progress on dual battery setup

I was camping way out in Big Bend Ranch State Park a few weeks ago, running lights, charging things, and thinking about how bad it would be to get a dead battery. My wife suggested dual batteries and I am part way through adding that to my XJ.

My original plan was to use an odyssey PC680 as a backup battery, but when I asked someone at Hellroaring Technologies about that, they recommended a PC1200. The PC1200 is a tight fit where the stock airbox used to be, but I put it in today.

I am still waiting for the isolator (http://www.hellroaring.com/bic75300.php) to arrive, so right now the battery is not connected, but I did make a tray out of some scrap:




I will mount this: http://www.adafruit.com/products/575 and an SPDT switch to monitor both batteries, and this: http://www.otrattw.com/proddetail.php?prod=VVPZC2J-1J6 to manually connect the batteries: http://www.otrattw.com/proddetail.php?prod=VVPZC2J-1J6

Rusty's intake can be persuded to fit around this battery and the ECM fits nicely over the back:

Are there any glaring problems with this setup?

Looks good

Artec makes a nice box for that battery, just installed one in mine.

http://www.artecindustries.com/CLEARANCE--Odyssey-PC-1200-Battery-Mount--POWDERCOAT_p_364.html

Nice setup.

It is similar to what I have in my XJ. I like the battery combiner/isolator combination you selected. Coming from the marine industry, I used a combiner/isolator from the marine store that work similar to the one you selected. It also have the ability to work as battery jumper for the times your starting battery is dead. I made the battery box myself more than 6 years ago and fitted it with an Optima 34/78 battery. I use one battery for starting duties and the other battery for every thing else.

looking good.

It is pretty much finished now. There are a few small cosmetic things I want to change, but the system is working.



Here is the interior. I need to swap out that toggle switch for a rocker switch at some point. I will probably also need to dim the purple led in the switch or it will be annoying when driving at night.

To put a contura v switch with a plug in that spot, it is necessary to clearance the gauge cluster. I need to go back in an remove a little more material because the switch is slightly crooked.


bigger version: http://www.jeepingben.net/zen/zenphoto/2013/dual_batteries/DSCF7631.JPG.php

Not too much carnage:


This took pretty much all day including a run to the store for the battery cables and the circuit breaker. Time for a beer.