Install 2nd battery

    The single battery our camper came with just wasn't enough-period. In trying to figure out where I could mount another battery I realized if the door in the rear outside cabinet were taller I could put it in there. Looking carefully there were no frame members, no wiring, I simply could not see any reason the originally door was so much shorter than space inside. With the shelf close to the top you couldn't put anything as big as the shelf would hold, puzzling. The space instead is still a few inches taller than even the new door. In the bottom are the sewer lines so its got lots of air, its on the same side as existing battery and all inboard cabinets.

    Went to the local RV store-they happened to have a door that was taller, white and the right width. It had been special ordered -I got a deal. I also picked up a battery box, Perko marine battery switch (you could't turn our battery off), set of 15' jumper cables and some crimp on ends and 1 short battery cable (oh- and a battery). Jumper cables WAY cheaper than buying bulk wire, they've lots of insulation plus I have some extra clamps now for the shop. I used a plastic marine battery box to contain the battery. Cut off clamps, crimped on new battery ends to jumper cables.

    Factory battery box is just outside the sink and the converter is beside it so accessing the wires was easy. Disconnected hot to existing bat. & ran to new switch IN, Ran new bat cable from switch #1out to existing battery location and 1 lead from jumper cables from switch #2 out to new battery location, W/ one lead of new jumper cables connected to common ground lug. Installed switch Turn to OFF. Wire to new bat was easy to run, wires are in back of cabinets which ties to under bath sink cabinet which is connected to rear compartment (via a small new hole). After enlarging opening for new door,install hardware from old door, I installed new door. Mounted battery box to fixed shelf, connected new jumper "battery cables" to new battery and connected main battery cables. Turned switch thru positions, wala! We got MORE power".

    It would be nice and I assume larger/better campers may have, dual batts that are easy to get to. My new box you have to disconnect the battery cables, undo strap that holds box & remove battery & box to check water, rather inconvenient (course the same is true for the stock battery- which is more difficult cause the box isn't much bigger that the battery) that being said its worth it. We can get 3 days now, with minimal power usage, where before end of day one turning on TV at night meant turning on heater in the morning may not be an option. We are gradually replacing all fixtures with single tube small florescent fixtures. There expensive but use half of what 1141 bulb uses.

    Other plus is I can turn on 1,2 or both batts or turn all batts off.. Ive read others comment about wire gages and unequal distances of batteries, etc causing problem. Ive not tested to see if charging rates are different-but in usage I've had no problems, batteries rarely take any water and its been running for 3+ years now. Though the jumper cable, that runs a longer distance to battery are a heavier gage than what goes to the exist battery. What i don't understand is why the available usage is more than doubled with new battery setup? Oh leaf stuck to camper is height of old door-ref.

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