Jump to content

Dual Battery Installation

mrbadwrench
 Share

Recommended Posts

bdbake01 Senior Enthusiast

bdbake01

Posted
Posted

Use an isolator, but not an electronic one unless your father in law owns an isolator factory and gives them to you for free. A standard Ford starter solenoid will do exactly the same thing and will outlast an isolator 20 to 1.

Not exactly, no. Two completely different devices that don't function the same in virtually any way.

  • Replies 52
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

bdbake01
bdbake01

Don't wanna be "that guy", but a second battery doesn't increase the pitiful capacity of the factory inverter which drives the plug. At only 150 watts you are limited to charging your iPad, or possibl

J-man67
J-man67

Hmm...so I could run a sawzall off the 120 plug with this? I tried the other day and got no power...

mrbadwrench
mrbadwrench

Not sure what inverter you guys are referring to, I don't have it though. Can't run 110 off my truck. The hair dryer/microwave comment was a joke ha-ha.

Posted Images

J-man67 Senior Enthusiast

J-man67

Posted
Posted

You wont be able to run a microwave by the way, you are going to burn the wires out unless it is on a dedicated wire to a dedicated inverter.

 

 

 

You probably tripped the breaker AND the fuse, I did that when I made the mistake trying to run a mini vacuum.

I didn't burn it out. Still works. Just wanted to try it.
sdeeter19555 Senior Enthusiast

sdeeter19555

Posted
Posted

No, the 2nd battery tray is unused on the 1500. There are dual battery options but are only available for the 2500 and up. It is a mystery why GM includes the tray on the 1500.

I guessed it was a structural piece?

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

  • 4 weeks later...
JasonAVGuy Enthusiast

JasonAVGuy

Posted
Posted

Here is the start of my second battery setup. All I need now is the cables and thats happening this weekend. Im using a Isolator with remote, Safety hub fuse block, post fuses and 2/0 Cable. Everything but the cable is from Blue Sea Systems. The system will be used for a few things including winch, light bars, and when off grid camping with the RV. The battery im using was one I had around at some point it will get changed to a new one with studs so im setting my cables up for that. For now im using post to stud adaptors to make it work. I have some deep cycle batteries that would be great to use but with out cutting the hold down bracket it wont work. Here are some Pictures.

 

Switch for light bar and dual battery control switch

Battery isolator

Temporary battery

New Fuse Box

  • 2 months later...
Debra in Cali Enthusiast

Debra in Cali

Posted
Posted

Excuse my ignorance, but what would be the purpose of having a 2nd battery?

I am married to a rocket scientist that is related to Tim the Toolman. He installed a second battery with an inverter on my old Chevy Astro van. He did isolate it so that you had to switch it to use it for the main engine. It was able to do amazing things. If I had a dead battery, I flipped that switch and started my van. My sons could use the inverter to run their computer games or watch a DVD on our mini TV. (Only allowed on big trips) I did use a blow dryer to dry my hair and use my hot curlers on camping trips. If the battery died on our RV, He created a umbilical cable so thatwe could jumper it to the RV and use the second battery. ( but remember to pull the fuse on the RV battery to make sure it didn't drain the secondary battery). The battery was underneath, so it wasn't available to use to jump someone else's car. But when we install the second battery on my new truck, we will be able to jump another battery. Hubby will set it up the same way as my old vehicle. We are just trying to figure out where to put the inverter in my DC. We were thinking under the passenger seat. Anyone tried this yet???? We are a bit concerned about air flow and it overheating in that location.

krdeal Enthusiast

krdeal

Posted
Posted

The isolator does what yours does without flipping a switch. It is an automatic device that isolates the second battery when the ignition is off. However, when the vehicle is on the alternator will charge both batteries, allowing for a true automated process. You would still run your invertor off of the second battery, and any device you needed to run. As for the mounting under the seat, I would go by how hot the invertor gets as to whether or not I would install it there. A small one would definitely be no problem.

  • 1 year later...
Impala_98 Enthusiast

Impala_98

Posted
Posted

It's been a few years since this post started any new kit available I am thinking about adding a second battery for my sound system

CharlestonJoe Enthusiast

CharlestonJoe

Posted
Posted

I've been toying with idea myself. I would like to be able to plug in a power tool every now and then when I am working somewhere where a power source isn't available.

I did my own storage set up and would like to add a inverter off a second battery.

The storage set up pictured below I wish I would have done years ago. I love it.

post-148687-0-17571000-1489844562_thumb.jpg

post-148687-0-17571000-1489844562_thumb.jpg

post-148687-0-17571000-1489844562_thumb.jpg

post-148687-0-17571000-1489844562_thumb.jpg

  • 2 months later...
bsprtsgrp Enthusiast

bsprtsgrp

Posted
Posted

I just ordered the parts for installing a second battery if anyone needs the list. I already had the tray so that eliminated 5 of the 12 parts needed including the battery.

Sierra706 Senior Enthusiast

Sierra706

Posted
Posted

I just ordered the parts for installing a second battery if anyone needs the list. I already had the tray so that eliminated 5 of the 12 parts needed including the battery.

How much did it all run you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bsprtsgrp Enthusiast

bsprtsgrp

Posted
Posted (edited)

How much did it all run you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

$325.96 including the battery w/o the tray, support, nut & bolt for the tray

 

$498.68 with those parts.

Edited by bsprtsgrp

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.5k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    342,965
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    DaleB
    Newest Member
    DaleB
    Joined

  • Who's Online   4 Members, 0 Anonymous, 1,245 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Chuck FB
      Tire psi

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I will admit I haven't experimented much with pressure drops beyond the numbers I put in and part of that is that the numbers I used are fairly low and then found out it would trigger regardless at that 35 psi. Having said that I had tried before had changed the placard pressures and being that I have a 1 ton set to 80 on the placard for the rear I believe it triggered close to 60, the front I don't recall now for sure but thought maybe it could get close to 45 from that factory 60 placard pressure. So I never did figure out if it was a number of psi from placard pressure to the alarm or a percentage of the total placard number as some figured it was like a 25% drop from placard pressure would trigger it. So as to try and answer your question, I believe I set the placard pressure on the front to 47 or so and while I run the front tires at 40, they have dipped below that some if its colder and I haven't put "winter air" in yet and never once have had the front alarm go off. I would say that the answer your looking for is no, that if you set your placard pressure to 45, you have a certain amount of room to drop below that pressure before the alarm will go off.    The pressures you decide to run in your truck, that ends up being what makes sense to you based on what your carrying in your truck or if towing, then have to bump them back up to something that will carry the load in the rear and the fronts typically left at the same pressure. It all comes down to that chart I put the link to and using an accurate roadside scale to be your guide, both unloaded and then loaded to know your minimum safe pressures.    I just wish GM would allow a person to change the readings for the tire pressures to the English system of pounds as I have to look at that goofy metric reading that will never ever jive in my head and will go over and change it just to figure out what they are if need be and then change it back. 
    • TrueBlue
      No Software Updates - Old Build

      By TrueBlue · Posted

      That part I understand, that the dealer can do it. But I'm not understanding why updates that were available to the truck since it left the factory, or the dealership originally, would not still be available to it without dealer intervention.   I'm thinking along the lines of recalls. They stay available until they are completed. Why not updates as well, especially since some of those can be safety related also?
    • jgaudet99
      Tire psi

      By jgaudet99 · Posted

      That's good to know, but I don't think I'll even be running them under 45 in the rear  unless it's on the sand or something but will only be for a short distance anyways!    I didn't read all the instructions in the booklet yet, but do you know let's say I set the rear psi on the placard to 45, will the warning light come on soon as it drops under 45 or is there a percentage it has to drop from the set value before the warning light is triggered?
    • newdude
      Would this CV Shaft be bad?

      By newdude · Posted

      That's bad.  Like, its probably destroying the stub axle the CV slides into.   Do you have a proper lift installed with differential lowering brackets?  Did you install AT4/Trail Boss factory CV axles?  
    • PunchT37
      Would this CV Shaft be bad?

      By PunchT37 · Posted

      Hot? New Jersey? Today? I was working on my old 2000 Silverado 1500 today. Believe me, it was boiling hot today. As it has been.

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...