My Truck’s Electrical System
Dual battery setups are quite common in overland vehicles. This allows the system to provide auxiliary power for accessories when camping. The system can be used to provide power to accessories when the rig isn’t running (lights, inverter, device chargers…emergency power for a chair lift at Mt. Bachelor, etc.) In a dual battery setup, the batteries can be connected in series or in parallel. Batteries in series will have the negative of the first battery connected to the positive of the second battery. Batteries in parallel will have positive from the first battery connected to positive to the second battery, same with the negatives.[ www.batterystuff.com/kb/articl… ](#)
Unless you drive your rig every day, and a fair distance at that, your alternator may not be up to the task of keeping the system fully charged. I’m told this is particularly a problem when an owner is an old man who just takes his rig out for long-distance adventures occasionally, and the rest of the time just drives to the liquor store. (Fact.) I have also been told old ladies are harder on electrical systems since their trips tend to be shorter, less frequent, and slower to boot. (I have no idea if that is true or not…)
To solve this problem you need to keep a battery maintainer connected to your rig. Here’s where this “interesting shit” actually gets interesting. You have to pay attention to the type of batteries you have installed. There are three types, Lead-Acid1, AGM, and Lithium. If you have two batteries of different types (I have AGM and Lithium) you need to buy a maintainer that can handle both types. Put the maintainer in Lithium mode and connect the jumpers to the terminals on the Lithium battery. You’re all set. (Note: don’t let this deter you from making those daily trips to the liquor store…)
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If you have a Lead-Acid battery, get rid of it. ↩︎