It has to do with your comment about $200. You spend your money on things you think you need, and other spend theirs on things they think they need.


Personally, I want both.

 

So I was thinking a diehard gold as a 2nd battery. I am looking for the extra juice to allow me to run additional lighting for night fishing and not worry about the juice to start it after. Not to Mention being able to keep run the fridge for longer periods without battery concern.

 

Makes since. Tell you what, if you have never been running high speed desert trails at 2 in the morning, you haven't lived.

As for the need for some sort of switching device to make sure your batteries never go dead, since 99% of all Disco owners run 1 battery and don't loose too much sleep over the idea of their battery going dead, why should we with our duals. That is kind of what kept me from spending that extra amount and, for me, that has never happened.

 

Yeah. Most people don't go out completely alone anyway. I currently have just one battery, but I'm pretty sure I could get a jump start if I did something stupid (or fun?) and ran it down. And I carry a booster with me.

 

wrong choice. diehard plat, glass mat then you can run it down and recharge it without consequence.

 

Back when a lot of my time was spent at a racetrack, I used to always have dual batteries with an isolator installed. That way I could run the radio and lights until they died and still start the van and recharge both. The kits aren't that expensive, you just have rewire to run the ignition, charging, and starting off one battery. Everything else off the other. When running both are recharged but only one is drawn down by accessories. (this was at a time before the monster tractor trailer race haulers).

 

I plan to run just one yellow top until I get money to put towards a two battery set-up. Is this a bad idea or just one that I shouldn't do for too long? I am only running a winch for now, so as mentioned in a few posts, would like to divert money into other projects first. Any advice?

 

you will be fine. just make sure you keep your truck running when winching so that the alternator can help charge that battery.

 

As long as you are not doing a lot of winching everytime you are on the trail, you will be fine for now.

 

All you need is a diode to put current into battery #2.
The diode allows current flow into the battery. But not out of the battery.

So, you charge it and isolate it with the diode.
Even if the main battery goes dead, battery #2 stays charged to power your whatever. Inverter maybe..

Rover Batt #1 ----------0-->|--0------Rover Batt #2
+ diode *