2nd battery

I once had an '02 Chevy with a gas engine. I wanted to install a second battery. I ordered the tray, wiring harness, and relay form the Chevy dealer and installed it just like factory. The relay is used to disconnect the second battery when the engine isn't running.
After you install this battery you would want to take the 12 volt charge line that runs to your 7 pin connector and connect it directly too your second battery. The wire is currently connected to the underhood fuse box so it's easy to get too.
You would also want to install a deep cycle battery in the tray; not a starting battery.

KD4UPL wrote:
I once had an '02 Chevy with a gas engine. I wanted to install a second battery. I ordered the tray, wiring harness, and relay form the Chevy dealer and installed it just like factory. The relay is used to disconnect the second battery when the engine isn't running.
After you install this battery you would want to take the 12 volt charge line that runs to your 7 pin connector and connect it directly too your second battery. The wire is currently connected to the underhood fuse box so it's easy to get too.
You would also want to install a deep cycle battery in the tray; not a starting battery.

Great info thanks! what a great forum this is, amazing, helpfull people!!:)

Take a look at Samlex (a Canadian company) web site as they have semantics for dual batteries using their smart isolator ACR-160.

The isolator preserves the charge in the starting battery so you won't get stranded..

My Silverado 1500 came with a tray but no factory option for a second battery and therefore no wiring.

I have a drawing of my setup if you want.

I never had a good luck to deep cycle/marine batteries.
They were coming with 2 years warranty and always die a month past the warranty.
Cheaper car batteries come with 100 months warranty.
The only difference is that you SHOULD not discharge car batteries too low, but I had one that was shorted overnight (headlights) and discharge deeply couple more times, yet lasted longer than the warranty.

nuckfan wrote:
i just bought a new truck and there is a second battery tray. My camper's battery house is quite small and i would like to run a second battery in parallel. i think this is a fairly common application. Has anyone done this? is it simple? my electrical skills are limited but if the instruction are clear, id like to tackle it.

I have exactly the same truck. It also has a spare battery tray. I bought an extra battery to carry there and when I tried to install it the windshield washer receptical was barely in the way and the battery would not fit!
Zulu