what do battery isolators do

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memphisgod

Member - Posts: 6

Joined: January 23, 2008

Location: Florida, United States

Posted: February 25, 2008 at 3:14 PM / IP Logged

I am curious what exactly a battery isolator does. I can get them really cheep and I think I might need one but i need to know what they do first.

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KPierson

Platinum - Posts: 3,527

This member consistently provides reliable information

Joined: April 14, 2005

Location: Ohio, United States

Posted: February 25, 2008 at 3:48 PM / IP Logged

The point of an isolator is two fold.

1. it prevents your alternator from seeing two batteries at the same time. A battery is a load, and usually adding a second battery to a charging system will stress the alternator.

2. Prevents both batteries from being discharged. You can use your "reserve" battery for engine off listening and when it is dead your radio will shut off. However, when you go to start the car you will switch back to the "primary" battery and the car will start right up.

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Petebob

Member - Posts: 16

Joined: July 03, 2005

Location: United Kingdom

Posted: March 02, 2008 at 2:59 PM / IP Logged

Are these known by any other names? over here (UK) when I take a quick look on eBay they only have the large red key swtich.

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mrrairai

Member - Posts: 4

Joined: February 28, 2008

Location: Virginia, United States

Posted: March 03, 2008 at 8:51 AM / IP Logged

They are also known as solenoids.

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Petebob

Member - Posts: 16

Joined: July 03, 2005

Location: United Kingdom

Posted: March 04, 2008 at 12:34 PM / IP Logged

When you say "Solenoid" isn't that a general sort of term for an electrical coil device?

If any of you guys could point out a kit on the web, I'd appreciate it.

The Original Muppet

toofly

Member - Posts: 5

Joined: November 27, 2007

Location: Ontario, Canada

Posted: March 14, 2008 at 11:28 AM / IP Logged

you could try and look up battery isolators

superchuckles

Copper - Posts: 89

Joined: December 29, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: April 02, 2008 at 4:08 AM / IP Logged

actually, most battery "isolators" are just a bunch of diodes wired up in parallel to increase their current flow, hooked up between the alternator & batteries, so that your vehicle can have separate batteries for the audio system (or whatever) and the starting system. the "isolation" happens because the diodes prevent the audio battery from draining the starting battery, yet allow the single alternator to charge both batteries. pretty simple actually.

superchuckles

Copper - Posts: 89

Joined: December 29, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: April 02, 2008 at 4:10 AM / IP Logged

what you guys are thinking about with "solenoids" & key switches are battery disconnects. they are used to quickly disconnect the battery from the system in case of short, or if you just need to do it over & over & don't want to have to unbolt a battery cable.

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what do battery isolators do

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