2005 F-150 extended cab

Am doing quite a bit of traveling for work, and want to add an Aux battery for a little fridge and some cameras that would run 24 hour. I'm thinking of a location for the second battery, but thought I would check to see if any of you have already done this.

First off, a battery in the bed is out because of the large boxes I haul, dito for in the cab because of the fumes. I've looked at in the front corner of the left fender well where the air intake is now, but then I'd have to find a reroute for that.

Thoughts, opinions, other options?

 

Battery box under the bed.

I have an aux battery in my toolbox for high demand applications like HAM radios.

On my next truck, I am going to order it with dual H/O alternators.

 

There shouldn't be a fume issue if you use an AGM battery. You would want to use an isolator module so both batteries charge, but only the addon battery will drain with loads hooked to it. This is very common with RV's.

 

Have all I need for the electrical side, just trying to figure out the physical battery placement. I have a topper, not a cross box, and no spare room in the bed when I have a full load. Not quite sure what you mean by a battery box under the bed, as in a box attached to the frame rail? Electrically it would be easier to place it under the hood, but I will have to see what works.

 

Is there room behind or under the rear seat? With AGM, there shouldn't be a fumes issue. I have a friend with one in a Ford van right behind the driver's seat, and there haven't been any issues.

 

Nice thought, but the rear seat has been removed for an inside custom tool box, and it's an extended cab, not a crew, so even less room. Had to get it out of the bed for the large boxes I carry.

 

One of these:

 

DAMN! Pretty box with a pretty price. Will have to consider it, or something like it, if I can't figure out an under hood placement.

 

Yeah, it's a little high, but it'll keep the battery neat and clean.

My buddy has one on his F-250 reg cab because he has no more room either.

He's got 2 in the bay (diesel), and this as the 3rd. Gives him plenty of juice for his 3KW inverter for running his sidewinder and sawzall out in the field..... he didn't do an isolator setup like glc said, but I do certainly recommend it.

 

Yeah, an isolator, or at least a constant duty relay, is a must have. I have two different isolators, depending on what I wind up with for equipment. I'm seriously looking at re-routing the air intake and putting something in that left front corner. It's a gas truck, but that's where I see the diesel's second battery all the time. Might go hunting through the junk yard for a diesel and snag the air intake from it and maybe a battery tray while I'm at it. It's a when I get to it kind of project, not a I have to do it now kind of thing. Would love to just put eyeballs on a diesel, or a pic of under the hood, to see how it's done.

 

Google images is your friend.

You can probably make it work.

For wire, I highly recommend 0 (or 00) (aught or double aught) gauge wire. Typically you can get this from your local car audio store. I highly recommend fusing it (50-100 amp should be OK), and use crimp on connectors.

 

Been there done that. Used to maintain a fleet of tow trucks with electric winches, hece the left over parts and pieces. Of course this was back in the 80's when there was still room to crawl up under the hood and do some work. Back then we had quad batteries. One for the truck, and three for the winches, lights, etc. Now it's hell to reach down and get your damn screwdriver out of the mess under there.

I did find a few pics of dual battery setups showing the air intake routed to the passenger side. Will take a look a the possibilities over the week end.