Andy@AAV
Old Marine
My 2 month long dual battery install is finally done (as done as it gets with this stuff anyway). The system consists of a Sears Die Hard Platinum (Odyssey battery re-badged), a National Luna Intelligent Solenoid, and a Blue Sea Systems 6 circuit fuse block along with associated wires and crap.
I started with the battery tray. I used a piece of 1/8 scrap steel plate I scrounged at work cut to mount by the passenger firewall, some all-thread rod and a piece of 1 inch square perforated tube for the mount. I bolted the plate into holes where the intake hose is mounted and the bracket behind that (for the ABS on non-TRD trucks I believe). The battery sits on the plate and the all thread clamps it in place. I will add a strap for insurance and to keep my heart rate lower on crappy trails.
The National Luna Intelligent Solenoid mounted on the driver fender near the firewall. The yellow wire not attached to anything is for my KC lights and will be moved to the auxiliary battery with an appropriate fuse.
Then the fuse block mounted to the subwoofer box/shelf in the back of my cab.
Assorted wiring, pain, cussing and a beer results in this crappy photo:
Now the details:
All the wires are from ANCOR. The battery cables are 4 GA and the power wire to the fuse block is 6 GA. The battery cables are rated for 136 Amp continuous in an engine bay and the fuse block cable is rated to 102 Amps in the engine compartment and 120 in the truck interior. Since the fuse block is only rated to 100 this should be fine. I am running 2 stereo amps (750 watts total), an ARB fridge (50 watts), a 400 watt inverter, and my CB (5 watts). So, if everything is on and running maxed out with a nearly dead battery (12.0 Volts) I am at my 100 amps. I may ditch the inverter and put the main unit for a Yaesu FT-7900 in that location which would reduce my watts to 855 maxed out.
The batteries are both fused at the positive terminals by Blue Sea Terminal Fuse Blocks http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50523&subdeptNum=50549&classNum=50556 for 100 amps. If I need more amps the fuses go up to 300 on the same block. The negative cable runs along the front engine compartment, zip tied under the cover between the grill and the radiator.
The instructions for the solenoid are easy to follow, but you need to convert from metric to standard for the wire sizes. Aside from that is just takes time to get the cables run and everything mounted securely. Note that the photos don't show the covers on the battery terminals and the grommet on the pass through on the firewall. Now I can leave my ARB plugged in without worrying...
I started with the battery tray. I used a piece of 1/8 scrap steel plate I scrounged at work cut to mount by the passenger firewall, some all-thread rod and a piece of 1 inch square perforated tube for the mount. I bolted the plate into holes where the intake hose is mounted and the bracket behind that (for the ABS on non-TRD trucks I believe). The battery sits on the plate and the all thread clamps it in place. I will add a strap for insurance and to keep my heart rate lower on crappy trails.
The National Luna Intelligent Solenoid mounted on the driver fender near the firewall. The yellow wire not attached to anything is for my KC lights and will be moved to the auxiliary battery with an appropriate fuse.
Then the fuse block mounted to the subwoofer box/shelf in the back of my cab.
Assorted wiring, pain, cussing and a beer results in this crappy photo:
Now the details:
All the wires are from ANCOR. The battery cables are 4 GA and the power wire to the fuse block is 6 GA. The battery cables are rated for 136 Amp continuous in an engine bay and the fuse block cable is rated to 102 Amps in the engine compartment and 120 in the truck interior. Since the fuse block is only rated to 100 this should be fine. I am running 2 stereo amps (750 watts total), an ARB fridge (50 watts), a 400 watt inverter, and my CB (5 watts). So, if everything is on and running maxed out with a nearly dead battery (12.0 Volts) I am at my 100 amps. I may ditch the inverter and put the main unit for a Yaesu FT-7900 in that location which would reduce my watts to 855 maxed out.
The batteries are both fused at the positive terminals by Blue Sea Terminal Fuse Blocks http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50523&subdeptNum=50549&classNum=50556 for 100 amps. If I need more amps the fuses go up to 300 on the same block. The negative cable runs along the front engine compartment, zip tied under the cover between the grill and the radiator.
The instructions for the solenoid are easy to follow, but you need to convert from metric to standard for the wire sizes. Aside from that is just takes time to get the cables run and everything mounted securely. Note that the photos don't show the covers on the battery terminals and the grommet on the pass through on the firewall. Now I can leave my ARB plugged in without worrying...
