As many of us are adding so much more electronics on our little cars we are over extending their Electrical cap. Has anyone successfully installed a dual battery installation and if you did would you share the wiring diagram? I have an high output audio system and was good for a while now ive got to do something and am on the fence on a dual battery over an upgraded alternator. Im leaning towards the dual batter since it appears you can potientially always have a reserve of power.

Any thoughts?

 

Have you thought about simply going to a higher grade battery? Or have you already done that?

I have a fairly substantial stereo setup in my older car (Mustang), which has 4 amplifiers - one dedicated to each pair of speakers. When I first had the system installed, the voltage gauge in my car bounced with every beat of the bass. A quick swap with an Optima Yellow Top battery and the bouncing ceased. Huge difference.

 

yep done that...Optima Red Top

 

I did have the red top at first, but we ended up having problems with it too - it even specifically says "not recommended for high powered stereo systems" or something to that effect.

The solution was to switch to the yellow top (deep cycle model). It may have 50 less "cold cranking amps" but it is a more capable model overall.

I didn't bother to mention the red top in my previous reply because I didn't consider it as good of a solution.

 

So im getting the idea that there is a big difference in the Optima Yellow over the Red. I went the Red route b/c i had read somewhere it was better that the Yellow. Oh well guess my info was incorrect. So...am in correct in saying that swap for the Yellow over doing a 2 battery setup. I next to never run the stero alone or without the car cranked. To me its just too risky.

 

If you're going dual, why not a red and a yellow Optima?
One better for cold cranking, the other better for deep cycle properties.

 

The red is slightly better for the basic day-to-day functionality of a normal car, especially starting it in the dead of winter when the engine doesn't really want to start.

The yellow is better for ongoing heavy loads, and cases where you will drain the battery more and then charge it up again. It is more "dynamic", even though the red has a higher theoretical output at any one moment.

I'm not guaranteeing the yellow will solve your problem, but the fact remains that the yellow is better suited to larger aftermarket car stereos.

 

ive located a "system" where the Yellow Top is the Master and the Red Top is the slave or backup batter. Additionally ill have an LED on the Dash that when it goes out its an indication that im using more power than the Alternatior can replenish. So ,in what ive been able to read on this setup i should not get stranded. Which is a good thing

 

im getting 2 Kinetik HC2400's, HUGE batteries. 59lbs each :(

anyways, i will be upgrading the alt. in the future. just not right away.

adding more batteries isnt always better though. if you have no way to charge them, its pointless once they are drained.

i will be running nearly 5500-6000w rms total (mids, tweets, sub) in my MINI, so i deff want to figure out something about the alt :(

 

OMG you have hotswaps!?!??!?! PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!! im ordering them, ive seen ONE mini with them, and it was an ugly r56 (the fireballed one lol)

post pics!!!!

 

look into Kinetik, or powermaster.

d3100 powermaster, or hc2400 kinetik....alot better for systems than any optima.

 

I know this is a very old thread I was wondering what came of the project I am having load issues with my MCS system drawing too many amps causing lights to dim abs to stop working or at least the indicator for it to come on and was wondering what you came up with for your solution?

Excuse my question but what is this hotswaps you are referring to?