As much as I love lights and electronics, I know very little about electricity (AC or DC). I know enough to run things off the existing systems, but not much by way of modifying.

Actually... electricity scares me

I would like to add some more "Juice" to my electrical system for additional lights, auxiliary power (AC w/ converter and DC), and ability to last longer when engine is off.

My questions are:

-Can I add a second or third battery to my system with out overloading alternator or anything else? I know they will have to be wired correctly (not in series) to avoid a 24v or 36v system.
-Can you efficiently run small AC loads (work lights, small appliances, computers, etc) using an AC converter from a DC system?
-Will multiple batteries enhance the cranking amps on cold start?
-For a system like this, will there need to be anything added such as capacitatiors, regulators, etc (even though I dont know what those are )

Thanks boys!

 

There are tons of options. It mostly depends on what you want out of it. If your looking for more power out of the battery your best option is to buy a deep cycle battery. These will put out power longer than normal. The best one is a yellow top Optima battery. http://www.optimabatteries.com/optim...wtop/index.php

You can add a second battery. The easiest way is to hook up the positives together. And ground the negatives. This is the easiest. This is the way I have mine. But the bad thing about it is if one battery dies so does both. And both batteries should be exactly the same to reduce the drainage into each other. For me I have the 2nd battery located underneath the bed of the truck. I got 2 optima yellow tops. I bet you can fit a second on the other side of the truck. Get a battery tray from the junkyard and install it on that side.

The other way to install a 2nd battery. The way most will recommend is to install an Isolator on one battery. What an Isolator will do will keep the batteries septate but both can charged up. So you can run one battery dead but have the other battery good so you can start up the truck. You can get one from www.summitracing.com or www.ebay.com

As for the alternator you can upgrade to a higher amp rating. Stock is 90 amps. Stock can pretty much handle anything. For me I bought a 140amp alternator, but i have electric fans and tons of accessories. If you want a higher one go to autozone.

As for the Power inverters. For labtops or anything small a 800 Watts continuous output is good. For a power saw or anything of high draw will require a 1,500wats or higher. For the best deals on some I would say go to www.summitracing.com or www.ebay.com or www.harborfreight.com A higher rated inverter will drain the battery quick. That is where a good alternator will help.

So I would reccomend for you an optima yellow top battery and a good power inverter. Keep it simple and you will be okay.

 

If I add the second battery (in the first method you described) will that create a more powerful system (by way of cranking amps) or just make the charge last longer?

Your saying the stock alternator will charge both batteries just fine if (worst case scenerio) they go completely dead? After a jump and its running of course.

What "ton of accessories" do you have on the 140 amp alt? I am thinking of the possibility of needing to run ac flood lights or power tools (possibly small compressor) at a job site where the vehicle could be prohibited from being left idle.

Can you add a second alternator? secondary belt off something else?

 

It will add both cranking amps together. But other varibles like size of wires and quailty of wires and stock size and quailty and connectors and all will reduce the amount of amps that can be drawn in by the system from the batteries. Ya stock will charge just fine. But it may take the stock alternator a while to get both batteries back to good state.

A secondary alternator is unnecessary. But if you upgrade the alternator, at Idle the alternators don't put out full power.

If your planning on using it contently at a job site your best bet is to get a portable generator. You can buy a generator that is an add on to your engine that produces 115 volt. But it will be a universal kit. Go to www.google.com and do a search.