bad battery isolator
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=104095
Printed Date: April 28, 2024 at 2:18 PM
Topic: bad battery isolator
Posted By: kitt350
Subject: bad battery isolator
Date Posted: April 18, 2008 at 3:28 PM
I have had my battery isolator in my car for well over a year with no problems at all. I just brought my car home from being in storage and when I turn on the battery isolator my rear battery does not charge anymore. I unhooked the isolator and ran the wires together and the rear battery charges just fine. When I hook the isolator back up with one wire coming from the front battery and alternator and check my meter I have 14 volts going in but only 3-4 volts coming out. I can hear the isolator turning on but it isnt letting very much power go through it now. Does this sound like the isolator has gone bad somehow? I have both optima batteries, red top up front and yellow top in the rear it is one of the biggest yellow tops they make, and like I said before going into storage everything was fine. I put on a battery maintainer to keep the batteries fresh but it did die on me and had to recharge the batteries to start the car. Nothing is wrong with either battery just dont want to hook them up together without the isolator. Please some give me some info on this. I think the isolator has gone bad just want someone elses opinion on this and what they think. Thanks for any help that can be given.
Replies:
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: April 18, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Is it an ISOLATOR or a SOLENOID?
You indicated you could hear it making a noise. Isolators, having no moving parts, are silent.
As far as "nothing wrong with the batteries" statement. There is FAR more wrong with them than you realize. They will never again accept and hold a full charge. Time to replace them both with a pair of identical batteries. When you do so, REMOVE THE ISOLATOR. It is an unnecessary piece of equipment. Wire both positive battery terminals together, and call it a day.
Now, to address your question: if only one terminal is hot, the "isolation device" is bad.
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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."
Posted By: kitt350
Date Posted: April 18, 2008 at 6:56 PM
I have a SR200 Stinger Battery Relay for battery isolation. I guess you would call if more of a relay than an isolator. As for the batteries not going to hold a full charge, they didn't go completely dead. They were down to about 9 volts in them and ever since I got the batteries charged back up they seem to hold a charge just fine. Let the car sit for over a week with no starting it and the front battery was still holding at 12.1 volts. Got the back battery charging and it is holding strong as well. So you think it is bad as well since only 3-4 volts is coming out of the one side? I guess i can wire the batteries together for now but will change it out so I dont run the front battery down when I go to shows.
Posted By: inoitall
Date Posted: April 19, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Would a battery isolator be good for someone that accidently leaves their headlights on, or has the car armed for a week before actually starting the car?
Posted By: seeker1
Date Posted: April 19, 2008 at 9:06 PM
inoitall wrote:
Would a battery isolator be good for someone that accidently leaves their headlights on, or has the car armed for a week before actually starting the car?
I like the concept of an isolator. I have 1 setup in my daughters car. I've set the whole audio setup,( head unit and amps and her external LED's) on it. She can set and run the stereo until the battery dies and still be able to start the car and drive away. If the main battery dies, she jump herself from the in the trunk. ------------- Only the strong survive.
Eat the weak.
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