Auxiliary Battery Trays
 

I meant to keep this all in one thread, but who knows where those ten other battery threads are. I installed the battery trays. They need to be unmounted for install the battery relative to each but this gives me a dry run. It also gets them off my desk. I might just install the cheapest batteries I can get. Cash is low. It's probably better to get everything up and running, then upgrade the batteries if I need to. I kind of wish I had custom mounts made because if I did that, I could have installed bigger batteries. These are limited to Group 34/78.

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You can see why they chose the drivers side. Normally there is more clearance on this side, but I have left hand doors. I was assuming that the batteries will fit, that it'll just be close, but I do not know that they will fit. I better measure to be sure.

Without running boards, the batteries are visible from the side. Might be a good thing for jump starting someone, but I'd prefer not to see them.

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Nice work! Now I'm jealous LOL So did they just bolt-on?

Costco has cheap deep cycle batteries with a good guarantee. Just get the biggest ones they have. I believe they were around 115Ah for $100. They won't last as long as the proper ones, but they're still pretty good value.

The bottom of your van looks so pristine! Do you ever drive it? :p

It's all scratched to crap - 56,000Km's or so. Well, it's not that beat up but it's not new anymore. When I said cheap I meant $20, 30, 40 max. Otherwise I will just buy new batteries and try to select what I want. They are all going to be relatively the same. The only real selection will be the label and the type. This is hard for me because I am used to just an idea, making plans, and opening the wallet. Now adays the plans continually change before the wallet is even full enough to open.

I see another set of holes further forward and higher. Could a tray go there?

You shouldn't be able to see those battery trays.

Cool and useful post. I found cheap deep cycle batteries in SAMs for around $70 (for my electric car project). Is that the factory oem location? so far behind the driver seat?

Looking good
 

I have an extra battery in my van for my onan and i went to rural king and bought a deep cycle battery on dale for $50 like 5 or 6 years ago and i keep it charged (by onan when it runs or by truck alternator going down the road) and it's still working great. If i let it sit a long time (i retired last year) and radio , etc. Runs main battery down i just flip the switch on my dash and i jump start myself . Got to love it. Good job on yours and maybe you could cover yours so no one could tell what they are . Good luck and enjoy the ride .

I thought about undermounting a group 24 marine battery that powers my CPAP when I go night fishing. Ended up getting a plastic cast at the thrift store for a couple bucks + tax. Mounted an electrical box on the lid for a cig lighter jack. Got the cig lighter cpap adapter over the winter. After 1 overnight of using the cpap the battery still shows 12.4 volts. You might be better off getting one deep cycle now and one later.

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Deep Cycle Batteries

Ok. So I bought batteries today. I went to an electronics store and wouldn't you know there was a battery store right next door. My initial reaction upon viewing their selection was to say no. Then for simplicity's sake, I agreed on a cash price. Then the second dipsh!t charged me full price at the till and they refused anything other than $14 off before tax. I just took em. These were the 'lower' capacity batteries, but they did not have two of the higher capacity in stock. Once home I almost took them back as I really almost need side-posts. That and the fact that these either do not have exactly the right mold to clip in the mount, or the GM mounts just suck. I had to fight one hold down bolt to get it to take, the other hold down bolt I can still can not get in properly.

At this point I have just given up and kept them. Other issues are that the rear mount which sits higher causes that battery to actually sit against the body. I am not sure what happens with excessive bumps. The batteries are mounted to the frame. If there is excessive twisting I might bend my door sill or break the battery case wide open which would probably not be good. I want to lower that mount, but I am not sure that I have to tools to elongate whichever holes need to be elongated. It needs to drop a heavy 1/2". Then, there is the fact that the top posts are within 3/4" of the body. This is due to me having left hand doors, otherwise this would all not be an issue at all. Tightening down the bolts to connect the batteries is tricky. The ground has to be disconnected or the ratchet will short out.

Optima batteries. I am glad I did not buy them. Not only are they twice the price, but the top posts would have never have cleared the body. Since I have left hand doors the fit is so much tighter than it is for the rest of you guys. Again, I wish I had had someone make me custom mounts. If someone local wants to buy these mounts I will consider that option. Hint. Hint. For the local self-proclaimed "jealous folk".

The Installation

https://allbatterysalesandservice.co...eparator-1315a

I ran 8 gauge factory wire that I had leftover from two factory harnesses I formerly bought. They are the perfect length. I wrapped the wire in plastic loom for extra protection. It actually looks nearly like a factory install, less the clips (which I probably have too). I connected one end of this wire the Front Fuse-box. It is "live" and connected directly to the main starting battery. At the other end of this wire, I connected a Sure Power 1315 solenoid. I simply had it on hand from all the junk I bought as a package on my initial audio purchase. Seems to work well although I am not sure if this is my preferred setup. The solenoid connects these two auxiliary batteries to the "main" factory power.

When everything is working properly, the batteries are normally disconnected. When the truck is running and the alternator is feeding the system greater than 13.2 volts the the batteries banks connect and there is lots of juice available for any device. When the alternator is not generating power and the voltage drops to 12.8 volts or less, the two banks disconnect again. It's a smart little relay. Naturally this can be over-ridden with a switch on the dash. I might just move the amps and all the audio equipment onto the auxiliary battery bank and call it a day.

The only thing I am really scared of having two separate banks of power is an inadvertent short or drain by a low gauge wire. If something is hooked up or designed with a flaw, there could be short and fire. That's something to think about as I continually change my mind. Right now, when the truck is parked the different types of batteries are not feeding each other into oblivion.

The bottom line is that they are installed and operating. There's lots of juice, my headlights are bright, the audio sounds better, the windows are not quite as zippy as I hoped, but they are about as good as they ever have been. I have had times when they are lagging up and down. Not now, they confidently go up and down. No shortage of power available. I am ready to install an inverter or any other "gadgets" I might want. I did want to install a little compressor on the frame for filling tires and blowing out the interior. That would be sweet. I'll install that right onto the passenger side frame-rail. A small storage tank of water, with a small pump would be great too for mixing material right on the side of the road. Save steps, save energy, make money more easily.

All in time.