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Second battery or upgraded single battery?

Mike1220

By Mike1220
in Modifications & Accessories

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Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
Posted

 

Alright so I apologize if I missed it but I tried using the forum search engine and Google and didn't get any real results

 

I just added 2 10" subs and a 1500W amp and now on a strong bass note I notice everything dim. I had this in my old car but never really worried about it. It seems much stronger in this car though and with all the computer systems in these trucks I don't want one to get fried somehow or damaged from having the power go up and down during certain songs.

 

I called 2 audio shops that I use and recommend to friends that are in my area. One said add a second battery that is an audio battery. But the other shop said to just upgrade the OEM battery to an Optima red top since it has a better reserve.

 

I do have a few other things coming off my battery like my light bars and HIDs and am considering maybe getting a curved 55" bar this summer. So I don't know if it may be better to get a second battery to pull power from for all the accessories and let the OEM battery run everything that is OEM.

 

I'm looking to do whatever is best for the truck. Not worried about if it's the more expensive option

 

Any opinions, advice, etc is greatly appreciated!

Thanks In advance for any help.

GasHog369 Senior Enthusiast

GasHog369

Posted
Posted

I did both... When i got my truck one of the first upgrades i did was upgrade my battery to an odyssey and added a second odyssey for even more reserve. Also i use my second battery primarily for all my addons (light bars, amp , hids , etc..)

 

Both my batterys are AGM. I highly recommend odyssey. One of the highest reserve and CCA. I believe in the past when i researched them they had a military grade 10yr life.

 

Remember whatever you do. It is recommended not to add a dry (agm) battery to a wet factory battery. If you just add on, get the most expensive wet battery autozone sells. Also if you add a second battery, Dont skimp on wire size. 1/0 for power and ground.

Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I did both... When i got my truck one of the first upgrades i did was upgrade my battery to an odyssey and added a second odyssey for even more reserve. Also i use my second battery primarily for all my addons (light bars, amp , hids , etc..)

 

Both my batterys are AGM. I highly recommend odyssey. One of the highest reserve and CCA. I believe in the past when i researched them they had a military grade 10yr life.

 

Remember whatever you do. It is recommended not to add a dry (agm) battery to a wet factory battery. If you just add on, get the most expensive wet battery autozone sells. Also if you add a second battery, Dont skimp on wire size. 1/0 for power and ground.

If I do get a second battery I will be looking around to find the best recommended shop around me to do everything. No BS work will get done on something as important as the electrical system. I am really thinking the second battery will be my best bet.

 

Also if I upgrade to a second battery I will likely upgrade the OEM battery as well. I should've stayed that in my original post.

 

Would you mind me asking how much it all cost for you to upgrade everything? Did you do the work yourself? If so how difficult was it?

Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
  • Author
Posted

For the subs you may check into a capacitor? But upgrading or going dual batteries is not a bad idea.

I thought of a capacitor and asked the local shops. They said with all that I have (I'm good friends with workers at both shops and friends with the owner of one so they know all that has been done to the truck and will be done) they recommended the second battery or upgrade the stock one. The capacitor just doesn't have the capacity to help cause when my lights dim it's from a big long draw of power and not just a short burst. So a capacitor would help, but not solve the issue, that's what the shops told me

GasHog369 Senior Enthusiast

GasHog369

Posted
Posted

I bought the batterys seperate and had my shop wire up the second. Each battery was around $200 - $250 i believe.

I also had my shop do the "Big 3" which is upgrading the power wire to 1/0 and grounding point to chassis and block. The wire was pricey but my shop hooked me up (pun intended, lol) But all said and done it was likey $600+ or so.

GasHog369 Senior Enthusiast

GasHog369

Posted
Posted

I stil have my 280a alt from my last truck and i havent put it on yet since i was told the computer wont utilize the extra amps.. still gotta look into that just havent got around to it.

Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I stil have my 280a alt from my last truck and i havent put it on yet since i was told the computer wont utilize the extra amps.. still gotta look into that just havent got around to it.

So you still have the OEM alternator?

austingta Enthusiast

austingta

Posted
Posted

I have a 1100 watt MB Quart and sometimes I play it LOUD. I never have any dimming at all.

 

Are you absolutely sure your power wire and ground wire are sized right and the ground is properly installed?

 

I see that you have 1500 watts but I get NO dimming at high output. My mirrors sure do rattle though!

Mike1220 Senior Enthusiast

Mike1220

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I have a 1100 watt MB Quart and sometimes I play it LOUD. I never have any dimming at all.

 

Are you absolutely sure your power wire and ground wire are sized right and the ground is properly installed?

 

I see that you have 1500 watts but I get NO dimming at high output. My mirrors sure do rattle though!

Yes everything is hooked up properly. My old truck did the same but not as bad, and while this truck doesn't dim terribly, it's just noticeable and I would rather not have so much up and down power (from 11-15V whenever a good note hits) just because of all the computers in the truck.

 

 

Both shops have done several K2s before mine. I waited till they did other K2s so that they world know for sure how to do everything in these trucks

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