Switching out batteries

09-10-2008, 08:14 PM

Is it easy to switch out an additional battery to the existing battery wiring on the TM? I'm learning all this.... and going to invest in another battery so I can run two. I'm not at all "electrical" savy.... that was my husband... an electrician... so I'm electrically challenged. You'll have to spell it out for me, please. Don't have my TM yet... getting it hopefully this week... at least start the process.

**B_and_D** · 09-10-2008, 09:45 PM

Do you want to add a battery so that you have two, or be able to charge one and then switch it with the one that's on the TM?

What model are you buying?

**Civil_War_Buff** · 09-12-2008, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenetteK

Is it easy to switch out an additional battery to the existing battery wiring on the TM? I'm learning all this.... and going to invest in another battery so I can run two. I'm not at all "electrical" savy.... that was my husband... an electrician... so I'm electrically challenged. You'll have to spell it out for me, please. Don't have my TM yet... getting it hopefully this week... at least start the process.

Very simple, get a heavy (10 gauge minimum) wire and run a it from + on battery 1 to + on battery 2 and a wire from the - on battery 1 to the - of battery 2. This will hook them up in parallel so the voltage is 12V and the amp hours will be roughly the sum of the 2. If you inavdertantly hook them up in series (+ to - and - to +) you will end up with 24V.... not good for 12V accessories. However, if you go with 6V golf cart batteries them you want to hook them up in series.
Hope this helps!

note: I transposed series and parallel, it is now fixed in the post thanks for catching that Bill.

**Bill** · 09-12-2008, 01:57 PM

If you want to hook up two batteries, maybe a picture will help.

Bill

09-28-2008, 11:58 AM

Make sure they are identical batteries.

09-29-2008, 06:05 AM

1 safety note that I would like to add to the above posts.......wear safety goggles, or better yet, a full face shield anytime you are messing around your batteries.

Chap

09-29-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

If you want to hook up two batteries, maybe a picture will help.

Bill

Question, I'm assuming since the batteries are joined that they will equally deplete. Also, when recharging it will be only necessary to hook up one battery on the charger, since the charge will equally disperse to both batteries as long as one or the other battery isn't damage.

Thank you Bill,

Joe

**Bill** · 09-29-2008, 01:55 PM

This is true as long as the batteries are very similar or identical, and about the same age, as LarsDennert pointed out. If you hook up two wildly dissimilar batteries, it is still approximately true, but not entirely. In that case, you won't get the full capacity of both batteries. And if one battery is damaged, all bets are off.

Bill

Wavery · 09-29-2008, 02:31 PM

When you hook up your battery charger, it's best to put the positive lead on one battery and the neg lead on the other battery. It's also best to hook the batteries together with battery cables (at least 4G).

If one battery has a low cell, it will draw down both batteries over time. Check each cell of both batteries with a hydrometer 24 hours after fully charging them. All of the cells should read similarly. If you have one cell that reads lower than the others, it's best not to hook the batteries together. It may be better to use the battery with the low cell first, then use the other battery.

The most important thing is to keep your batteries topped off with distilled water.