2nd battery wiring question

[Denial-]

I have a 370 amp alt with the big 3 done and all my wiring is going back to a copper distribution block if you wanna call it that. Right now it just has my amp for my subs hooked up but im planning to attach the 4 channel for my other speakers shortly. My question is about a second battery can I just run that into the copper distribution block anywhere or does the second battery have to be ran before that with the main run of power wire going into the second battery and then wire the battery into the distribution block? I'll attach a picture of the copper distribution block just for visual help since I'm sure this was hard to understand.
Thank you guys for the help, sorry again if it was confusing to follow.

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[spokey9]

I have a 370 amp alt with the big 3 done and all my wiring is going back to a copper distribution block if you wanna call it that. Right now it just has my amp for my subs hooked up but im planning to attach the 4 channel for my other speakers shortly. My question is about a second battery can I just run that into the copper distribution block anywhere or does the second battery have to be ran before that with the main run of power wire going into the second battery and then wire the battery into the distribution block? I'll attach a picture of the copper distribution block just for visual help since I'm sure this was hard to understand.
Thank you guys for the help, sorry again if it was confusing to follow.

I run the power straight from battery to battery (rear battery is grounded to the frame through a hole with a grommet) then i use my rear battery essentially as a distro block...

Sky High Car Audio 6 Flat Battery Terminals

Sky High Car Audio - Elevate Your Ride with Premium Car Audio Solutions. Explore a world of top-quality car audio systems and accessories. Experience crystal-clear sound today!

skyhighcaraudio.com

Those are the terminals on my rear battery

 

[Denial-]

I run the power straight from battery to battery (rear battery is grounded to the frame through a hole with a grommet) then i use my rear battery essentially as a distro block...

Sky High Car Audio 6 Flat Battery Terminals

Sky High Car Audio - Elevate Your Ride with Premium Car Audio Solutions. Explore a world of top-quality car audio systems and accessories. Experience crystal-clear sound today!

skyhighcaraudio.com

Those are the terminals on my rear battery

I got you. Since I already have a distribution block in there would I be able to just add another positive and negative run from the second battery and just connect it to the distribution block? Or does the second battery really need to be ran first before the distribution block that's what I'm trying to figure out.

 

[2023 LTZ]

Yes have the positive go to the second battery then a second positive to your distribution block. Well grounded of course.

 

[Denial-]

Yes have the positive go to the second battery then a second positive to your distribution block. Well grounded of course.

Damn.. I was really hoping I'd be able to just tie it into the distribution block that's already there. Kinds wishing I didn't get the damn thing now seems kinda pointless lol.
Does anyone know the reason for the battery having to be before the distribution block? Will it not charge right if it isnt or?

 

[2023 LTZ]

Idk. I recently posted a similar question and got no real responses.
In my uneducated opinion the power would go both ways through a single positive. Maybe this is ok? Idk. I had no problems before or after changing the wiring.

the last pic is how i redid it. The first one is how it was. The capacitor was the connection point until the second fused distribution block which reduces the power from 0 to 2 4ga for the amps.
I fused the second battery positive too.

 

[HardofWhoring]

Battery negative is NOT ground, it's battery negative. Chassis is ground. Disconnect your negative cables, and see if it starts, (it won't.) When you add extra grounds to a battery negative, they still are going to end at chassis, you are just adding more resistance through your batteries ground.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

You would think that the capacitor could be placed anywhere in the system and it would be the same. But in the real world it makes a difference. When I first added my ultra cap, I just grounded it and ran the positive to the distribution block on my rear battery terminal. With the amplifiers ran to other terminal on the distribution block.
I then moved the subwoofer amplifier positive cable directly to the capacitor positive and gained .3 to .4 of a volt at the amplifier.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Does anyone know the reason for the battery having to be before the distribution block? Will it not charge right if it isnt or?

I have my capacitor block after the fuse distribution block. I have it fused as well in case the cables get tugged by happenstance. Fuses are the sum of the amp's ratings.

 

[Denial-]

I'm surprised all the replies this got lol. I'm still confused though and just looking for the same answer I was when I started this post..
Does the second battery need to be wired before the distribution block or can it just be tied into the distribution block wherever? I feel like it wouldn't matter either way but then part of me feeling like it needs to be wired right after the main battery before the distribution block so it can charge etc properly but I have no clue. Can someone please tell me this lol.

 

[spokey9]

I'm surprised all the replies this got lol. I'm still confused though and just looking for the same answer I was when I started this post..
Does the second battery need to be wired before the distribution block or can it just be tied into the distribution block wherever? I feel like it wouldn't matter either way but then part of me feeling like it needs to be wired right after the main battery before the distribution block so it can charge etc properly but I have no clue. Can someone please tell me this lol.

I use my 2nd battery as a distribution block with both amps coming off it...but if I was running a distribution block, it would be after the 2nd battery

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

I'm surprised all the replies this got lol. I'm still confused though and just looking for the same answer I was when I started this post..
Does the second battery need to be wired before the distribution block or can it just be tied into the distribution block wherever? I feel like it wouldn't matter either way but then part of me feeling like it needs to be wired right after the main battery before the distribution block so it can charge etc properly but I have no clue. Can someone please tell me this lol.

The way you would like to wire it will work absolutely fine.

It's a basic parallel circuit. As long as all your positives are connected and all your negatives are connected, you can wire it however you want. I personally would pick up battery terminals like spokey linked and use them instead of your copper terminal blocks, but that's just a personal preference. If you go that route, I recommend ILL Customz terminals over Sky High. I own both, and the big difference is Sky High uses set screws to hold them onto lugs, whereas ILL clamps onto the lugs.

 

[HardofWhoring]

The way you would like to wire it will work absolutely fine.

It's a basic parallel circuit. As long as all your positives are connected and all your negatives are connected, you can wire it however you want. I personally would pick up battery terminals like spokey linked and use them instead of your copper terminal blocks, but that's just a personal preference. If you go that route, I recommend ILL Customz terminals over Sky High. I own both, and the big difference is Sky High uses set screws to hold them onto lugs, whereas ILL clamps onto the lugs.

I also have the sky high terminals (sitting in a box on the shelf), and I would gladly sell em cheap (only used for a few days). See that TINY little allen screw on top. That is how they secure to the post. GOOD LUCK. (and it sure as hell isn't going to hold on a side mounted post).

Here is what I found years ago: "Terminal Tamers"

http://www.boatsteer.com/battery.html
They have two sizes, these are the smaller ones. I have been real happy with em. I chose these because back then I had side mounted posts on my battery. This design was a little more balanced to me. The other ones that are similar might hold em down, but this design helps to balance the weight more.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

What are you talking about? Nobody has said anything about a dvd player ( and who still uses dvd’s anyway). This is for amplifiers.