2nd Battery install

[Tapil 10+ year member]

If i was to run a second battery w/o a split charge, would it be correct to from positive to positive? with a 30 fuse within 12 inches of each battery? Then giving the new battery its own short ground?

Of course battery 1 has the alt/engine/fuse box and wotnot attached so...

A 2nd battery for a lighter load on my alt. Having 2 batteries in parallel makes me have twice the charge power right? (depending on the bat)

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[subzero 5,000+ posts]

yes and you can also ground link them as well as ground to frame. You will still have a 12V~ load.

also, they willbe acting as one anyways. are they identical bats? You would be better off if they where both identical and the same age...

 

[Chriszle 10+ year member]

If unibody car, should run ground from battery to battery.

 

[Tapil 10+ year member]

yes and you can also ground link them as well as ground to frame. You will still have a 12V~ load.
also, they willbe acting as one anyways. are they identical bats? You would be better off if they where both identical and the same age...

Yeah Ive got one brand new optima yellow cap in my closet - I was going to buy two but their 2nd optima was a smaller one, they will have more instock friday.

And I thought running a really long ground wire was a bad idea? I guess since its 0 AWG it doesnt matter?

If unibody car, should run ground from battery to battery.

That does make more sense but then we are talking a 16ft ground wire, isnt a long ground a bad idea? Or im guessing since it goes to the battery it doesnt matter?

 

[subzero 5,000+ posts]

Yeah Ive got one brand new optima yellow cap in my closet - I was going to buy two but their 2nd optima was a smaller one, they will have more instock friday.
And I thought running a really long ground wire was a bad idea? I guess since its 0 AWG it doesnt matter?

That does make more sense but then we are talking a 16ft ground wire, isnt a long ground a bad idea? Or im guessing since it goes to the battery it doesnt matter?

get matching bats. it is not bad idea with long ground to link bats. but you still have to ground them both at their locations. I did this in my car. I ran ground from front to back and connected the batts together and still grounded them to location.