I tried the search and evidently didn't use the right magic words because I didn't find anything.

I am a huge fan of double batteries and NOT using an isolator. I have run them on my 4wd pickups for years and never had any electrical issues, ever because they always have enough juice to run anything I need or the truck needs. Always leap to start regardless of weather. I used the heavy plug connectors to put them together so that I would never try to run the winch using BOTH batteries at the same time.(they don't like it, very bad for the motor to have that much juice if it bogs. Replace motor)

ANYWAY

Now I have the Cherokee back from my boys' college adventures and I thought it couldn't hurt.
Anyone find a way to get two under the hood? It is a 2000 Cherokee Sport.

thanks

 

cant be done... just giving you crap. If you relocate the intake into the cowl and remove the stock air box, you can put the second battery there.

 

...got to be a dozen build threads on this topic, just in the last year....

 

X2 do a cowl and put the battery in it's place

 

Google this
"site:cherokeeforum.com dual batteries"

I could regurgitate the info but that should give you some ideas.

 

I've never seen one without an isolator. If you don't mind my asking why do it without one? From what I've read unless you have two brand new identical batteries they fight for charge or something, and it leads to a sorter life of both batteries.

 

YEP, 2 identical fresh batteries wired Pos to pos and neg to neg and the batteries and the electrical systems last forever(or a very long time) OR On my 1985 3/4 ton 4wd Chevy PU I have changed battery sets only twice since I bought it new. That is pretty good battery life. It is now relegated to snow plow duty and still on the same batteries.

Once I started doing that I have never had to replace a single electrical part on any of the double battery vehicles and that includes fuel pumps, alternators, whatever. Both batteries cranking does wonders when it is -45 and your truck creaks like breaking glass after sitting out for hours in that environment. it WILL start. Instead of 850 cold cranking amps you get LOTS MORE. That was turning over a Chevy 2500HD with the L8100 engine, 505ci
with pistons the size of coffee cans while on the edge of Hudson and James Bay in Quebec in one very cold December week caribou hunting.

I have heavy gauge welding cable wired up under the frame front to rear and then the HD connector plugs connect everything together. I break the connect apart under the hood between the two batteries and then connect the battery that is wired into the starter and alternator into the coupler to put power to the rear to run the winch or anything else I need to run in 12volt. Connect a converter and run power saws, et al. Ever try to quarter out a frozen caribou? You will really want that power to run a saw.

 

THIS IS the truck I was talking about, two matched batteries with a LOT of light ahead,
also some Caribou damage. NEVER underestimate the value of a bar. hit FOUR caribou at the same time as they ran head on into the vehicle. All they did was break a couple of lights and one of them beaked out part of my plastic grill.

 

As long as you start with and keep two (or more) identical batteries in the same condition the only disadvantage to not isolating is that you don't have a reserve battery for starting if you use your accessories without the car running.

I have a lot of experience with multiple batteries, from 2 to 10 batteries and the majority of the setups were not isolated.

With that said, when I go to a 2 battery system on my XJ I am going to isolate them mainly because I like to be able to run accessories while I am parked or camped.

I am building a '56 Chevy right now with 2 Odessy batteries and they are not isolated. No reason to, I just want the additional capacity.

 

10? interesting

 

I used to work for Kicker Audio. We installed 10 of the largest Kinetic batteries in parallel to supply enough current to run 2, 10,000 watt Warhorse amps. Extreme example but it worked great. Two alternators and 4 power supplies though,lol.