How is it that dual battery setups decrease power? If they were wired in parallel (they'd have to be, or on seperate circuits) you'd have more available amps / amp hours. You'd of course want to use the same battery if you were doing them on the same circuit in parallel.
I'm not sure about typical car batteries or the ones you used, but someone designed a battery box where I work that used "sealed" AGM style batteries (glass mat). They are very sealed, as they can be left in any position, these were installed on end. Someone used the wrong charger setting, charging them for typical style batteries which took them about a volt too high, causing them to gas (hydrogen). They do have little pressure relief valves in them. For electromagnetic insulation, the box it was in was sealed with EMI gaskets and blew up...
I forget the % of hydrogen in the air that is combustable, its like a 5 or 10% range, and its a low number. Below that won't blow up, and above it won't either. Either way, I'd be weary of putting a battery in my passenger cabin. There is probably enough air volume for it to not matter, but being a clumsy smoker I think I'll pass

All power comes from the alternator not the batts. The batt stores energy that the charging system has to replace when discharged. Extra batts means extra load which means less energy for that other stuff. I don't know how else to explain it.