JSimmons
Casual Observer
Hi all,
So, I did my dual battery install this Saturday. I am not ashamed to admit that I copied a setup from one of the members at www.toyota120.com, username: Shabaka's setup, with the dual Braille batteries as I thought it was a very clean install, saved valuable space in the engine compartment for other goodies and those two batteries weigh the same as the stock battery alone. Shabaka was kind enough to fab me up a dual battery bracket as well. All in all it came out pretty good.
The Goods. I picked up the Braille Batteries (Models 2317 & 2317RP) from Amazon.com for approximately $166 each. The battery terminals are Audison which are pretty spendy. About $20-30 each depending on what you want. I had initially ordered a bunch of battery terminals from PartsExpress.com. They shipped me one and said the other three were on backorder until the end of July. Well, I'm not waiting until the end of July to do this install so I went to the local car stereo shop (Sonus here in Clarksville, TN) and bought the Audison terminals. Excellent quality. The Painless Performance Digital Power Manager is available at a variety of places. If you shop around you can get a deal on one. I think I bought mine from a Jeep parts dealer (can't remember right now) for around $160.
Stock battery:
Cleaned up and ready for the install:
Like I said, I copied Shabaka's (from www.toyota120.com) install. Here is where the Painless Digital Power Manager is mounted:
Shabaka's Bracket installed:
Batteries mounted up:
Everything all hooked up. Only thing left was to heat the heat-shrink wrap. The battery terminals are Audison units which are super nice but PRICEY ($20-$30 each):
Indicator light on the dash:
Shares the garage with the 4Runner:
Pretty easy install for the most part. Probably on the more expensive side of dual battery installs compared with what is available out there in kit form. However, as I stated before, I think the dual Braille batteries allow a much more flexible option when it comes to space-savings and weight-savings. The major downside to this option is the availability of Braille batteries should I need to replace one in a pinch. I just might look into installing a third battery, although there is quite a bit of disapproval out there for mixing lead-acid batteries with AGM batteries.
I posted an almost identical thread over at toyota120.com as well, so if you're a member over there you may have already seen this info. Anyhow, as I've said before, I truly appreciate this forum and thought that I should post up over here as well.
:camping::beer:
So, I did my dual battery install this Saturday. I am not ashamed to admit that I copied a setup from one of the members at www.toyota120.com, username: Shabaka's setup, with the dual Braille batteries as I thought it was a very clean install, saved valuable space in the engine compartment for other goodies and those two batteries weigh the same as the stock battery alone. Shabaka was kind enough to fab me up a dual battery bracket as well. All in all it came out pretty good.
The Goods. I picked up the Braille Batteries (Models 2317 & 2317RP) from Amazon.com for approximately $166 each. The battery terminals are Audison which are pretty spendy. About $20-30 each depending on what you want. I had initially ordered a bunch of battery terminals from PartsExpress.com. They shipped me one and said the other three were on backorder until the end of July. Well, I'm not waiting until the end of July to do this install so I went to the local car stereo shop (Sonus here in Clarksville, TN) and bought the Audison terminals. Excellent quality. The Painless Performance Digital Power Manager is available at a variety of places. If you shop around you can get a deal on one. I think I bought mine from a Jeep parts dealer (can't remember right now) for around $160.
Stock battery:
Cleaned up and ready for the install:
Like I said, I copied Shabaka's (from www.toyota120.com) install. Here is where the Painless Digital Power Manager is mounted:
Shabaka's Bracket installed:
Batteries mounted up:
Everything all hooked up. Only thing left was to heat the heat-shrink wrap. The battery terminals are Audison units which are super nice but PRICEY ($20-$30 each):
Indicator light on the dash:
Shares the garage with the 4Runner:
Pretty easy install for the most part. Probably on the more expensive side of dual battery installs compared with what is available out there in kit form. However, as I stated before, I think the dual Braille batteries allow a much more flexible option when it comes to space-savings and weight-savings. The major downside to this option is the availability of Braille batteries should I need to replace one in a pinch. I just might look into installing a third battery, although there is quite a bit of disapproval out there for mixing lead-acid batteries with AGM batteries.
I posted an almost identical thread over at toyota120.com as well, so if you're a member over there you may have already seen this info. Anyhow, as I've said before, I truly appreciate this forum and thought that I should post up over here as well.
:camping::beer:
