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two 6v batteries for aux standby?

outlander

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Columbus,Ohio
I have searched and didn't find the info I need.

Here is my dilema:I want a second battery for a stand by incase my primary gives out on the trail.I also would like to use the second battery in unison of the primary during heavy winching.

Underhood space is limited as we all know and my situation is even worse because the dual batt system has to retain the original airbox(unlike the diesel battery tray that most people use on a dual batt system.)

Now I was thinking of using two 6v atv batteries hooked up in series(or is it paralelle?)to get 12v because they are small and I hope I can find space for them under the hood.

Instead of getting into expensive solenoids or smart controls I am hoping to be able to self jump start the primary battery from the two 6v batteries via jumper cables.

I was looking at this but its not exactly cheap(I'm poor):
http://www.jeepersandcreepers.com/client/Products.php?prokey=539

and also this:I could fab something like that myself to accommidate two 6v atv batts.
http://www.jeepersandcreepers.com/client/Products.php?prokey=389

They have a small 12v battery that they sell for their "double stack" dual battery setup but Its like $180.

Am I way off base with this idea?
 
outlander said:
I have searched and didn't find the info I need.

Here is my dilema:I want a second battery for a stand by incase my primary gives out on the trail.I also would like to use the second battery in unison of the primary during heavy winching.

Underhood space is limited as we all know and my situation is even worse because the dual batt system has to retain the original airbox(unlike the diesel battery tray that most people use on a dual batt system.)

Now I was thinking of using two 6v atv batteries hooked up in series(or is it paralelle?)to get 12v because they are small and I hope I can find space for them under the hood.

Instead of getting into expensive solenoids or smart controls I am hoping to be able to self jump start the primary battery from the two 6v batteries via jumper cables.

I was looking at this but its not exactly cheap(I'm poor):
http://www.jeepersandcreepers.com/client/Products.php?prokey=539

and also this:I could fab something like that myself to accommidate two 6v atv batts.
http://www.jeepersandcreepers.com/client/Products.php?prokey=389

They have a small 12v battery that they sell for their "double stack" dual battery setup but Its like $180.

Am I way off base with this idea?

Series for additive voltage. Make sure the two batteries match! Treat this point as important...

Some variety of isolator is still recommended - if one battery (your primary starting battery, or one of the secondaries) should fail, they'll all drain each other in fairly short order without a charge applied.

Also, you'll have to check current capacities for your auxiliaries - many 6V batteries won't give you very much, and you're adding voltage in series, not current. You can wire them in parallel - but you'll get 6V output (and end up blowing out something important in your batteries after charging for a couple of minutes.)
 
so is this idea feasible?


I am kind of torn....I always carry a spare alternator so if the alternator fails and drains my battery I could switch out alts. and use a booster pak to boost the drained battery back into service negating the need for dual batteries in the first place.
But they are so cool!!!
 
outlander said:
so is this idea feasible?


I am kind of torn....I always carry a spare alternator so if the alternator fails and drains my battery I could switch out alts. and use a booster pak to boost the drained battery back into service negating the need for dual batteries in the first place.
But they are so cool!!!

Certainly - I was just telling you about some of the pitfalls you can expect. It's certainly doable, although I think you'd be better off with a couple of 12V cells (so you can add current in parallel, instead of being stuck with adding voltage in series.)

But do make sure that the batteries match - series cells need to be identical, or you're going to have them draining each other. I'd also suggest (as I did above) having an isolator for when the vehicle is off - so if you have one battery/bank failing, the other will still work
 
You could connect two 6 volt batteries in series.

I'm not sure I have ever heard of two 6 volt batteries in series in a Jeep application. The main advantage of using two 12 volt batteries connected in parallel is backup. If one battery goes down, you will have the other battery to keep your system running. With two 6 volts, if one goes down then your entire 12 volt system is down.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=936790
 
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