Question about a 2nd battery in truck
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Printed Date: December-22-2024 at 10:56am
Topic: Question about a 2nd battery in truck
Posted By: 2_Nautiques
Subject: Question about a 2nd battery in truck
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 5:30pm
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I have a 1995 Chevy K2500 truck with a 454 engine that I bought used a while back. It has 2 batteris in it and I do not know what the porpose of the second battery is for?
This second battery is currently unwired so I am not using it now. It had a small wire hooked to the positive terminal, looks like a 10ga. wire maybe green in color. It runs into a wiring harness so I can't tell exactly where it goes. It might go to a solenoid that is mounted up by the fender well on the drivers side but can't say for sure. This battery is also mounted on the driver side. Anybody have any ideas? ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1160" rel="nofollow - 1988 Ski Nautique |
Replies:
Posted By: 62 wood
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 5:37pm
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I used to run dual batteries in my snowplow truck... gives you more reserve power ... Also used in situations with campers,etc, where you can draw power from one battery and still have a "good' battery to start the truck.
btw, there should be an "isolater" wired in between the two , to keep them seperate when drawing power from one. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1117&sort=&pagenum=6" rel="nofollow - 64 American Skier 62 Classic.. 73 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 79nautique
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 5:46pm
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Or it had a diesel motor in it at one time Steve. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=756&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1979&yrend=1979 - 79 nautique |
Posted By: 2_Nautiques
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 5:51pm
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I looked and there is only a #10ga. wire to hook up to the battery? No way that is heavy enough to start the motor.
79, I had the same thoughts but the vin# references the 454 as the original motor. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1160" rel="nofollow - 1988 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: tullfooter
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 8:00pm
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Wood's right.
I had a '99 K2500 Chevy and ordered it with a plow prep package. It added the extra battery, trans and oil coolers. My guess is that you have the same set up. My new Avalanche has a spot for the 2nd battery, but it's empty. Steve ------------- Play hard, life's not a trial run. '85 BFN '90 BFN White Lake, Michigan |
Posted By: 2_Nautiques
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 10:34pm
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I am familiar with a dual battery setup in boats. My 78 Cuddy is set up with a starting battery and I have a large group 27 deep cycle battery to run all the rest of the electronics etc. However, I have a switch to select 1 , 2 or both. I can't find anything that would resemble at switch or selector on this truck. And I have looked and can't find where a larger wires were used or connect to the second battery to be able to use this battery for back-up starting.
Could very well be a set up for a snow plow as I have the extra trans. and oil cooler with an electric fan. I just don't understand how it was used. ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1160" rel="nofollow - 1988 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 62 wood
Date Posted: November-07-2007 at 11:47pm
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Matt,
I doubt that you will find any selector switches on the truck...mine never had any. The two batteries just gave you more reserve. Electric snowplow pumps pull as much or more power (amps)than the starter motor... they're operated for hours on end and almost always are operated at low engine rpm ( you raise the plow after pushing it into a pile,at idle) ...which is also at the alternators weakest output. The isolater seperates the two batteries from each other (otherwise the "better" battery will be drawn down to the weaker batteries power). In the "old" days we could run a dual set-up with just one battery..no problem, but with todays computer controlled outfits, you'd have to talk to someone wiser than me on that subject. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1117&sort=&pagenum=6" rel="nofollow - 64 American Skier 62 Classic.. 73 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: November-08-2007 at 7:49am
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Matt, The dual bat setup has heavy cables that connect the batteries in parallel and it may be that these have been removed. I have the 95 with the diesel and that is the standard. No isolation and no selector switch.
The parallel wiring of 2 12 volts is not the ideal for battery charging. If one battery has a different resistence then they won't charge equally. A dual 6 volt in series is preferred but then the GM factory has to buy and stock 6 volts as well as the 12 volt bats! (not good from a "bean counter's" view) When I replace the batteries, I do both at the same time and make sure both have the same manufacturing day date code on them so they are matched as close as possible. If you don't need a second battery, I would just leave it disconnected. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: 2_Nautiques
Date Posted: November-08-2007 at 11:28am
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Pete, I don't need the second battery and I was not planning on using it. I was just trying to get an idea of it's purpose.
I would not even posted this if I saw signs that there were heavier battery cables installed on this truck, and there might have been, but it sure looks like the lighter weight wiring was original and not added. I hate beating this dead horse but this just doesn't add up. In my first post I said that this lighter weight Approx #10ga. wire is connected to the positve terminal of the second battery, this wire then connects to a solenoid on the fender well. What controls this solenoid? I can't trace the control wire or the power lead as it enters a wiring harness. Anybody have a wiring diagram? Granted you all may be right and thanks for the comments. The snow plow setup seem the most logical for this truck. I probably should just keep the hood closed and drive the truck, it runs great and makes an excellent tow vehicle for the 6500# cuddy, the only thing it won't do is pass a gas station  ------------- http://correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1160" rel="nofollow - 1988 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: November-08-2007 at 11:44am
Slightly off topic but, I agree with Pete, in regards to RV's I have 2- 6 volt golf cart batteries wired in series for my 12 v system. They are deep cycle ofcourse and are for prolonged use and charged correctly they can last me 2 days of use without having to start the genset. They outperform any 12v batteries wired parralel for this application. Sorry, I'm no help with the actual topic. ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
8122pbrainard wrote:Posted By: phatsat67
Date Posted: November-10-2007 at 2:02am
| Im going with an old plow truck too. I push snow with a single battery dodge 2500 and back when we had the cummins ram with the dual batteries the plow was way faster. Id like to add a second to this truck but Havent got around to it. |