dual battery setup?

[willdabeast69]

hey guys i was wondering how to do a dual battery setup in my 98 ecsb. i want to do this because I'm going to be installing a winch and off road lights soon and the one battery isn't going to be enough for all that plus my subs i have now. has anyone done this before? is there a kit i could get online or something?

thanks
will

 

[badazzbulldog]

very simple to do go to a junkyard look in tahoes and yukons most i come across have the drivers side battery tray snag one of those,run a pos+ battery cable from new battery to one of the studs at the fuse block under the hood on drivers side of truck,run ground from battery to one of the a/c compressor bolts (front one to the left) and your all set

 

[sewlow]

Yes for the second B-tray.
You could get a set up like an RV. That system will charge both batteries, but you only draw off of your main in normal usage. You might have to go to an alternator with greater output. This type of set up will ensure that you always have at least one battery fully charged. No more jump starts from other vehicles. I'm not sure if B.A. Bulldog's suggestion would charge both batteries. It may, but I've never tried that.
Now, if you have the box that the battery tray is replacing, I'd be interested in purchasing that.

 

[willdabeast69]

Yes for the second B-tray.
You could get a set up like an RV. That system will charge both batteries, but you only draw off of your main in normal usage. You might have to go to an alternator with greater output. This type of set up will ensure that you always have at least one battery fully charged. No more jump starts from other vehicles. I'm not sure if B.A. Bulldog's suggestion would charge both batteries. It may, but I've never tried that.
Now, if you have the box that the battery tray is replacing, I'd be interested in purchasing that.

which box are you referring to? one of the fuse boxes? and I'm pretty sure ctek makes some type of system that charges both batteries but I'm not sure

 

[willdabeast69]

very simple to do go to a junkyard look in tahoes and yukons most i come across have the drivers side battery tray snag one of those,run a pos+ battery cable from new battery to one of the studs at the fuse block under the hood on drivers side of truck,run ground from battery to one of the a/c compressor bolts (front one to the left) and your all set

drivers side battery tray already came with the truck so I'm good on that. what gauge is the cable that i should use? or just standard battery cable

 

[sewlow]

Most of these trucks came with 2 battery trays. On either side of the rad. Some came with a storage box on one side that replaces one of the B-trays. Never seen one in person, but I have seen pix. Some members here have them. I think that they only came in certain model years, & were not a very long production run.

 

[sewlow]

drivers side battery tray already came with the truck so I'm good on that. what gauge is the cable that i should use? or just standard battery cable

At least a 4ga.
Have you done 'The big 3' upgrade?

 

[Hezsus]

I just bought some battery cable from a parts store and hooked up my second batter so it acted like one big battery. I got a set of 850cca with the top and side posts, I just connected the top posts from one to the side posts of the main one, I got a disconnect for the one battery as well.. I had wiring issues before and it would kill the battery and i used it as a booster (worked pretty slick when all i had to do was pop the hood and turn a knob to boost my truck). now I leave it hooked up all the time, I run my subs, all lights, air compressor and a trailer frequently and the stock 105a alternator hasent missed a beat. I can also pound out music from my subs for 5hrs straight (havent tried any longer) and still start and drive away

 

[willdabeast69]

At least a 4ga.
Have you done 'The big 3' upgrade?

nope. don't know what that is hahaha

 

[willdabeast69]

I just bought some battery cable from a parts store and hooked up my second battery so it acted like one big battery. I got a set of 850cca with the top and side posts, I just connected the top posts from one to the side posts of the main one, I got a disconnect for the one battery as well.. I had wiring issues before and it would kill the battery and i used it as a booster (worked pretty slick when all i had to do was pop the hood and turn a knob to boost my truck). now I leave it hooked up all the time, I run my subs, all lights, air compressor and a trailer frequently and the stock 105a alternator hasent missed a beat. I can also pound out music from my subs for 5hrs straight (havent tried any longer) and still start and drive away

thats exactly what i want. i want to be able to run everything with out the lights flickering when my subs are on or anything like that