I'm going to put another battery (along with a battery isolator) in my '87 XJ-S. The isolator is a Cole-Hersee 4162.

If anyone has done this I'd be interested in hearing you experiences/comments.

Thanks,

John
1987 XJ-S V12, 62,000 miles

 

What is your thinking for adding dual batteries?

I will be installing an isolator and battery charger so I can keep the car on charge while not in use.

 

When I park my Jag I plug in the maintainer. This car seems to always need a little top-me-off when I park it. I wired the plug to come out at the right rear corner of the boot just above the bumper. The small hole is under the boot lid and only shows about 1.5 inches of the wire and plug. RTV holds it in place and prevents water from getting in. Very convenient and unplugs itself if I forget it. I also cover the old girl at all times because I have a Beagle that likes to get on our cars. Only way to keep the little dog alive. lol
Cheers, RagJag

 

Can you please post photos of the wiring that you added for the maintainer?

Thanks

 

When I lived in Alaska people had plug-ins for their batteries, is this what you are doing?

 

I will try to send a couple of pics. I have difficulty doing that on this website. Something to do with the file being too large. My camera is a 16 mp digital. The web page asks me for a url of my image. I do not see a browse option. Can some of you help?
RagJag

 

I fitted a more suitable battery with only a couple of hours work. mainly because I got more electrics now than the car had when new

 

Between the upgraded headlights, electric cooling fans (I ditched the engine-driven one), more powerful stereo, my though that I need to let the fans run after shutdown during the summer, and my general propensity for overkill, I'd rather have two batteries than one, so that when I drain one I'll still be able to start.

Plus...I already have a second battery that's in good shape, so I might a well use it.

Thanks,

John
1987 XJ-S V-12, 62,000 miles

 

This is the inside of my boot showing the wire to the maintainer.

 

This the lead coming out of my boot to the maintainer.

 

When I bought mine, last month, it came with this already installed.



Jim

 

My maintainer came with a lead that plugs into the cigarette lighter. I am contemplating leaving the window open just enough to run the wire through and plugging the maintainer into the lighter socket over winter. Is this a good idea or should I run it through the boot like you did?

 

YycXJS,
Your call. If you do not intend to drive the car over winter I suppose you could leave it coming out the window. If you are driving the car most days as I do it is better wired as I have mine which unplugs itself if I forget.
Cheers, RagJag

 

Several feet of snow and -40C, it's going to be a long winter keeping it parked

 

Little note, I know on my '89, when the ignition switch is shut off, there is NO power to my cigarette lighter, which also renders it useless to act as an overnight cell phone charger too. -Key switch off, GPS/Phone charger light goes off too.

 

Yes, my lighter won't work with ignition off.
I see you live in the far North, YycXJS. I do not drive my Jag in the snow either, although we don't get much snow in VA, I don't want road salt on it.
Cheers, RagJag

 

For $100 I bought a maintainer with a solar panel (approx 18 x 42") at Crappy Tire (sorry, Canadian Tire for the foreigners). There's no electricity in my detached garage.

 

Ragjag thanks for your observation regarding the lighter. I would not have noticed that and May car would be dead in the spring.

 

Actually YycXJS, the fact that the lighter will not have 12V with the ignition off was first mentioned by Gregh. I only affirmed that info.
RagJag