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How-To: GMT900 Auxiliary Battery Installation.

parshal

By parshal
in DIY Guides & Reference Library

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herm0016 Enthusiast

herm0016

Posted
Posted

i am planning on doing this to my truck to support my slide in camper.

the part number 13525970-terminal connectors seems not to show up at the dealer or on the gm parts website. what are these connecters?

 

could i save money by making the battery cables myself? It looks like they may have special ends on them, are they just lug ends or are they special?

 

thanks.

  • 4 months later...
MotoMedic Senior Enthusiast

MotoMedic

Posted
Posted

This might be a dumb question, but I don't know much about wiring, so here goes:

 

Why can't you just hook up the two batteries in basic parallel?

ie: run two cables, one from Battery A + to Battery B + and the second from Battery A - to Battery B -

 

Please explain.

  • 1 month later...
csvencer Enthusiast

csvencer

Posted
Posted

Why can't you just do a simple paralleling of the batteries? What is the factory option doing other then just paralleling them for more amperage? It isn't adding a relay or seperate charging circuit is it?

 

-Svence

 

NEVERMIND
csvencer Enthusiast

csvencer

Posted
Posted

Went back and reread the first post, it does add an isolating circuit for startup but that's about it. I would almost rather go this route...

 

http://bluesea.com/products/7650

 

With a set of custom cables from here:

 

http://shop.genuinedealz.com/Marine%20Grade%20Wire/

 

And you are done for less than $150 bucks with the added feature of the batteries being completely separate but still being charged. If your primary goes on you, a quick flick of a switch and you are paralleled and on the fresh batt.

 

I know its not the factory look, but just throwing out another option.

 

-Svence

  • 7 months later...
Kaptain Enthusiast

Kaptain

Posted
Posted

Thanks for ask the info posted; it was a great help getting my dual batteries wired up.

one question: my aux battery connects to the system via the solenoid when key on, which is fine for most. I want mine to connect when the pickup starts. I could just put in switch, but I would rather not if I can find 12v in the run only position.

 

Anyone done this? Or am I going to get out the test light?

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
Djksuavee New Member

Djksuavee

Posted
Posted

One question I have is: does the truck lose power durning the instalation process? It looks like it does. So are there any problems with connection the power to the truck once it has been without power? Are there any steps to do when reconnecting power after a loss of connection from the battery?

 

Great write up BTW!!!

 

Thanks!

  • 4 weeks later...
parshal Enthusiast

parshal

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The orange wire in the plastic relay is a run only power source. That connects to B4 on the X2 connector.

 

I just bought all my stuff from a dealer. I'm not sure where the best parts source is.

 

I can't remember if the truck loses power or not but there was no special process to reconnecting power.

GasHog369 Senior Enthusiast

GasHog369

Posted
Posted

When connecting the battery, always connect the positive first. As with then disconnecting the battery, always disconnect the negative first.

  • 2 years later...
  • 5 years later...
Robert A New Member

Robert A

Posted
Posted

I know this is a dead thread from YEARS ago, but I'm looking into adding a 2nd battery to my 2012 Suburban.  As technology changes, cars don't keep up!  I have several AUX loads that I want to keep powered with key off, but I don't want to drain my Optima starting battery (Damned RedTops don't like long term draws like USB chargers and the Stereo with key off) during park, and park and start short cycling (my wife drives 3 minutes to the kids school, then listens to the radio while charging her phone).  I want to run the entire truck off a deep cycle battery, while keeping my starting battery isolated from parasitic draws.  I'm basically hoping to stick the main battery wire running from the starting battery to the fuse block onto a feed from the AUX battery to run everything with key off from the AUX, but I'm having a hard time finding info on how to run the truck from the AUX battery.  I don't want to run the truck from the starting battery and a trailer or audio amp from the AUX battery, which is what these systems seem to be geared toward.  Maybe I'm over thinking this mess and should just hook a deep cycle battery to the Trailer post on the Fuse block and run a 7 foot ground back to the main battery ground post?  I'm worried about the computer being angry about voltages if it's drawing from the AUX.

 

It looks like the TP2 kit feeds specific additional loads directly from the AUX, not the typical key off loads that I"m trying to offload from the starting battery.  Help?

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