[karlmarkiewicz]

Looked around on this forum and couldn't find anything specific to a V6 Vitara. Basically, I have a spare battery, and an old isolator I got for free and I wanted to setup a dual battery system. Since my battery is unsealed I can't have it in my cab. So I was wondering, is there ANY room in a V6 engine bay for a second battery? If so, where?

Thank you.

[Built4thrashing]

Take a pic of the engine bay and post it up. May help us give you some ideas.

[karlmarkiewicz]

Built4thrashing wrote:

Take a pic of the engine bay and post it up. May help us give you some ideas.

Here you go. Also check the links below the photo for some more pics. Tell me if you need more pictures, i will gladly take some more.


http://puu.sh/3uAyD.jpg
http://puu.sh/3uAzu.jpg
http://puu.sh/3uAAc.jpg
http://puu.sh/3uABd.jpg

[atari4x4]

as pictred, there isn't a great deal of room, my ARB compressor lives near the brake booster where that box is on yours. you could possibly fit a late model GV washer bottle in the inner guard & relocate the over flow bottle.

i'll end up doing this one day. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9899&hilit=dual+battery

[tassie jeeper]

i recently put duel batteries in mine just hardwired in parallel (12V) that starter motor cranks now!!

[atari4x4]

why not just fit one large battery

[tassie jeeper]

atari4x4 wrote:

why not just fit one large battery

because the zook had the tiny battery on the left already and the black battery on the right is out of my jeep which is "out of order"
as the battery in the jeep was nearly new and i was sick of charging it all the time.
and the battery in the vit was pathetic (would not run my 600W inverter).
this was a win/win situation the vit has more battery power and i dont have to charge my jeep battery anymore. (after 18 months of charging it once a month it was getting old)
its not ideal but i killed 2 birds with 1 stone and it cost my tight ass nothing

[karlmarkiewicz]

atari4x4 wrote:

as pictred, there isn't a great deal of room, my ARB compressor lives near the brake booster where that box is on yours. you could possibly fit a late model GV washer bottle in the inner guard & relocate the over flow bottle.

i'll end up doing this one day. http://auszookers.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... al+battery

Putting the battery in the cab (under the seat preferably) would be the easiest for sure, although that would mean buying a new, sealed battery which are a bit exy, especially since a dual battery kit isn't essential for me. I just have the part laying around.

tassie jeeper wrote:

i recently put duel batteries in mine just hardwired in parallel (12V) that starter motor cranks now!!

This doesn't actually look to bad, and it probably possible. Although, my current battery is quite large and im not sure i could fit two in that area without one hitting the engine. Are you batteries small?

[tassie jeeper]

karlmarkiewicz wrote:

This doesn't actually look to bad, and it probably possible. Although, my current battery is quite large and im not sure i could fit two in that area without one hitting the engine. Are you batteries small?

the stock battery (that was in mine) was very small and i doubt it was as big as it should be the black battery in the pic is out of my jeep 4.0L and is about 600CCA similar size to what u have depicted above

[karlmarkiewicz]

tassie jeeper wrote:

the stock battery (that was in mine) was very small and i doubt it was as big as it should be the black battery in the pic is out of my jeep 4.0L and is about 600CCA similar size to what u have depicted above

Hmmm, okay. Ill what i can do with what i have got, thanks.

[Gwagensteve]

Tassie, please dont think I'm being negative, but there's a couple of comments I'd make about about that install

Firstly, the auxiliary battery looks quite close to the exhaust manifold. Batteries HATE heat, and I reckon the heat off the manifold will seriously shorten the batteries life. I'd be making up a heat shield at the very least.

Secondly, I'm sure you are aware of this, but connecting two batteries together without an isolator is a recipe for flat/trashed batteries. Explained simply, both batteries have different capacity and internal resistance, as do the connections between them, so there will always be some current flow between them as they will be trying to equalise charge. This will ultimately lead to both batteries going flat. It might take a long time, but nonetheless, it will happen and it's not ideal. My understanding that two batteries in parallel isn't even advisable with two identical batteries, let alone with two different capacity batteries. I did run two identical batteries in parallel for some years in my Gwagen, and I had issues with lost capacity and discharging.

I hate dual battery isolators, I reckon they are appallingly unreliable, but I really think with your setup you should consider one.

Just some thoughts. You certainly did well to get two batteries in there at all - golly, that's a tight engine bay.

Steve.

[tassie jeeper]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Tassie, please dont think I'm being negative, but there's a couple of comments I'd make about about that install

Firstly, the auxiliary battery looks quite close to the exhaust manifold. Batteries HATE heat, and I reckon the heat off the manifold will seriously shorten the batteries life. I'd be making up a heat shield at the very least.

Secondly, I'm sure you are aware of this, but connecting two batteries together without an isolator is a recipe for flat/trashed batteries. Explained simply, both batteries have different capacity and internal resistance, as do the connections between them, so there will always be some current flow between them as they will be trying to equalise charge. This will ultimately lead to both batteries going flat. It might take a long time, but nonetheless, it will happen and it's not ideal. My understanding that two batteries in parallel isn't even advisable with two identical batteries, let alone with two different capacity batteries. I did run two identical batteries in parallel for some years in my Gwagen, and I had issues with lost capacity and discharging.

I hate dual battery isolators, I reckon they are appallingly unreliable, but I really think with your setup you should consider one.

Just some thoughts. You certainly did well to get two batteries in there at all - golly, that's a tight engine bay.

Steve.

thanks Steve,
i never take offence constructive criticism (some people can be snide and that's annoying).

the 2nd battery from memorey is about 200-300mm away from the extractor i have the original heat shield for it which was in the way when working on it so i removed it however it was a tight fit and hard to get out anc CBF putting it back in maybe now i will make the effort

your 2nd comment about the lack of isolator i was un-aware this was an issue i asked a friend (mechanical fitter) if this was an issue and was told it wouldn't be however it was less than ideal if i were to be running a fridge or other accessories as they could run the cranker flat.

yer it was a tight fit to get them in there the fact that the yellow/blue batter that was fitted when i purchased the car made it allot easier. i might have to invest in an isolater, i wan not keen on the isolator initially as i wanted to charge both batteries at the same time, pity ill have to make some small modifications when money allows in the meantime i need to modify the clamping bracket on top for more clearance over the positive terminal so it doesnt burn to the ground.

Thanks again for the suggestions steve.
Tassie.