at what point of electronics-loading is it necessary to get a second battery?

i run a GPS, and my iPod off my 12volt, and want to get a power inverter and CB. i also have 2 Hella 500's.


i wouldn't mind getting a light bar on my rack and a winch someday... does this mean i'm going to need a second battery? and if i got one, would i just connect it to the first or do i need an alternator upgrade?

 

You wont need a second battery unless you are running all of those acc's with the engine off.
Your alternator will make up for the extra power demand.
However you will blow the fuse to your cig lighter from all the demand on it.
You should only run one thing at a time off your cig lighter.

 

its not a case of "which" point, its a case of "when you like"

As it is now, your standard vehicle system will cope with everything you have mentioned AS LONG as the engine is running, it is unlikely, you will have your stereo full blast, your roof lights and spots on and be winching ouf of thick mud drawing 350amps of the winchat the same time.

I have 2 front spots, 4 roof lights, CB radio, winch and sometimes the laptop installed as wellin mine and its fine with a single battery. What is more important, is if you do run a SINGLE battery, make sure its a good one !!

You will not need to upgrade your alternator even with 2 batteries, it will happily charge them both. The charge taken out of the "starter" battery is very quickly replaced by the alternator. I would "consider" a good brand Deep cycle battery if you stay with a single setup, Optima Yellow top for example as a standard "starter" battery would not take kindly to being run flat "if" that did happen.

The "main" reason for adding a second battery is so you can run stuff whilst camping, overnight, engine off etc, like a fridge for example and then you dont flatten your starter battery. For example, you could connect your CB to your "aux" battery and chat all night till its flat, and the truck will start in the morning. Having a second battery (as long as its charged) also gives you the ability to "jump start" yourself if you starter battery died overnight for example.

Depending on "how" they are wired, the is cases where 2 batteries will provide a higher available current during extreme winching etc, but the standard system can deliver more than enough usually.

I will be adding a second one to mine, Why ?, because I can and its fun and interesting to do the install. I will connect most "accessories" up to the AUX bat, so to leave the starter battery to do what its designed for.......starting.

 

I am planning on getting a second battery as well and I am in the same boat as you apcollin. I run all the same things however I would like to be able to run my pop-up camper off the back aux port as well. I talked to discomike and from what he said its pretty simple and worth it to me. When I go car camping I like to leave the radio on and use the lights for camp set-up and I don't like the thought of getting stuck miles from the nearest person. I however have a D2 so it might not be as simple... I really don't know.

 

Why is it not as simple?

 

Oh I was just saying I have no experience with D1s so I don't know how difficult it is. (If its as easy as in a d2 then I say go for it) I think the dual battery set up is perfect for my application and it seems apcollins is running the exact same things as I am: GPS, Ipod interface, and two 500 hellas.

 

looks like we even have the same color truck and affinity for carrying things on the roof haha