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Pickups Pickups - Archived Discussions Cabover Campers & Camper Trailers (pickups) 
1377 messages, Last post on Nov 20, 2003 at 1:43 PM
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Oh the saga of the auxiliary battery is winding down. Hmm, we've about covered Maid-Rites too, what's left? When Mike gets back he can tell us all about year 2001 Maid-Rites, I hope he wasn't let down. 75v, I don't know how important it is to you to have the factory do the fix vs. living with it the way it is. Since it's not likely anything will happen soon, I would just go ahead and make the change myself. If you do a good job they aren't going to make a fuss unless something in that system goes bad, and maybe even not then. One out you have is to do the work such that it can be restored to factory. Don't cut off the ring lug on the red wire, just use a bolt to connect it to a second ring lug (or use a breaker like I did). Other than that it's one wire going across the engine bay. I agree with buzzb that the non-deep-cycle battery won't hold up to RV use for too long. Maybe when GM moves the wire they will start putting DC batteries in the aux position. I guess GM's thinking is that the extra battery really is just an auxiliary for self-jumpering or heavy loads and doesn't have anything to do with RVs. |
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| Another way to wire the batteries is to install a switch for the batteries. They are readily available at RV shops and battery shops everywhere. I put a dual battery setup in my boat and the way I tied them together was with a switch. They are a make before break switch and it allows you to run on one battery or the other and it allows both to be tied together. Took about 1/2 an hour to install. | |
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Not being willing to let the Great Battery Debate of 2001 "die out", let me throw my own 2 cents into the ring. If the aux. battery is supposed to be a "recharge reservior" for the main battery (i.e. you're supposed to turn the key to the "on" position for several minutes before trying to start the motor), wouldn't it be **better** to have a deep-cycle battery as the "aux. battery" anyway? But an even more fundamental problem with the "recharge reservior" theory is this: how do you know that the "main battery" is good? If it's shorted internally, it will just drain the "aux. battery" as well, and you're no better off than you would have been if you didn't even have the "aux. battery". If the idea is to be able to run the vehicle even if the "main battery" goes out for any reason, it's best to have the circuitry set up so the two batteries "swap roles"; in other words, the "aux. battery" is used to crank the starter motor and help regulate voltage (an important secondary role for the battery), while the "main battery" just passively re-charges, if it can. In this case, using two automotive batteries makes sense. I think G.M. may have committed another "d'oh!" with this one. |
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vince - Yeh - i'm going ahead with getting the wire moved to the relay. My official position to Gm and my Dealer is to get Gm to ackknowledge the screw-up and fix the problem, which according to the Sales Planner guy may be in the works. It's kinda like trying to wag the dog, but when customers start using the 'SAFTY' word the DOG sometimes starts listening better. BTW - Where is the camper feed wire connection actually at so i can disconnect it from the Primary circuit to extend it over to the relay?? Hey - The help/interest on this has sure been appreciated and it took this group about one nite to know what the solution was. The dealers only solution would have been 'ya gotta bring it in so we can test it!' I'll try to take good care of Mike and the Maidrite deal when he gets here. (  75v |
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| I asked Bob Prim over on the Pacific-Audio GM Trucks forum about this (Bob is a Silverado/Sierra electrical systems GURU). His response is here: http://209.35.112.209/performance/messages/124134.html | |
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We really had that all figured out by now. What I was asking is where is the camper feed wire connection actually at so i can disconnect it from the Primary circuit to extend it over to the relay?? (Now i would pay for this information ( ) Does it go to a junction block somewhere? Wired directly into the master fuse block on the left front fender? Physically where is the convenient point to disconnect that wire to extend it to the relay without cutting to allow the option of reconnecting it if one found it necessary for GM issue. I don't want to just pull it out of wiring harness and cut it. Thks -- 75v |
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I'm now convinced that we are all reacting to something which doesn't exist. What I mean is that the purpose of the aux battery option is to help run heavy electrical loads when the engine is on. We want to use it for an RV and blame GM because it isn't wired for our application. Certainly our way is better and they should connect the trailer wiring to the aux battery because it would then meet both needs. But I feel better about the whole situation now that I understand it.
75v, I thought you read my website battery instructions many times???? Maybe you just wanted to make me feel good. Ha. Anyway, the heavy red trailer/camper wire terminates on a stud under the fuse box thing behind the primary battery. If I remember correctly it's the left stud as you will be looking at it. You will need to lift the plastic housing to get at the nut. To remove the housing you must remove the fender brace above it, but I was able to free the wire without doing so. I just lifted it enough to gain access.
While you are in there, R&D Truck Accessories sells a nifty relay for $15 that keeps the low beams on when the high beams are on. It connects inside the same box. It's an easy install, they supply everything. |
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I did read that part of your post but was hoping there might have been another connection somewhere else. -- Sounded kinda complicated prying the fuse box up and all to get to that post. -- I even have printed your instructions (more than once now) and thought i had taken them with me - Didn't find em at the time though. I like your nifty relay suggestion for the low beam on with high. If you think you can stand any more of this i'll get one on order -- Thanks I'll bit the bullet and start prying on the fuse box soon as i get the Hi/Lo relay. Or maybe i'll have Mike show me when he get to the Maidrite!! 75v |
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Don't worry about lifting the box, it's made to come off easy for access. The R&D instructions will have you remove the bracket and lift the box off entirely. I think it's one screw and then a latch to free with a screwdriver. Takes about 5-10 minutes including the bracket. I also bought another black box from R&D that unlocks the doors when you put the trans in park. Maybe they offer this as a programming option on the new trucks but they didn't in 2000. I got tired of slamming into the door when I wanted to jump out for something. The box wires under the dash, costs about $30, and works flawlessly. |
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Thanks all for the great posts on the aux. battery factory option! This option was on my list when I ordered my 2001 GMC 2500LD. After questioning my dealer about how it worked, decided against it. (Dealer actually described it correctly it turns out). With the knowledgeable input by the group here, this topic represents the best of what this site has to offer. Great job! Tom |
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