Converting from single battery, back to dual

[kenikh]

My battery was deader than Zarqawi this morning which has spurred me to action. I want to convert my car back to its original dual battery configuration.

Has anyone done this? All of the original wiring for the dual batteries in my car is now gone. My Optima died (it is in the smuggler's box) and I am not hot on going this route again. Has anyone converted back? I'd like to know what I need and how it is done. Are there any special battery balancing componenets I need to have? All help is appreciated.

[69Sman]

I just did this on my '72, or should I say, being mecnahically challenged, I PAID to have it done. Only thing I can see needed are the metal 'hold down' straps that hold the batteries in place, but then again, I had nothing to do with the work except write the check...

[kenikh]

Do you mind giving a ballpark figure on the size of that check? I was considering just taking the car in and doing the same.

[69Sman]

Couldn't tell you, it was part of MANY MANY things I did to my car at the same time.

[kenikh]

I've found a lot of nice pics, but none seem to show how the battery connections tie into the harness. Anyone?

[Eric911S]

Kenik: If you have to put the other battery back in you will need the other ground strap like the original on the left side to attach to the body. Then you will need the long cross over positive cable that runs behind the gas tank. It connects to the positive terminal clamp on the left side battery. Remember left is drivers side and right is passengers side. I tell this to parts houses all the time. I'll try to dig up the pics of the Odyssey battery install on the left side only to show you how clean that works out. Hope this helps. Thanks Eric

[kenikh]

Thanks to Bob Magyar; he's hooking me up with complete dual battery wiring from a '69 car. I will most likely post some requests for pics after I get the parts. Thanks to all.

[RTincher]

Kenikh-

I have ditched my Optima for two Sonnenscheins, and am getting ready to do the same as you on one of my cars. However, since I'm the idiot that went Optima in the first place, I've got all the parts (I think).

My parts are the long positive cable that runs as described above, the negative ground strap and wingnut, the metal battery hold down mechanism(still available at Stoddard I think), and the rubber postive terminal cover.

The long positive cable just slips into the assembly on the driver's side postive terminal, and the routing seems pretty clear by the factory metal hold downs.

As an alternative, I've had good experience (but only 9 months) with the single Odyssey battery that many here have recommended, and am sticking with it for now in the other car as it is much lighter than two standard batteries.

Good luck.

[real550A]

On the same subject, and no hijack intended, is there anything harmed by running only one battery in cars with the two battery configuration?
I've been using the right side only around the shop, and it seems to work fine. Am I missing something?

[kenikh]

I just got one of the Sonnenscheins installed today! I wrapped the strap from the smugglers box back to the driver's side battery. Looks and works great. Now I just need to figure out how to get the second battery to connect.

As far as running the single battery, it poses no problems. I am essentially connecting the new battery to the same set up as the old battery which worked fine.