Dual Battery System: Help, Advice and Polling

Optima Battery Grouping for Dual System

  • Red Top and Red Top

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Red Top and Yellow Top

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • Yellow Top and Yellow Top

    Votes: 2 33.3%

  • Total voters
    6

Joshua.O.Brown7

New member
Hey guys so in the process of research here and need some help on the finer details.

So here's what I got down already:

Parts
COLUMBIA OVERLAND TOYOTA TACOMA 1ST GENERATION DUAL BATTERY TRAY (1995 - 2004)
columbia_overland_toyota_tacoma_1st_gen_battery_tray_3.jpg

Optima Battery 35 series X2
0 or 1 gauge wire
Mil spec corrosion resistant terminals x4
250 Amp XP High Output Alternator for Toyota 4Runner 1999 3.4L V6 5VZ-FE
-or-
270 Amp XP High Output Alternator for 1999 Toyota 4Runner 3.4L V6 5VZ-FE
IMG_9957.jpg

(Let me know which y'all think I should go with and please provide reasoning
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/high-output-alternators/xp-series-high-output-alternators.html?make=Toyota&model=4Runner&year=1999&engine=3.4L+V6+5VZ-FE

I plan to wire this in parallel, upgrade the alternator and big 3/4. I plan to run one 42" led light bar, four fog lights (ditch and bumper), two spot lights (bumper), one 30" me lift bar (bumper), rock lights approximately eight or ten and two 6" or 12" led light bar (rear). All lights will be ran from an Aux Fuse Box (Bussman/Blue Sea)( I'm still trying to figure out how to wire that and all parts needed for it)

With all that being said here's where my first question comes in. So I want to go with two red top optimas, two yellow top optimas or one red top one yellow top. Next I wish to wire like this:

image-3-jpg.162765

In regards to the picture if anyone can explain where all the wires.go to that will help greatly​.

What else am I missing/overlooking? What else should be upgraded?
 
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I'm running all stock wiring, stock alternator and red optima battery. I use my winch, front led light bar, rear led light bar, ditch lights and 10" sub with a 5 channel amp. No issues honestly. Only think I did was upgrade the ground wire from battery to chassis.

I looked into the dual battery set up. But it's pretty expensive if you want it nicely set up. Maybe down the road I'll upgrade the alternator. Plus I use my winch with tuck on
 
I'm running all stock wiring, stock alternator and red optima battery. I use my winch, front led light bar, rear led light bar, ditch lights and 10" sub with a 5 channel amp. No issues honestly. Only think I did was upgrade the ground wire from battery to chassis.

I looked into the dual battery set up. But it's pretty expensive if you want it nicely set up. Maybe down the road I'll upgrade the alternator. Plus I use my winch with tuck on

Thanks for the response that's something to consider. As far as cost that's not an issue. I aim to do it right so I forgone the thought of prices a long time ago.
 
LED lights take a very low amount of amps. What you are doing is overkill, by a long shot.

I have a 30" LED light bar, and a thumping subwoofer that eats way more power than all the lights you listed combined, and my one red top does just fine. I did also do the big 3 wiring upgrade though since my wires were a little corroded anyway. Winches take as much power as a sub, so you really are overthinking it. LED's are revolutionary in that they have high output with very little power usage, compared to halogen or incandescent lights.

But, if you are dead set on doing that setup anyway, you'll want one red and one yellow top, with the lights wired up to the yellow (the red will be for starting). The yellow top allows you to discharge it much lower (it's a deep cycle battery) without any worries of it not charging again. That way you can have the lights on for a while without worrying.
 
Last edited:
LED lights take a very low amount of amps. What you are doing is overkill, by a long shot.

I have a 30" LED light bar, and a thumping subwoofer that eats way more power than all the lights you listed combined, and my one red top does just fine. I did also do the big 3 wiring upgrade though since my wires were a little corroded anyway. Winches take as much power as a sub, so you really are overthinking it. LED's are revolutionary in that they have high output with very little power usage, compared to halogen or incandescent lights.

But, if you are dead set on doing that setup anyway, you'll want one red and one yellow top, with the lights wired up to the yellow (the red will be for starting). The yellow top allows you to discharge it much lower (it's a deep cycle battery) without any worries of it not charging again. That way you can have the lights on for a while without worrying.

Would I need to isolate the batteries or is running them I'm parallel still ok?
 
You really should get an isolator. Running one battery down (ideally a deep cycle variety) and still being able to start the car when you're way out in the boonies is one of the reasons to get a dual battery setup to begin with. Parallel will run down both batteries.

And charging parallel batteries can be a little iffy, unless they're very similar in terms of type and capacity. Otherwise you might tend to overcharge the weaker of the two and ruin it in fairly short order.
 
As far as I remember a good isolator will maintain the charge of the isolated battery.


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