So I got a pair of Blue Top 750 CCA 12V Optimas. I wasn't looking for CCA as much as I was looking for reserve. Total cost of install: $420 From the pics it looks like they are wired in series, but they are, infact, wired parallel. One of them is in there backwards because The cables I had were too long. Might get around to buying different ends to shorten them one of these days...

Made Bracket for bottom like so:

Hole in center bolts to hole already in center of battery tray:

3/8 Threaded rod goes through both holes with a nut on bottom and top, and another nut with a 2" washer on top of the batteries:



Just got em in last night, so I really haven't had a chance to use them yet, but I will post my thoughts about them. What y'all think?

 

Looks good. Might want to build a better bracket for the top though just in case things get a little rough going down the road.

If you built that lower bracket you could do something better for the top.

 

Heres my dual redtop optima setup.

 

as red as your truck is i'd figure for sure that you would have red tops.... looks good man nice work!

 

It was a John Deere inspired Idea. The batteries fit just tight enough in the bottom bracket that they WILL not move. There is a 2" washer on top That's all I should really need, unless it works itself loose.

Twisted: Yeah I would rather have red tops just because about everything on my truck is red, but the marine batteries seemed like a better choice. lol

 

I just did that mod about 2 weeks ago but used dual Yellow top Optimas and a premade battery mount from Ballistic Fabrication. I haven't noticed a difference in how fast it first cranks, it always fired up quickly. I was also looking to add to the reserve rather than CCA.

 

My truck had trouble starting in -10C unplugged last winter in fort st john. I came back to vancouver for xmas, installed the 2nd optima and the truck started at -40C unplugged. Cycled the heaters twice and cranked for maybe 10 seconds and it went. It took a lot of throttle to get going cause the diff/trans oil was so cold. Glad I only had to do it a couple times.

 

Nice tight set-up. Watch that the nut on top. It might want to wear through the negative cross-over cable.

 

glad you got it all set up randy. hope it works well!

 

I have 8 in my truck and there red cause i got a great deal on them! But by far the best !

 

8 batteries? why lol

 

i have a 20,000 watt power inverter in my truck.

 

This is where I installed my #2 auxiliary battery; I also have a #3 battery that is an 8-D diesel truck battery located in the bed behind the driver’s side wheel well.

They are all interconnected using Sure Power #1314 Battery Separators I replaced the 100-amp solenoids with 200-amp solenoids for more capacity, the Separator for the #2 battery you can see on the drivers side inner fender in the far right side of the picture, it has the red shrink tubing over the ends of the #2 welding cables.



I welded a bracket using some 1” square tubing from the inner fender and braced it to the frame rail; on top I bolted a standard battery tray.

Here you can also see my 160-amp alternator.





http://www.ase-supply.com/category_s/154.htm

http://www.ase-supply.com/v/vspfiles.../1314-1315.pdf

Why a separator, it is better than an isolator because it will only charge the primary battery until it reaches 13.2 volts and then it will pull in the solenoid and charge the auxiliary battery, then when the input voltage drops to 12.7 volts like when the engine is turned off, the solenoid will disconnect and isolate the auxiliary battery from the main battery this way if you happen to leave your lights on and run your truck battery dead the auxiliary battery will remain fully charged.

With this particular separator it has a built in assist feature where you can press a button in your cab and you can parallel the 2 batteries and then start your truck, like built in jumper cables without ever opening your hood. Or you can wire this into your ignition switch “start” position and automatically use 2 batteries every time you start.

I have mine set up on all 3 of my batteries so I can spin my starter with almost 4000-amperes if needed.

There is also a traditional Diode type Isolator that is common in RV’s, typically a big finned heat sink with 3 bolt terminals sticking out of the black potting their purpose is to isolate the 2 batteries from each other and was designed for situations where you could run your 12-volt accessories in your RV without the fear of draining your starting battery dead.

If you just want to connect up your winch and auxiliary lights to the auxiliary battery it will work that’s it, but with no jump-start feature however this can be easly added with the addition of a solenoid and 2 short jumpers.

However the Diode type isolator is not a good design because the diodes that they use have an inherent voltage drop of about 1-volt meaning if your alternator only puts out 13.8 volts to charge your truck battery you will never fully recharge your auxiliary battery on 12.8 volts.

If you have a high amperage alternator with an adjustable external regulator they can be used successfully, my 160-amp Leece Neville alternator outputs 14.8 volts.

BUT there is an isolator available that you can use that uses an Schottky diode that has a very minimal voltage drop, these are used primarily in Paramedic Trucks, ambulances and marine applications that need to be certified.

http://www.surepower.com/pdf/180031c.pdf

http://www.ase-supply.com/category_s/153.htm

You can also use a rotary Battery Disconnect in conjunction with an isolator but this can get confusing.

The Separator is small and completely automatic.

Hope I didn’t confuse you.
Jim

 

That is what my 8-D deep cycle is for, I have a 3000-watt inverter.

 

that is very slick Mr. Lane.