Featured First battery bank (3 agm total)

[Giles]

Living in icy cold canada, I steered clear of lithium and went the heavy agm route.. Im trying to do research on proper wiring for the batteries to have a balanced discharge. I have a couple questions regarding my diagram. Tried separating it into 3 sections.
The top section separates under the hood
The bottom section the hood feeds into the truck box with the bank.
The middle section the box feeds the interior.

My questions for the "Hood"...
-got the HO alt put in. The 2nd (new) fused battery lead, does it need to be fuse for the full output of the alternator, or just for the difference from the stock fuse? I wrote it in as 150A with the question mark, but bought a fuseholder where I can bump it to 300 if required for full load from alternator.
-the top middle ground, does it need to be ran? That is outside of the scope of the big 3.

The "Box"...
-If I run the power both in and out off fused distribution blocks will the current draw be more even?

The "cabin"...
-Is it beneficial to run 3 grounds in from the 3 battery bank?
-I don't think I would have to ground to chassis doing it this way. If I still should, I only have 6 terminals in the ground block (just gonna tie the dsp and epicenter on the same, or throw them under a seat belt bolt). If I am wrong, could someone confirm? Super tight space build, and am slowly running out of room for components. Dont want to have to get a bigger block.

Batteries are oddessy extreme agms, and the voltage tune on the tacoma.

All cables are 2/0 welding cable from hood to box, switching to 1/0 ofc at first distribution blocks in cabin- had to downsize to make the amp terminals happy.

Feedback and suggestion for me are encouraged

Click to read more...

 

[CarAudio.com - Hal AI Bots]

Living in icy cold canada, I steered clear of lithium and went the heavy agm route.. Im trying to do research on proper wiring for the batteries to have a balanced discharge. I have a couple questions regarding my diagram. Tried separating it into 3 sections.
The top section separates under the hood
The bottom section the hood feeds into the truck box with the bank.
The middle section the box feeds the interior.

My questions for the "Hood"...
-got the HO alt put in. The 2nd (new) fused battery lead, does it need to be fuse for the full output of the alternator, or just for the difference from the stock fuse? I wrote it in as 150A with the question mark, but bought a fuseholder where I can bump it to 300 if required for full load from alternator.
-the top middle ground, does it need to be ran? That is outside of the scope of the big 3.

The "Box"...
-If I run the power both in and out off fused distribution blocks will the current draw be more even?

The "cabin"...
-Is it beneficial to run 3 grounds in from the 3 battery bank?
-I don't think I would have to ground to chassis doing it this way. If I still should, I only have 6 terminals in the ground block (just gonna tie the dsp and epicenter on the same, or throw them under a seat belt bolt). If I am wrong, could someone confirm? Super tight space build, and am slowly running out of room for components. Dont want to have to get a bigger block.

Batteries are oddessy extreme agms, and the voltage tune on the tacoma.

All cables are 2/0 welding cable from hood to box, switching to 1/0 ofc at first distribution blocks in cabin- had to downsize to make the amp terminals happy.

Feedback and suggestion for me are encouraged
View attachment 72740

It looks like you’re putting together a solid setup with your AGM batteries and heavy gauge wiring. Let’s dive into your questions.

### Hood Section
1. Fused Battery Lead Output:
- It's generally recommended to fuse the new battery lead for the full output of your alternator, especially if you want to ensure everything is protected properly. In your case, if your alternator can provide up to 300A, it's wise to use a 300A fuse, particularly if you’re running high current loads. The fuse rating should be based on the maximum current the line will carry, not just the difference from the stock fuse.

2. Top Middle Ground Connection:
- Running a ground wire from the alternator to the battery is typically considered part of the Big 3 upgrade, which involves upgrading the ground path to reduce the resistance in your electrical system. Therefore, if it’s not too complicated, consider running that ground for optimal performance.

### Box Section
3. Fused Distribution Blocks:
- Yes, running power in and out of fused distribution blocks helps ensure that the current draw is evenly distributed across the circuits. By using fuses, you protect each branch from over-current and potential damage, which can help achieve a more balanced discharge across your battery bank.

### Cabin Section
4. Running Grounds from the Battery Bank:
- It can be beneficial to run separate ground connections from each battery in your bank back to the main ground point, as this can reduce ground loop issues and improve overall system stability. However, ensure that the gauge of wire used for the ground is appropriate for the loads to be carried.

5. Chassis Ground Consideration:
- Even with running grounds directly from the batteries, it's still a good practice to have a solid chassis ground for your audio components. If you’re tight on space in your ground block, make sure the DSP and Epicenter are securely grounded. You can tie them to a common point like a seat belt bolt if it’s secure and has a good connection to the chassis. Just be cautious about the current capacity at your grounding point.

### Suggestions

• Ensure all connections are tight and well-insulated, as loose connections can cause resistance and heating.
• Keep your wires neat and organized to avoid interference, especially signal cables.
• Monitor the system for voltage drops; if you see significant losses, it might indicate a need for re-evaluation of your ground paths or wire sizes.

Feel free to ask more questions or for additional details. Looking forward to more members chiming in!

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Me thinks you need to hold on a bit; I can take a look at this and advise accordingly, but not sure you're heading in the right direction.

What part of Canada, what is the operating temp you expect, low/high?

What amplifier(s) are you using (make and model; 4K monoblock doesn't really tell me anything)?

Are there any additional amplifiers, i.e., 2-channel, 4-channel, 6-channel, or multiples of any?

What subs are you going to use, speakers, tweeters, mids?
In other words, what is the build that would require 3 AGMs?

I will gladly draw up the schematic and advise on best practices for running the cabling; I just need to know what we're working with.

 

[Giles]

Northern alberta- can get down to -45 degrees Celsius.
4xB2 rampage 6.5 (2.5 cuft behind seat in tacoma
Amp rack located in a 7.5 inch by 44 inch underneath cubby. Limited width for clean install, so I decided to go with audiocontrol stuff and give it a try seeing as it's only 6 inch.
Epicfour 4 channel, epic 4000 monoblock, epicenter in the rack, dm810 under passenger seat.
Agm build for using the audio, but also winch and inverter for overlanding.
I am a welder, so 2/0 gauge used due to having damaged 200 foot lengths laying around where I can salvage multiple long sections

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Cool (literally)!

I'll get back on this tonight ( I use 2/0 too).

 

[Giles]

Oh, the other points there too for components. Currently have kicker ks 6x9 with 2 3/4" in dash using ds18 passive crossovers, as well as ksc 6.5 in rear doors. I want the ability to add another epic four and extra tweets in the rear down the road and get them active on dsp channels instead of passive on the xovers.

All fused terminal blocks are SMD 4 pole, ground distribution are the 6 lug SMD.

Not a drop in alternator, I have a shop building one. Could be up to 370A if he can shoehorn in his custom highlander windings. It's supposed to be out of alternator shop tomorrow.

As far as electrical, I'm going for my 2nd ticket. Only a 3rd year electrician, but have a very good understanding of terminology and components. Working on cranes though, it's primarily 3 phase AC. DC is somewhat foreign to me.

Attached is a pic of the amp rack cubby and why I'm limited on size. The audiocontrol epic stuff will fit perfect.

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

In a nutshell, too much is going on for a 4-5k system.

Simplify it.

370A alt is a lot; probably get along fine with the one in the 250a-300a range, less wear and tear, and better mileage to boot.

As for the setup, it's way more complicated than it needs to be, and that is not better; it's just more.

Assuming that all is well under the hood, we'll start with what comes after the first battery.

Single +/- runs of 2/0 OFC copper welding cable should be more than adequate for this setup.

Fuses or breakers- choice is yours; I use Blue Sea, Buyers, Mechanical Products, Hi-amp, Egis, or Eaton 12V circuit breakers for this, inline after the first battery (engine compartment) before the 2nd, 3rd, 4th battery, etc. 18" or closer to each positive input if possible. Stick with the ones I listed, and you won't have to worry or be disappointed; they will not fail you.

These should be mounted within 18" of each battery in the chain.

There is a huge difference in the quality of breakers; stay away from inexpensive breakers; most are junk. If what you see is less than $50-$60 each, don't buy them. Seriously, stick to those brands above; if you can't find them, then go to ANL fuses instead.

Something in the 250A to 300A range should be fine. Remember, these are to protect against shorts or overheating of the wire and resulting fires, not to protect the equipment.

Now that you have parallel 2/0 runs all the way to the staging area, from the final battery, split the output off the positive and the negative, run one of these for the DSP and 4-ch amplifier (s), consider getting a T-Spec 4-way for the smaller amp and the accessories; this will do nicely.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/155120723513?mkcid=1&mkrid=706-53473-19255-0&siteid=0&customid=link&campid=5335951755&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

This gives you fused power to the accessories and the 4-ch amp; it also has a remote turn-on feature (see the little holes in the block)

This allows you to run the remote here, split it off to the big amp, or run all the other thigs off it too; no need for relays, etc.

From the other +/-, this 1/0 lead should feed the 4k. Consider running a large capacitor here too. The AGMs will provide adequate power, but not fast enough for the 4k amp; only a Lithium battery or a capacitor will give it what it needs at the speed it needs to keep up with burst demands.

This diagram is a rough draft of my system wiring, and it is for demonstration of the overall aproach: simple, safe, very effective, and less likely to produce ground loops or allow EMF to sneak in somewhere due to too many wires in the picture.

NOTE

I forgot to draw a line for the 2/0 OFC copper cable that I have that leads from the final battery's negative terminal to a 600A bussbar connected by three large bolts to a substantial grounding block aproaxinatley 20 inches away from that last batteries negative terminal, this is an important parallel ground at the end of this run, ensures that everything has a safe retreat should it need something wuicker than the one back to the battery under th hood. This can be changed to suit the need and the equipment, but should give one a general idea of where I am going with the keep-it-simple aproach.

I also have an inline fuse on the big monoblock not in the picture; I didn't bother including it in the drawing.

This is a good starting point; ask away!

 

[Doxquzme Premium Member]

Example: