Okay I need some advice. With having more room under my hood now, I want to press on with the dual battery install. First of all though, I'm wanting to get my Mallory installed, BUT, the bracket I'm going to have made for it is also (at least this is the plan so far) going to hold the isolator or whatever equipment I decide to use for my battery install.

My goals with the duals are these:
2nd battery is a deep cycle to power lights and stereo without draining the main battery (ie: I want a way to disconnect the main battery while still being able to draw power from my 2nd. This also helps if I have a dumbass moment and leave my lights on, which I've done on several occasions)

Both batteries able to be connected together to power a future winch or provide an emergency jumpstart if my main battery goes kaput

Ability to control batteries from the cabin. This isn't a priority, but would be convenient if I can do it.

Will an isolator allow me to draw from one battery without draining the other? I know I wouldn't have to worry about switching if that be the case, but that'd for the most part eliminate my ability to connect both batteries together wouldn't it? Or would I still be able to connect both batteries via a marine switch dedicated to just the winch? I also understand that there is significant voltage loss through the isolator if one is used. Can anyone verify this for me?

I'm trying to settle on what I need so that I can go ahead and buy that stuff, then design the bracket around that and have it look fairly professional.

Here's a pic of my Odyssey 1200 series batteries under the driver's seat in my FJ40. Behind the seat is a Cole-Hersee selector switch, which has OFF, 1, 2, BOTH, positions. I can reach behind the seat and select whatever battery combination I want.

Here's a pic of my Odyssey 1200 series batteries under the driver's seat in my FJ40. Behind the seat is a Cole-Hersee selector switch, which has OFF, 1, 2, BOTH, positions. I can reach behind the seat and select whatever battery combination I want.

Very nice setup using the best batteries money can buy.

Hey vortec,

How are those 1200 working for ya, I'm about to install two in my rig so just looking for input, i run a PC680 in my porsche, great battery

Here's a pic of my Odyssey 1200 series batteries under the driver's seat in my FJ40. Behind the seat is a Cole-Hersee selector switch, which has OFF, 1, 2, BOTH, positions. I can reach behind the seat and select whatever battery combination I want.

Nice idea, but I can't really mount two Orbitals under my drivers' seat (or anything for that matter) :flipoff2:

How is yours wired up for charging? Solenoids or an isolator?

I have to say that these are the best batteries I have used in any of the Cruisers I've had. They are hooked up to both charge all the time, but with the selector switch, I can use neither, either, or both. :)

My set up:
1 Orbital starting powering just the truck

1 Optima Blue top deep cycle for the accessories like the winch and fridge.

The 2nd batt goes to a fuse panel that runs all the extra crap. The fuse panel gets power direct from the 2nd batt.

The 2nd batt is also isolated from the system with a 100 amp disconnect. That way I can physically isolate the entire 2nd system.

I use a NAPA isolater to seperate the batts. It needs a line from the B+ on the alt to the ctr terminal on the isolater then each batt gets an isolated charge from the 2 other terminals. If I need to jump I can switch bost batt feeds to one terminal or, and this happened to me, do away with the primary and run the truck and accessories off of juts the second batt by just switching one cable. I also run jumper extensions off of the primary so I can jump myself if needed.

I am now considering running yet another cable from the alt connection on the isolater directly to the primary batt adding a better connection than the stock set up but keeping the stock set up in place.

This is not the perfect system. I lose around 1 volt across the isolater. My 14.2 volt output of the alt equals 13 V or so at idle. I have never seen any issue with this. I did not want to add any human element into this system; I know how I am.

I have put about 15K of hard miles on this system so far with no issues. My fridge will kill the 2nd batt once in a while. When the 2nd dies the amp gauge goes down and lets me know I am drawing more than average. This is all with a new OEM alt.

Very nice setup using the best batteries money can buy.

Our planes use those. Larger, and 24V, but they git-r-done. We kill them ALL the damn time too. Not to say that they're no good (I agree that they're damn good), just that our planes beat the everliving snot out of 'em :D

Our ground equipment uses Optimas which are slowly being exchanged out for Orbitals :p

Odyssey batteries used to be called black panther predator. I bought three of them (nearly a grand) for my diesel samurai. Within one year they were ALL DEAD! AND I got ZERO warrenty help with them either!!!!!

Not only wouldnt I go that way again, I coudnt AFFORD to go that way again!



TB :flipoff: