Cheapest way to legally install a dual battery

[GWH]

G'day all, what is the best and most cost effective way of installing a dual battery system?? I don't need anything fancy, so a selonoid to isolate one battery would be all i need. Can I install the mount and battery myself - if i can, what is the best and easiest way of doing it

thanks

[mechtech]

g'day, what sort of car is it, well more to the point wherre do you want the battery? other than a few design scrachings of the head, cheapest way out,, battery cradle (can you weld?) hold down clamps,, get some nice 300a leads, and a supercheap isolator (approx $35 i think, better check),, its just a big ass switch (none/1st/2nd/both) same time run your outlet points, this is a very stright foward and cheap way

[mechtech]

hehehe lol
oh yea and a battery,,
acctually whilst on the subject, would like to hear if any one has used a deep cycle batt and if there's any adv.

[krimnl]

what do you want the second battery for. a fridge and lights ect, or more power for a winch?

if its for a winch. dont use any switches. just mount up the second battery as close as you can to the winch. and run the power cable from BOTH batteries to the winch.

[Tiny]

use a jacar switch for $15 and wire it all in yourself, buy the tray as it is easier, and wire cost bugger all

[Macca177]

Optima deep cycle are the way to go

they can b used as a crankin if need b(900cca)
also they are the qucikest chargin deepcycle and they are sealed unit too.

u can pick up GSL for bout $100 not as cheap as jaycar and the likes but still very good and u can set all the options for wich to charge first or start off etc.

[Macca177]

Optima deep cycle are the way to go

they can b used as a crankin if need b(900cca)
also they are the qucikest chargin deepcycle and they are sealed unit too.

u can pick up GSL for bout $100 not as cheap as jaycar and the likes but still very good and u can set all the options for wich to charge first or start off etc.

[toughnut]

if its for a winch. dont use any switches. just mount up the second battery as close as you can to the winch. and run the power cable from BOTH batteries to the winch.

Will wiring the batteries in parrallel ( wiring one battery to the other + to +, -to - )achieve the same effect or is it better to run both batteries straight to the winch?

[Macca177]

running both batteries parrell...woudlnt that chnage it too a 24volt system??

sorry but the double post earlier

[RoldIT]

+ to + is called "parallel" and is 12v. + to - is "series" and creates 24v.

[sox121]

Toughnut if you run 2 cables from each battery to the winch + to + and - to - , then you can use smaller cable to carry the load ( current ) but if you went from 1 battery to the 2nd battery then to the winch the cable to the winch would have to be bigger to carry the full load of the winch from both batteries. Keeping all cable you run to the shortest length will help keep volt drop down to the minimum, volt drop will be at it's worst when the winch it at maximum load.

[toughnut]

Yeah, got the biggest cables I could find. I've mounted my solenoid pack in the cab so the cables are fairly long. I'll see what I can do to fix it. I'm going to mount the batteries under the tray anyhow.

[mgundle]

dont use a supercheap isolater it will fail after a few times if it draws excessive current through it
get one with silver contacts in it so i doesnt fail after a week
bout 50 bucks approx!
never let you down