Dual Battery Help
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Dual Battery Help
Hello all,
I'm new the the forum so I apologize if this is in the wrong spot.
I have had my 2010 F150 Lariat for a little over 3 years now and have always wanted to add an extra battery for peace of mind so I can charge phone and tool batteries, run the radio at the drive-in, etc. without running out of starting juice and needing to jump.
As I research battery isolators, all of the information I find is for overlanders who are running a specific auxiliary battery for their fridge, camping lights, and inverters. I can't find any information on how to run an isolator for all of the stock systems.
I'm leaning toward a smart battery isolator as I have a "dumb" alternator (and I'd like to keep it that way) so I don't need to flip switches every time I start my truck up. I'm guessing that my extra "auxiliary" battery could be wired up to the isolator at the starter post.
Are there any negative side effects to wiring it like that? Should I keep the "stock" battery as the primary or rewire it to be the starter backup? Any advice from someone with a similar system would be much appreciated. Thank you!
I'm new the the forum so I apologize if this is in the wrong spot.
I have had my 2010 F150 Lariat for a little over 3 years now and have always wanted to add an extra battery for peace of mind so I can charge phone and tool batteries, run the radio at the drive-in, etc. without running out of starting juice and needing to jump.
As I research battery isolators, all of the information I find is for overlanders who are running a specific auxiliary battery for their fridge, camping lights, and inverters. I can't find any information on how to run an isolator for all of the stock systems.
I'm leaning toward a smart battery isolator as I have a "dumb" alternator (and I'd like to keep it that way) so I don't need to flip switches every time I start my truck up. I'm guessing that my extra "auxiliary" battery could be wired up to the isolator at the starter post.
Are there any negative side effects to wiring it like that? Should I keep the "stock" battery as the primary or rewire it to be the starter backup? Any advice from someone with a similar system would be much appreciated. Thank you!
SoFlo5.0_4x4
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 506
Likes: 133
From: Miami
Why not connect a second battery with a battery switch like boats have. Leave everything on you starting battery. Connect lights and radio to the second battery. Set the switch on 1 to start, 2 when using radio and lights, all when running and charging. I'm going to do a similar set up when I set up a winch this year. You can put the 2nd battery in a battery box in the bed or in the rear seat.