09 D22 dual battery setup

[KraftyPg]

What do you need two batteries for Dave you just drive the thing to work

 

[Fergo]

i have a 2010 d22 with the dual battery setup, and am trying to make sense of previous comments in this thread, ill just ask what i need:

does the nav have its own isolator on the second battery, saving me a few bucks
and,
if not, can i install my own and use it as an accessory battery, or does the rest of the car depend on 2 batteries being connected at all times.

 

[bods]

i have a 2010 d22 with the dual battery setup, and am trying to make sense of previous comments in this thread, ill just ask what i need:

does the nav have its own isolator on the second battery, saving me a few bucks
no, it doesn't
and,
if not, can i install my own and use it as an accessory battery,
yes, you can install your own isolator. do really do it properly though you need to strip the wiring back to the alternator and remove the wire that goes to the second battery
or does the rest of the car depend on 2 batteries being connected at all times.
no, it doesn't. they only fitted dual batteries for colder climates they sell them in to give them better cranking power, and it's more expense to remove the second one, so we get a bargain

as above, there is a spot on the inside of the driver's side quarter panel that has captive threads in it where you can install a dual battery solenoid, that's where i have mine, and just ran the cabling along the firewall with the fuel lines.

 

[Fergo]

thanks heaps bods. ill relay that info to my auto elec, although im pretty good with wiring, being a new car i wont tackle it myself, i want to have a reciept and some form of warranty for work done to it.

 

[joshman]

ok, so i've read a few things on this forum about dual battery systems, and am thinking that the following system could be a good one to use:

under-hood battery is a massive Marshall sealed lead acid thing (haven't actually looked at the Ah rating). I run a set of large cable to the rear in the tub with an isolator in the line. then at the same time run an inverter and ctek charge from the alternator to teh tub, to keep the second battery at full charge. i would run all my auxillary equipment (fridges, lights, etc) from the second battery. if my cranking battery should die, i can simply flick the isolator and use my secondary bettary to provide some charge/crank?

it sounds simple enough...but is it really that easy? what size cables would need to be run between the two batteries for such a setup?

 

[terryc]

When you flick that switch, there is going to be a massive current from one battery to the other, but it shouldn't last long(seconds), so I'd put in the biggest wire you can obtain.

It would be safer, but take longer, if you could reverse the direction of operation of the inverter/charger.

 

[joshman]

When you flick that switch, there is going to be a massive current from one battery to the other, but it shouldn't last long(seconds), so I'd put in the biggest wire you can obtain.

It would be safer, but take longer, if you could reverse the direction of operation of the inverter/charger.

this is very true...but the idea is that i would be using the second battery to crank from, i can't see anything draining the main battery unless the battery has actually died. (as in, it needs replacing)

 

[ahinde85]

From memory there is a cable sizer tool on the Pirahna website.. There is plenty of info on the net.

 

[terryc]

this is very true...but the idea is that i would be using the second battery to crank from, i can't see anything draining the main battery unless the battery has actually died. (as in, it needs replacing)

Would it be easier, on the rare occasion that happens, just to swap the battery to the main position?

 

[pedro nissan]

just been doing research in the same thing a trusted auto leccy mate 9(traded)just quoted me for: extra battery, battery harness, wiring, pretty ordinary inveryter, pirahna smart start bat. manager....and a collection of 12 v led lights rigged and ready for 1600, which i found pretty reasonable considering the items alone can run up close to 1200

 

[KraftyPg]

$1200? Well heres one spot Dave can't say D40's cost more than D22's if that's the real cost. I did get all my bits at trade price but I still only paid about $300 for parts in my dual battery system.

 

[heata]

$1200? unless I misunderstand the scope of works, that seems pretty steep.

 

[d22dave]

I wouldn,t rush in at that price

 

[heata]

Ok so we are talking 2010 d22. I bought the redarc, bought some cable and set to work. At first glance it looks as if the +ve on the passenger side bat, is wired direct to the alternator. (my plan was to remove this and run fresh cables via the redarc between bats, as per diagrams posted)

Not so, it is wraped up with a bunch of cables that runs PAST the alternator, across the front of the engine, and down the driver side of the engine. It then is wraped up with a bunch of other cables and looks like it might head back up to the drivers side battery. But that is where I stopped unwrapping. Has any one unwrapped? and actually followed these cables?

 

[bods]

i think you may find it goes down to the starter motor. apparently for the colder climates they needed more cranking power or something, so i'd guess it goes straight to the starter...

i don't suppose you could just move it over to connect to the driver's side + terminal so you then have 2 wires heading down there? i would go and have a look myself, but it's about 40 degrees out there at the moment and i'm not really in the mood, lol

 

[scottybobcat]

I DId DOCO (MATTY) dual battery setup on his and just cut the positive lead for the 2nd battery and ran the dual battery setup he supplied and had no problams.It is working the way it should

 

[stickbender]

fitted a sidewinder kit to my nav today took the pos lead off aux bat and taped it up so if the sidewinder ever plays up i can refit it.

 

[heata]

Bods, I agree, it goes to the starter motor, (cylindrical thing similar size to a coke can?) Scotty and Stickbender, I assume you both did similar things, even with the ignition off this lead was live for me, (approx 12v) so I wasn't too comfortable leaving it. (am I wrong in this assumption?) I ran that same lead back to the driver's side and ran it into the redarc isolator and treated it as the positive feed from the cranking battery. Everything seems to work, so we will see. My logic is that anything that is connected to this lead will still have power, and will be placed before the isolator so should be ok.

 

[stickbender]

HEATA

I looked at pulling off the lead from aux to starter but unable to get a good look at it and also get my big arms in to remove it off the starter.

 

[scottybobcat]

I just cut and shortened Mattys and taped it up Heath and ran a new power cable to the primary battery