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Wiring, Electrical & Installation
Battery Isolator Question
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<blockquote data-quote="digitboy123" data-source="post: 8534635" data-attributes="member: 671632"><p>If we're saying the same thing, then I'm just dense. Or maybe we're talking about two different types of isolators. But I think we're saying something differently, so I'm happy to try again.</p><p></p><p>In my admittedly non-typical use of an isolator, I will require the switch in order to connect the starter to the batteries in parallel in the event the main battery has been sufficiently depleted by the vehicle's internal accessories while the engine is off.</p><p></p><p>The isolator has two output poles, one connected to the main battery (and thus to the alternator) and one connected to the auxiliary battery. While the engine is running, it automatically isolates the batteries so that the main battery is charged first. Once the main battery is charged, then the isolator "de-isolates" the batteries, putting them in parallel to initiate the charging of the auxiliary battery. If the main battery gets depleted by a certain small amount, due to the normalization of the batteries in parallel, the isolator will sense this and isolate the batteries once again until the main battery is fully charged. This is the normal function of the isolator.</p><p></p><p>When the engine is turned off, the isolator once again isolates the batteries from each other. Loads placed on the main battery, i.e. the internal electrical components of the vehicle, run off the main battery. This includes the vehicle starter. In the typical setup, loads to be used when the engine is off would be placed on the auxiliary battery, and there would be no concern about the ability of the main battery to start the engine. But I want to be able to use the vehicle's internal electrical components while the engine is off--without doing a major rewiring of the electrical system. This is not the typical setup, as I won't have any loads on the auxiliary battery.</p><p></p><p>In my case, the switch is necessary to override the isolator's function while starting the engine, so that the batteries are put in parallel during the starting process. Once the engine is started, the override switch should be turned off, (again, a normally-off push button is ideal) in order to return the isolator to its normal engine-running operation.</p><p></p><p>The override switch is not placed inline with a battery cable, which as you correctly noted above, would need to handle a large current. The override switch is placed inline between the (usually) yellow override pole on the isolator and the auxiliary battery, which merely changes the isolator's function to "de-isolated" during the engine starting process. This circuit does not need to handle a large current because it is only changing the position of the switch within the isolator, and not carrying the full current from the battery.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="digitboy123, post: 8534635, member: 671632"] If we're saying the same thing, then I'm just dense. Or maybe we're talking about two different types of isolators. But I think we're saying something differently, so I'm happy to try again. In my admittedly non-typical use of an isolator, I will require the switch in order to connect the starter to the batteries in parallel in the event the main battery has been sufficiently depleted by the vehicle's internal accessories while the engine is off. The isolator has two output poles, one connected to the main battery (and thus to the alternator) and one connected to the auxiliary battery. While the engine is running, it automatically isolates the batteries so that the main battery is charged first. Once the main battery is charged, then the isolator "de-isolates" the batteries, putting them in parallel to initiate the charging of the auxiliary battery. If the main battery gets depleted by a certain small amount, due to the normalization of the batteries in parallel, the isolator will sense this and isolate the batteries once again until the main battery is fully charged. This is the normal function of the isolator. When the engine is turned off, the isolator once again isolates the batteries from each other. Loads placed on the main battery, i.e. the internal electrical components of the vehicle, run off the main battery. This includes the vehicle starter. In the typical setup, loads to be used when the engine is off would be placed on the auxiliary battery, and there would be no concern about the ability of the main battery to start the engine. But I want to be able to use the vehicle's internal electrical components while the engine is off--without doing a major rewiring of the electrical system. This is not the typical setup, as I won't have any loads on the auxiliary battery. In my case, the switch is necessary to override the isolator's function while starting the engine, so that the batteries are put in parallel during the starting process. Once the engine is started, the override switch should be turned off, (again, a normally-off push button is ideal) in order to return the isolator to its normal engine-running operation. The override switch is not placed inline with a battery cable, which as you correctly noted above, would need to handle a large current. The override switch is placed inline between the (usually) yellow override pole on the isolator and the auxiliary battery, which merely changes the isolator's function to "de-isolated" during the engine starting process. This circuit does not need to handle a large current because it is only changing the position of the switch within the isolator, and not carrying the full current from the battery. [/QUOTE]
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