Batteries

[philofab]

did a little google searching and found this. Any opinions? http://www.batteryprice.com/deka-9A65-a ... ery-1.aspx

I have no experience with that exact battery but Deka/East Penn is a good company and I have had good luck with there product.

[bajajunkie]

Steve, I was making some calls yesterday and also found the Deka 65...this should be affordable pricing like the Optima...I like Deka products and have very good luck with them...I'm thinking about taking the Red Tops out of my F-250 and trying these...

[ChaseTruck754]

Cool deal guys.

Kevin - let me know if you do try them out as you might be getting to it before I get the crew to that point

[philofab]

Steve, I was making some calls yesterday and also found the Deka 65...this should be affordable pricing like the Optima...I like Deka products and have very good luck with them...I'm thinking about taking the Red Tops out of my F-250 and trying these...

If it is a diesel you will be able to tell a difference with cranking power and such.

[PaulW]

Didn't have a chance to get to Waldo's Mart while at my parents yesterday so no Schumacher for me yet...


On a semi side note. Paul - where do you find your group 65 AGMs? Only finding wet's in that size - aside from the Odessy I don't want to pay for.

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The batt store in Durango CO had a choice of 3 brands
PW

[ChaseTruck754]

Thanks for the above info Paul.


I'm bringing this back to the top to ask another question I thought of last night.

Are most of you guys running the batteries in a parallel or isolated (2 separate batteries and a selector)?

Pros/Cons of both setups????

[philofab]

Thanks for the above info Paul.


I'm bringing this back to the top to ask another question I thought of last night.

Are most of you guys running the batteries in a parallel or isolated (2 separate batteries and a selector)?

Pros/Cons of both setups????

I tend to do batteries in parallel on daily drivers and such. Race trucks and serious prerunners get a selector switch so you are able to select 1, 2, or both. If you loose an alt you can run one battery all the way down and still have the other for a restart if it stalls. You can also switch to the other battery after a cable failure or short is fixed.

[PaulW]

Thanks for the above info Paul.
I'm bringing this back to the top to ask another question I thought of last night.
Are most of you guys running the batteries in a parallel or isolated (2 separate batteries and a selector)?
Pros/Cons of both setups????

=======
Two batts with a 4 position switch 1,2,both,off. Buy at West Marine.
So witn 1 or 2 there is a single batt operational. With both then they are in parallel. When my bronc is in storage I use both and plug in a maintainer to keep them both topped off. When I am in the pits or out on the race course just parked and have all my electrics on I run on 1 or 2. just to be sure I have a full charged unit at the ready to start the thing. If I have to winch then I use 1 or 2 with the engine reved. Same reason . I alwqays wnat a full charged unit at the ready. Sometimes I drive with both to be sure they aree both topped off. Switch in under the seat and I just stop and operate it.

All options are covered.
Paul

[Dust]

Thanks for the above info Paul.
I'm bringing this back to the top to ask another question I thought of last night.
Are most of you guys running the batteries in a parallel or isolated (2 separate batteries and a selector)?
Pros/Cons of both setups????

=======
Two batts with a 4 position switch 1,2,both,off. Buy at West Marine.
So witn 1 or 2 there is a single batt operational. With both then they are in parallel. When my bronc is in storage I use both and plug in a maintainer to keep them both topped off. When I am in the pits or out on the race course just parked and have all my electrics on I run on 1 or 2. just to be sure I have a full charged unit at the ready to start the thing. If I have to winch then I use 1 or 2 with the engine reved. Same reason . I alwqays wnat a full charged unit at the ready. Sometimes I drive with both to be sure they aree both topped off. Switch in under the seat and I just stop and operate it.

All options are covered.
Paul

This is the best way.
One thing to be aware of particularly with a winch; make sure that the switch has the rated capacity to handle the amp load of a sustained maximum draw.

[ChaseTruck754]

Again - great info guys. I think I just made up my mind

Leading into a question on what gauge battery cable you guys like to run, here is what I was messing with last night since my crew won't be ready to use to tow my supercab back from vegas this weekend...

Some of you may know I couldn't decide if I wanted to run my winch in the front or rear of my crew cab. Well, when I came across this on craigslist I had to grab it...


I can now run it front or rear and I can use it in another truck if I need - like this weekend for example It allows me to also keep from having another winch permanently mounted on the trailer if I loan the trailer out or use it behind a truck besides my crew.


The winch came with #2 battery cable coming off it and one of these plastic quick disconnect clips (which i have found are expensive - especially if you don't have time to wait for the cheap place to order them in!).


I got some 2/0 welding cable and one of those quick disconnects and made up a setup that can plug into that clip on the winch and run to the battery at the front of the truck (+/-25' - you can see it coiled at the bottom right of the second pic) and then a short lead that I threw a welding ground clamp I had on.



This should be enough to use the winch this weekend.

The plan for when the crew is done will be the 0/2 with a quick disconnect clip run to both the front and rear hitch locations. I will then make up a set of jumper cables with one of these quick disconnects on one end. I will use these for when I need to jump someone, or later on when I want to use the winch behind someone else's truck.

After all that rambling, my 1st question is - what gauge wire should I run for the jumper cables? I'm thinking I'm going to make them about 20' long so I can use them for the winch behind other trucks. I used the 2/0 for the crew because it is stout (I like overkill) and I got it for free. I know the 2 ga. coming off the winch limits the load, so would I be safe running 2 ga. for that 20' of jumper cable? I was thinking more like 1/0.

The wiring "kits" they sell seem to be #2 and they are about 25' long so I would think this might be ok.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... t%2520Page

Next question is what size cable are you guys wiring up your dual battery systems with? For the crew the batteries will be in the engine compartment like stock, but I'm still thinking of going 2/0 to the starter, etc. because it's a diesel.

For the supercab the batteries will be in the bed, most likely close to the back of the cab or right over the axle. Would 1/0 suffice for this?

Sorry for the long, rambling post and question, but as I said this stuff is not my strong point.

[philofab]

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

This site has all the info you need for figuring wire gauge needed for different accessories.

I tend to use welding cable for all my stuff since I still have like 300' from when I was a stick welder and I don't ever plan on doing that again. I've used those Anderson connectors you have before, the larger sizes are ok, but I like welding disconnects better.

[ChaseTruck754]

Thanks for the link.


Funny - my 2/0 came from a buddies old welding rig. The welding cable is more flexible so even if I was paying for the stuff I'd run it.

As for the Anderson connectors - I like the Tweco and Jackson quick disconnects better too, but for some reason I've got 5 or 6 female ends and maybe 1 male. Since I found the Anderson connector on the shelf of the local electrical supply place I went with that style. They're a bit smaller and seem like they'll be easier to tuck up in the truck later anyways.

[baja-chris]

I'm in the process of doing something similar. I found 2/0 welding cable in red and black, 25ft for $62 at weldingsupply.com and I'm using six (6) Anderson 350amp 2/0 connectors with one on each battery, one on the winch, one for some jumper cable clamps then a 20ft extension cord with one on each end. So I'll be able to plug the 2/0 extension cord into either battery then into either the winch or the jumper clamps. The 10,000lb winch is portable (heavy but portable) and plugs into either the front or rear receiver hitch. Or I could plug it into another truck and hook it up to their battery with the jumper clamps. For jumper clamps I got some 1000amp units that have a 1/0 cable running to each side of the clamp with the two cables joined with a 1/0 butt connector that I will run to the Anderson connector with a short 4" cable. The big Anderson connectors are on ebay for $13.

[baja-chris]

A comment on battery switches, I've tried a few brands and found the Blue Sea ones to hold up best in a prerunner. I've had two Perko units get so stiff that you had to use channel locks to turn them.

The Blue Sea switches are rated at 300A continous and 1000amp in-rush. They are holding up fine after several years now.

[ChaseTruck754]

Tested my setup bringing the supercab home this weekend and it worked well.

Thanks for the head's up on the Anderson clips on eBay. Shipping would normally make them more $$ than buying locally, but since the guy I found will ship a few of them for what he has for shipping on 1 I can save some $$

Your setup sounds pretty much like what I plan on and should work really well baja-chris. Just a side note/ couple hints I got from a guy on another forum.
1) use an inline fuse for the leads from the Anderson connectors to the battery
2) get the caps they sell for the Anderson clip to keep the ends clean. I guess the get dirty easily and the connections get bad.
3) hide the ends of the Anderson clips from the battery. I was going to run mine out to the grill for quick connecting, but this guy said he had them that way on a work truck and people would stick copper bars, etc. in them to short them out and screw up his battery/system.


Also - you got a link to those jumper clamps you found?

[philofab]

I have a question... Where does everyone normally wire their battery disconnect switches into? The negitive or positive side? I always see them wired on the positive side but common sence tells me to put them on the negitive side. I have wired them on the negitive side for years with out problems.

[PaulW]

I have a question... Where does everyone normally wire their battery disconnect switches into? The negitive or positive side? I always see them wired on the positive side but common sence tells me to put them on the negitive side. I have wired them on the negitive side for years with out problems.

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Best is whatever results in the shortest lenth of hot wire.
Pretty unconventional to switch the ground side.
General rule from switch of fuse to the batt plus should be as short as possible with aircraft 6" is the the requirement.
Paul W

[baja-chris]

1) use an inline fuse for the leads from the Anderson connectors to the battery
2) get the caps they sell for the Anderson clip to keep the ends clean. I guess the get dirty easily and the connections get bad.

Also - you got a link to those jumper clamps you found?

My Anderson connectors will be right at the battery and not going to use a fuse. I did get the rubber boots to plug into the ends to keep them clean.

Here's the dual lead jumper clamps I used. Expensive but should allow the winch to be used on another truck.
http://www.centurytool.net/Booster_Cabl ... 14-850.htm

[BajaBronco13]

Bringing this thread back as I am on the hunt for a new battery for the white bronco. Does anyone know where to get a good deal on an Odyssey battery?

Chris

[ChaseTruck754]

Through Baja Junkie or Philo Chris.

Which reminds me - I need to order something (maybe Odssey but probably a standard AGM) for the alfa soon.