Hi Scotty, Look time viewer of yours here, I always watch and follow your channel, even though you said my 08 Chevy Silverado 1500 year was the worst year to buy. I have a 08 Chevy Silverado 1500 crew cab with 183,000 miles on it and it runs great, love it and its been a solid as a Rock to me. I have done a lot of electronic upgrade, like overhead cab lights, light bars, powerful stereo system, viper alarm, new tail headlights and an inverter. I was told I need to change my stock alternator to a bigger amperage alternator. I was thinking of putting in dual alternators and make it into a duel battery system. First do you think there is any disadvantages or advantages to a duel alternator and battery systems. Will the dual alternator overpower the battery systems. If you could do a video on this subject I would appreciate it.
I wouldn’t try and modify the serpentine setup for dual alternators. Stock one on your truck is a 105 I think. You can get up to a 200 amp one although they really start getting pricey above 150. Most of your aftermarket add on lights should be LED and not drawing much current. You can change all your lights to LED but avoid cheap chinese aftermarket ones. For your inverter and stereo amplifiers if you have them what most people do, especially for tailgate type of setups is run one large alternator with a dual battery setup. You install a battery switch, usually somewhere in the cab for batt A, B and both. When driving or parked “tailgating” with engine running you’ll be in the both position. When parked engine off you’ll be in either A or B position, usually B. What I have done installing these types of setups for people in Vans, Trucks etc…. Is install a second auxiliary fuse panel, they come with a main control relay, you can have objects wired to it controled by the ign switch or ACC position. Most setups run a 750 or higher CCA batt. Usually mounted in the rear, Batt Box in bed, trunk on cars etc… you run on batt B and when you need to start the vehicle you can switch to A, start the vehicle and then switch to Both so Batt B can charge. Batteries will never pull more amps than they need to charge unless the battery has a defect and voltage doesn’t exceed 14.5 volts coming off the alternator.
Thank you Thumpy, I did more research on the subject with other DYI truck boon dockers, and they said the same thing, Dual Batteries and one 250 Amp Alternator system