Second battery

[RedneckStumpy]

My car has space for a second battery, DH thinks it’s worth putting one in, as a backup, and to help run a winch.

Anyone else out there with a second battery? Is it worth it?

Would the winch be a realistic and useful opportunity?

As for a back-up - I think it depends where you live and what you might need the vehicle for. Remote Yukon - go for it, snowy Cheshire maybe not.

I have a portable jump-start kit cost 30 or so from Amazon. Charge it up and leave in the car and can use on anything.

It probably won’t get used as much as he thinks it would, we live in remote Maine, and are often on our own in the woods

Tbh given your location I probably would.

Only a few 'cars' can take a winch. It sounds like a 4by4 or a truck.

Car batteries are designed for high load bursts, they expect to be almost constantly topped up while driving.

Second batteries are usually 'leisure batteries' and are used for low load devices and expect to be mostly discharged before being recharged by a split relay from the 'main battery'. They do not last long if you use them for starting the motor of the car.

If you are worried about starting the car, I would suggest getting the electrics checked and buying a fresh good main battery with the highest AmpHr capacity you can fit because batteries only really fail if they are old or have been run too low due to failed alternator or electrical issues leaching charge while the vehicle is parked up.

If you need a winch, go for it, but make sure you get a 'leisure' type otherwise it won't last long. Finally only try to jump start off the leisure one in dire emergencies.

It's probably got space for a 2nd battery because they make a stop/start version of your car, which you don't have.

The bodyshells roll of the production line all the same, and versions with stop start get 2 batteries, and the rest just get the one they need.