Dual Aux Battery Setup

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overlandozzy

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I saw a picture online of a tacoma that had a dual battery system mounted in the toolbox. It was strictly for auxiliary "house" needs. Im wanting to do a setup like it in my toolbox to blow up mattresses, charge phones, computers, etc. Anyone have a clue how one could set this up and what I would need to run a system like it. Cant find the picture anymore but some of y'all gotta know how to set it up. Electrical systems confuse me so I'm puzzled as where to start. All help is appreciated! I should add that since my truck is an SR5 it didn't come with the inverter from the factory. Shoot!
 
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Flipper

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It's a pretty simple system, Blue Seas Systems make a product called a battery link, this is connected to the positive post on the trucks battery, this has to be fused, they also make cool fuses that mount on the battery . This goes to the battery link, the links output will go to your house battery positive post. The negative on your house battery goes to the frame Of the truck (ground) these wires should be at least 4 ga, 2 ga would be better. What this does is when you start your truck the link sences the "charge" from the alt. It's connects the house batt to the truck batt. When you turn the truck off it disconnects the house batt, so you don't have to worry about a dead start batt. Then your inverter connects plus and negative to the house batt. I would recommend a pure sine wave inverter which produces the same electricity that is in a house, a square wave inverter can damage chargers and electronics, a good place to buy the inverter is a online co called Don Rowe Inverters. To mount the house batt. Marine battery boxes or tray will secure it. Boom! Your finished. Any questions give me a shout. You can find the link on amazon for $100 , the hardware, fuse holders , lugs , West Marine or Defender catalog, do not skimp on the wire gauge. The fuse at truck batt 75A. Fuse size going to inverter will depend on the size of the inverter. If you want solar also the solar panel will go to a controller, the regulates the charge coming from the panel and dosent let the batt to backfeed back to the panel a night. The output of the controller goes to the house battery, don't waste your money on a small panel, an 85 W panel will give you around an 7A charge, a 125W panel will give you a 10A charge.
 

overlandozzy

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It's a pretty simple system, Blue Seas Systems make a product called a battery link, this is connected to the positive post on the trucks battery, this has to be fused, they also make cool fuses that mount on the battery . This goes to the battery link, the links output will go to your house battery positive post. The negative on your house battery goes to the frame Of the truck (ground) these wires should be at least 4 ga, 2 ga would be better. What this does is when you start your truck the link sences the "charge" from the alt. It's connects the house batt to the truck batt. When you turn the truck off it disconnects the house batt, so you don't have to worry about a dead start batt. Then your inverter connects plus and negative to the house batt. I would recommend a pure sine wave inverter which produces the same electricity that is in a house, a square wave inverter can damage chargers and electronics, a good place to buy the inverter is a online co called Don Rowe Inverters. To mount the house batt. Marine battery boxes or tray will secure it. Boom! Your finished. Any questions give me a shout. You can find the link on amazon for $100 , the hardware, fuse holders , lugs , West Marine or Defender catalog, do not skimp on the wire gauge. The fuse at truck batt 75A. Fuse size going to inverter will depend on the size of the inverter. If you want solar also the solar panel will go to a controller, the regulates the charge coming from the panel and dosent let the batt to backfeed back to the panel a night. The output of the controller goes to the house battery, don't waste your money on a small panel, an 85 W panel will give you around an 7A charge, a 125W panel will give you a 10A charge.
Would this setup work if I wanted tor un 2 aux batteries in the toolbox?
 

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YouTube is your friend. Lots of DIY videos. Look for Power Box or similar keywords. Some call them Solar Generators.
 

Tim

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This one deals more with the battery box concept


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk
 

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Would this setup work if I wanted tor un 2 aux batteries in the toolbox?
Yes, you could parallel your two aux batteries , plus to plus , negative to negative that will keep you at twelve volts. What I did was put a battery selector switch on mine , where I can run or charge to batt 1 or batt 2 or both.How you would do this is connect the link output to the output of the selector switch which would now be the input to the switch then it can be switched to batt 1 or batt 2 or both. Sounds a little confusing but it isn't the electricity is just going the other way instead how you would use it in a boat where you would use it to start the motor from Batt 1 ,batt2 or both. The inverter positive would now be connected to input/output post on the switch the inverter negative would be connected to one of the negative terminals which both negative batt terminals have already been paralleled or connected together. the solar panel would be connected the same way as the inverter. Make sure you wear safety glasses and follow install instructions, your are going to be dealing with high current be careful not to touch both batt posts with a wrench the batts could explode, if my inverter is running full load it draws 166A, any questions please ASK I will be glad to help
 
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overlandozzy

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View attachment 24277 View attachment 24276
Yes, you could parallel your two aux batteries , plus to plus , negative to negative that will keep you at twelve volts. What I did was put a battery selector switch on mine , where I can run or charge to batt 1 or batt 2 or both.How you would do this is connect the link output to the output of the selector switch which would now be the input to the switch then it can be switched to batt 1 or batt 2 or both. Sounds a little confusing but it isn't the electricity is just going the other way instead how you would use it in a boat where you would use it to start the motor from Batt 1 ,batt2 or both. The inverter positive would now be connected to input/output post on the switch the inverter negative would be connected to one of the negative terminals which both negative batt terminals have already been paralleled or connected together. the solar panel would be connected the same way as the inverter. Make sure you wear safety glasses and follow install instructions, your are going to be dealing with high current be careful not to touch both batt posts with a wrench the batts could explode, if my inverter is running full load it draws 166A, any questions please ASK I will be glad to help
I'm going to be honest, I do not understand electrical stuff but I know without power management in my rig I can't do much. For example, as my truck sits right now I have no way to blow up the air mattress for my wife.....which is a problem so thats why I wanted to do a dual auxiliary battery setup inside my toolbox until I end up getting a camper shell (which I will then get a box for them). I know thats a lot but I'm still confused. What all would I need to make the system work that you have discussed? My buddy has a solar charging system setup on his battery but I can't seem to get time to catch him when he's free for him to explain. I can thank yall enough for all your help. Im hoping to get this done cause my wife and I have a trip planned next weekend in Northeast GA.
 

Flipper

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I'm going to be honest, I do not understand electrical stuff but I know without power management in my rig I can't do much. For example, as my truck sits right now I have no way to blow up the air mattress for my wife.....which is a problem so thats why I wanted to do a dual auxiliary battery setup inside my toolbox until I end up getting a camper shell (which I will then get a box for them). I know thats a lot but I'm still confused. What all would I need to make the system work that you have discussed? My buddy has a solar charging system setup on his battery but I can't seem to get time to catch him when he's free for him to explain. I can thank yall enough for all your help. Im hoping to get this done cause my wife and I have a trip planned next weekend in Northeast GA.
To keep it simple just dont bother with the batt switch, just get the link from amazon, and fuse and holder and the wire 4ga will do. The wire will come off the positive of the start battery through the fuse to the link then connect a piece of the wire from the link to the positive post of one of your batteries ( there are only two posts on the link a in and a out). now get a piece of black 4 Ga wire and connect it to the negative post of your aux batt and connect to the metal on your truck. last step connect a red wire from the positive post on your aux batt 1 to the positive post to battery 2. connect a black wire to the negative post on batt 1 to the negative post on batt 2 hope this will be less confusing. need help just give a shout to make it even easier just use one aux batt that is all you are going to need tomorrow i will draw it out , take a pix and send it to you
 

Flipper

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good morning! do a google search: Blue Seas battery link installation instructions
all the info you need is there. Any questions give me a shout. put you aux battery in a battery box, you can get this at walmart in the fishing dept
 

Veggie Man

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This is a good thread for me to follow. Both me and my FIL will be doing this. Me on my JKU and him on his Sprinter Van.