Dual Battery Set-up

[tymber]

I would like to add a second battery to my 2008 189FBR. Has anyone done this? If so, could you send me pics?

Additionally, does anyone know the best way to set them up? Is it best to use some sort of an isolator or is it more practical to just have them both hooked up all the time? If an isolator, can anyone recommend a good one? I have never done this before and don't really know where to start.

TIA,
Steve

 

[queball110]

I would like to add a second battery to my 2008 189FBR. Has anyone done this? If so, could you send me pics?

Additionally, does anyone know the best way to set them up? Is it best to use some sort of an isolator or is it more practical to just have them both hooked up all the time? If an isolator, can anyone recommend a good one? I have never done this before and don't really know where to start.

TIA,
Steve

Yes it is possable. My dealer set it up for me they actullt cut out the battery rack that's on there stock and moved the rails apart so that the batteries could be put in side ways side by side rather then setting in the legnth way.

 

[LJAZ]

I want to do this also, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I like the idea of side by side lengthwise.

As for the connections you probably don't want to simply hook them in parallel since both batteries will then drain down equally. An isolator will prevent that. I have two batteries on my boat and I simply used a battery selector switch so you can select whichever battery you want and the other is 'off'. It also has a 'both' position that I use when the engine is running to charge both of them. Now where to mount things is the tricky part.

 

[queball110]

2 six volt golf cart batteries will last longer then 2 12 volt deep cycle they have a higher amperage.

 

[tymber]

How big are golf cart batteries? Would two of them take up about the same space as 2 deep cycle batts?

Steve

 

[LJAZ]

This is an intriguing idea. And just from a quick google search 6V golf cart batteries are roughly 10"L x 7"W x 12"H which is a bit taller than the standard 24 or 27 series battery. A 27 series is roughly 12"x 7" x 9" so I'm not sure if a golf cart battery would fit in a standard battery box, but it might. The one's I saw were a bit pricey ~$300 or so, but again that was just a quick internet search so there's probably better deals out there. Still, even at that price if lasted longer it could be worth the extra investment. Golf carts get some pretty tough use so I'd guess these are pretty robust. Queball have you done this?

 

[queball110]

This is an intriguing idea. And just from a quick google search 6V golf cart batteries are roughly 10"L x 7"W x 12"H which is a bit taller than the standard 24 or 27 series battery. A 27 series is roughly 12"x 7" x 9" so I'm not sure if a golf cart battery would fit in a standard battery box, but it might. The one's I saw were a bit pricey ~$300 or so, but again that was just a quick internet search so there's probably better deals out there. Still, even at that price if lasted longer it could be worth the extra investment. Golf carts get some pretty tough use so I'd guess these are pretty robust. Queball have you done this?

Sure have we did it on my buddies fun finder he also has a 189 fbr but yeah we made a larger battery rack and if i remeber right we used 2 24 sieries boxes to hold the batterys and then we wired them up so they would put out 12 volts but the nice thing is we can run off his batteries last for ever way longer then my single 12 volt deep cycle does on a single charge. amd he olny paid i think it was 150 a battery from les schwab.

 

[LJAZ]

Cool. I'm definitely going to have to look into this. The hook up should be pretty easy since you just have to run them in series to get 12V and then no worries about isolators or selector switches and where to mount them.

Were the battery boxes tall enough to fit or did you have to modify them? Or did you source a shorter 6V battery?

 

[queball110]

Cool. I'm definitely going to have to look into this. The hook up should be pretty easy since you just have to run them in series to get 12V and then no worries about isolators or selector switches and where to mount them.

Were the battery boxes tall enough to fit or did you have to modify them? Or did you source a shorter 6V battery?

No didn't have to do any thing to the boxes the 2 batteries we found were just about the same size as a 24 group or 27 the 24 group size is 6-3/4" x 10-3/4" x 9-3/8" the 6 volt batteries we picked up are 10 3/8 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 10 7/8 in so not much much of a difference but i better load compacity. but I'll tell you he can run off his batteries alot longer then i can run off my 2 deep cycle 27 groups. We also have changed all the lights in his trailer to LED's they pull alot le