Adding second battery help

[kjstoken360]

I have 2 kicker s15l7's in a custom ported box on a zx1500 amp and i need to add a second battery under the hood. There is a place by the passenger side firewall but there also is a brace. My driver side brace is gone already and i was wondering if it would be okay to take the passenger side brace out too, but i dont want to wreck my car. Also i have the 2005 chevy tahoe.

 

[Sub]

Most people do remove the passenger side fender to firewall brace to add a second battery. Then again, most people do NOT remove their driver's side fender to firewall brace. Not sure why you removed yours? Can you add it back?

Most people get the second battery tray for the diesel versions of the 2001-2007 Classic GMT800 truck. They remove the lower brace and replace it with the tray, and then remove the upper brace altogether.

I added a second battery to my 2005 quite a few years ago, and when I did, I researched the topic extensively, across many GM truck related forums.

Of all the people who described and photographed their second battery install for this model year series, I am aware of only two people who did not remove that passenger side upper fender brace.

The first person used a much smaller battery, that happened to fit underneath the fender brace. The second person (me) used a full size battery identical to the original battery, but modified the passenger brace so that it would clear the battery and clear the hood when closed. I didn't want to lose the benefit of that fender brace in a collision.

But most people, including GM, simply remove that upper brace to install a second battery. (This does not apply to NNBS, only NBS).

 

[kjstoken360]

When i had it worked on to fix my blower motor/ dash fans the place working on it forgot to put the brace in but i put it in. I bought the optima red top, and i made a tray that im going to somehow bolt into the second battery spot. The tray i made fits good, and im going to mount the battery on its side and put the brace back when installed.

---------- Post added at 09:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 PM ----------

Sadly the shop failed to fix my blower/fan problem and i had to pull the fuse to all the heaters in the dash. The whole dash was going balls to the wall on high speed and it didn't stop even when i turned the car off.

 

[Sub]

" i made a tray that im going to somehow bolt into the second battery spot. The tray i made fits good, and im going to mount the battery on its side and put the brace back when installed.

Post a pic when you are finished with your install.

Be very careful with that battery mounted on it's side. I realize you plan to use an all position Optima (not quite the battery they used to be), but it isn't spillage you have to be careful about.

You need to watch those aluminum AC lines!

If the Optima you use is dual post, with top and side posts, or just top posts, then when you mount the battery on it's side, those top posts can easily and inadvertently come in contact with the AC lines. When the positive post touches that aluminum, it will vaporize the line instantaneously and the pressure release from the system evacuating will feel like an explosion in your face.

The risk is amplified by the fact that Optima battery is taller than it is wide. So if you set the battery on it's side, then the battery to AC line distance is LESS than it would otherwise be with the battery upright. This means that the top post will be even closer to that AC line.

Be careful!

 

[CAResearch]

I've got a new battery tray, that I never used, if you happen to need one.

Pm me if interested

I've also got the big three 1/0 gauge wire with proper mechanically crimped terminals

 

[gettygatz4life]

Where can you buy the second battery tray from and do the tray bolt on or do you have to modify I have a 01 tahoe and wants to do the same thing just need some help

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