Tom...Any cheaper solenoids that will work? $40.00 is about the cheapest I have found...

 

[In the one you recommended]

 

You can check with NAPA or the like. Yes, I know they aren't cheap, but Cole Hersee is one of the best. And the silver/tungsten contacts help prevent them sticking closed.

 

This was a very long project. I would not have thought it would take as much time as it did to do this but, it is done at last!

Thank God (& Antichrist )

In addition to the relay & isolator, I used 11 copper 1/0 gauge lugs, about 30 feet of jumper cable wire, 4 custom battery bolts, one battery post riser and 1-1/0 distribution block.






In the cabin I used one silo switch for the "battery in parallel" relay and one custom winch rocker switch for winch control inside the cab.

The winch switch actually compressed with the insertion tabs right in the dash, without me having to create any holder bracket for it.

I used a plastic divider from a tool organizer box as the mounting surface for the silo switch and four small screws.

 

Maybe I missed it...where did you put the second battery?

 

Sorry I missed the question about 5 years ago! The second battery is in the driver side front right behind the driver side headlight. I had to move the power steering pump and the ignition module and the intake for the air is now funnel through the snorkel.

 

Nice job. What you found out is the isolater, cables, connections, switches, relays and so on add up to considerable expense.

This guy went even farther with a sophisticated battery monitoring system, but explains alternatives:


AGM batteries have low self-discharge rates. Odyssey claims theirs can be kept in storage for up to 2 years and they will maintain a high SOC. Carrying a spare AGM battery is the least expensive way to have reserve starting power. If you keep it disconnected and occasionally check the OCV and top it off with a shop charger when needed, it will be there when you need it. It doesn't need to be charged by the alternator because you're not regularly draining it. It doesn't need an expensive isolator because it won't be connected to either the alternator or the main battery. It doesn't need costly heavy gauge cables. You can either remove a shorted battery and replace it with the spare using only the existing cables, or use jumper cables to supplement a healthy but discharged main battery. What it doesn't do is provide a lot of reserve capacity for running computers, radios, lights or a winch for a long time without the engine running. But I don't think that two group 34's in any configuration can do that. Cables, isolators, switches, and relays alone won't make that possible, but they will add substantial cost to a system. My advice is to consider carrying good (heavy gauge) jumper cables and a spare AGM battery as the first step. The other expenses beyond that are probably unnecessary.

 

The part about the monitoring system I mentioned is in this other video, starting at about 9:10

 

OMG...I love this guy! I think he might talk more than me, which is pretty much unheard of but what a great video and famous ideas. My tire rack is made of an old tractor jack for a hinge and pan holder, his is amazing. I love the battery analyzer with wi-fi interface. I will be looking more at that entire concept.

Thanks for posting this...oh and I really like the ladder on the side of the truck. I can only imagine how much **** I would get about putting something like that on mine...


I guess I should have listed my cost list as well for this project:

$24.00 [eBay] Isolator
$7.00 I used a twenty-foot pair of heavy gas use jumper cables I bought at a flea market. [Pulled each side apart for 40 feet total and black and white colors]
$20.00 Copper ring terminations
$30.00 Tungsten Continous use solenoid 300 AMP w/400AMP surge
$30.00 Intestate 600 CCA battery used (2 years old) Big boys salvage
$10.00 Termination block for multiple connectors eBay
$8.00 Silo activation switch
---------
$129.00 Total