I want to add another battery to my car's system. What do i need to do that, so it doesn't drain both batteries,etc.. and why does it have to be a deep cycle battery. what do you recomend
well, you'll need a high output alternator to handle the increased charge cycle for multiple batteries. tehn you'll need proper wiring for the current deamnds of the audio system for the batteries and the alternator. then you'll want a battery isolator of equal or greater rating (in amps) than the alternator. then, you place the starter battery on the starter circuit of the isolator, and the deep cycles on the accessory circuit of the isolator.
you want deep cycles because tehy can be run completely into the ground and then recharged. If you take a normal lead acid battery below about 10 volts, you damage the internal cells and the battery dies. permanently. a spiral cell deep cycle like the optima yellow top can also be mounted in any position, and won't gas, so it's safer. It's also 15 times more resistant to vibration than a normal battery. optimas also recharge much faster and maintain a stead voltage rail longer during use.
Hey Glass, I am going to want to change out my battery when i get my new car in a week, i was looking at a Optima Red top, but i when to this car show last weekend and this guy had a bad a*s system, he had two Optima Yellow (deep cell) batterys, one in the engine area and the other in the back. Should i get a Yellow Top insted of a red? I thought that yellow tops dont make good starters?
some people do ok using a yellow for a starter but I've seen others not so lucky.. it's better you use a red top for a starter.. and yellow for isolated audio system batteries.