Do i need a bigger battery?

Hey guys I'm getting ready to mount a winch on my truck along with all new surround sound and new ditch lights and led bar on the roof. my question is do I need to go with a bigger battery than the stock one? Or will the stock battery and alternator be able to handle all the extra accessories?
Thanks

 

The larger, 27, battery gives you a longer reserve time; so, yes it helps a little - but not much. I would prioritize installing a second battery, first, then a higher amp alternator. To save $$, a simple setup is to connect the batteries with an on/off switch. Flip it on when truck is running; off when you turn off the engine. It's simple and cost effective.

 

lets break it down this way, first the lights. the extra lights you are adding are going to be led lights which dont draw very little power, so you're good there. the winch does use a good amount of power, but only when you're using it. unless you're gonna use it several times a day you're gonna be fine. now im not sure what you mean by surround sound, but if you're installing subs and an amp and bigger speakers then that will be your biggest power drain. but if you're just replacing the factory speakers with aftermarket then thats not really a problem. i dont know what condition your battery and alternator is but what i would do is if you have a battery thats more then 3 years old, replace it with a more heavy duty battery. i went with a Interstate Mega-Tron battery. stay away from walmart and autozone batteries. if your battery is fairly new and in good condition, i see no problem with running your setup. i've seen plenty of guys running winches and subs and lights with a stock battery. just keep in mind a few things, 1st never run your lights or winch with the vehicle off. 2nd if you do use your winch for recovery, dont shut the engine off right away.

 

Several question come to mind,
Firstly,...are you planing on changine the battery because its old?
How old is the original battery?
Are you changing it to have peace of mind ( thats fair).
I beg to differ with the previous post from 008Tacoma on Walmart and Autozone quality batteries.
Let me explain, I've seen in my 30 years as a mechanic new batteries die after a month, and originals stock from a vehicle last 10 years.
And I'm writing from Canada, so trust me when I say , hot is hell for the life of a battery, but cold proves its quality..

If power consumption is a concern. Prove the battery you presently have is at least in good condition.
Have a reputable shop due a draw test on the present battery.
Chances are it can do the job and save you some dollars down the road.

Let me repete,...or change it to have peace of mind.
This will come at a cost, and a gamble.
The new battery might not be as good as the present one ( the draw test on your prsenet battery will tell you the truth).

Batteries are a reservoir of power, they are either adequate,... or being filled by the alternator because of the power consumption.

Power consumption is about watts,...watts is volts times amps ( VxA).
What you need to find out firstly is what you consumption in AMPS, or WATTS will be.

So,...that 100 watt radio you're considering...well its 100/12 volts or about 8 amps (not a big deal).
Fog lights etc,...consume about another 10 amps...

You'll probably be deaf and blind before alternator is killed from over heating.

So if you plan on tailgating,...yes get a second battery.
Remember, the alternator now has 2 reservoirs to fill.
So get a heavy duty alternator if this is the cast.

 

2010 OR alternator should be fine, but look at the label on alternator and post "amps" to be sure. If battery is in good shape, you should be OK. If your installing hi amp draw aftermarket amplifiers, like 30+ amp draw, a 2 farad+ capacitor is a must. 60 amp draw, 3 farad+ a must. For surge in draw.

 

(by high draw amps, I mean 2000 raw watts 30 amps a 2 Farad cap. 4000 raw watts 60 amp draw at least 3 Farad cap. To run a winch that's a steady draw. No sudden huge draw, amps on the other hand... One second no draw on power, then BAM 60 amp draw.

For normal sh* your fine man.

 

thanks guys that was a lot of help and im just upgrading the factor speakers with some jbl gt7 series speakers and a soundstream head unit no amplifiers for me. my biggest concern is the winch causing damage to the battery or overloading the alternator . when I bought the truck a month ago they had put a brand new Toyota battery in it so im assuming the battery is still in good condition, I will have to get my battery tester out and see how it handles a good amount of load. I have never messed with Toyotas before so I was unsure how they would handle the extra amp draw.

 

I'd never install a fucking capacitor in my rigs. Fuck that noise. Much better to do dual batteries if you truly have a need for that much amperage

 

the only way i see that winch putting to much load on your stock battery and alternator setup is if your balls deep in mud and ur holding down the winch trigger for a really long time, but if your stuck and you need a quick pull, the winch wont do any harm.

 

i think you may have read that wrong, i wasnt saying walmart/autozone batteries are good, i was saying he's better of using his OEM battery if its in good condition. you couldnt pay me to use a walmart/autozone battery. they are ok for a small car that you use to go back and forth to work but i would never put it on a truck, especially if you plan on going in the woods.