i will be running a second battery in the cavalier this week the whole goal is 'budget' i realize 2 runs of 4awg is equal to a run of 2awg will this be suffcient to power the second battery? max current drw from the amp is about 80A
thats what i was thinking the purpose of the isolater would be to make sure the starter doesn't try and draw current from the trunk battery...correct?
It will not permit 1 system to draw from the other, essencially creating 2 electrical systems in the car. This is a very good thing when you have a stereo battery going dead, or a high load stereo that tends to cause the car to stumble, die, surge, or dim headlights etc. It also permits each battery to recieve their required charge, rather than overloading 1 to keep the other fully charged. This eliminates concerns of explosion due to overcharging. Use a true isolator, not a constant duty solenoid. Use of a constant duty solenoid type "isolator" will not give you any of the benefits I listed above. If you have a GM, be sure to order the proper wiring kit for your alternator. You will need to open the connector on the alt, and insert a new terminal to gain direct access to the regulator. The kit should come with the proper terminal, new rubber seal for the connector, new lock for the terminal, wire and instructions. It is very simple really, and if you have the skills and terminals available, you can save yourself the $15 or so
Plus, your 2nd battery is going to be much closer to the amps than your primary battery, correct? Wire capacity formulas consider wire run length in the equation. So, if the 2nd battery is a 4 foot run of wire to the amps distribution block, if you compare that to a 1/0 run of wire that's 16 feet long to the front of the car... ...the 4 foot run of 1/0 would be like a 16 foot run of something obnoxious like 8/0... You seriously might be able to get away with 4 gauge for such a short run - hell, even for an SPL vehicle.
the amp is a kicker dx700...so current draw isn't too bad but i do need the most out of this set-up, so a couple of batts and a HO alty are in order seth, is there anywhere online to order the isolator and wiring kit also, will i be able to swap this connector kit over to the new alty when i purchase it?
I'll look when I get home bud, but I got mine locally. Most Napa stores should carry or be able to order them for you. The wireing kit simply adds a terminal to the 3 wire connector that is on typical GM vehicles... they are 3 wire capable but only use 1 wire . It is strung into the wireing harness, not the alt. Provided the new alt uses the same connectors as the one it is replacing, sure it will still work. But some HO alts chose to alter the connector, so that depends. Oh, if you have access to Santa Fe they should carry stinger isolators
