Dual battery diesel -- how to hook up power cables?

[Dave88LX 10+ year member]

My battery cables on my truck are a bit more complicated (expensive) than your typical automotive cable. It's imperative there is minimal loss between the cable and connectors to transfer all the required current to start these high compression pigs on cold mornings. I don't think just cutting off the cable ends, and then clamping them in a 3-in-one adapter mounted to the battery is going to cut it. What have you diesel guys done, or, in my situation, what would you do? (I know I only need to hook it up to one battery, that's not the question)

Thanks.

- Dave

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[Julian 10+ year member]

bigger cable?

 

[Dave88LX 10+ year member]

bigger cable?

I don't understand which part of my post your question was in relation to...I need to hook some 1/0 up to the batter "somehow"...

 

[raptor727 10+ year member]

well one battery runs the fuel pump main wich IS NOT the battery you want to tie into find wich one is and tie into the other just a matter of opinion but the pump is a power hog on a diesel

 

[raptor727 10+ year member]

I would say the drivers side I would hook to, just use a nice copper ring terminal

 

[Dave88LX 10+ year member]

Can you still get the required current with a smaller contact-area connection like that?

 

[fannin88 10+ year member]

Yes, it will do more than fine

 

[CHEMMINS 10+ year member]

Yes you want to hook to drivers side in a dodge. It is the last batt in parallel after the alt. You can get battery posts that will do multiple runs of 1/0. And a diesel only needs 1 batt to start. Look at all the guys with trips or big twins that delete the passenger battery.

 

[Dave88LX 10+ year member]

Thanks! Glad you said driver's side; I probably would have ended up on the passenger's side for no particular reason.

What's the reason for using the last battery in parallel from the alternator?