I'm considering the option of adding a small battery to the back to help with voltage. From searching around I seem to find one style of wiring it up. I was under the impression that I would need to a whole new run of wire from the front battery to the back. Which would result in 2 runs of power wire going front to back.

This is something I don't want to do.

On the other hand, like the picture below, it seems I can wire it as such:

A single run of power wire from the front battery to the positive terminal of the battery in the trunk. From that positive terminal another run of wire goes to the amp. Then the rear battery and the amp are both grounded in separate locations. Is that all?

I was considering this battery:

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_17907_SHURiKEN-SK-BT20.html?from=857-141-701

And this isolator: (It's the right size, right?)

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_5288_PAC-PAC-80.html?from=857-141-701

Heres the photo I'm referring to, credit to whose car this is.

Single run of 0 for power to front to the back is fine. Just power the amp from the back battery. Ground the rear battery to the frame assuming your car has a common ground. Just ground the amp to the rear battery. It's easy.

Single run of 0 for power to front to the back is fine. Just power the amp from the back battery. Ground the rear battery to the frame assuming your car has a common ground. Just ground the amp to the rear battery. It's easy.

I actually have a 18ft run of 0g CCA wire. Will this be enough? I think its rated for like 250A.

I'll never run a wetcell inside of car, unless its vented properly which the batt pictured is not

1200watts at 12VDC = 100 amp! AKA you sized your solenoid to small!

now i must ask what amp(s) are you running and power capacity will you be tapping?

one run of 1/0 can support around 250amps and on 12volts that is 3000watts ~ ish

also as you increase the runs you can use one beefy solenoid or multiple

people use solenoids to isolate the starting battery from the rear batteries as to not kill there starting battery when the car is off for a comp where car is off!

so what are your goals for this setup?

and here is hold to wire a solenoid

Edited February 18, 201213 yr by CrazyKenKid

I'll never run a wetcell inside of car, unless its vented properly which the batt pictured is not

the battery he linked us to is a sealed battery so no need for vents!

as fro the one in the picture maybe he has a big whole in the trunk somewhere!

It's just a daily setup.

I'll be running a skar 800 amp and an alpine 2 channel that does 100x2.

I'll initially run the skar amp at 2ohms which says it does 570rms but when clammed showed like 725.

Then eventually I'd wanna run it at 1ohm down the road.

So anywhere from 800-1000rms.

Like I said, this is just a daily set up that I want to sound good and get loud on occasion. Won't be metering it or anything.

I just want it to reliable so I dont run into problems and break stuff from low voltage.

1200watts at 12VDC = 100 amp! AKA you sized your solenoid to small!

now i must ask what amp(s) are you running and power capacity will you be tapping?

one run of 1/0 can support around 250amps and on 12volts that is 3000watts ~ ish

also as you increase the runs you can use one beefy solenoid or multiple

people use solenoids to isolate the starting battery from the rear batteries as to not kill there starting battery when the car is off for a comp where car is off!

so what are your goals for this setup?

and here is hold to wire a solenoid

Isolators are used to prevent batteries from equalizing when batteries are drained. IMO there is no need unless your car sits for a long time.

You will never, ever have an issue with a non-sealed battery. It is almost an urban legend, right up there with the NOS bottle exploding, seriously...

The amount of Hydrogen they might produce pales in comparison to the amount of air volume in your car, even if it was perfectly sealed off from the outside world, wich is never the case, unless you drive an old bug or a $100K+ sedan.... Even then, seriously? And if you smoke, like you give a shit about your life anyway, lol....

Seriously, Hydrogen build up?

It's just a daily setup.

I'll be running a skar 800 amp and an alpine 2 channel that does 100x2.

I'll initially run the skar amp at 2ohms which says it does 570rms but when clammed showed like 725.

Then eventually I'd wanna run it at 1ohm down the road.

So anywhere from 800-1000rms.

Like I said, this is just a daily set up that I want to sound good and get loud on occasion. Won't be metering it or anything.

I just want it to reliable so I dont run into problems and break stuff from low voltage.

Clamping means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Edited February 18, 201213 yr by Julian

Well from the sheet specs the amp makes 570@2ohms and 800@1.

How long does the car have to "sit" b4 the batteries drain? I usually drive daily but over summer there can be times I dont drive for 2-3 days.

Well from the sheet specs the amp makes 570@2ohms and 800@1.

How long does the car have to "sit" b4 the batteries drain? I usually drive daily but over summer there can be times I dont drive for 2-3 days.

Weeks if not months.

Thanks! I forgot to mention something, I will actually have the 0g CCA wire run to the trunk, into a distro-block. It will split into one 8g wire for the 2 channel. The other split is 4g for the mono amp. It's about less than 5ft of 4g wire. So from the distro-block, that 4g would go to the second battery, then a run of 4g from the 2nd battery to the mono amp. Correct?

And I should be okay running that smaller battery with out an isolator?

B/c I found this one that isnt much more.

While I understand this would help voltage drop, does a 2nd battery effect anything else such as alternator life span? I dont want to be frying my alternator trying to charge 2 batteries and keep having to dish money out on new ones. But since that 2nd battery is so small, will it be much of an issue?

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_28364_The-Install-Bay-IB200.html?from=857-141-701

Thanks! I forgot to mention something, I will actually have the 0g CCA wire run to the trunk, into a distro-block. It will split into one 8g wire for the 2 channel. The other split is 4g for the mono amp. It's about less than 5ft of 4g wire. So from the distro-block, that 4g would go to the second battery, then a run of 4g from the 2nd battery to the mono amp. Correct?

And I should be okay running that smaller battery with out an isolator?

B/c I found this one that isnt much more.

While I understand this would help voltage drop, does a 2nd battery effect anything else such as alternator life span? I dont want to be frying my alternator trying to charge 2 batteries and keep having to dish money out on new ones. But since that 2nd battery is so small, will it be much of an issue?

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_28364_The-Install-Bay-IB200.html?from=857-141-701

You don't need an isolator, trust me. If you drive your car Fairly regularly you will be fine

There is a small possibility you could damage your alternator but not likely. Your alternator isn't supposed to be a charger, it's supposed to be a maintainer. If you are worried about damaging your alt I would pick up a small battery charger.

I would not use the distro block, I would just use the battery as your distro block, run the 1/0 straight to the battery and then run the wires from the terminals to your amps

I would also say to go for a slightly larger battery for future upgrades.

Edited February 18, 201213 yr by Julian

Thanks for all the info!

You will never, ever have an issue with a non-sealed battery. It is almost an urban legend, right up there with the NOS bottle exploding, seriously...

The amount of Hydrogen they might produce pales in comparison to the amount of air volume in your car, even if it was perfectly sealed off from the outside world, wich is never the case, unless you drive an old bug or a $100K+ sedan.... Even then, seriously? And if you smoke, like you give a shit about your life anyway, lol....

Seriously, Hydrogen build up?

You usually give good advice but I have to chime in on this one.

I drag race and all rules require that batteries mounted inside the car have to be in a sealed box and non sealed have to be externally vented.

Buddy had one in his supra and the battery vent dumped above a run of fuel lines. When we upgraded the fuel system we found the stainless braid was corroded and eaten thru in one small spot where the vent tube was.

They don't make this stuff up for no reason and not the type of thing I want vented into the car.

Maybe it was a freak event, bad batt, etc but is rather not risk it.

JMHO

imo for just 1000wrms id just do a single biggest batt u can fit with the highest AH rating up front

unless u like playing for a while with engine off so u need that extra current storage with 2 batts ?

btw - that shruriken batt u posted has only 20AH

imo for just 1000wrms id just do a single biggest batt u can fit with the highest AH rating up front

unless u like playing for a while with engine off so u need that extra current storage with 2 batts ?

btw - that shruriken batt u posted has only 20AH

lol it is a baby battery! and cute at that! maybe just grab a xs power battery from here maybe the D1200 or D1400 i think it is?

it may have already been said but , I never believed it until i tried it adding a ground run from front to rear helps a lot . while playing my voltage dropped more but I gained in output so it helps to use more power and recharging.

it may have already been said but , I never believed it until i tried it adding a ground run from front to rear helps a lot . while playing my voltage dropped more but I gained in output so it helps to use more power and recharging.

what... you are saying that adding the ground run give you a BIGGER voltage drop but you gained on output.

output as in db's or output as in power? either or how did you measure this output? clamp meter, db meter?

imo for just 1000wrms id just do a single biggest batt u can fit with the highest AH rating up front

unless u like playing for a while with engine off so u need that extra current storage with 2 batts ?

btw - that shruriken batt u posted has only 20AH

So basically look for the biggest thing I can shove up front.

I will mostly play with the car on/driving to be honest. At least at idle.

Btw, what exactly does 20AH mean? Like what does that translate too when using it. I dont know what any battery specs mean really so I'm never sure what to look for.

Do you know how many amps your altenator is rated for output wise?

I'm pretty sure its a 100A alt.

I'm pretty sure its a 100A alt.

If your running under 1000wrms you should be fine by just adding a second battery. It wouldnt hurt to upgrade your starting battery to a agm type battery.

it may have already been said but , I never believed it until i tried it adding a ground run from front to rear helps a lot . while playing my voltage dropped more but I gained in output so it helps to use more power and recharging.

I'm sorry to thread jack but this is something I'm trying to figure out... will adding a run of ground from front to back battery along with power help me? I don't want to start a new thread for just that question

You have done the big three?

it may have already been said but , I never believed it until i tried it adding a ground run from front to rear helps a lot . while playing my voltage dropped more but I gained in output so it helps to use more power and recharging.

I'm sorry to thread jack but this is something I'm trying to figure out... will adding a run of ground from front to back battery along with power help me? I don't want to start a new thread for just that question

It doesn't hurt... If you don't have a good ground to frame and it is easy for you to run then I'd do it..