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Fitting Dual Batteries for a Winch??

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by DanStew, Oct 10, 2004.

  1. Oct 10, 2004
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
    Messages:
    4,585
    Since my other battery has been dieing on me lately even before i got the winch going i am going to get a new battery, or two. I looked at the space i have on the passenger side of the engine bay and it will not easily accomodate 2 fullsize batteries without cutting. I am runing an autozone 850 CCA battery, i do not know which size but it is prety big. I am thinknig to going to smaller physical size batteries for a dual battery install. Is there a differnce in smaller/larger body batteris?? Say for more time to discharge 12 volts?? Do i really need 2 batteries for a winch?? I probably can answer that question myself, I am leaning to having 2 batteries incase one fails and so on. I am going to get regular batteries instead of the gel batteries because i do not have the $$ to fork out for 2 right now. And what is the best way to hook up the batteries. Do i need an isolator or onT?? Also i have a one wire GM alternator, could i run a sperate hot wire from the alternator to each battery??

    Who has pics of their dual battery setup??
     
  2. Oct 10, 2004
    gte636p

    gte636p Member

    smyrna, Ga
    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2002
    Messages:
    492
    i think all you need to do is put them in parrallell and the alternator will charge both of them up. the voltage would stay at 12V but the available amps would add up.

    fitting would be a challenge... i've got the 950?? cca battery and it's pretty big, but i "think" with a little bit of creative battery tray fabrication it could be done. key word is think.
     
  3. Oct 10, 2004
    willysnut

    willysnut Banned

    Newnan, Ga.
    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2003
    Messages:
    654
    Dan
    I was just looking at the new 4wd parts catalog and they have a dual battery tray for optima gel type batteries that stack two batteries on top of each other. http://www.4wd.com/shop/productdetail.asp?model=tj&productsku=MGBT01
    Check it out it may be the way to go for you. It says it fits 97-01 Tjs but we all know it could be made to fit an ECJ5.
    Oh yeah, I use only one battery for my winch! And it's a small one! PTO
     
  4. Oct 10, 2004
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    4,585
    I was just looking at my buddys setup in his CJ5, bad thing is the early 5's have no space between the ender and the firewall, the later ones have that extra 4 inches, it is extremely difficult for our jeeps :( I will have to see what size batteries are out there. I am going to get some metal fenders next weekend and maybe i can notch the one side to fit the batteryes, right now the fiberglass is not good to really mount things too ;)
     
  5. Oct 10, 2004
    dauntless_powered

    dauntless_powered SUB Chief

    Groton, CT
    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2003
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    1,000,071
    as far as fit, i have made a bracket behind the passanger seat for my second one. ( i have no back sat however). summit, jegs, etc carry a very good setup for everything u need to run dual batteries. i have not yet installed this setup yet, but ihave two yellow tops sitting in the garage waiting to go in. hth

    http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1638&prmenbr=361

    i ordered the waqterproof one only because my second battery is behind the seat
     
  6. Oct 10, 2004
    66cj5

    66cj5 Jeep with no name

    NorthWest Indiana
    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2003
    Messages:
    2,084
    I run one optima, no problems (yet), however I upgraded the alternator
    (120 amp @ idle) When I got the new one, the counter guy asked If I had a winch and off road lights and I said yes.
     
  7. Oct 10, 2004
    mb82

    mb82 I feel great!

    Charlottesville Va
    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2003
    Messages:
    2,706
    do you have the same guy as me. when i got all my stuff my guy asked what it was going into ( asking for random small block parts) and i told him an old jeep. he took most of the stuff back and brought back stuff that would work better in a jeep. its the only time i have thought advance auto was helpful
     
  8. Oct 10, 2004
    oldjeep

    oldjeep Sisyphus at work

    Victoria, MN
    Joined:
    Sep 19, 2003
    Messages:
    267
    I'd forget the 2 batteries unless you intend to run a welder. Get one Optima yellow top and a good high output alternator. I have yet to ever run down the battery with my 8274 and the engine at idle
     
  9. Oct 10, 2004
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    4,585
    OK. I will keep the single setup for now. i have a new GM alternator, i think it is the common 63 (?) amp version. I do not run many accesories except for the electric fans. I want to avoid running a second battery in the cab of the jeep because the Baby will be in the backseat.
     
  10. Oct 10, 2004
    jd7

    jd7 Sponsor

    Nacogdoches,Texas
    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Messages:
    1,745
    Tried two batteries on mine because if i had to use winch I was out of juice found out once I put heavier alternator and used a battery for a Dodge diesel (1125 cca) no more problems. Have sice gone to a little less battery (925cca) still no problems.
     
  11. Oct 10, 2004
    CT

    CT Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2004
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    238
    How often do you plan to use the winch? If it is only for self recovery every once in a while. One battery should be all you need. Try it a couple of times and see how it works. If the winch is something you use every couple of of days you might need a dual battery set up.
     
  12. Oct 10, 2004
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    4,585
    The winch is defiantely not a daily thing, heck my jeep isnt a daily thing :(
    Probably be every so often or until people in the jeep club find out i have one and get those calls in the middle of the night because they or friends of them are stuck somewhere :( Good thing i will charge hourly :)
     
  13. Oct 10, 2004
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2004
    Messages:
    1,552
    Dan I'd just get the yellow Optima, most of the guys I Jeep with run red or yellow tops and we use the winches alot, they would use their less if I had one. :)
     
  14. Oct 10, 2004
    Hill

    Hill Member

    Colorado
    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2004
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    Yellow top Optima in mine. Winch runs fine. I tend to stay away from Cheap batteries now. Plus, they are not really rated for long discharges like heavy winching. -Hill
     
  15. Oct 10, 2004
    oldjeep

    oldjeep Sisyphus at work

    Victoria, MN
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    Sep 19, 2003
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    267
    63 wouldn't be nearly enough for a dual battery setup. Might not be enough to keep up with an 8274 either. I'm running a 120 Amp Delco, only electrical do-dads are the electric fan and winch.
     
  16. Oct 11, 2004
    66cj5

    66cj5 Jeep with no name

    NorthWest Indiana
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    counter guy @ electrical shop said: "puttin' this in jeep ehh? Well how many flood lights ya runnin' and how big is the winch? and is 150 amps @ idle enough, or do you need more?" :twisted:
     
  17. Oct 11, 2004
    CJ Joe

    CJ Joe Truckhaven Tough!

    Pinon Hills, CA
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    Nov 9, 2002
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    Dan,

    Sounds like Oldjeep is on the right track. If you're going to spend some coin, put it into an alternator upgrade. Remember, a battery is for storage, the alternator for demand. You can always toss in a second battery later.
     
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