Multi Battery Isolator.-gctid352868

[Guest]

I recently purchased a 1984 Ciera and it has two batteries. Currently, there is a multi battery isolator & and solid state dual battery protector installed. I believe the purpose of the isolator is to prevent the batteries from draining into one another and the solid state protector assists with cranking amps for starting the engine, in addition, to offsetting amp loss due to the isolator.

I want to know if it's safe to install a 2 bank battery charger to the batteries along with the isolator and protector or should those pieces of equipment be completely removed?

[2850Bounty]

iselton wrote:
I recently purchased a 1984 Ciera and it has two batteries. Currently, there is a multi battery isolator & and solid state dual battery protector installed. I believe the purpose of the isolator is to prevent the batteries from draining into one another and the solid state protector assists with cranking amps for starting the engine, in addition, to offsetting amp loss due to the isolator.

I want to know if it's safe to install a 2 bank battery charger to the batteries along with the isolator and protector or should those pieces of equipment be completely removed?

Battery isolators are pretty much old school technology by today's standards.

Can you post photos of the multi battery isolator & and solid state dual battery protector????

Maybe draw up a simple schematic showing how these are being used?????

Perhaps these are current devices such as an ACR or VSR... of which will allow for what you are wanting to do!

.

[Guest]

If you have a battery isolator and a two-bank charger, that will WORK alright, but you will never get the benefit of having the charger treat each bank separately. They will be combined. So if you have a regular starting battery and a deep cycle house battery, neither will be charged exactly right. Not a huge problem, but it won't optimize battery life. If you have, say a flooded starting battery and an AGM house battery, then you absolutely MUST not combine them except for short charging from the engines!

An automatic battery combiner is today's way of automatically charging both banks when you start the engine. They feature a remote off switch that you would use when you go back on shore power so your charger can take care of the individual banks. Yandina makes the best one, and has excellent customer service.

[Guest]

Hello again,

I may have confused terminology here. I have the multi battery isolator, but the solid state dual battery protector is considered a combiner and it's contected to the altenator.

Does this mean when the combiner is on the altenator will charge the batteries and when I return to shore I can turn the combiner off and use the 2 bank battery charger to charge the batteries? I hope this is the case because then all I need to do is install the charger.

I really appreciate the input!

[Guest]

First and foremost, welcome to BOC!

One thing I'd like to add to this discussion is the type of two bank battery charger you have is an important consideration when asking your question. If you have a smart battery charger, chances are the current passing through the wire is high frequency. This will pass through most isolators; and the isolator will fail to do the job it was doing with regard to the current coming from the alternator. If you have a "dumb" charger (one with a transformer), the isolator should work fine.

[2850Bounty]

iselton wrote:
Hello again, I may have confused terminology here.

• 1 wrote:
• I have the multi battery isolator,
• but the solid state dual battery protector is considered a combiner and it's contected to the altenator.
• Does this mean when the combiner is on the altenator will charge the batteries and when I return to shore I can turn the combiner off and use the 2 bank battery charger to charge the batteries? I hope this is the case because then all I need to do is install the charger.

I'm sensing that this may be a simple difference in language and/or terminology.

I'll ask these as questions:

• 1 wrote:
• When you say "multi battery isolator"...... are you refering to an MBSS (main battery selector switch) i.e., OFF/1/ALL/2 style switch?
  
  
  
  These will offer terminals #1, "common" and #2.
  
  (#1 = cranking batt..... #2 = HLBB..... "common" = main power cable to starter motor)
  
  
• When you say "solid state dual battery protector is considered a combiner", would this be an ACR or a VSR?
  
  ACR = auto charge relay.
  
  
  
  VSR = voltage sensing relay.
  
  
• I think that we'll need those questions answered before addressing #3.