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Originally Posted by mbusansky
88 Chevy K3500 5.7L V8
Preparing my truck for a second battery. Don't want any fancy management system, just want to add a second battery for accessories and be able to keep both batteries separate and charged. Upgraded to a 200 amp alternator, optima red top, and a second battery tray. Current wiring has alternator connected to a stud on a distribution block on the firewall. Another wire from that distribution block goes back to my current battery. I assume that this wire to the battery allows the battery to provide power when needed and allows the battery to be charged as needed. I bought a simple generic 250 amp 2 battery isolator and now wonder how I should plan on wiring this.
Q #1. If I run the alternator wire to the input stud of my isolator, connect each battery to an output stud, how do I connect the power back to the power distribution block on the firewall? Can I run two wires from the back of the alternator? (one to the isolator and one to the distribution block) Or should I have gotten a three output isolator with one output to each battery and one to the distribution block?
Q #2. The current wire from the battery to the distribution block is a fusible link. If I replace this would I need some kind of fuse protection?
Q #3. Voltmeter shows fine voltage (14 ish) while actually driving. When stopped the voltage according to the meter tends to drop down towards the low end (9 ish). At night I can tell that the lights will dim a smidge when this happens.
Any advice or hard earned experience would be appreciated.
M
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If you are going to keep them seperqated you will need to go to a isolater setup like RV/mortorhomes have.
RV/motorhome parts places could fix you up if you want one.
They are kinda of a pain to set up.
With a good alternater and two batterys you should not need a setup like that.
Unless you pull a lot of amps when the car is turned off.
MT