Well my battery totally crapped out on me today. So I get a quick cheap replacement one. My question...Is there a battery that is better then the rest and if so what type and brand? Also I have been debating going to a dual battery system. Right now I am running a pair of KC highlights, an air compressor and soon a winch. Do I really need one and are they a pain to install?

thanks,
Phil

 

Dual battery setup can't hurt but u will have to get a bigger altenator soon if you do. Optima yellow top is really good or any gel battery. The part stores have there brands in gel batteries they compare to optima batteries.

 

Why do you say that? There are plenty of people on this Forum running dual batteries with a smart isolator and I've never heard of anyone needing a bigger alternator.

To the OP, for whatever it's worth, I've read bad stuff about Optima batteries over the last couple of years (possibly due to a change in sourcing/manufacturing). I have yet to read anything bad about Odyssey (or the Sears rebranded version - die hard marine platinum). Talk to Echo, he runs dual Platinums with a crapload of Lightforce lights and a winch...I've never heard him complain once about his setup.

 

X2 on the die hard marine platinum. I run my winch, lights, radio. No problems.

 

My '08 stocker went bonk this morning. Went to AutoZone and picked up a Duralast Platinum AGM.

My Review: $138.99. Not an Optima. 3 year warranty. Jeep starts. 5 stars.

 

When I was researching batteries I was, and still am, convinced that Odyssey makes arguably the best battery out there.
I really like my dual battery setup by Benchmark, and with the smart isolator I can't see why you would ever need to upgrade the alternator, as only one battery is ever charging at a time.
Having two batteries gives you the peace of mind that regardless of how much "stuff" you have running, there is always a charge in the battery you count on to start the Jeep.

jmo

 

My stocker just died on my 2008 JKU... was hard presed to drop the $130 on Optima without doing some research and might have been a good thing. I picked up a $80 battery (had to keep things startng and running). So since I have a new battery any challenge shifting to a dual set up with mix matched batteries...the one I just pickup up and another heavier duty? Comments/recommendations?

 

What you're seeing is the positive cables hitting the isolator which is mounted on the cross brace.

On a side note - very nice set up Echo. I'm afraid to give Benchmark that much money even though it is arguably the best kit out there on the market for the JK.

 

Almost the same as Echo... but I never got my isolator. I have them in parallel. Going to re-do it all soon, just to clean it up.

 

Very nice set-up. I think I know this but, what is advantage/disadvantage of using isolator or not?.
Following dual battery set-up I'm guessing that you're all also then installing a aux fuse block to tap into for accessories, yes?
Some basic digrams/pics would be great to see as I am trying to plan out my upgrades.

Since I just bought a new battery, any reason why I couldn't run it along side a HD one (such as a Die Hard Platinum) in a dual set-up?