P1000 Dual Battery Wiring - Confirm thoughts

[MadcoHokie]

I know there are 100 posts about the Tru system but wanted to get a second opinion before I go freeze my hands to fix. Last night I used the headlights to field dress a deer then when I went to leave my Pioneer 1000 wouldn't start so obviously I have this thing wired wrong.

The only thing that I can see is I don't have the ground from second battery going to the frame but back to solenoid that I have seen in some digrams. Not sure why I would have done that unless the instructions said so but can't find original. Note: red wire is actually too negative but cable was too short so swapped them.

Thoughts on what I have messed up?

 

[CID]

I know there are 100 posts about the Tru system but wanted to get a second opinion before I go freeze my hands to fix. Last night I used the headlights to field dress a deer then when I went to leave my Pioneer 1000 wouldn't start so obviously I have this thing wired wrong.

The only thing that I can see is I don't have the ground from second battery going to the frame but back to solenoid that I have seen in some digrams. Not sure why I would have done that unless the instructions said so but can't find original. Note: red wire is actually too negative but cable was too short so swapped them.

Thoughts on what I have messed up?

View attachment 411460 View attachment 411461

The first thing that comes to mind is that our headlights are wired to the cranking battery and, unless you change that, they'll continue to run off of it and not the aux battery.

eta: add a pod light, wired to the aux battery, instead of using your headlights.

 

[Remington]

I used the headlights to field dress a deer

Need pics of this deer! POIDH.

 

[Remington]

Thoughts on what I have messed up?

seems very odd. You must have a loose ground from the main battery or the main battery is old and has a bad cell. Have your LOAD tested that battery? How old is the origonal and how many miles on it? Your headlights go through that battery only.
I know you gonna say “that cant be it”
but check easy $hit thoroughly first of you will kick yourself in the ass when u spend all day doing all the other $hit just to find out it was something simple.

Dont forget them deer pics! I and many are hunters here and like pics!

 

[MadcoHokie]

The first thing that comes to mind is that our headlights are wired to the cranking battery and, unless you change that, they'll continue to run off of it and not the aux battery.

Hmm, didn't know that. Might explain some things.

Need pics of this deer! POIDH.

Last night was just freezer meat doe so no pictures.. But shot this one in the morning couple weeks ago. No headlights needed.

 

[Remington]

Hmm, didn't know that. Might explain some things.

Last night was just freezer meat doe so no pictures.. But shot this one in the morning couple weeks ago. No headlights needed.

View attachment 411462 View attachment 411464

Beauty! Nice buck.
Nothing wrong with a doe. Cant eat the antlers.

 

[Scoop]

Not gonna try to make heads nor tails of that mess under your hood, as I can't see it well on my phone. But ...

If you're running your factory headlights, that means your ignition is on. Those lights are powered by your primary battery. You draw that down and the isolator will disconnect, eventually leaving you with a good AUX battery and a dead primary.

Your batteries should be properly grounded to the frame. Not sure what you mean by your AUX is *grounded* back to the solenoid. That continuous duty relay should be between your AUX 12V+ (large post).and your accessory fuse panel (other large post), then ground the negative side of the fuse panel to the frame. Your key-on power goes to one of the smaller posts of the solenoid and the other smaller post gets grounded.

You should have some aux work lights connected to your aux battery/fuse panel. I have a DPDT set up to allow all my aux stuff, including work lights, to energize when the ignition is off. That's the point of the isolator, separating your non-OE stuff so you don't drain your primary battery.

 

[NewHere2]

Just so I’m understanding this, you say headlights. These are the stock headlights on the buggy ??

Or are you referring to auxiliary lights installed on the buggy

If they are the stock headlights, sounds like the main battery just went dead. Which could happen.

Unless you have installed a separate switch to link the batteries together for an emergency, the two batteries can’t work together.

If the second battery still has charge, that tells me your Tru isolator is working. Protecting one battery while the other is being discharged.

If your second battery is installed correctly, you could jumper across the two hot posts on your Tru isolator to put enough juice into the dead battery to start the buggy.

I’m not following you on the ground explanation. All the grounds should be hooked together and attached to the frame.

If at all possible, try to find a diagram of how all this was installed or make a rough sketch to help us understand what might be going on.

 

[NewHere2]

Come on Guys ! Anyone who shoots a nice buck like that needs our help. Let’s get him back out into the field !!

 

[DRZRon1]

The first thing that comes to mind is that our headlights are wired to the cranking battery and, unless you change that, they'll continue to run off of it and not the aux battery.

eta: add a pod light, wired to the aux battery, instead of using your headlights.

REM nailed it - either dress it faster next time or just leave engine running - ?

 

[MadcoHokie]

Just so I’m understanding this, you say headlights. These are the stock headlights on the buggy ??

Or are you referring to auxiliary lights installed on the buggy

If they are the stock headlights, sounds like the main battery just went dead. Which could happen.

Unless you have installed a separate switch to link the batteries together for an emergency, the two can’t work together and attached to the frame.

If the second battery still has charge, that tells me your Tru isolator is working. Protecting one battery while the other is being discharged.

If your second battery is installed correctly, you could jumper across the two hot posts on your Tru isolator to put enough juice into the dead battery to start the buggy.

I’m not following you on the ground explanation. All the grounds should be hooked together.

If at all possible, try to find a diagram of how all this was installed or make a rough sketch to help us understand what might be going on.

Thanks, I'll try to answer questions from a couple posts.

The aux light bar I have is just wired into stock harness. When I turn on high beams it comes on.

I don't have auxiliary fuse box and only other accessories I have is winch and sound bar that were on it when I bought it. A lot of the mess under the hood is the 20' of wire they coiled up. Plus the mouse nest, I found that last night and thought they might have chewed some wires but don't see anything.

I just got the Tru system because I thought the lights and sound bar would run off of aux battery until it died but would still be able to start and go home. I don't have auxiliary fuse box or anything else.

The primary battery is probably 2-3 years old was replaced by original owner 6 months before I bought it. The aux battery is probably only a year old.

I tried to draw rough diagram in mark-up on my phone attached on first post. Can do more details later. Below is the tread with diagram referring to this AM.

Install link referencing this morning

 

[Scoop]

Adding a 2nd battery and Tru isolator won't do anything for you unless your light bar and other accessories you want to run (often with the machine off using the aformentioned DPDT switch) are moved from the primary circuit to the AUX battery (typically down via a continuous duty solenoid and a fuse panel.

Well, you'd atleast be carrying around a fully charged battery you can get a jump from! 😆

 

[NewHere2]

In your pics, I see three black wires with colored markings on them. Green, red, and yellow.

Where do these wires go ? I see the 2 grounds there as well. Is this the solenoid you are referring too ? What does it control or what is it supposed to do ?

 

[MadcoHokie]

REM nailed it - either dress it faster next time or just leave engine running - ?

Haha, this is true. I took my three kids back to 'help' me so turned into anatomy lesson so took longer than planned. Plus we got to go hiking at night (I made the mile trip 4 times, haha 1) Walk to Stand, 2) Walk To get pioneer 3) Walk them home to get jumper box 4) Walk back to jump it)

The lights never dimmed but will leave running for sure next time until I wire up right.

 

[MadcoHokie]

In your pics, I see three black wires with colored markings on them. Green, red, and yellow.

Where do these wires go ? I see the 2 grounds there as well. Is this the solenoid you are referring too ? What does it control or what is it supposed to do ?

Those are going to the winch switch in the cab

I am pretty sure when I install it I traced that red wire that is actually negative to Aux battery to that post on solenoid to frame ground.

It was on my list to wire with auxiliary fuse box and switches but haven't really used accessories that much and honestly had the time. But they all only work if ignition switch is on. I thought the true system was sensing battery voltage between the two and pulling from auxiliary except for when starting but honestly didn't do too much homework because plan was to do it right.

 

[Remington]

Come on Guys ! Anyone who shoots a nice buck like that needs our help. Let’s get him back out into the field !!

Thats right, hes already got a nice buck and a doe. Hes good. Many of us arent so lucky lol.

 

[bumperm]

Firstly, if you have the two batteries connected directly, positive to positive and negative to negative, (as I think you may from your description) that makes one larger battery. There are major negatives to this, as the batteries will need to be the same age, size, and preferably brand. The AND, running the batteries down as you did will leave you in a lurch.

The Tru battery isolator is a good solution, as it protects your primary battery from deep discharge yet still charges the secondary battery from the alternator. Plus you can run your aux (winch and light bar etc) battery into the dirt and still start your machine to 1) get home, and 2) charge the aux bat.

Wiring a battery with opposite wire colors is a recipe for disaster! Someone who isn't paying attention or doesn't know my fry things. At the very least use heat shrink or tape to correct color.

 

[MadcoHokie]

Firstly, if you have the two batteries connected directly, positive to positive and negative to negative, (as I think you may from your description) that makes one larger battery. There are major negatives to this, as the batteries will need to be the same age, size, and preferably brand. The AND, running the batteries down as you did will leave you in a lurch.

The Tru battery isolator is a good solution, as it protects your primary battery from deep discharge yet still charges the secondary battery from the alternator. Plus you can run your aux (winch and light bar etc) battery into the dirt and still start your machine to 1) get home, and 2) charge the aux bat.

Wiring a battery with opposite wire colors is a recipe for disaster! Someone who isn't paying attention or doesn't know my fry things. At the very least use heat shrink or tape to correct color.

I have the red labled with "-" symbol, good enough to remind me what I did.

Second, I do have the Tru system, that is outlined in the original question and pictures.

I Ohmed that leg on the solenoid out with multimeter to n the frame and it reads 0 so think I am good there. I just didn't see a good bolt to use and didn't want to grind paint.

So back to my original question do I have it hooked up wrong? From the other feedback seems like Tru system doesn't work like I thought.

 

[Hondasxs]

It doesn't look to be hooked wrong. While there are better arrangements, what you have should work.

Yet there is absolutely no current solution to prevent a dead main battery when the key is left on.

You need to look into a secondary controllable system.

80-AMP Battery Isolator or Relay - Compare to Stinger brand.

80-AMP relay or Battery Isolator. This product is commonly used when installing secondary accessories on your Honda Pioneer or Talon. Power Relay:Use this between the battery and the fuse box as a main power relay. You supply 12v to the small post to engage the connection sending power to the...

store.hondasxs.com

Pre-Wired Relay Control Switch for AUX and Key-on usage. For Stinger, Cole Hersee or any.

Pre-Wired control switch and harness for large relays such as a Stinger, Cole Hersee, or any high AMP relay. This harness was designed to simplify the installation of a control switch for the secondary accessory system (fuse box). Kit allows you to run key-off AUX power upon demand, unit off...

store.hondasxs.com

Fuse box with negative bus. 6 or 12 fuse unit, includes variety of fuses. FuseBox

Common fuse box at 6 or 12 spots. Ground bus at the top. Includes a variety of fuses as shown in pics. Commonly used fuse box for your Pioneer or Talon secondary battery system. Choose 6-spot or 12-spot fuse box. Brand - 2FarOffRoad RELATED ITEMS Relay control switch -...

store.hondasxs.com

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[CID]

I have the red labled with "-" symbol, good enough to remind me what I did.

Second, I do have the Tru system, that is outlined in the original question and pictures.

I Ohmed that leg on the solenoid out with multimeter to n the frame and it reads 0 so think I am good there. I just didn't see a good bolt to use and didn't want to grind paint.

So back to my original question do I have it hooked up wrong? From the other feedback seems like Tru system doesn't work like I thought.

View attachment 411484 View attachment 411485

No, it doesn't work like you thought - 1. your headlights run off of the cranking battery unless you change it. 2. Like Scoop said - you had your key on to get the headlights on, so you were also running all the buggy's electronics, none of which work off of the aux battery.

"I thought the true system was sensing battery voltage between the two and pulling from auxiliary except for when starting ..."

It can't do that, the headlights are wired to the cranking battery unless you rewire them. Even if you had a multi battery bank as auxiliary, the headlights would still run down the cranking battery unless rewired.