This is more of a "Is it possible". The reason I ask is I am trying to find a way to isolate this idea to put it into motion.

He's the setup.

1 battery to be used just for starting
1 battery to be used for accessories, power door locks, radio.

Here's my idea. I want to be able to have a battery kill switch that I can switch off when I will be away from my car and it's not in a protective place. By switching the switch off I want to have the car not have the ability to start. HOWEVER, I want the second battery to run the alarm, power door locks, radio, etc... This way I can stil lget into the car, the alarm still works, and the radio doesn't lose its presets. The kicker is that I also want them to be charged off of the same alternator.

I was also thinking of hooking something like you see in dual gas tank trucks or on a boat and I would just "switch" banks, but that poses problems of it's own as well, including the unability to charge both banks at one time.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

http://www.hellroaring.com/bic75150.htm
http://www.off-road.com/chevy/reviews/hellroaring/
I dont know if this is exactly what you are looking for but there may be some good info in it for you.

 

heres a better idea.


disable the starter.


it will be like doing the exact same thing.. only less complicated, less weight, less chance of failure, and it wont overtax your alternator.



i would suggest some kind of a relay, triggered possibly by some kind of keyed switch... it would be the same as if you reached over to disable your 2nd battery, but it solves the problem.

 

I really don't see anything wrong with using the same battery for both. If you hook your radio up to constant power you won't lose your settings.

 

Look into a 'battery isolator' for an RV. They use dual batteries similar to what you describe - one for the engine and external lights and stuff, and one for the internal lights and accessories.
It will charge one at a time using the same alternator. You'll need to do some rewiring under the dash to isolate the starter wires from the rest of the harness.

 

Just to piggy-back on MrDude, why not just get an alarm with the starter interrupt on board?

 

I could easily hook up an ignition kill switch, however you can get around those... Heck, crack the window, open the hood, etc... However, If I move both batteries to the trunk and run this system, everything should still work, but at that point the alarm still works, worse comes to worse they do some damage but dont get my car... That's what I really want. I am moving the main battery into the trunk anyway to free up some space. The reason I want this is because I just put $8k into an engine and about another $15k into the car, so far... This is a project car that MAY be parked when I go into a store or something. I want to make sure she will be ok

 

and wouldnt this be where VATS actually does something right and prevents the fuel pump, and wlel most anyhting else like that electrical form running?

also if oyu want to do the starter interrupt switch...how about hook it up and wire it to where it is under the seat....problem solved..I dont think anyone trying to steal a car that is in the "Lemme get in and out as fast as possible" is gonna stand around and try to find it...or what not...and either way you ahve a Battery kill switch or you have a starter interrupt switch

the other hting is alot of theifs pop the hood and disconnect the battery to shut off the alarm and reset it....that way they can work on stealing hte car without drawing attention to themselves....this is why alot of alarm systems have a small back up battery....but what i was saying is Crook Pops open hood...sees no battery....he is gonna follow the battery cable to the back and find your 2 batts....and hten proly figure out what you did...


here is waht i eventually plan ot do...
Set up my own alarm that if it isnt disarmed before the car is cranked, blue stobes come on under the car...and well police here will stop them in a heart beat if they manage to get past my other ideas...

i have also read on this forum where people put super loud sirens in the car...

 

yup... VATS works..

it will disable the starter

it will not fire the injectors....

it will have a time out limit... i think it was a additional 4.5mins after every attempt...



as for the siren, yea, i have the normal one underhood, but a 2nd one under the drivers side dash... you cant get to it or its wiring easily.
its pointed directly at the driver, and its very uncomfortably LOUD.


btw, if your only defence is the battery thing, i can steal your car in a matter of mins.
but this isnt a exotic where you case it out and everything.

the theif will bust in. bust the column, and try to start the car.
if it starts, great.
if it doesnt, he'll probly steal your stereo and run.

 

Was VATS available on the 88 Camaro?

 

now that i think about it... no.

1988 was the first year it was used by Pontiac. Camaro would get it in 89...

i think in 88 it was only on the GTA... not positive...


in anycase, if you really wanted to, it wouldnt be too hard if you got the parts from a donor 89 car.

 

Yes, what he said. I have an 88 GTA, and there's this lil' black lump on my keys..

But seriously, I agree that you could rig up some sort of trick relay system, disable the fuel pump, starter and whatever else you need, by using a keyed relay switch, sort of like needing another ignition key to get your car to work. So in the end, you have an AND switch set up, BOTH ignition keys have to be installed in order to start the car. Hide the second switch somewhere real good. One of my coworkers has a Dodge truck he custom-built for drag racing and he has switches (all unmarked) for his starter, fuel pump, and other key electrical goodies. He isn't worried about theft because if they don't flip the switches right, the truck isn't going to move.

But yeah, an alarm woudl probably be your best bet, plus your insurance would give you the discount - not for some re-wiring you said makes your car theftproof. Oh and remember this.

Theftproof - isn't.

 

No Vats, and this is a convertible. So if I dont want you getting into the trunk your not going ot get to it. I planned on putting them in a lock box. I also planned on removing the hood popper, since I am going with a fiberglass hood. Haven't worked out all of the kinks, but that's the great part about doing a resto job. I can work out all of those details, fix them, before going forward. I will be putting every anti theft option into this car I can, but we will see what happens.