nileek

I'd like to install a deep cycle battery in my 2014 Chevy Express. Anyone have a recommendation to place it?

Any other recomendations on system, battery? I don't need an inverter, going to keep all my appliances 12 V.

Thanks!

canucklehead

There is room under the van. You could get one of those sealed cases for the batt, and install it underneath. It can't go inside, and I doubt there is room under the hood.

dberladyn

The factory location is the left frame rail, roughly under the drivers seat. There are factory parts available for mounting one. I was going to do this, then I decided I wanted two extra batteries, which grew to three and now up to four. They can be mounted off the frame rail, but for my needs and future plans I think I am going to install them in my rear foot wells, inside the van itself. It boils down to your needs and wants. There's plenty of room if you look around. Underneath, on the frame rails for me will most likely be a water tank on one side and an air compressor on the other. It's trade related. This is a work van that I am trying to keep open for other uses, such as camper or a power unit for a travel trailer. But it's priority is a mobile mixing/tool station. For that I need lots of power and the ability to carry water. An air compressor, just adds flexibility.

greenfire

Yes the diesel van's carry two batteries stock... the second is underneath as mentioned above.

nileek

Thank you for the replies. I do see that there is plenty of room on the driver's side rail. Any thoughts of system used (i.e. battery, isolator, battery mounting brackets)?

dberladyn

I'm not in the frame of mind today to share all my thoughts or research on this, but I am still trying to decide that myself. For 2016 I see GM is advertising an isolated battery option. It'll be interesting to me to see how they do it as I plan on following the factory were I can. In previous years from what I have seen batteries are simply tied in in parallel.

I have no idea what is truly the best set up. Just for me and some of the things I intend to do, if I isolate I need to remember to keep the systems isolated. I planned on using the extra batteries to power the amps and etc that I have. If I don't pay attention I may inadvertantly hook up a return loop somewhere, were the batteries are feeding eachother on far too small of a wire. There's not a lot of voltage, but there's a lot of amperage involved. I'd hate to have a fire.

Most car electrical breaks down into just very simple stuff. But the charging and direct feeds off the battery, that's where you need to be careful. Please share on here what you do.

canucklehead

The type of battery depends on what you are using it for. Yes it needs to be isolated....If not the current draw on the starting circuit will draw from the deep cycle as well, which they don't like..... Deep cycle batteries like slow discharge and slow recharge.....not at all like a starting battery.

haznavy

I am in the process of trying to wire up a house battery for very simple usage inside the van: 12v refer, 4 12v ports, a 110VAC receptacle in the rear, and some LED interior lights on switches.

I see there is a battery installed on the left-side frame and, page 63 of the 2015 Chasis Upfitter Electrical 12v schematics show the positive output going to a 60A junction block under the hood and to the "power distribution schematics." I want to grab that 12v and route it to a Blue Sea Systems 150A 20-pole busbar inside the van, run it to a nice inverter, and start my fused cable runs for the individual circuits from the interior box.

I see nothing in the schematics showing a power isolation relay, so I'll need one of those; is this better than the manual isolation switch? If anyone out there has a schematic of how they did their installation, it would be most appreciated.

GeneveConversionVan

Also Interested.
I have read that the automatic isolation is always better as there is no human error.

StanVan

I'm not sure if this is true, or what years are involved. But I've been told there is a wire that is energized when the alternator gets to voltage. The theory is that if your aux battery is down, it won't affect the main battery during starting. I'm sure this, if true, is covered in the upfitters manual.