'd try and make a bracket or some room under the hood to mount the battery. the closer you can get to the oem battery the better, and you can make the cables shorter to have less power drop. i had my 2 batteries mounted in the bed of my drag truck right next to each other so i didn't have to run from the front of the truck to the front of the bed with 10ft of cables. i had about 2ft of cable between the 2 batteries to run them together, and then a main ground cable to the frame (0/3 gauge), and a main power wire to the distribution block off the battery.

 

Your Ex didn't come with a second battery??

Huh...weird...mine did.



























Sorry! Couldn't resist!

All joking aside though, is the engine compartment configuration of a gas Excursion conducive to mounting a second battery in the same place that the diesel Excursions have them? If so, that would be an ideal place for you.

Stewart

 

I've been looking at this guys method. I want another battery to feed my winch and lights.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...info-here.html

 

well on the V10 you have the air filter in the location that the 2nd battery is on a diesel. BUT you could find a new location for the evac canister that's right next to the filter and mount a batt right there.

i don't have anything against the frame rail mount either........ just not where i would want it. and that's just based off pure opinion and accessibility. i'd want a second battery accessible with the lifting of the hood...... probably cause i don't want to crawl around on my drive way to do all the mounting, lol.

 

Hey TeamMudd,

Your diagram explaining batteries in parallel or in series is helpful.

But do you really have a battery that has two negative terminals?

 

I am in the process of making a mount under the truck for a deep cycle battery. just got battery tonite. already mounted compressed air tank and pump... Ill take some pics when done. One problem I see with that link a couple of posts up is that they welded to the frame. you should never weld directly to the frame.... it a special heat treated steel and you damage the tensile strength of the frame if you weld on it
I already have the 200A battery isolator.. so the deep cycle will run the air compressor. winches when i get to building bumpers and installing them. 110 power inverter, lightbar etc..... that way they can run till dead battery and truck will still run and start of the regular batteries.. all your + side wiring needs to be dedicated to the deep cycle battery. you can use a relay with an ign or acc trigger to give u switched power off the deep cycle battery.


If you have the cash, go with a gel battery and mount it anywhere... however I wanted more Reserve Capacity and less expensive battery so went with everstart maxx marine from walmart with 205A RC. My thing for WM batteries is that the stores are everywhere so its easy to get replacement if it craps out....

 

it's a RED negative terminal at that, lol

 

Remember, If you go gel, they need to be charged differently and need a different charge circuit.

 

You know, if you dig hard enough around here, you usually find something...

Check this out for ideas:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...-a-v-10-a.html

 

Here are pics of my aux battery install as promised.
bracket is a piece of 9" channel mounted to running board support and lip on underside of body. sorry for crappy Blackberry pics but wife lost digital camera







here is pic of the air tank and compressor behind the battery

 

Clean setup, DJ. Nice!

Stewart