If you read your link, Sean used a RELAY instead of an isolator with his Optima dual battery setup. He also added an inverter. He first tried the wimpy relay kit sold by TBD but switched to a REAL relay that costs about $20 and can handle 100 amps. http://www.vgonman.com/auxbat.htm Mark randy charrette wrote: >I'm no electronics expert, so I found a web site (www.vgonman.com) and copied his set-up. It has worked great for about 3 years now. This is set-up with a isolater. >Randy >87'Syncro TIICO > >David Marshall <VANAGON@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG> wrote: > >I can't see an issue with a 70A relay load wise as your alternator is 90A >and only on a good day. I use a generic Bosch 40A relay for my 2nd battery >in my TriStar and I have never had an issue and I have a 120A alternator. >Charging battery from a dead flat doesn't make the relay nor the 2x12ga wire >running to the battery hot or even warm to the touch. I think the relay is >the simplest and probably the most effective of designs. The diode >isolators are not good in my opinion as they introduce a 0.7V loss in the >system over both batteries. The computerized isolators that give the >starting battery and deep cycle the voltage they want to see is the best >bet, but expensive and really I think the deep cycle will charge fine on the >relay with an alternator designed to charge a starting battery. 1000s of >fishermen driving home charging their deep cycles on their F150 can't be >that wrong. > > |
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