Isolator relay issues

[pwhittle]

Originally Posted by ImagineIF

I once owned a Monaco Beaver with the Big Boy relay and BIRD. Although mine never failed I know that if it did I'd replace both with this single marine grade product http://www.bluesea.com/products/7622..._-_12V_DC_500A

I just installed this one, I was impressed with their pre-sales technical support and the product once received.

I replaced a 20 year old diode based isolator that was jumpered on the chassis battery side as it was not compatible with a one-wire alternator and had failed on the house side. It also solved my problem of not charging my chassis batteries while on shore power.

I ran a pair of 16ga wires from the engine bay to the switch on the side panel by the drivers seat to enable the switch functions. I left the isolator inputs unconnected and will need to disconnect the batteries with the switch when I am running the engine and have the generator (or shore power) available to the converter.

Simple and should be under stressed in my environment.

I'll report back after some usage.



Paul

[ImagineIF]

Paul, I'm confident you'll be pleased. Why more don't go this route when they have BIRD problems is hard to understand. I have no affiliation with Blue Sea, just a happy customer when I was a boater.

[pwhittle]

Thanks ImagineIF. I appreciate the original link you provided.

I ended up getting it from Amazon.

Paul

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by pwhittle

I just installed this one, I was impressed with their pre-sales technical support and the product once received.

I replaced a 20 year old diode based isolator that was jumpered on the chassis battery side as it was not compatible with a one-wire alternator and had failed on the house side. It also solved my problem of not charging my chassis batteries while on shore power.

I ran a pair of 16ga wires from the engine bay to the switch on the side panel by the drivers seat to enable the switch functions. I left the isolator inputs unconnected and will need to disconnect the batteries with the switch when I am running the engine and have the generator (or shore power) available to the converter.

Simple and should be under stressed in my environment.

I'll report back after some usage.

Attachment 80914

Paul

Thanks for the link ... I'll save it for the future. I have an older RV with very little parasitic draw (everything stays charged) so I inserted a switch in BIRD circuit to enable/disable its use. It is normally disabled. The house stays charged with a solar charger plus inverter/charger and the chassis stays charged from running the diesel. For me the BIRD is unnecessary.

I did replace the isolator relay a few years ago.

[mchero]

I'd LOVE to find a solid state replacement relay!!!!!
If I had a $1 for every bad Aux Start Relay I'd be driving a Lexus to work!

[pwhittle]

It is still a big 500A relay, but it is magnetic latching so it will not draw anything either engaged or not. Well, except for the two small LEDs in the switch and the small circuit board in the relay. These are tiny parasitic draws.

I liked this one because it has a manual, mechanical method for combining or isolation on the relay itself. Also, it has the benefit of letting the alternator or the convertor charge both sets of batteries which I did not have with my diode based isolator.

There could be some conflict if the alternator and the convertor trying to charge. The relay supports augomatically isolating if there is more than one charging source, but after talking to tech support, we agreed a simple solution was to not use those inputs and to remember to manually switch it off using the switch when that happens.

Paul

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by mchero

I'd LOVE to find a solid state replacement relay!!!!!
If I had a $1 for every bad Aux Start Relay I'd be driving to work!

NOOOO ! .... say it ain't so ....