Hi Everyone,
As you all know, this forum is awesome and is full of fantastic idea's. In the interest of keeping the idea's rolling, here is my recent Dual Battery installation.
My basic reason's for doing it this way was because I wanted a 100Ah + battery (Heavy beasts) and because I still worry about the weight of a 2nd battery on the Prado's Guard. I know that this issue has been pretty much resolved these days, which brings me to my last reason... I probably just like making life difficult :roll:
Battery Specs:
Remco RM12-105FT AGM battery
Isolator: Sidewinder
Here's the Isolator - Mounted on a custom Alloy bracket (Made it myself :lol: ). Bracket utilizes existing bolts in this location and has a Full sized rubber pad between firewall and bracket - don't want it vibrating on the corrugates and eating my firewall. Isolator is bolted to bracket with 2 small bolts and was also glued on with Sikoflex. (Hope I never have to open it up :lol: )
Battery location:
I chose to modify my rear draws. Due to luck, the battery - see model above - fits just nice across the width of my draws. So this being the case I shortened one of my draws by about 110mm so that the battery could be located hard up against the end of my draws. The pic below shows the battery installed with the draw out. Anything the battery touches is carpeted and there is a metal "L" piece across the floor section which holds and positions the battery very nicely. The screwed and glued roof block ensures that the battery has no way of moving up. Overall, the battery did not move in the slightest, even after rigorous testing.
Battery Maintenance:
As you need to always be able to get to / get out the battery, I modified the side of my draw system and created "the battery slot" :wink:
I also made up a handle which you can see covering the terminals. The battery sits in there quite firmly so in order to slide it out - the handle is a must. No handle = Stuck Battery!
Connections:
The main cable (Both Active and Negative) was run from the engine bay in conduit through into the back cargo area - exiting into the interior from under the plastics near the wheel arch. The cables are run through the cabling hole in the draw unit and connect to the rear connections as shown below. The big Anderson's plug is a 120Amp rated unit and connects the main battery to Aux Batt. The Smaller 60Amp Anderson connects a 600watt inverter. The visible 60Amp circuit breaker acts both as a safety device as well as turning on the inverter when needed. Fridge cable is fused with 7.5Amp inline fuse. Battery tester is just for Geek Factor.. :lol: The red tape covering all the terminal points is that rubberized self amalgamating Tommy Tape. I found it excellent for the job of insulation as it melts and molds into itself, yet is not sticky !.
Completed unit ready for installation.
Finally, The main cable was fused with 100Amp fuses. One between main battery and isolator and one just before the connection plug to the Aux Battery. The Fridge / Inverter have a separate earth wire run directly back to the Aux Battery.
Anyway this setup works well for my needs and still allows the draw system to be easily and quickly removed when needed. Granted I won't have a 2nd battery if I take the draws out - but for me, the draws pretty much never need come out. Additionally I can aways leave just 1 draw in if needed as they are separate units.
Comments / new or better idea's are welcome.... Just don't ask how long it all took.. :roll:
Thanks for looking.
As you all know, this forum is awesome and is full of fantastic idea's. In the interest of keeping the idea's rolling, here is my recent Dual Battery installation.
My basic reason's for doing it this way was because I wanted a 100Ah + battery (Heavy beasts) and because I still worry about the weight of a 2nd battery on the Prado's Guard. I know that this issue has been pretty much resolved these days, which brings me to my last reason... I probably just like making life difficult :roll:
Battery Specs:
Remco RM12-105FT AGM battery
Isolator: Sidewinder
Here's the Isolator - Mounted on a custom Alloy bracket (Made it myself :lol: ). Bracket utilizes existing bolts in this location and has a Full sized rubber pad between firewall and bracket - don't want it vibrating on the corrugates and eating my firewall. Isolator is bolted to bracket with 2 small bolts and was also glued on with Sikoflex. (Hope I never have to open it up :lol: )
Battery location:
I chose to modify my rear draws. Due to luck, the battery - see model above - fits just nice across the width of my draws. So this being the case I shortened one of my draws by about 110mm so that the battery could be located hard up against the end of my draws. The pic below shows the battery installed with the draw out. Anything the battery touches is carpeted and there is a metal "L" piece across the floor section which holds and positions the battery very nicely. The screwed and glued roof block ensures that the battery has no way of moving up. Overall, the battery did not move in the slightest, even after rigorous testing.
Battery Maintenance:
As you need to always be able to get to / get out the battery, I modified the side of my draw system and created "the battery slot" :wink:
I also made up a handle which you can see covering the terminals. The battery sits in there quite firmly so in order to slide it out - the handle is a must. No handle = Stuck Battery!
Connections:
The main cable (Both Active and Negative) was run from the engine bay in conduit through into the back cargo area - exiting into the interior from under the plastics near the wheel arch. The cables are run through the cabling hole in the draw unit and connect to the rear connections as shown below. The big Anderson's plug is a 120Amp rated unit and connects the main battery to Aux Batt. The Smaller 60Amp Anderson connects a 600watt inverter. The visible 60Amp circuit breaker acts both as a safety device as well as turning on the inverter when needed. Fridge cable is fused with 7.5Amp inline fuse. Battery tester is just for Geek Factor.. :lol: The red tape covering all the terminal points is that rubberized self amalgamating Tommy Tape. I found it excellent for the job of insulation as it melts and molds into itself, yet is not sticky !.
Completed unit ready for installation.
Finally, The main cable was fused with 100Amp fuses. One between main battery and isolator and one just before the connection plug to the Aux Battery. The Fridge / Inverter have a separate earth wire run directly back to the Aux Battery.
Anyway this setup works well for my needs and still allows the draw system to be easily and quickly removed when needed. Granted I won't have a 2nd battery if I take the draws out - but for me, the draws pretty much never need come out. Additionally I can aways leave just 1 draw in if needed as they are separate units.
Comments / new or better idea's are welcome.... Just don't ask how long it all took.. :roll:
Thanks for looking.
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