Adding a second battery

[LittlePearl13]

Thanks a lot guys, this is helpful stuff. I just looked under the hood, and the best place to mount it (with the most room) is exactly opposite the factory one, close to grille, driver's side.

For you guys telling me to just upgrade the existing one: that's logical, but this new battery would be for completely separate things. I would put my off road lights there, and any other auxiliary stuff like my cb, a scanner, air compressor, maybe a winch, eventually. And with this new battery, I also want to create some sort of hot terminal port with lots of space for easy installation of the power lines for that stuff, kind of like the box big blue put under his hood.

---------- Post added at 10:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:01 PM ----------

I think I'm going to order the right batt tray from lmc that big blue found. and while im at it, pick up some of those battery taps, and re-wire my lights and cb to clean it up, and hide them with some of that shrink-wrap conduit stuff. Get it all nice and clean in there.

---------- Post added at 10:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:49 PM ----------

And why not snag a cab light kit form them too, while I'm at it? if I do that, THEN I'll really be asking for some help blue, since you've done it using the exact same kit.

 

[the big blue bus]

anything you need just ask away! what this forum is for. i like helping others if i can since others do the same thing for me on this forum. i do a lot of research on random stuff for obs so anything you need more looking into id be willing to look up for you. its what i do late at night lol used to have a ton of book marks then my comp crashed and i lost em :/

---------- Post added at 01:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:12 PM ----------

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/dual_batteries_backup_battery/index.html

 

[LittlePearl13]

Haha ok, then. Prepare for me to take full advantage of that offer. That being said, I have 2 questions:

1: What is the part missing in this engine (red oval)? Why do I see so many engines without this part of the air intake part? That's what it is right?

2: That's right where I'm going to try to mount the battery, but I have am evap canister there (blue oval)... what am I supposed to do with that? Pretty sure there won't be room.

 

[the big blue bus]

the thing missing is the silencer box that goes to the fender. theres a scoop behind the passenger parking light that directs the air in the fender through that big box to the intake. i did remove it at one point and put a piece of pipe there and it made no difference in sound so i really dont know how much of a silencer it actually is. i persoinaly have it removed and my aux relax box mounted right there.

for the evap canister, mines there too. i think from reading its for the gas fuems or sometrhing and it traps them instead of letting them off into the atmosphere. may be wrong but saw a thread on it on gmt400. you could remove it, which some have over there. or you could probably extend the lines if you want to keep it. i dont know which way ill go when i do it. i want to put it there to keep it factory looking instead of throwing it somewhere under the hood. if you can get the diesel mount it would look good and like it belongs. ill see what else i can find on that.

im still researching how id do mine. id probably do like a switch where i could use battery 1 or 2 or both of them. i think that would be kinda cool or the easiest way is to wire them in a parallel circuit.

 

[DefendHawaii]

Everyone says just use optima batteries. I had a red top in my jeep and then a blue in the back relocate to power electronics and the aux lighting both really were nothing the great. Not for the price. If you want some sort of dry cell battery their are far better options for your money. I have been debating tossing in a second battery this next week. I would recommend the Sears battery from what I heard price wise it can't be beat.

 

[Done Deal DR]

I haven't been particularly impressed by Optima's either. I've had my Sears Die Hard platinum for 5 months or so and have been really happy with it. I only drive my truck a few times a month and when I do its only a couple miles at a time so it's really asking a lot for it to always have juice. So far, so good.

I've contemplated putting another in there just for extra piece of mind when out camping, but I've always wondered what to do with the evap canister. This thread is giving me some ideas, but I won't take on the project until I know I can do it well and cleanly.

 

[2drhoeon4s]

Ive got dual red tops and they fit perfect. Only thing needed is additional wiring and a battery tray.

 

[SunlitComet]

I think i will go withe sears or interstate deep cycles when I mod my power supply system.

 

[LittlePearl13]

Well, since I life in Cali, I definitely need to keep that filter. I'm going to try and just lower it down to leave some room. Let me know if you figure out how to do that. And that switch you're talking about is called an isolater, I think.

 

[96GMCYukonGT]

im pretty sure you wont have to move the canister ive seen some at scrapyards with 2 trays and the canister still there