Second Battery Location

killj0y · Mar 23, 2015

I've been tossing around the idea of adding a second battery but I struggled with where to put it. Well has anyone here tried mounting it in the spare tire carrier? I was thinking a waterproof box bolted or somehow attached down there then with a one way setup to keep it charged. It would help with the additional lights plus a winch I'd like to eventually get. Since I have a locker and larger tires it's not like I can store a tire there anyways so just an idea what do you guys think?

bobbywalter · Mar 23, 2015

works good under there.

i would consider modifying the bed floor to access it from the top. but mounting it to the factory tire carrier will be pretty easy to do as well. or put it up front....but personally i would put them both in the back....especially behind the axle....any little bit...it helps.

will it be isolated or part of the system? i would prefer a platinum agm style for this setup myself....i went to those and have been pretty happy all around. you wont have to worry about gas build up or stuff like that with the agm style...but damn those are a kick in the berries to purchase....you will want to hide it where no one can find and steal it.

killj0y · Mar 24, 2015

bobbywalter said:
works good under there.

i would consider modifying the bed floor to access it from the top. but mounting it to the factory tire carrier will be pretty easy to do as well. or put it up front....but personally i would put them both in the back....especially behind the axle....any little bit...it helps.

will it be isolated or part of the system? i would prefer a platinum agm style for this setup myself....i went to those and have been pretty happy all around. you wont have to worry about gas build up or stuff like that with the agm style...but damn those are a kick in the berries to purchase....you will want to hide it where no one can find and steal it.

Well I didn't really want to touch the bed so these little things are the kind of things I wanted to get firsthand experiance about. I plan on it being isolated but I need to look at different setup options to see how it will work for me, I want it so that I can drain it but not affect my other battery but still be able to jump off of it in an emergency so I think an isolator and a switch is in order.

alwaysFlOoReD · Mar 24, 2015

I believe plumcrazy did a rear setup. Perhaps pm him for the page #, his thread is pretty long.

killj0y · Mar 24, 2015

alwaysFlOoReD said:
I believe plumcrazy did a rear setup. Perhaps pm him for the page #, his thread is pretty long.

good to know I'll do that

killj0y · Mar 24, 2015

Ok checked it out and yea looks like he did almost the same thing I was thinking of doing sweet but I think i'd rather run quick connects front and rear like these for a winch later or maybe jumper cables that i can make.

PlumCrazy · Mar 24, 2015

I used an Optima Chevy (side post) battery in the rear. I also added remote terminals and a quick disconnect like the one you are showing above.... But the battery itself is tied into the system via 4ga wire from the always hot starter stud.

Sent from my XT907 using Crapatalk

RangerSVT · Mar 24, 2015

A simple high current relay is all you need run to the key or switch...

SVT

killj0y · Mar 24, 2015

PlumCrazy said:
I used an Optima Chevy (side post) battery in the rear. I also added remote terminals and a quick disconnect like the one you are showing above.... But the battery itself is tied into the system via 4ga wire from the always hot starter stud.

Sent from my XT907 using Crapatalk

Cool that's pretty much what I want I wasn't sure whether to box it the spare tire carrier or do what you did and fab up a mount. how hard would it be to fuss with yours without removing the bed. Once installed I doubt I'd mess it often but in case I need too, is it a pia?

PlumCrazy · Mar 24, 2015

Made it so I just remove two bolts and the tray drops down like a trap door. I have replaced the battery twice with the bed on. Takes 5 min.

Sent from my XT907 using Crapatalk

RonD · Mar 24, 2015

You will need a larger battery positive cable for the longer run.
Negative can be grounded to the frame but make sure you have or add a ground strap from engine to frame up front.

This longer positive cable will of course be subject to the elements and road debris.
So you should have a circuit breaker at the battery, not in the engine bay, so battery will not explode, lol, if cable is shorted.

PVC pipe is flexible and fairly cheap, it would offer cable some extra protection.

Terminate cable near your current battery using a power block, fuse the winch or lighting wires there.
Isolator/charger will hook up there as well.

Then you just need a short "jumper" cable if you ever need the Aux battery to jump start

killj0y · Mar 25, 2015

PlumCrazy said:
Made it so I just remove two bolts and the tray drops down like a trap door. I have replaced the battery twice with the bed on. Takes 5 min.

Sent from my XT907 using Crapatalk

Perfect you didn't draw up your design by any chance did you? :icon_welder:

killj0y · Mar 25, 2015

RonD said:
You will need a larger battery positive cable for the longer run.
Negative can be grounded to the frame but make sure you have or add a ground strap from engine to frame up front.

This longer positive cable will of course be subject to the elements and road debris.
So you should have a circuit breaker at the battery, not in the engine bay, so battery will not explode, lol, if cable is shorted.

PVC pipe is flexible and fairly cheap, it would offer cable some extra protection.

Terminate cable near your current battery using a power block, fuse the winch or lighting wires there.
Isolator/charger will hook up there as well.

Then you just need a short "jumper" cable if you ever need the Aux battery to jump start

Well Ideally I wanted those quick disconnects up front and back and the winch would be on a hitch mount that way it can be stashed in the toolbox while not in use and have front and rear hitches for recovery. Probably with synthetic line to reduce weight. Been something I wanted to do for a while now just getting my ducks in a row now that the lockers been put in and all the mechanical things have been taken care of. :icon_welder:

PlumCrazy · Mar 25, 2015

I have the same setup you speak of...I recommend synthetic for sure...mine is steel and is awful cumbersome to move.lol

PlumCrazy · Mar 25, 2015

killj0y said:
Perfect you didn't draw up your design by any chance did you?

No.lol I can take a few pictures sometime. I made it when I was like 17.lol Its showing its age now, rusty and probably bent.lol

Second Battery Location

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