Dual battery setup

[fordbyford]

Hey all I have a 1996 Ford Bronco that Im finally getting around to putting my system into. I have 2 Kicker subs rated at 300 RMS and a 1000 watt Kenwood amplifier Power will come from 2 Optima redtops and a 3G alt rated at 200 amps. Now my problem is I have two red top optimas does anyone know how to wire them together? Am I going to just connect pos to pos neg to neg or should I have an Isolator in there Im ok at electrcal work but not great at it any help would be greatly appriciated thank you Kyle

Click to read more...

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

Hey all I have a 1996 Ford Bronco that Im finally getting around to putting my system into. I have 2 Kicker subs rated at 300 RMS and a 1000 watt Kenwood amplifier Power will come from 2 Optima redtops and a 3G alt rated at 200 amps. Now my problem is I have two red top optimas does anyone know how to wire them together? Am I going to just connect pos to pos neg to neg or should I have an Isolator in there Im ok at electrcal work but not great at it any help would be greatly appriciated thank you Kyle

Yes, simple parallel is all. Here is a diagram to help you.

That said, the red tops are not made to power car audio. They will work OK as long as you don't try to run the system with the engine off. Just know they are not made for what you are doing with them.

 

[fordbyford]

What kind of fuse should be used in the circuit and would it would it be cool to use a blue or yellow top with the red top, my original red top is about 2 years old and I have a brand new redtop I can exchange for either blue or yellow

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

What kind of fuse should be used in the circuit and would it would it be cool to use a blue or yellow top with the red top, my original red top is about 2 years old and I have a brand new redtop I can exchange for either blue or yellow

Fuse based on the wire you are protecting. You should run 1/0 wire between the batteries and most 1/0 is rated to 250A to 300A depending on brand. Confirm with the wire MFG what your wire is rated for. Fuse at that value.

A yellow would be better suited. The blue is the same battery as the yellow, just marine terminals is all.

 

[fordbyford]

Gotcha I have the amp wire kit I belive it is 2gauge rated at 4000 watt heres a link to the excact wiring kit I havehttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-Gauge-Amplifier-Wiring-Kit-Amp-Wire-Hook-Up-W-RCA_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14Q2el1262QQhashZitem200304135857QQitemZ200304135857QQptZCarQ5fAudioQ5fVideo

 

[93dakota 10+ year member]

that kit comes with a fuse but it is only 140amp... i would think you should be safe with at least 250 but i really dont know because it depends on that wire.

 

[smoka 10+ year member]

140 amp fuse should be fine for the amp you are using. If you get a bigger amp then you'll have to upgrade the fuse in the future.

Its funny that auction says its good for up to 4000watts. That fuse would blow before you reached 2000.

 

[TnT_Sounds 10+ year member]

Yes, simple parallel is all. Here is a diagram to help you.

That said, the red tops are not made to power car audio. They will work OK as long as you don't try to run the system with the engine off. Just know they are not made for what you are doing with them.

I have a friend here who dont understand why you need to fuse both ends of the positive run of wire and why dont you then also fuse the ground wire..

Someone explain

 

[SlickNick 10+ year member]

^^^^yeah that. You DON'T need to fuse the ground at all but two on the power wire? I have a battery under the hood and a COMMERCIAL line Yellow top in the trunk (the BIG one) and the ONLY thing connecting them is ONE 0 gauge wire with ONE fuse in line (I think it's a 150 amp...not sure). As long as the second battery is grounded out on it's own, it would be a waste of time, money (0 gauge is TOO expensive) to be running a ground between the two (atleast if you're going front to back like me) as electricity runs through wires with less resistance (meaning the chassis ground and NOT the ground wire in between). Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[badvlvo 10+ year member]

My factory wiring does not have fuses between the Batt+ of the batteries.

 

[SlickNick 10+ year member]

you have 2 batteries in your car stock?

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

You MUST fuse both ends of the power wire.

For instance, say the wire gets cut or melted somehow and begins to short out on the car. The fuse leading to the front battery will pop, but since there's no fuse on the back battery, the short circuit will continue to happen until basically your entire electrical system is fried/your car burns down to the ground.

In short: FUSE BOTH ENDS!

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

^^^^yeah that. You DON'T need to fuse the ground at all but two on the power wire? I have a battery under the hood and a COMMERCIAL line Yellow top in the trunk (the BIG one) and the ONLY thing connecting them is ONE 0 gauge wire with ONE fuse in line (I think it's a 150 amp...not sure). As long as the second battery is grounded out on it's own, it would be a waste of time, money (0 gauge is TOO expensive) to be running a ground between the two (atleast if you're going front to back like me) as electricity runs through wires with less resistance (meaning the chassis ground and NOT the ground wire in between). Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

For the OP's level of power, a chassis ground on the back battery is fine.

However, there have been tests that have shown that a piece of 1/0 wire is MORE conductive than the chassis of a car, which is made of steel (which is FAR less conductive than copper) and lots of welds.

If you plan on running big power, grounds to the front battery/alternator(s) is a must.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

you have 2 batteries in your car stock?

Diesels typically have two batteries because of the large amount of current needed to start a high compression engine.

 

[SlickNick 10+ year member]

You MUST fuse both ends of the power wire.
For instance, say the wire gets cut or melted somehow and begins to short out on the car. The fuse leading to the front battery will pop, but since there's no fuse on the back battery, the short circuit will continue to happen until basically your entire electrical system is fried/your car burns down to the ground.

In short: FUSE BOTH ENDS!

^^^^genius. Makes perfect sense. I wasn't 100 percent sure I was totally correct which is why you came along.