4/15/2023 0 Comments Smart battery isolator yellow wire![]() ![]() That’s why many off-road enthusiasts prefer dual-battery setups that can temporarily take one of the batteries offline-or isolate it from a truck’s main electrical system. While a parallel circuit can, for instance, keep the lights on longer without the engine running, one battery after another will each eventually go flat if there is a constant energy drain. It’s certainly helpful, but it doesn’t really get to the core of the problem. Think of it as comparable to adding a larger gas tank. ![]() Two is Better than Oneĭual-battery setups typically use two different types of batteries: a starter battery and a deep-cycle battery.Īt its most basic, an automotive dual-battery system, with the batteries connected in a parallel circuit, essentially doubles the amount of electricity you have available. It’s an energy debt that can build quickly as your electrical use outstrips your ability to recharge the battery-especially if you’re also using electricity at the campsite. But keep in mind, thanks to those pesky laws of physics, it can take more than a few minutes of charging to make up for a few minutes of winching. You’re simply counting on the alternator to recharge it. These are usually connected to the battery, so even if you use one with the engine on, the battery is being drained. Consider the effect of a common off-road tool, like an electric winch. The thing is, the electrical demands of trail-friendly trucks and SUVs are hardly typical. Power demands, from fridges to winches, make dual-battery setups essential among adventurists. The alternator also recharges the battery typically, the battery itself only provides accessory power when the engine is off. The running engine then powers the alternator, which provides most of the electricity for your truck’s electrical accessories. Now, without going too deep into the details, the primary function of your truck’s battery is to power the starter-the mechanism that gets a cold engine spinning and the spark plugs sparking. To understand the benefits of that to determine the best battery for dual-battery setups, though, let’s start with what an automotive battery does. They involve wiring a second battery into your vehicle’s pre-existing electrical system. If you’re unfamiliar with dual-battery setups, they’re exactly what they sound like. It’s that double advantage- providing a backup for the primary battery and powering accessories-that makes dual-battery setups so popular. Follow along and check out next month for what we think will be the final installment of Project Over/Under.Then, there’s the fact that, for many overlanders, added battery power is needed in the first place-whether it’s for truck winches and campsite lighting, or for mini-fridges and media systems. ![]() We completed the job in a couple afternoons and were soon enjoying the fruits of our labor, feeling confident this truck is one giant step closer to being the reliable off-road cruiser we envisioned form the beginning. Finally, Painless added 16-foot lengths of 1-gauge cable to cover all the cable we were adding or replacing. To make it all work, we discussed our needs with Painless Performance, who recommended its weatherproof dual-battery control system, which consists of an extreme-duty solenoid and three-way switch along with all the other connections. Then we called up Powermaster Performance, because we knew it carried a 220-amp alternator that bolted right into the stock location and had the correct plug and pulley. For the two new batteries, we looked to Odyssey for a couple matching Extreme Series 78-PC1500s that would fit into both the stock location and the factory-style auxiliary battery tray we picked up off eBay for a few bucks. So, while our final parts list was bigger than we planned, we were confident we were doing the job right. ![]()
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