Posted 2011-03-03 5:59 AM (#131054) Subject: Battery Isolator
Member
Posts: 16
Location: braham,mn
When I insatll my 2 - deepcycle batteries on my trailer I will wire the extra lights & 12V outlets seperate (thru a 12V fuse block we installed in the trailer) from the existing lights that came installed from the factory. Mostly because there are exterior flood lights I would not want the kids to be using while the truck was not running. In order for these batteries to charge while the truck is running I would need to tap into the Aux. feed, to take advantage of the limited amount of charge being put out by the vehicle while heading down the road. Is it possible to split this feed, to supply the factory installed lights AND the deep cycle batteries ? Or just easier to throw on a battery charger at home ? Also, can a battery isolator be mounted on the trailer ? Seems like all the models I GOOGLED suggest mounting under the hood. I know there are countless web-sites that help explain this, I've been looking. We kind of want someone to dumb-it down for us...
Posted 2011-03-03 6:46 AM (#131056 - in reply to #131054) Subject: RE: Battery Isolator
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Mi.
The isolator for charging the vehicle and auxilliary batteries uses two diodes, think one way electrical valves. The output from the alternator can flow to two different batteries but cannot flow from one to the other battery. The trailer batteries would connect directly to one of the isolator outputs. If you desire the lights to work only when the vehicle is running then they need a separate circuit that is on when engine is on, either thru an existing circuit or a relay. There will need to be another wire in the trailer plug to use a setup like this. In other words one circuit for charging and another circuit for the lights. Whinneyman
Posted 2011-03-03 9:43 AM (#131067 - in reply to #131054) Subject: RE: Battery Isolator
Member
Posts: 27 Location: Mi.
Plan "B" why didn't I think of this first? Mount a battery isolator on the trailer, attach the hot aux. wire from the truck to the alternator terminal of the isolator, attach one isolated output to the trailer batteries, attach the other isolated output to the circuit you want to operate only when the motor is running, this will work provided that your truck aux. hot wire is only energised when the engine is running. Whinneyman
Battery Isolator
Plan "B" why didn't I think of this first? Mount a battery isolator on the trailer, attach the hot aux. wire from the truck to the alternator terminal of the isolator, attach one isolated output to the trailer batteries, attach the other isolated output to the circuit you want to operate only when the motor is running, this will work provided that your truck aux. hot wire is only energised when the engine is running. Whinneyman