How to Hook Up 2 Batteries for Car Stereo
If you plan to add a secondary battery to keep your car accessories running continuously, you need to read this article first. Determining why you need an extra battery for car audio is the first thing you need to do.
So, before we proceed with the process of how to hook up a second battery for car audio, here are the reasons why you need an auxiliary battery.
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Why Do You Need an Extra Battery for a Car Audio?
One battery is good if you are using your car accessories when your engine is not running. Any accessories you use can pull current directly from the battery.
If you leave the headlights on accidentally for several hours, you will come back to a dead battery. If you have a bigger battery, or an auxiliary battery, you will have lots of extra reserve power.
The primary reason why you need to add a second battery to a car is if you need to use your accessories when the engine is running.
If you are camping out, that is a good example. You could be out for a weekend or even longer with your engine running, and that could drain the battery fast.
If add another battery, you will be able to go longer without running the battery and charging back up.
If you always park your car and then listen to music for hours, then you need a secondary battery.
Steps for Adding the Second Battery for Car Audio
Car stereo bass boosters and heavy-powered amplifiers make listening to music feel more natural. The speakers are energized by cross-over boxes and huge amplifiers designed to maximize sound, and otehr higher-end stereo systems can even add high-energized capacitors to store energy that allow great amounts of bass.
These car audio options drain power and are tough on the charging system, and lots of people mount high-powered alternators in their vehicles. The really smart individuals add a secondary battery. Below are steps on how to wire a secondary battery for car audio.
# STEP 1
Park your car. Turn off the engine. Open the hood and disconnect your car's battery. Use a wrench to remove the negative terminal connection. Open your trunk.
# STEP 2
Determine where to install the second battery. For the majority of systems, place the auxiliary battery right beside the amplifiers in the car's trunk.
Putting the new battery near to the stereo components makes wiring much easier. If your amplifiers are installed in an area otehr from the trunk, you could install the battery near or just route the wiring from the trunk-installed battery to the amplifiers. The space will determine the location of your second battery.
# STEP 3
Install the battery. Find the battery box in your car. Put a drill bit into the drill motor and bore through the battery box's installing tabs and into the trunk floor.
Use the hardware that is included in the battery box, and put a bolt on each of the installing tabs on the box and the holes you created. Use a wrench to tighten them.
# STEP 4
How to wire a secondary battery. Wire the second battery positive side. Use a heavy gauge copper wire with at least 2 gauges. Put a piece of wire from the positive side of the auxiliary battery to the power lug of the nearest amplifier.
Use a wire stripper, remove the cable's protective plastic covering just enough to enable you to create a terminal end to each end of the wire. Connect one end to the positive terminal post on the battery and the other on the amplifier's power lug. Use a wrench to tighten the connections.
# STEP 5
Have a ground wire from the negative side of the second battery to the trunk's floor. Use a wrench to tighten the clamp and fasten the other end to the floor by putting a big self-tapping screw into the cable eyelet. Screw it tightly to the floor using a screwdriver bit installed in a drill motor. Connect the car's original battery ground cable and use a wrench to tighten it. Close the trunk and the hood.
How to Hook Up 2 Batteries for Car Stereo
Source: https://innovatecar.com/hook-second-battery-car-audio/