Running 2 batteries?
I was recently talking to an old friend of mine who has been in the car audio/competition business for over 10+ years and he suggested that rather then just running one battery in the trunk, that I run both my mini battery and redtop. He said to leave all the factory connections with the mini battery and run the system with the redtop.
His only concern was whether the stock alternator could charge both batteries or not.
Has anyone done this? Is this is even recommended?
Thanks.
His only concern was whether the stock alternator could charge both batteries or not.
Has anyone done this? Is this is even recommended?
Thanks.
God no , do not put a isolater in there they have a 1 volt drop across them (so your back Batt will be only charging @13 votls)
To do it "right" you need two(2) fuse's on the "+" wire from the front Batt to the rear Batt . One fuse 18" or less from the front Batt and a fuse 18" or less from the rear Batt . This is in case the "+'' gets shorted out (wreck , wire chafing , cut in to ..) it will pop the fuse before you rear Batt chatches your car on fire .
I have use just 4ga and worked great for me in the past , "+" wire from from front to back and 4ga grounded to a soild chasie ground .
What Ive done in the past and workied great , for every 2k watts add a extra batt ( 4 2000 watts amps 4 batts) .
You are way over thinking this , one red top will be fine , a red top + small front batt will be even better . Now how much better 3db's NO maybe 1db ....
I just relocated the stock batt. to the trunk using 4ga. It's $2 a foot from an audio shop. I ran it right to the factory harness under the hood. Grounded the batt. less than a foot from it's location in the trunk.
Only thing I notice, is a small (and I mean VERY small hesitation) at start up b/c of the distance and that it's the stock batt. But it starts with no probs. I think 2ga. is a little big. I know all kits they sell use 2 ga. But they also use thicker copper, with less strands than amp wire. Correct me if i'm wrong, but 4ga. can support up to 150 amps. I think that's more than enough.
Only thing I notice, is a small (and I mean VERY small hesitation) at start up b/c of the distance and that it's the stock batt. But it starts with no probs. I think 2ga. is a little big. I know all kits they sell use 2 ga. But they also use thicker copper, with less strands than amp wire. Correct me if i'm wrong, but 4ga. can support up to 150 amps. I think that's more than enough.
Thread Starter
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Yeah, that's why I really want to only run 1 battery, which is probably what i'll end up doing.
My question was whether it's necessary to have the ground run to the front or if grounding it to the chassis in the trunk would suffice.
My question was whether it's necessary to have the ground run to the front or if grounding it to the chassis in the trunk would suffice.
Thread Starter
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From: Houston, TX
I just relocated the stock batt. to the trunk using 4ga. It's $2 a foot from an audio shop. I ran it right to the factory harness under the hood. Grounded the batt. less than a foot from it's location in the trunk.
Only thing I notice, is a small (and I mean VERY small hesitation) at start up b/c of the distance and that it's the stock batt. But it starts with no probs. I think 2ga. is a little big. I know all kits they sell use 2 ga. But they also use thicker copper, with less strands than amp wire. Correct me if i'm wrong, but 4ga. can support up to 150 amps. I think that's more than enough.
Only thing I notice, is a small (and I mean VERY small hesitation) at start up b/c of the distance and that it's the stock batt. But it starts with no probs. I think 2ga. is a little big. I know all kits they sell use 2 ga. But they also use thicker copper, with less strands than amp wire. Correct me if i'm wrong, but 4ga. can support up to 150 amps. I think that's more than enough.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: cincinnati
I do not know why you would have to run a ground to the front. shouldn't you be able to make both the front terminal and the battery in the back both ground to the chassis? I have never ran just a batt in the trunk but I have never ran a ground to the front for my second batt.
Cool, yeah those kits can get a little pricey. I bought the tray, wiring, fuse and terminals and cost me less than $40.
I did find out though, that unless you want to drill a huge hole in the firewall, you have to run it through the stock rubber grommet on the driver side wheel well. FYI.
I did find out though, that unless you want to drill a huge hole in the firewall, you have to run it through the stock rubber grommet on the driver side wheel well. FYI.
