[Magikal]

ok, I am installing a dual battery setup in my blazer. I went out and bought a dual battery isolator kit and got it wired in. After installation I discovered that this wasn't exactly what I had had in mind. I wanted to be able to leave my stereo on for example until a battery is dead and be able to use the second one to start up and go with, etc. What I got is 2 seperate 12 volt circuits being charged off of one charger (alternator). Do I need to install something else still (for example: http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcat...at-battacc.htm THE DUAL BATTERY CONTROLLER KIT)? Or did I install the wrong thing altogether? I am confused as to what I am doing wrong?

PS. I know my blazer probably isn't quite "hot rod" (hence hotrodders.com) but the help I get here is spectacular!!

[docvette]

Originally Posted by Magikal

ok, I am installing a dual battery setup in my blazer. I went out and bought a dual battery isolator kit and got it wired in. After installation I discovered that this wasn't exactly what I had had in mind. I wanted to be able to leave my stereo on for example until a battery is dead and be able to use the second one to start up and go with, etc. What I got is 2 seperate 12 volt circuits being charged off of one charger (alternator). Do I need to install something else still (for example: http://www.painlesswiring.com/webcat...at-battacc.htm THE DUAL BATTERY CONTROLLER KIT)? Or did I install the wrong thing altogether? I am confused as to what I am doing wrong?


PS. I know my blazer probably isn't quite "hot rod" (hence hotrodders.com) but the help I get here is spectacular!!

Doc here,

You need the Isolator because without it you will always have one low or dead battery...The charge medium will only charge the battery that poses the most internal resistance..It will not see both as one...

The Point here is, you Do not want either battery to run dead...

Each time you do, you lessen the life cycle of the battery, Warp the plates , Gass the battery, shorten cell life, promote Whisker growth (which will short a cell out) and contribute to Lead / Antimony plate flake which will settle in the sluff box as a Dust~like conductor, and when high enough..can short cells...

If you do this type of operation, you need to step up to Deep Cycle marine battery's..They weigh as much a 3 times a car battery, and cost as much to match..They are constructed to handle charge/discharge as a part of it's daily life..(Full charge/dead)

To separate the Battery's , Isn't that defeating the purpose of installing the second one?

More current to higher draw devices?

I mean if it was just to keep a stereo going until low..and not for the added amplifier operational current, you could just go with an sensing auto~start circuit...

When Voltage gets to a certain preset level, it sends a signal to a "Start circuit" and starts the engine, until charged..

you can get one at an RV store or Generator shop $$$.$$...but may have to upgrade the start relay ...Or if your handy, you can build it yourself..except for the sensor, it's purely a basic analog circuit..


You can build a Bank switcher between battery A and Battery B and the load should you want, ....If the single battery will handle the total current draw without taking a noise dive..

Doc

[Magikal]

Point here is...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Magikal
ok, I am installing a dual battery setup in my blazer. I went out and bought a dual battery isolator kit and got it wired in. After installation I discovered that this wasn't exactly what I had had in mind. I wanted to be able to leave my stereo on for example until a battery is dead and be able to use the second one to start up and go with, etc. What I got is 2 seperate 12 volt circuits being charged off of one charger (alternator). Do I need to install something else still (for example: http://www.painlesswiring.com/webca...cat-battacc.htm THE DUAL BATTERY CONTROLLER KIT)? Or did I install the wrong thing altogether? I am confused as to what I am doing wrong?


PS. I know my blazer probably isn't quite "hot rod" (hence hotrodders.com) but the help I get here is spectacular!!



Doc here,

You need the Isolator because without it you will always have one low or dead battery...The charge medium will only charge the battery that poses the most internal resistance..It will not see both as one...

The Point here is, you Do not want either battery to run dead...

Each time you do, you lessen the life cycle of the battery, Warp the plates , Gass the battery, shorten cell life, promote Whisker growth (which will short a cell out) and contribute to Lead / Antimony plate flake which will settle in the sluff box as a Dust~like conductor, and when high enough..can short cells...

If you do this type of operation, you need to step up to Deep Cycle marine battery's..They weigh as much a 3 times a car battery, and cost as much to match..They are constructed to handle charge/discharge as a part of it's daily life..(Full charge/dead)

To separate the Battery's , Isn't that defeating the purpose of installing the second one?

More current to higher draw devices?

I mean if it was just to keep a stereo going until low..and not for the added amplifier operational current, you could just go with an sensing auto~start circuit...

When Voltage gets to a certain preset level, it sends a signal to a "Start circuit" and starts the engine, until charged..

you can get one at an RV store or Generator shop $$$.$$...but may have to upgrade the start relay ...Or if your handy, you can build it yourself..except for the sensor, it's purely a basic analog circuit..


You can build a Bank switcher between battery A and Battery B and the load should you want, ....If the single battery will handle the total current draw without taking a noise dive..

Doc
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Thanx Doc for the education on batteries. I too have done some thinking and reasearch on the subject. I already installed the isolator circuit yesterday and even though it wasn't quite what I wanted, I do believe that it is the proper way to go about setting this up. I just didn't realize that the model I got from Napa wasn't a controller. I think the isolator will help with the battery life. I am using a deep cycle for my auxilary battery. I do want to get a controller so that I can switch between the two batteries. Here is my problem. I do have an amplified stereo and for example I like to play it during work (I build houses) but it will be totally dead before lunch time. I also like to hunt, fish, etc and at camp I want to be able to use running lights, radio, and such. I want to have a fresh battery available when rolling up camp at 6000ft at a remote mountain lake.

Gonna go with a controller. I don't see any reason not to. It seems practical in my application. Thanx for the info Doc....what the heck is promoting Whisker growth?

[docvette]

Doc here,

Whisker growth, Is best described like an "Icecycle" growing from the plate outward and (usually) down , and is comprised of the Junk floating around the electrolyte and sluff off the plates..

As more settles, the longer it gets, until it contacts the bottom of the battery box (sluff box, full of antimony and lead waste) OR contacts other cells, and since it is conductive, shorts them out..The result, a dead battery, that won't take a charge..

There really is more to this Electrically, but that's the basic nomenclature..

Doc

[matt167]

Could always run 1 marine deep cycle battery, there designed for the duty's you want the second battery for

[Magikal]

ok all, sorry for the long delay in replying. There were some local annual mud bogs and we went up there for the weekend. I read and reread what you have written doc and after much research this is what is going to happen. First, Saturday morning I went out to start the blazer and it was dead. Guess the isolator was charging the other battery. I unhooked the isolator setup and went back to the single batt for the weekend as we were off to the mud! Friday I did visit a local RV shop and ended up with a massive dual battery shut off switch. Gonna run my stuff off of one battery and use the other one for a switched back up. The isolator should keep them both charged right? I haven't gotten the switch installed yet and I want to be sure this will work. I don't understand why my first battery was dead though. I don't think anything got left on or such.... Shouldn't the isolator keep both batteries charged. Especially if there is no load on the second battery ( there was none at that point in time)??