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2nd battery
- Thread starter hayseed
- Start date
Not sure what year Chevy you have, but here is a second battery installed in a 2012...the newer trucks have the second battery tray installed from factory, just add battery, tiedown, and wiring.
I've heard bad things about Optima, I would not run one myself. I would change out the old battery at the same time you add the new one.
I've heard bad things about Optima, I would not run one myself. I would change out the old battery at the same time you add the new one.
I'm running them parallel for a winch, have had them installed for over a year without a problem.
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Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G730A using Tapatalk
Your battery stores power that your alternator makes, the battery stores 12v of potential while the alternator charges at 14v. So when you're running your amp at 14v and it exceeds the alternator output, it starts to draw from the battery at 12v. If you get long winded and draw the battery down hard, the alternator then has to run the amp and charge the battery.
People do multiple batteries all the time, but I just never saw the logic behind it because they won't stop the 14 charging volts being drawn down to the 12v reserve when they exceed the output of the alternator.
BUT, I've never ran anything larger than a 4 pill in a mobile and my Dodge/Cummins already had 2 batteries.
If it were mine... Depending on how much power I needed..... Slapping a high power alternator in place of the the stock one is gravy work and in most cases get the job done. As for running a second batteryi would suggest sticking with the same TYPE of battery your vehichle came with ( depending on the year truck probably a standard lead acid, depending on model yr). Absorbed glass mat batteries are good, but only for vehicles with computer controlled alternator regulators. If multiple batteries are needed make sure they are the same make, model, and amp/hr and cranking capacities or one will have a different charging rate and can tend to overheat.
I have a 2012 Sierra with the second tray. Im going with a second battery as well. Already got the cables made for it. My reason is for extra reserve power, not an amp. If I was going to put an amp in then I would also do a bigger alt as well. But I tend to do overkill when it comes to doing amps.
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The 2500s come with a standard 160A alternator, not sure what the 1500s come with?
Don't know what happened to my pictures...
Don't know what happened to my pictures...
I think the main differences in opinion on adding the second battery is whether to simply parallel the batteries together like the diesels (what I did) or whether to install a battery isolator to keep control over the second battery when the ignition is off. If your using the second battery as a backup for time the ignition is off, then you want an isolator, if you simply want added capacity for cold starting or a winch/amp; then parallel is simpler and cheaper.
I did the installation for under $300, including the custom battery cables, Deka battery, and battery hold down. The battery hold down is a standard GM-style hold down...piece of plastic and a metric bolt. Mine is a Deka brand, probably pick one up at any parts house cheaper than a GM dealer.
battery
Thanks for all the replies. What I have planned now is just like your set up there Jerk. I have been doing my homework. I don't ever even turn on the radio unless the truck is running and I am rolling down the road.
My OEM alt. is 145 amp. I am going to add a second batt and HO alt. just to play it safe. My radio can pull up to 25 amps by itself and the spec sheet on the amp states:
4 watts in avg > 175 watts avg out at 48 amps current draw
10 watts in avg > 450 watts avg out at 72 amps current draw
20 watts in avg > 700 watts avg out at 92 amps current draw
50 watts in avg > 1000 watts avg out at 115 amps current draw
100 watts in avg > 1250 watts avg out at 125 amps current draw
I never run stuff at "full throttle" but just like having a V8, you may not need all the power, but nice to have. That said, I would rather have extra amps just laying around that maxing the system.
Thanks again for all the replies !
Thanks for all the replies. What I have planned now is just like your set up there Jerk. I have been doing my homework. I don't ever even turn on the radio unless the truck is running and I am rolling down the road.
My OEM alt. is 145 amp. I am going to add a second batt and HO alt. just to play it safe. My radio can pull up to 25 amps by itself and the spec sheet on the amp states:
4 watts in avg > 175 watts avg out at 48 amps current draw
10 watts in avg > 450 watts avg out at 72 amps current draw
20 watts in avg > 700 watts avg out at 92 amps current draw
50 watts in avg > 1000 watts avg out at 115 amps current draw
100 watts in avg > 1250 watts avg out at 125 amps current draw
I never run stuff at "full throttle" but just like having a V8, you may not need all the power, but nice to have. That said, I would rather have extra amps just laying around that maxing the system.
Thanks again for all the replies !
Not sure what year Chevy you have, but here is a second battery installed in a 2012...the newer trucks have the second battery tray installed from factory, just add battery, tiedown, and wiring.
I've heard bad things about Optima, I would not run one myself. I would change out the old battery at the same time you add the new one.
The Yellow Top Optima is about the best battery you can get for powering vehicles with lots of electronics. They maintain consistant voltage under load and are a dry cell battery.
As far as quality, not sure who owns them now. If they were bought out and cheapened up like Road King Mics & Wilson antennas then so be it. If not then I would much rather run a Optima then one of those deka battery's pictured. I'm on my 2nd replacement deka in the company car.
I have a Red Top Optima in a car that I store year round. The car is driven 200-300 miles a year, I trickle charge the battery several times a year and it has been in there since 2005. That is at least 2x longer then any lead acid battery I have ever had.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/products/yellowtop/?gclid=CNbt9tiEjL4CFYdFMgodFXsAMQ
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Nice routing. I had planned to got over the rad direction but like that way better.The 2500s come with a standard 160A alternator, not sure what the 1500s come with?
Don't know what happened to my pictures...
While the pictured installation is neat and appears the wires are well secured, I always get nervous when I see more than a couple feet of heavy positive wire that is not fused. If the insulation ever wore off or it got pinched in any spot the entire wire would turn into a red hot igniter bar burning anything flammable that it dropped on or melted trough. Both batteries would feed the short so there would be "ample current" to do this.
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