Battery Switch vs Battery Isolator - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Small Boat Electrical
  Battery Switch vs Battery Isolator

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Battery Switch vs Battery Isolator

Kelly posted 08-09-2005 05:25 PM ET (US)
If you have a battery isolator, do you need a battery switch, except maybe an on/off switch for electronics and other things that might drain the battery? Also, if you have a battery isolator, can you have a deep cycle and starting battery connected to the same isolator? Is the isolator able to use the starting battery for starting, or does it just use which ever battery has the greatest charge? Is the isolator kind of like a smart automatic battery switch?
Kelly

jimh posted 08-09-2005 08:14 PM ET (US)
Battery isolator is a term usually applied to a device which tries to keep one battery from discharging another when they are connected in parallel to a source of charging current.
In most small boat installations the source of charging current is also the same conductor or lead that supplies battery current to the starter. In larger boats the charging current is often separated from the starter current and supplied on its own lead or wire or conductor.
The typical installation in a small boat uses the battery isolator to parallel two batteries so that they can be charged simultaneously while at the same time keeping them separated as source of current to various loads on the boat such as the starting motor.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Battery Switch vs Battery Isolator
Kelly	posted 08-09-2005 05:25 PM ET (US) If you have a battery isolator, do you need a battery switch, except maybe an on/off switch for electronics and other things that might drain the battery? Also, if you have a battery isolator, can you have a deep cycle and starting battery connected to the same isolator? Is the isolator able to use the starting battery for starting, or does it just use which ever battery has the greatest charge? Is the isolator kind of like a smart automatic battery switch? Kelly
jimh	posted 08-09-2005 08:14 PM ET (US) Battery isolator is a term usually applied to a device which tries to keep one battery from discharging another when they are connected in parallel to a source of charging current. In most small boat installations the source of charging current is also the same conductor or lead that supplies battery current to the starter. In larger boats the charging current is often separated from the starter current and supplied on its own lead or wire or conductor. The typical installation in a small boat uses the battery isolator to parallel two batteries so that they can be charged simultaneously while at the same time keeping them separated as source of current to various loads on the boat such as the starting motor.