Dual Batteries The Easy Way

[Plumber101010]

You have heard it your whole life. Batteries of the exact same size, batteries of the exact same make, isolators, blah blah blah.

I cannot think of any after market mod, maybe short of a winch, light bar, and of course, the never ending quest for tires and wheels, that is more universally desired by the four wheeling community, as well as full-size truck owners than a dual battery setup!

Conversely, unlike winches and stuff, this subject matter to most has been made so thoroughly complicated and so ridiculously confusing, it has downright scared off all but the most daring DIY types, to the point that they will never do it, regardless of how bad they want it! And even till this day, people are STILL unaware they can do it this way!

Now let me be the first say that not only have I been using this system for well over 20 years, installing this setup in literally every single vehicle I have owned without it ever breaking down or failing me, I have to also be very honest in saying I have never ONCE had to utilize it either.

That is to say that I have never been in a position where I would've been left stranded had this system not been in place. There is little that a dual battery system can do when it comes to the concept of having a dead battery and being left stranded, that a portable battery jumper cannot! I own one of those too and it stores nicely in the back of any truck.

So here we go. Go on Amazon or any place you want and buy a marine battery switch. As with anything, they have cheap ones and more expensive ones but I have personally found little difference, but some are definitely better made.

Some of the nicer units will have a face plate so you can cut out a hole in the dash and place the switch inside the cab, behind and under the dash with only the mechanism sticking out accessible, for a nice custom look.

Or you can buy the cheap one that you see in the picture and put it on the outside of the dash and just use 3 nice looking screws! Actually prefer the one in the picture because if you have to do any maintenance or removal it makes it super simple.

Now by no means do you have to install this inside the truck or the cab, though I do highly recommend it. Not only is a real cool looking accessory, but the convenience of having it right there within hands reach is a very nice thing when you are switching functions.

Let me stop right here and bring up a very important point. The longer the run of the cable, the thicker the cable needs to be, which means the more money you are going to spend.

If you want a super cheap install, knowing aesthetics or convenience is not your thing, just mount the switch directly under the hood between the two batteries. Then go buy a couple cheap, pre-made 4 gauge battery cables at Walmart for eight bucks and you can be completely done with this project in no time, with a total cost, INCLUDING the battery (cheap one) for about $75. Doesn't get much cheaper than that folks!

Realistically though, assuming you're going to get a nicer switch, a nicer battery and going to do an in-cabin install, you can plan on $125-$150. Most of the money is in the cable itself as when you start doing longer, in cab runs (applies to full-size trucks not UTV's) you're going to want to get down to 0 or 1 size battery cable which I do not recommend buying premade, too expensive. Buy a length of it and take the hammer type terminals where you can just crimp it by bashing it with a hammer to the end of the battery cable. Super secure that way.

So the back of this thing is monkey simple to figure out and install. There's 3 bolts with nuts. Labeled battery 1, battery 2 and feed, which means to your starter.

Hopefully so far you're following the pure simplicity of this system. Mount your new battery, run a positive cable to the "BAT 2" terminal on the switch. (I like labeling battery one as the original and battery two as the ad on) and run the negative to any ground you choose.

Now take the original battery and run a new cable from the positive to the first terminal labeled "BAT1" (The ground you do not have to touch because it's already hooked up)

Then take the original cable that was running to the positive post on the original battery and attach it to the middle of the switch or the feed.

Depending on your location you may or may not need to add additional cable but sometimes you can reroute it to come up in a different location and get a lot of extra length. This will probably be the case on a UTV and you won't have to extend or buy a longer cable.

Now keep in mind that the original cable running to the starter that was on the battery will have a post on the end, so that has to be cut off and replaced with a regular open round hole terminal so it will slide over the bolt.

There you have it everyone. Your install is done. So to simplify, it's three easy steps.

1. Install your new battery in its new location and run one cable to ground and one cable to the bat2 post on the switch.

2. Run a new cable from the positive of the original battery to the BAT1 post on the switch.

3. Take the original positive cable running to the original battery and and attach it to middle terminal on the switch. Or feed, however they have it labeled.

That's it. No complication, no confusion, no never ending questions about isolators and this and that!

Now some tips to keep in mind. For those who do not know. I recommend buying a battery post that has a stud and wing nut sticking out of it so that you can more easily attach accessories to the battery as well as this switch.

This comes in extremely handy if you want to buy the premade battery cables because you then you can buy a pre-made cable with BOTH ends being an open round loop that just slides on top of the bolt and secure. They are not called battery cables, but a starter cable, usually sold on the same rack or area. See pic below.

So then one will slide over the post sticking out of the battery switch and the other and will slide over the post of your new battery terminal.

Really, it just makes life easy not to mention when adding all other accessories like lights and such, you can just unscrew the wingnut, attach wire and clamp down because it already has two ends that are nothing more than a circle with a hole in it.

These are all the many pros (List doesn't end here) of using this system versus the isolator system.

1. The obvious, which is this system is much cheaper and much easier to install, as such, it shouldn't scare absolutely anyone away from doing the project they have always wanted! This is as simple as simple can get.

2. In some cases when an isolator fails, it will actually draw power from the extra battery and you can wind up with two dead batteries and be left stranded!!! This basically means that the second battery does nothing at all to assist you. It is dead as well as the main battery. That kind of defeats the whole reason for having another battery!

3. YOU are in command of the system and you choose what battery at what time to do what YOU want

4. The OFF function is something that is exclusive to the switch and you won't find anywhere else. How many times have you read to disconnect the battery and wait 30 minutes to reset the computer system on any vehicle? Going to install a stereo? Going to install any aftermarket accessories? Simply turn the switch to off and instantly shut down the entire electrical system!

5. You can choose both batteries OR individual batteries to run each component. This comes in really handy when you are running say a 2500 watt inverter like I do, to run lights at night, being able to run it to the point that the battery is dead, while always keeping your main, primary starting battery safe, charged and untouched.

6. Winching yourself up a hill and hear the battery start to drag? Turn the switch to both and instantly double battery power on command! Then turn it off as soon as you're over the hump.

7. Leave the headlights on all night and have a dead battery? Who needs a battery charger!!! Simply turn the switch to battery 2, start the vehicle, then put the switch back to dead battery 1 and let the engine do the charging for you. You not only have a "jumper battery" ready to go, but a "built-in battery charger" as well.

8. The switch breaks on you and goes south? No problem. The malfunctioning of the switch, unlike the malfunctioning of an isolator system which no one is going to have a spare of laying around and could possibly leave you stranded, has absolutely nothing to do with the ability of the batteries!! Turn the switch around, take a nut and bolt or black electrical tape for that matter, and touch the two terminal ends together and you have completely bypassed the switch and you are now rolling along as if nothing ever happened..with BOTH BATTERIES.

9. You can use two totally different types of batteries, using the second battery as a deep cell to run things off long term, as opposed to regular automotive battery that is all about a lot of amp for a short amount of time.

There's absolutely not one negative thing to this system and I don't think anyone else would be able to bring up a negative to it either. It ranks supreme in the dual battery world and allows many and much better options than the isolator way.

The only other thing I could add, is don't be surprised if users of the isolator system defend their way of doing it while disparaging this method. It's not that there is really a disagreement as much as this option has never been presented before and is not really thought of as an option.

When the community at large has been doing something a certain way for such a long time, it's very hard to get them to adapt to a new way of doing things

The ONLY time you have to be extremely careful and safe, is when you are doing an in cab install on a full-size truck and you are drilling through the firewall!

You do NOT want that cable to chafe whatsoever up against the sheet-metal because then you could actually have a fire. I do not think this will apply whatsoever on any UTV, still, if that were to turn out to be the case, ONLY use rubber grommets there AND use several protective sheaths and wraps around the cable itself to ensure that will never happen!

I hope this helps many others achieve their desire to now have dual batteries in a very simple, affordable and durable way.

 

[Admin]

 

[Eltobgi]

To support your thread...

 

[Eltobgi]

I have used the dual battery switch my last two sxs's and absolutely love it! With that said I simply added an automatic charging relay (ACR) between the two battery positives to make a good thing even better
Notice the simplicity of adding the ACR...

By adding this you get to charge both batteries without worrying about switching!

And here's the kicker.............

It also isolates

 

[Eltobgi]

This is what my system more closely resembles...

It's not exact, but also wanted to show support for the dual battery switch and another of the many ways to use it!

I have 6 light bars on the front of the BEAST AND 2 on the sides and 1 on the rear

I have XK Glow whips and LEDs inside and outside

I have 3 sets of rock lights

I have a 3 amp, 7 speaker sound system with subwoofer which is deafening

And a warn provantage 4500 winch

And none of the added components ever draw from the factory system....Unless...wait for it...I switch the battery switch to combine!

But have only done that to support winching under extreme conditions!

 

[joeymt33]

Wow, you spent some time with this. My comments are intermingled with your text below.

You have heard it your whole life. Batteries of the exact same size, batteries of the exact same make, isolators, blah blah blah.

I cannot think of any after market mod, maybe short of a winch, light bar, and of course, the never ending quest for tires and wheels, that is more universally desired by the four wheeling community, as well as full-size truck owners than a dual battery setup!

There's just something very "manly" about it. Man's never ending quest to quench their desire to conquer and trample about in the outdoors, tackling rough, remote and rugged terrain, being totally prepared and ready for any event that unfolds!

Conversely, unlike winches, light bars and tires, this subject matter to most has been made so thoroughly complicated and so ridiculously confusing, it has downright scared off all but the most daring DIY types, to the point that they will never do it, regardless of how bad they want it!

You Google this subject matter right now and you will not be able to spend the rest of your life reading the articles on it. People are just dying to install a dual battery system and have hundreds of questions and yet even till this day, people STILL are unaware they can do it this way!

Site after site, thread after thread and post after post giving bad advice to people and I just cringe when I think of all the trouble they're making these poor people go through when they don't have to, simply because they have never thought of doing it this way. It's not that they're really doing anything wrong, they just never thought out of the box. what is an example of bad advice?

I don't think I have yet to come across a thread, on any forum, that mentions this subject matter that I haven't started myself. And I know it's popular and I know it works and I know there's an immense amount of interest in it not simply because of the questions that I get concerning it or the remarks I have read about how happy they were after installing it. But by the number of views the thread has received. Tens of thousands! That tells you something

Now let me be the first say that not only have I been using this system for well over 20 years, installing this setup in literally every single vehicle I have owned without it ever breaking down or failing me, I have to also be very honest in saying I have never ONCE had to utilize it either.

That is to say that I have never been in a position where I would've been left stranded had this system not been in place. There is little that a dual battery system can do when it comes to the concept of having a dead battery and being left stranded, that a portable battery jumper cannot!

I own one of those too and it stores nicely in the back of any truck. It also comes in real handy when you are trying to impress that cute girl in the miniskirt with a dead battery in the parking lot!

With all that said, it's a super cool and cheap (this way) mod that if anything, will buy you the confidence you need as you peruse the horizon and debate about whether you want to take on that nasty little trail that's beckoning you!

So here we go. Go on Amazon or any place you want and buy a marine battery switch. As with anything, they have cheap ones and more expensive ones but I have personally found little difference, but some are definitely better made. But like a light switch I don't think that means anything in reality. See pic below.

Some of the nicer units will have a face plate or cover so that you can cut out a hole in the dash and put this plate over it just like any rocker switch type install. Just a much bigger hole. But you can then place the switch inside the cab, behind and under the dash with only the mechanism sticking out accessible, for a nice custom look.

Or you can buy the cheap one that you see in the picture and put it on the outside of the dash and just use 3 nice looking screws! Actually prefer the one in the picture because if you have to do any maintenance or removal it makes it super simple.

Now by no means do you have to install this inside the truck or the cab, though I do highly recommend it. Not only is a real cool looking accessory, but the convenience of having it right there within hands reach is a very nice thing when you are switching functions.

Let me stop right here and bring up a very important point. The longer the run of the cable, the thicker the cable needs to be, which means the more money you are going to spend.

If you want a super cheap install, knowing aesthetics or convenience is not your thing, just mount the switch directly under the hood between the two batteries. Then go buy a couple cheap, pre-made 4 gauge battery cables at Walmart for eight bucks and you can be completely done with this project in no time, with a total cost, INCLUDING the battery (cheap one) for about $75. Doesn't get much cheaper than that folks!

Realistically though, assuming you're going to get a nicer switch, a nicer battery and going to do an in-cabin install, you can plan on $125-$150. Most of the money there is in the cable itself as when you start doing longer, in cab runs (applies to full-size trucks not UTV's) you're going to want to get down to 0 or 1 size battery cable which I do not recommend buying premade. It's just too expensive.

You're going to want to buy a length of it and then take the hammer type terminals where you can just crimp it by bashing it with a hammer to the end of the battery cable. Super secure that way.

So the back of this thing is monkey simple to figure out and install. There's 3 bolts with nuts. Labeled battery 1, battery 2 and feed, which means to your starter.

Hopefully so far you're following the pure simplicity of this system. Mount your new battery, run a positive cable to the "BAT 2" terminal on the switch. (I like labeling battery one as the original and battery two as the ad on) and run the negative to any ground you choose.

Now take the original battery and run a new cable from the positive to the first terminal labeled "BAT1" (The ground you do not have to touch because it's already hooked up)

Then take the original cable that was running to the positive post on the original battery and attach it to the middle of the switch or the feed.

Depending on your location you may or may not need to add additional cable but sometimes you can reroute it to come up in a different location and get a lot of extra length. This will probably be the case on a UTV and you won't have to extend or buy a longer cable.

Now keep in mind that the original cable running to the starter that was on the battery will have a post on the end, so that has to be cut off and replaced with a regular open round hole terminal so it will slide over the bolt.

There you have it everyone. Your install is done. So to simplify, it's three easy steps.

1. Install your new battery in its new location and run one cable to ground and one cable to the bat2 post on the switch.

2. Run a new cable from the positive of the original battery to the BAT1 post on the switch.

3. Take the original positive cable running to the original battery and and attach it to middle terminal on the switch. Or feed, however they have it labeled.

That's it. No complication, no confusion, no never ending questions about isolators and this and that!

Now some tips to keep in mind. For those who do not know. I recommend buying a battery post that has a stud and wing nut sticking out of it so that you can more easily attach accessories to the battery as well as this switch.

This comes in extremely handy if you want to buy the premade battery cables because you then you can buy a pre-made cable with BOTH ends being an open round loop that just slides on top of the bolt and secure. They are not called battery cables, but a starter cable, usually sold on the same rack or area. See pic below.

So then one will slide over the post sticking out of the battery switch and the other and will slide over the post of your new battery terminal.

Really, it just makes life easy not to mention when adding all other accessories like lights and such, you can just unscrew the wingnut, attach wire and clamp down because it already has two ends that are nothing more than a circle with a hole in it.

These are all the many pros (List doesn't end here) of using this system versus the isolator system.

1. The obvious, which is this system is much cheaper and much easier to install, as such, it shouldn't scare absolutely anyone away from doing the project they have always wanted! This is as simple as simple can get. You say "obvious" that this system is cheaper and easier. it simply needs two wires, one from each battery and a third wire to ground the isolator itself. you can literally install and isolator kit in just several minutes. also, the price isn't much of a factor. a nice isolator kit that includes the wiring is $90.

2. In some cases when an isolator fails, it will actually draw power from the extra battery and you can wind up with two dead batteries and be left stranded!!! This basically means that the second battery does nothing at all to assist you. It is dead as well as the main battery. That kind of defeats the whole reason for having another battery! is this true? do you have anything documented? the majority of people here are running isolators and we never hear about this as an issue.

3. YOU are in command of the system and you choose what battery at what time to do what YOU want
this also means that you WILL forget to turn the switch one day. no one can say they are 100% accurate in turning on the switch or turning off the switch at the right time all the time like the Isolator will.

4. The OFF function is something that is exclusive to the switch and you won't find anywhere else. How many times have you read to disconnect the battery and wait 30 minutes to reset the computer system on any vehicle? Going to install a stereo? Going to install any aftermarket accessories? Simply turn the switch to off and instantly shut down the entire electrical system!
this is an advantage of the switch for sure. however not a big one as a simple bolt to remove a battery cable is simple as well.

5. You can choose both batteries OR individual batteries to run each component. This comes in really handy when you are running say a 2500 watt inverter like I do, to run lights at night, being able to run it to the point that the battery is dead, while always keeping your main, primary starting battery safe, charged and untouched.

6. Winching yourself up a hill and hear the battery start to drag? Turn the switch to both and instantly double battery power on command! Then turn it off as soon as you're over the hump. I have achieved the same thing with a 12volt solenoid and a switch on the dash. it can be done from the driver seat using the switch panel and not requiring me to get out and turn a switch while in the mud. I do know you can mount a switch in the cab but that requires more cost of wire, cutting up the factory parts to install a HUGE switch, and running wires longer distances from the batteries which is more dangerous than short runs of wire.

7. Leave the headlights on all night and have a dead battery? Who needs a battery charger!!! Simply turn the switch to battery 2, start the vehicle, then put the switch back to dead battery 1 and let the engine do the charging for you. You not only have a "jumper battery" ready to go, but a "built-in battery charger" as well. this is a nice feature. for the guys running isolators only, we are required to move our battery cable locations.

8. The switch breaks on you and goes south? No problem. The malfunctioning of the switch, unlike the malfunctioning of an isolator system which no one is going to have a spare of laying around and could possibly leave you stranded, has absolutely nothing to do with the ability of the batteries!! Turn the switch around, take a nut and bolt or black electrical tape for that matter, and touch the two terminal ends together and you have completely bypassed the switch and you are now rolling along as if nothing ever happened..with BOTH BATTERIES.
this is no different than the isolator system. the two wires are literally inches apart and can be connected.

9. You can use two totally different types of batteries, using the second battery as a deep cell to run things off long term, as opposed to regular automotive battery that is all about a lot of amp for a short amount of time.
I use two different types of batteries with the isolator. this one isn't a score for the switch team

There's absolutely not one negative thing to this system and I don't think anyone else would be able to bring up a negative to it either. It ranks supreme in the dual battery world!
its not automatic!
it requires more wire to make the switch accessible from the drivers seat
it requires drilling in factory panels to mount the switch
if you leave the switch under the hood, now the driver must exit the vehicle to activate
its larger in size which is a problem for some people running low on space
it needs to be accessible where as the smaller isolator can be tucked away and forget about it
it doesn't do as good of a job protecting the sensitive electronics of the DCT like the isolator!!!

As I say, not only is this system cheaper, easier, but also allows many and much better options than the isolator way.
not easier and not really cheaper unless you mount the switch under the hood.
the switch does offer the option of running "either or" battery but loses the option of automatic switching

One other thing I need to add, to warn others about, is this. And this is NOT specific to this website or members here.

But people who have went to the trouble of setting up an isolator dual battery system, which is the only way they have ever been told and instructed to do it, will find this method a VERY hard sell and will fight adamantly that the system will not work as well and will find some fault with it, somehow someway. Even with the list I just wrote above stating all of the many benefits, which is very similar to what I have posted on many other websites, it will not matter and will be disregarded.

anyway, for those that installed the SUPER simple and also cheap isolator will have tons of benefits also. readers: please read carefully and choose what is best for your application and do not let someone else make the decision for you.

Those who went through the time, trouble and expense of installing an isolator system, educated themselves to the point that they feel like an expert in the field, will NOT want to just freely admit, not at this point, that such a simple thing like this could exist and concede that it's a better, safer way to do it. Do not pay it any heed. It's simply human nature to defend ones way of doing things, and pride will always prevent those from admitting later that maybe there was a better way.
even you said yourself earlier that you have been forum hopping and have written many threads doing the same thing.
just state the facts and let people decide for themselves!!!

Point is? DO NOT let the advice of others stop you from doing this. I have received many emails over the years saying that people were hesitant because they heard from "so-and-so" that this way is "so-and-so" and the only proper and safe way to do it was with "so and isolator so". They were brainwashed and went with the isolator way. Its unimaginable to me but has happened.

I let the facts tell me that the AUTO system was better for me! but that's ME, not everyone has to think like me. people should be free to choose which system fits their application best.

The ONLY time you have to be extremely careful and safe, is when you are doing an in cab install on a full-size truck and you are drilling through the firewall!

You do NOT want that cable to chafe whatsoever up against the sheet-metal because then you could actually have a fire. I do not think this will apply whatsoever on any UTV, still, if that were to turn out to be the case, ONLY use rubber grommets there AND use several protective sheaths and wraps around the cable itself to ensure that will never happen!

Other than that, I am guessing this is an hour install on any UTV. Even a complicated, in cab install on a full-size pick up truck where you have to be more careful about routing the cables so that they don't get hot, hit the fan belts, drill into firewall, is still only about a 2 1/2 hours.

I hope this helps many others achieve their desire to now have dual batteries in a very simple, affordable and durable way.

you do have some good info here that can be helpful to other readers. not sure why you've got such a hatred for the isolator but at least people can now read through the pros and cons of each and make their own decision.

I feel as though I should reiterate the fact that the isolator system will AUTOMATICALLY protect your primary battery and not let it fall below 12.7. this is very important for the Pioneer 1000 with the DCT. we have seen people use a winch and burn clutches because they had no way to protect the primary battery. the DCT is very sensitive to voltage and an automatic isolator will help you protect your investment. when you are winching over or through an obstacle you may be focused on your safety and you don't want to be worrying about stopping to turn a switch. Let the isolator do that for you so you don't forget and harm your machine!

View attachment 55142 View attachment 55143 View attachment 55144

 

[Plumber101010]

Wow, you spent some time with this. when I saw the title of this thread, I though for sure you were talking about the isolator since its probably easier. seems as though you sure have went to great lengths to try to make everyone think the same way as you.....that's strange. why not just list the facts and let people decide for them selves?

also, most people just make a build thread or a "how to" with pictures and instructions of how they performed a mod and leave it at that and then people can decide on their own if its something they want to do. why is it that you think you need to talk down to the majority of people that are choosing the isolator over the switch?

If there's ONE thing you should know about me by now, it's I am LONG winded.. LOL. Comes with getting older I guess, I hope?

 

[Plumber101010]

I have used the dual battery switch my last two sxs's and absolutely love it! With that said I simply added an automatic charging relay (ACR) between the two battery positives to make a good thing even better
Notice the simplicity of adding the ACR...
View attachment 55148
By adding this you get to charge both batteries without worrying about switching!

And here's the kicker.............

It also isolates

Jerk... LMAO!!!! Sorry I had to say that!!! Thanks man those are some excellent illustrations!!!

 

[Plumber101010]

I'm not quite as overkill as Eltobgi, on my sxs, meaning I don't have those kind of accessories. But I do run winches front and back and 2- 48" light bars front and back made for full-size trucks! But I have not got around to installing the system on that yet, but on an all day trip if I suspect I may get stuck and need to winch, I do bring the battery jumper with me!

Kind of does the same thing and I can attach it to the battery when winching if need be but as I say it's never happened.

But my regular truck? Oh yeah, me and Eltobgi are the types you would hate to see at night time! I'm sure we are both true blooded rednecks! But I was born in New Orleans and ran tugboats on the bayou so I'm a coonass redneck.. which could be the worst kind!

I run warn winches, front and back, 12,000 and 9,000 pound. Dual spot / flood lights upfront, on the side, and flood lights on the rear! 3 camera system for all angles with color monitor inside, a stereo system where you can watch the voltage touch drop whenever the base kicks in, 2500 W inverter and a few other things!

For that kind of system you don't just want it but it's mandatory! And still have not utilized it and I've never had a dead battery! Of course a high output alternator works wonders for such things!!!

Sadly I have to say, my newest truck with all that crap is a 2015 Duramax crew cab diesel which automatically comes from the factory with the dual battery isolator set up!!!

I really don't have a clue how to change that system around and convert it and even if I did I'm sure I would almost instantly void my warranty. So I am stuck being in the crowd with the isolator system!

Self deleted last part

 

[Plumber101010]

This is what my system more closely resembles...
View attachment 55149
It's not exact, but also wanted to show support for the dual battery switch and another of the many ways to use it!

I have 6 light bars on the front of the BEAST AND 2 on the sides and 1 on the rear

I have XK Glow whips and LEDs inside and outside

I have 3 sets of rock lights

I have a 3 amp, 7 speaker sound system with subwoofer which is deafening

And a warn provantage 4500 winch

And none of the added components ever draw from the factory system....Unless...wait for it...I switch the battery switch to combine!

But have only done that to support winching under extreme conditions! View attachment 55150

Had a chance to really look at what you have done and I have to say that's quite ingenious bro!!! Where did you come up with this? That's really thinking out of the box which I love but how did this idea ever get into your head??

Brilliant!

 

[Plumber101010]

Ok Joey, I cleaned up the thread and got rid of most of the condencending stuff you said I had! Hope that makes you smile!

 

[Eltobgi]

Had a chance to really look at what you have done and I have to say that's quite ingenious bro!!! Where did you come up with this? That's really thinking out of the box which I love but how did this idea ever get into your head??

Brilliant!

Thank you!!! I guess I just researched prior to committing to a system and this setup worked for what I needed! Also focused on marine because of the way I use sxs's! The dual battery switch combine feature was a must! After winching out of sticky situations in the past without the dual battery combine feature and running short on power, I just had enough! Combine is like hitting the Nitrous button

 

[joeymt33]

Ok Joey, I cleaned up the thread and got rid of most of the condencending stuff you said I had! Hope that makes you smile!

Thank you! I’ll do the same

Thank you!!! I guess I just researched prior to committing to a system and this setup worked for what I needed! Also focused on marine because of the way I use sxs's! The dual battery switch combine feature was a must! After winching out of sticky situations in the past without the dual battery combine feature and running short on power, I just had enough! Combine is like hitting the Nitrous button

I really like your set up and it looks like something worth looking into. Is the best of both worlds.

 

[trigger]

I see the beauty in this but it's not the cheapest easiest way to go. Just wire two like batteries in parallel and be done with it. The switch is mainly for running one battery down and having another with charge. If you do a lot of short runs, the second battery will never see charge and the switch is worthless. I put in a circuit breaker and can kill all the accessories as well. Works as one fat battery and if you run them both down then you would've had a problem anyway. Hook it up to a tender when not in use and carry a lithium ion jump starter...cheapest easiest way to go. IMO.

 

[Plumber101010]

I see the beauty in this but it's not the cheapest easiest way to go. Just wire two like batteries in parallel and be done with it. The switch is mainly for running one battery down and having another with charge. If you do a lot of short runs, the second battery will never see charge and the switch is worthless. I put in a circuit breaker and can kill all the accessories as well. Works as one fat battery and if you run them both down then you would've had a problem anyway. Hook it up to a tender when not in use and carry a lithium ion jump starter...cheapest easiest way to go. IMO.

Maybe I'm not following what you're saying or if you could reword it a different way maybe I could understand it better. Based on the way I am interpreting what you're saying I would have to guess disagree.

Running parallel cables or cables to a switch is the same thing and the exact same cost. So other than adding a $15 switch I see the cost as same. And when you add in your other things like circuit breaker's you're even offsetting the cost of that.

Now add in the cost of a jumper battery that you're talking about and now you got double the cost of the system because you have two batteries AND a jumper battery which means three.. making your option the most expensive out of all of them.

But the thing is, you don't need the jumper battery to begin with because battery 2 is in fact your jumper when using a switch unlike parallel, which requires the jumper battery if you run them both dead.

So all you're saying is to not use that switch to have a back up battery, but then saying let's go out and buy a jumper battery to have as a back up battery.

Plus, your jumper has to be charged also anyway. Using the switch to charge the battery is a heck of a lot more simple because all you're doing is turning the switch to battery 2. A jumper battery? You have to bring it inside and plug it in and then bring it back out which is a lot more inconvenient.

But the thing I don't understand is the switch IS the heart and the purpose of the entire system. Running batteries in parallel does nothing more than just give you one big battery and you're not any better off than you are with the single battery system.

Therefore you lose absolutely every single item I listed above showing all of the advantages of having to switch to begin with.

If you run them in parallel you take a chance of killing both batteries dead, which defeats the entire purpose of the switch. Plus leaving the switch in the both position IS running the batteries in parallel so you can have the best of all worlds if you prefer parallel.

Put the switch to both and you have parallel but you also have all the other added options that parallel will not give you.

 

[JTW]

You have heard it your whole life. Batteries of the exact same size, batteries of the exact same make, isolators, blah blah blah.

I cannot think of any after market mod, maybe short of a winch, light bar, and of course, the never ending quest for tires and wheels, that is more universally desired by the four wheeling community, as well as full-size truck owners than a dual battery setup!

There's just something very "manly" about it. Man's never ending quest to quench their desire to conquer and trample about in the outdoors, tackling rough, remote and rugged terrain, being totally prepared and ready for any event that unfolds!

Conversely, unlike winches, light bars and tires, this subject matter to most has been made so thoroughly complicated and so ridiculously confusing, it has downright scared off all but the most daring DIY types, to the point that they will never do it, regardless of how bad they want it!

You Google this subject matter right now and you will not be able to spend the rest of your life reading the articles on it. People are just dying to install a dual battery system and have hundreds of questions and yet even till this day, people STILL are unaware they can do it this way!

Site after site, thread after thread and post after post giving bad advice to people and I just cringe when I think of all the trouble they're making these poor people go through when they don't have to, simply because they have never thought of doing it this way. It's not that they're really doing anything wrong, they just never thought out of the box.

I don't think I have yet to come across a thread, on any forum, that mentions this subject matter that I haven't started myself. And I know it's popular and I know it works and I know there's an immense amount of interest in it not simply because of the questions that I get concerning it or the remarks I have read about how happy they were after installing it. But by the number of views the thread has received. Tens of thousands! That tells you something

Now let me be the first say that not only have I been using this system for well over 20 years, installing this setup in literally every single vehicle I have owned without it ever breaking down or failing me, I have to also be very honest in saying I have never ONCE had to utilize it either.

That is to say that I have never been in a position where I would've been left stranded had this system not been in place. There is little that a dual battery system can do when it comes to the concept of having a dead battery and being left stranded, that a portable battery jumper cannot!

I own one of those too and it stores nicely in the back of any truck. It also comes in real handy when you are trying to impress that cute girl in the miniskirt with a dead battery in the parking lot!

With all that said, it's a super cool and cheap (this way) mod that if anything, will buy you the confidence you need as you peruse the horizon and debate about whether you want to take on that nasty little trail that's beckoning you!

So here we go. Go on Amazon or any place you want and buy a marine battery switch. As with anything, they have cheap ones and more expensive ones but I have personally found little difference, but some are definitely better made. But like a light switch I don't think that means anything in reality. See pic below.

Some of the nicer units will have a face plate or cover so that you can cut out a hole in the dash and put this plate over it just like any rocker switch type install. Just a much bigger hole. But you can then place the switch inside the cab, behind and under the dash with only the mechanism sticking out accessible, for a nice custom look.

Or you can buy the cheap one that you see in the picture and put it on the outside of the dash and just use 3 nice looking screws! Actually prefer the one in the picture because if you have to do any maintenance or removal it makes it super simple.

Now by no means do you have to install this inside the truck or the cab, though I do highly recommend it. Not only is a real cool looking accessory, but the convenience of having it right there within hands reach is a very nice thing when you are switching functions.

Let me stop right here and bring up a very important point. The longer the run of the cable, the thicker the cable needs to be, which means the more money you are going to spend.

If you want a super cheap install, knowing aesthetics or convenience is not your thing, just mount the switch directly under the hood between the two batteries. Then go buy a couple cheap, pre-made 4 gauge battery cables at Walmart for eight bucks and you can be completely done with this project in no time, with a total cost, INCLUDING the battery (cheap one) for about $75. Doesn't get much cheaper than that folks!

Realistically though, assuming you're going to get a nicer switch, a nicer battery and going to do an in-cabin install, you can plan on $125-$150. Most of the money there is in the cable itself as when you start doing longer, in cab runs (applies to full-size trucks not UTV's) you're going to want to get down to 0 or 1 size battery cable which I do not recommend buying premade. It's just too expensive.

You're going to want to buy a length of it and then take the hammer type terminals where you can just crimp it by bashing it with a hammer to the end of the battery cable. Super secure that way.

So the back of this thing is monkey simple to figure out and install. There's 3 bolts with nuts. Labeled battery 1, battery 2 and feed, which means to your starter.

Hopefully so far you're following the pure simplicity of this system. Mount your new battery, run a positive cable to the "BAT 2" terminal on the switch. (I like labeling battery one as the original and battery two as the ad on) and run the negative to any ground you choose.

Now take the original battery and run a new cable from the positive to the first terminal labeled "BAT1" (The ground you do not have to touch because it's already hooked up)

Then take the original cable that was running to the positive post on the original battery and attach it to the middle of the switch or the feed.

Depending on your location you may or may not need to add additional cable but sometimes you can reroute it to come up in a different location and get a lot of extra length. This will probably be the case on a UTV and you won't have to extend or buy a longer cable.

Now keep in mind that the original cable running to the starter that was on the battery will have a post on the end, so that has to be cut off and replaced with a regular open round hole terminal so it will slide over the bolt.

There you have it everyone. Your install is done. So to simplify, it's three easy steps.

1. Install your new battery in its new location and run one cable to ground and one cable to the bat2 post on the switch.

2. Run a new cable from the positive of the original battery to the BAT1 post on the switch.

3. Take the original positive cable running to the original battery and and attach it to middle terminal on the switch. Or feed, however they have it labeled.

That's it. No complication, no confusion, no never ending questions about isolators and this and that!

Now some tips to keep in mind. For those who do not know. I recommend buying a battery post that has a stud and wing nut sticking out of it so that you can more easily attach accessories to the battery as well as this switch.

This comes in extremely handy if you want to buy the premade battery cables because you then you can buy a pre-made cable with BOTH ends being an open round loop that just slides on top of the bolt and secure. They are not called battery cables, but a starter cable, usually sold on the same rack or area. See pic below.

So then one will slide over the post sticking out of the battery switch and the other and will slide over the post of your new battery terminal.

Really, it just makes life easy not to mention when adding all other accessories like lights and such, you can just unscrew the wingnut, attach wire and clamp down because it already has two ends that are nothing more than a circle with a hole in it.

These are all the many pros (List doesn't end here) of using this system versus the isolator system.

1. The obvious, which is this system is much cheaper and much easier to install, as such, it shouldn't scare absolutely anyone away from doing the project they have always wanted! This is as simple as simple can get.

2. In some cases when an isolator fails, it will actually draw power from the extra battery and you can wind up with two dead batteries and be left stranded!!! This basically means that the second battery does nothing at all to assist you. It is dead as well as the main battery. That kind of defeats the whole reason for having another battery!

3. YOU are in command of the system and you choose what battery at what time to do what YOU want

4. The OFF function is something that is exclusive to the switch and you won't find anywhere else. How many times have you read to disconnect the battery and wait 30 minutes to reset the computer system on any vehicle? Going to install a stereo? Going to install any aftermarket accessories? Simply turn the switch to off and instantly shut down the entire electrical system!

5. You can choose both batteries OR individual batteries to run each component. This comes in really handy when you are running say a 2500 watt inverter like I do, to run lights at night, being able to run it to the point that the battery is dead, while always keeping your main, primary starting battery safe, charged and untouched.

6. Winching yourself up a hill and hear the battery start to drag? Turn the switch to both and instantly double battery power on command! Then turn it off as soon as you're over the hump.

7. Leave the headlights on all night and have a dead battery? Who needs a battery charger!!! Simply turn the switch to battery 2, start the vehicle, then put the switch back to dead battery 1 and let the engine do the charging for you. You not only have a "jumper battery" ready to go, but a "built-in battery charger" as well.

8. The switch breaks on you and goes south? No problem. The malfunctioning of the switch, unlike the malfunctioning of an isolator system which no one is going to have a spare of laying around and could possibly leave you stranded, has absolutely nothing to do with the ability of the batteries!! Turn the switch around, take a nut and bolt or black electrical tape for that matter, and touch the two terminal ends together and you have completely bypassed the switch and you are now rolling along as if nothing ever happened..with BOTH BATTERIES.

9. You can use two totally different types of batteries, using the second battery as a deep cell to run things off long term, as opposed to regular automotive battery that is all about a lot of amp for a short amount of time.

There's absolutely not one negative thing to this system and I don't think anyone else would be able to bring up a negative to it either. It ranks supreme in the dual battery world!

As I say, not only is this system cheaper, easier, but also allows many and much better options than the isolator way.

The only other thing I could add, is don't be surprised if users of the isolator system defend their way of doing it while disparaging this method. It's not that there is really a disagreement as much as this option has never been presented before and is not really thought of as an option.

When the community at large has been doing something a certain way for such a long time, it's very hard to get them to adapt to a new way of doing things

The ONLY time you have to be extremely careful and safe, is when you are doing an in cab install on a full-size truck and you are drilling through the firewall!

You do NOT want that cable to chafe whatsoever up against the sheet-metal because then you could actually have a fire. I do not think this will apply whatsoever on any UTV, still, if that were to turn out to be the case, ONLY use rubber grommets there AND use several protective sheaths and wraps around the cable itself to ensure that will never happen!

Other than that, I am guessing this is an hour install on any UTV. Even a complicated, in cab install on a full-size pick up truck where you have to be more careful about routing the cables so that they don't get hot, hit the fan belts, drill into firewall, is still only about a 2 1/2 hours.

I hope this helps many others achieve their desire to now have dual batteries in a very simple, affordable and durable way.

View attachment 55142 View attachment 55143 View attachment 55144

Longest post EVER!!

 

[trigger]

Maybe I'm not following what you're saying or if you could reword it a different way maybe I could understand it better. Based on the way I am interpreting what you're saying I would have to guess disagree.

Running parallel cables or cables to a switch is the same thing and the exact same cost. So other than adding a $15 switch I see the cost as same. And when you add in your other things like circuit breaker's you're even offsetting the cost of that.

Now add in the cost of a jumper battery that you're talking about and now you got double the cost of the system because you have two batteries AND a jumper battery which means three.. making your option the most expensive out of all of them.

But the thing is, you don't need the jumper battery to begin with because battery 2 is in fact your jumper when using a switch unlike parallel, which requires the jumper battery if you run them both dead.

So all you're saying is to not use that switch to have a back up battery, but then saying let's go out and buy a jumper battery to have as a back up battery.

Plus, your jumper has to be charged also anyway. Using the switch to charge the battery is a heck of a lot more simple because all you're doing is turning the switch to battery 2. A jumper battery? You have to bring it inside and plug it in and then bring it back out which is a lot more inconvenient.

But the thing I don't understand is the switch IS the heart and the purpose of the entire system. Running batteries in parallel does nothing more than just give you one big battery and you're not any better off than you are with the single battery system.

Therefore you lose absolutely every single item I listed above showing all of the advantages of having to switch to begin with.

If you run them in parallel you take a chance of killing both batteries dead, which defeats the entire purpose of the switch. Plus leaving the switch in the both position IS running the batteries in parallel so you can have the best of all worlds if you prefer parallel.

Put the switch to both and you have parallel but you also have all the other added options that parallel will not give you.

Two batteries wired in parallel is exactly like having one big battery. Switching back and forth is only practical if you run one of them down, so then you switch to the other one and start draining it, you could still be left with two dead batteries. My batteries charge and drain equally, no need to switch and the worst thing you can do to a battery is drain it. Forget to switch back and that battery will be toast before long. The jumper is a little handheld lithium ion jump starter. As for cost, second battery, cables to wire them and a circuit breaker which costs about the same as that switch. Simple and just as much power as one with a switch.
At the risk of pissing people off, isolators and switches are a safety net for morons that leave their radio or lights on too long. JMO.

 

[Plumber101010]

Two batteries wired in parallel is exactly like having one big battery. Switching back and forth is only practical if you run one of them down, so then you switch to the other one and start draining it, you could still be left with two dead batteries. My batteries charge and drain equally, no need to switch and the worst thing you can do to a battery is drain it. Forget to switch back and that battery will be toast before long. The jumper is a little handheld lithium ion jump starter. As for cost, second battery, cables to wire them and a circuit breaker which costs about the same as that switch. Simple and just as much power as one with a switch.
At the risk of pissing people off, isolators and switches are a safety net for morons that leave their radio or lights on too long. JMO.

Doesn't piss me off but I'm sure you'll ruffle some others feathers! Personally I love a straight shooter!

Well, if you take the time to read my list, you'll see that running the battery dead is only one advantage out of many other better options the switch affords.

You seem really stuck on the dead battery issue as if that's whole purpose of the switch? It is not just to protect yourself from having a dead battery but it's sure a great option of having it!

No sense in repeating why I totally disagree as I already made my case above. But I don't see what you're achieving whatsoever.

All you have is the EXACT same set up as any normal vehicle driving around and you have nothing extra except you've turned one battery into a bigger battery.

I don't see that as an advantage whatsoever.

 

[trigger]

Doesn't piss me off but I'm sure you're ruffle some others feathers! Personally I love a straight shooter!

Well, if you take the time to read my list, you'll see that running the battery dead is only one advantage out of many other better options the switch affords.

You seem really stuck on the dead battery issue as if that's whole purpose of the switch? It is not just to protect yourself from having a dead battery but it's sure a great option of having it!

No sense in repeating why I totally disagree as I already made my case above. But I don't see what you're achieving whatsoever.

All you have is the EXACT same set up as any normal vehicle driving around and you have nothing extra except you've turned one battery into a bigger battery.

I don't see that as an advantage whatsoever.

Lol, as stated, I do see the beauty of it but my thought is that the same guy that ran his battery dead will probably forget to flip the switch back. Human error is the only disadvantage. Read a while back on this forum about a guy with an auto isolator complaining that his second battery was always dead. Start your machine and the second battery won't see any charge until the first is brought back up. Too many short runs and the second battery never sees a charge, that's a problem. I ruffled feathers a while back when I posted that I wasn't going to install either one. If I had that switch wired in, I would just leave it on both.

 

[Plumber101010]

Lol, as stated, I do see the beauty of it but my thought is that the same guy that ran his battery dead will probably forget to flip the switch back. Human error is the only disadvantage. Read a while back on this forum about a guy with an auto isolator complaining that his second battery was always dead. Start your machine and the second battery won't see any charge until the first is brought back up. Too many short runs and the second battery never sees a charge, that's a problem. I ruffled feathers a while back when I posted that I wasn't going to install either one. If I had that switch wired in, I would just leave it on both.

LMAO! Ruffling feathers seems to be very easy to do on this site. I'm a member of many other UTV forums and most recently the Kawasaki because I recently bought a Mule and I was leaving great comments about the Honda on that site and not one person said anything bad whatsoever! Honda has a very loyalist following I will say that!

Well I don't really see why it would be so hard to turn that big round switch to a different position every few weeks. Every time you sit in it you see the switch staring you in the face and you also just got done installing that system so it's fresh on your mind. In my opinion it would be extremely hard not to remember to rotate batteries every few weeks to keep them charged.

Once you introduce human error then you can apply that to anything! Dumb is dumb is dumb.

Someone who forgets to turn the switch every few weeks to a different position to keep the battery charged is also the same person who can forget to turn the switch off on his headlights and kill the batteries, or forget to turn the key off and leave the engine running, or forget to let go of the switch on the winch and burn the motor out.

But you can't say that's not a good reason to have headlights, a starter for the motor, or a winch.

My point is you can't really say the system is not good because of human error because where do you draw the line? Dumb is dumb is dumb you know? lol

 

[JTW]

Ha.. children... let me tell y’all about ruffling feathers. Lol..