KZN130 surf 12 or 24V?

[drtylilman]

Hey guys,

I used to own a Safari with 2 batteries that are connected up as 24v. I now have a Toyota surf with the 3ltr diesel and theres 2 batteries under the hood. Does anyone know if these trucks are 12 or 24v and which one is the main starting battery

Cheers

[vvilly]

12v in parallel

[tallsam66]

12v in parallel

Correct

[drtylilman]

Thanks so which one would you use to connect accessories to ie spotlights, radio, stereo etc? the left one or the one on the drivers side or would it not matter

[mudbugga]

Doesn't matter. With them in parallel, it's like having 1 big battery with heaps of capacity.
I'd use the battery that has the most room available near it (for relays to fit easily near etc).

[drtylilman]

Awesome thanks guys

[dazza85]

Two things to remember ...
1) Fuse everything - the available current is huge and shorted wires are great fire starters
2) the batteries are in parallel with no load controller so they will both go flat together - only an issue if you do a lot without the moter running

[drtylilman]

THanks Dazza will keep that in mind

[papa surf]

On a side note, its well worth your time and money to go buy a 600 to 700 cold cranking amp battery, whack it into the left hand side battery hole and take the best of the two leftover batteries and put it in the right hand side and leave it disconnected.

Having 2 lower rating batteries in parallel is a trap that has cost me and heaps of other kzn130 owners some cash. When one battery dies, the other is too low a rating to turn the engine over well on its own and is also being drained all the time by the dead battery and will expire shortly after the first.

All it needs is a big ol' battery to do the job. One 700cca battery is heaps cheaper and more reliable than two 350cca batteries and will last longer. Having the second battery sitting in there disconnected but fully charged, even if its a little 300cca is real good to get your engine started if you accidentally run your main flat. Just hook the terminals up and disconnect them again once your engine is started cos you shouldn't charge the two different capacity batteries in parallel.

[UBZ]

I run 2x 700cca batteries in mine.