Battery Help

I've already read threads on this but still have some questions. Here's my setup right now-I know something is wrong, I just can't seem to get it right. Any suggestions/comments would help.

I have a Optima Red Top under the hood, running off a newer stock 120amp alternator. I upgraded the ground wire there just cause. Then I have 0 guage wire running to a second Optima Yellow Top in the rear of the Jeep, where I have two 4 gauges split off two two amplifiers for my subs and highs. I have the Yellow Top grounded under the rear carpet somewhere.

I was thinking about putting the Yellow Top under the hood, and using that mainly for my amplifiers and winch. And using the Red Top for the lights and starting. I was also going to put a 2 farad capacitor in the rear of the Jeep hooked up to the Yellow Top.

Any ideas, wire size recommendations, suggestions?

Do you have a battery isolator switch, or are they wired in parallel?

parallel

XJFever said:

parallel

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You are going to want to install an Isolator switch or better yet, an Isolator. No cables under 2ga should be used off the battery. Period.


This is running an isolator.

Ok, here we go:
If you are going to be running both batteries under the hood, you can do 2ga or 1ga. If you were running one battery from the rear of an XJ to the next battery under the hood, I would run 1/0 cable from the rear battery to the front battery because of the distance.
Off the winch, you're going to want at least 1ga going to the battery. The bigger the winch, the bigger the cables. I've noticed many winches come with 2ga from the factory, that's to small(for winches over 6k). In order for the winch to properly draw its amperage, it needs large fine strand copper cable, or welding cable.

An Isolator will do as its name states, Isolate the batteries for the directed task and keep them BOTH charged according to which battery needs the charge.

I HIGHLY recommend an Isolator to keep them both charged. An Isolator switch will also work and also kill your system if you pick that setting. Good safety feature.

If you need cables made up professionally, please contact me. I will gladly help and get you a good deal.

So, is it true about putting the winch off the top posts and not the side posts?

XJFever said:

So, is it true about putting the winch off the top posts and not the side posts?

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Is what true?
You made no sense there. You don't even give an explanation as to what the heck you're asking.

If you're asking if it's better to connect the winch to the top post or side post, that depends on the type of connection, type of battery, type of winch, and size of cables.

Is it true that on an Optima Red Top battery, it is better to connect an M8000 winch on the Top posts, rather than the side posts?

yes, thats common knowledge.

xcm said:

yes, thats common knowledge.

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Not really.

No everyone understands the construction of a battery.

If you connect to the top post, you have more contact area than connecting to the side post if you use the RIGHT connector. I HIGHLY recommend a military or marine style connector because of the contact surface. Like this one (which I stock and sell):


Also, you are going to want to crimp the ends with BRASS or COPPER lugs, as they are best for continuity. Another reason to not run off the side post is because of it being the longest distance to the cells. The side terminals are just an extension of the top post. Look at this picture:


As you can see, the whole top plate is one piece and the side post are just arms off the top post. The top post are connected to the battery direct with the shortest distance between.

whats wrong with using rockford fosgate terminals

XJFever said:

whats wrong with using rockford fosgate terminals

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What?
I give up.

NM,my bad for even asking you for your help.

XJFever said:

Quit acting like I'm asking stupid questions. I'm asking simple questions, maybe you don't know what Rockford Fosgate is but other people do. If you don't know the answer, don't answer it, instead of being a jackass (which even though it's only writing, I'm getting that vibe from you). I realize you know alot about batteries, but that doesn't mean every one else does.

Rockford Fosgate is a car audio brand. They make battery terminals, as well as other stuff. I was simply asking what was wrong with using those terminals over the ones you mentioned. Because the way you put it, was that anything else other than the ones you mentioned weren't recommended.

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Alright ass hat, you need to learn something, common sense.

You see those little holes on that connector? You but BARE NAKED cable in there. What happens to bare cable when connected to a battery? Corrosion.



Instead of asking:
"durrr, um... so wut 'bout dem copper dingers at cable ends wid a howle?"
I'll give you an explanation, again.
If you're going to connect anything to the battery using the military style terminal I showed above, you're going to want to CRIMP the ends of the cable with COPPER LUGS and also use HEAT SHRINK around the ends to SEAL from BATTERY CORROSION.

Everyone knows what Rockford Audio is.
Again, common sense.
While you may not be asking direct stupid questions, you're stupidly wording the way you ask about the product or situation.

:gee:

Wow! I guess you have been put in your place by MR. BATTERY himself! Seems like he is in a bit of a snit today -- perhaps spilled some acid on his toesies. (Dang, I don't know how to spell toesies.)

Some other thoughts later.

Pelican said:

Wow! I guess you have been put in your place by MR. BATTERY himself! Seems like he is in a bit of a snit today -- perhaps spilled some acid on his toesies. (Dang, I don't know how to spell toesies.)

Some other thoughts later.

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I didn't mean to get snippy til he pissed me off. I was doing the best I could to help him out.

what do the colored remote wires go to and do orbital/optima batterys really produce that much corossion??? mine never have

I was not put in my place, I just didn't want to keep this argument going. I was in a snippy mood this morning and salerp's post kind of ticked me off. I felt that my questions weren't that hard to understand, but maybe it came off like that to him. I apologize for calling you a jackass though. I actually used your advise on the top posts.

I think for now I'm going to keep the yellowtop under the hood and remove the redtop until I get all the other parts.