Finished my dual battery and secondary electronic system

[Rezarf <><]

I thought I would add to the collective community knowledge and post up my completed dual battery system with a secondary electronics system. I basically wanted everything that is factory to run off the factory Main battery and I wanted all the do-dads that I have added to run off the second battery. Isolation is through the ever popular Blue Sea ML-ACR and I used their breakers, fuse blocks, ground buses throughout.

It is a relatively simple system and has been done before but this one is mine.

System Breakdown:

• Main Battery: Optima Red Top
• Second Battery: Optima Yellow Top
• Isolator: Blue Sea ML-ACR
• Main power cables: Phillips 2/0 welding cable
• Terminals: Tin coated copper, hydraulically crimped
• Shrink Wrap: Marine rated glue lined heavy wall
• Breakers (both off main and second batteries) Busman and Blue Sea
• Fuse Panel: Blue Sea 12 circuit with integrated common ground bus bar.
• 30amp Relays with terminal block connections
• Rubber terminal covers throughout.
• Abrasion and heat resistant nylon sheathing throughout.
• 4ga wire for fuse panel and to rear of vehicle for aux fuse panel in drawers (fridge, lights, compressor etc.)
• Custom made electronics bracket made from 3/16" ABS plastic
• Slee Off Road 100 series battery tray (gen 1)

Slee Battery tray with the perfect isolator relay tray built in.


Test fitting the components


Awesome cable sourced from my local recycle facility for $2/pound!

 

[Rezarf <><]

Next was fabbing up a new spot for the electronics. I used two factory tapped holes to mount the sides and I built a bracket to tie into the battery tray bolt.

Figuring out space requirements...


Fitting the bracket once I decided how much area I need to mount stuff.


Mounting the components and wiring them up.



All wired up, starting to look like something.


Detail shot of the completed secondary electrical panel. I will run 4ga power cable off the Pos Post of the Blue Sea fuse block to the rear of the vehicle. This will allow me to turn all the power off from the second battery back with the flip of the breaker to work on anything I have added to the truck.

Birds eye view.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Very nice and tidy but not weatherproof in a wet location. You could have eliminated 3/4 of those components and used an OEM like quality sealed device that contains relays and circuit protection. Less wiring connections too. Less points of failure.
https://www.waytekwire.com/item/46055/EATON-s-Bussmann-Series-31S-000-0-ssVEC/

Is that TechFlex sleave or overwrap that you used on your battery cables?

 

[Rezarf <><]

Meh, I have used this setup before in other rigs. Nothing failed due to weather, water ingress, etc.

That compact unit looks nice.

Its a braided sleeve.

 

[another_mike]

clean install, although not a fan of the shrink sleeve over the wire loom and starter lugs.

what type of vehicle is this in. Im jealous of all that room. My van hardly has enough space to fit my hand.

 

[v_man]

FWIW you can easily move that power steering reservoir to the other side of the airbox, if you should ever need that space....nice install

 

[v_man]

clean install, although not a fan of the shrink sleeve over the wire loom and starter lugs.

Care to elaborate? I think it looks great and I did the same on my dual setup...

 

[another_mike]

Care to elaborate? I think it looks great and I did the same on my dual setup...

Two types of lugs for cables are the starter lugs which are thinner walled and power lugs which are about twice as thick and usually longer, giving you more area to crimp. The ones I use are tinned to further resist corrosion. In order to stop water getting to the strands at the base of the lug, you need a good seal on the shrink sleeve. I use glue lined shrink sleeve so it adheres nice to the cable insulation and lug. I dont think the shrink sleeve over loom will give that same level of moisture/corrosion protection.

Might be overkill, but I know its done right and wont need to be replaced for a long time.

 

[Rezarf <><]

Two types of lugs for cables are the starter lugs which are thinner walled and power lugs which are about twice as thick and usually longer, giving you more area to crimp. The ones I use are tinned to further resist corrosion. In order to stop water getting to the strands at the base of the lug, you need a good seal on the shrink sleeve. I use glue lined shrink sleeve so it adheres nice to the cable insulation and lug. I dont think the shrink sleeve over loom will give that same level of moisture/corrosion protection.

Might be overkill, but I know its done right and wont need to be replaced for a long time.

I used tinned copper heavy walled lugs and yes, I used glue lined heat shrink over the seam between the EDPM rubber insulation and the terminal sealing the connection from water ingress and corrosion. All connections were made by cold welding using a 10 ton hydraulic crimping press, the outer protective sleeve is cut short of the lug/cable seam allowing the adhesive to do its job. You might not "prefer" it, but my method is just a corrosion proof and "is done right." I only use about 1/4" of the heat shrink to capture the sheathing. I agree though, sheathing over the seam and onto the terminal would not be ideal. However, as it is... it's watertight, it is rock solid, and it is really clean looking... it is the best of all worlds.

Either way, do it however you prefer, just don't think that because it isn't how you might do it, that it isn't done correctly.

To answer your first quesion, this is installed in a 100 series Land Cruiser 1999 variety... the best overland vehicle ever? Maybe

 

[restorationrides]

Lots of good dialogue and ideas here...as it should be. Obviously, there is more than one way to do a thing. For me, if I am really concerned about corrosion and moisture in the long-term, then I use tinned wire and solder all my terminals. Yes, it's extra cost and work but, obviously then, we don't have to worry about moisture ingress, do we...?

Regards,
RestorationRides

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[restorationrides]

If one is serious about the long term, they wont solder terminals. Admittedly, there is more than one way to make something work but does not make it right.

Lots of good dialogue and ideas here...as it should be. Obviously, there is more than one way to do a thing. For me, if I am really concerned about corrosion and moisture in the long-term, then I use tinned wire and solder all my terminals. Yes, it's extra cost and work but, obviously then, we don't have to worry about moisture ingress, do we...?

Regards,
RestorationRides

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

And why would you not want to solder terminals in the interest of long-term reliability...?

RR

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

View attachment 444030

That strip job would have failed the inspectors I know. Broke or missing strand, skive mark on conductor from stripping device. Weakens all those marked strands. Each missing strand will reduce the current carrying capacity. Sometimes a bargain is not always a bargain. The higher the strand count the more flexible the cable and less likely strands will break from strain and vibration. Also the more strands the less a broken strand effects the current carrying capacity.

As far as soldering lugs to prevent corrosion. Yes it will help but unless they are done in a 0% humidity inert gas environment they will corrode from trapped gas and moisture. The reason most soldered connections fail is because of conductor breaks at soldered point. This lug is perfect example. One end fixed and cable vibrates or is some kind of strain. Cable will be in a strain unless it comes out straight from lug. Bends place side loads at solid point of lug. Even using cable clamps will not help the situation. It will just move the point of vibration stress. Soldered lugs will fail just like your broken conductor. Yes aircraft connections are soldered at the connectors, but. No crimp joint can equal the connection quality of a soldered joint. Aircraft harnesses are designed as whole to prevent conductor stress and vibration. They are wrapped and clamped in bundles to secure the conductors. Soldered lugs should not be used for Automotive use. Automotive harnesses are not designed the same as Aircraft harnesses.

Not busting your chops about the stripping and broken conductor but it was perfect example of what happens to soldered connections.

 

[john61ct]

Only those already soldering experts should bother.

Crimping can be done perfectly every time by a total noob with the right supplies and hardware.

Which is not cheap.

Marine is the best context for learning, bit of a rabbit hole though.

http://genuinedealz.com for excellent quality custom cables, just charge $1 per termination above (very reasonable) materials costs.

Measure twice!

 

[brianjwilson]

I used tinned copper heavy walled lugs and yes, I used glue lined heat shrink over the seam between the EDPM rubber insulation and the terminal sealing the connection from water ingress and corrosion. All connections were made by cold welding using a 10 ton hydraulic crimping press, the outer protective sleeve is cut short of the lug/cable seam allowing the adhesive to do its job. You might not "prefer" it, but my method is just a corrosion proof and "is done right." I only use about 1/4" of the heat shrink to capture the sheathing. I agree though, sheathing over the seam and onto the terminal would not be ideal. However, as it is... it's watertight, it is rock solid, and it is really clean looking... it is the best of all worlds.

Either way, do it however you prefer, just don't think that because it isn't how you might do it, that it isn't done correctly.

To answer your first quesion, this is installed in a 100 series Land Cruiser 1999 variety... the best overland vehicle ever? Maybe

Looks good to me, that's how I like to do mine too. I can even see in the pictures that the tech flex sleeve is short of the end of the wire insulation allowing a good seal. Some of the responses here are a good reminder of why I didn't even start a build thread for my current rig.

 

[Rezarf <><]

^^^^Hahaha...

Luckily I am only building a Land Cruiser, not a Boeing 747. I am going to be just fine, inspection or not and I am not loosing any sleep over it. I was trying to add to the collective knowlege here on ExPo, didn't know I was starting a "how does NASA make cables for Land Cruisers" thread.

Fellas, make them however you'd like. If these fail in the field, I'll own it and fix it then. Till then, happy trails.