Battery isolator: why?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Yeah but doing it "right" requires that you sacrifice a volt or almost 10 amps of power to the diodes in the isolator. Is doing it "right" really right?




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That's old school. Use a battery combiner (relay). No voltage loss. They've been around fifteen or twenty years.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Why not have it automatic? Is the cost bothering you? It's under $100.

Check it out...... Yandina Marine Electronics

[AnchorageGuy]

Mainesail's post is once again spot on. Our house bank gets all the charging sources, alternator, 120 battery charger. The engine start batteries are fed via an echo charger. For almost 6 years and continuous cruising, this combination has worked without issues and no input from us. And we don't have to be concerned with not being able to start the engines when we need to. So why not? Our battery switch serves one purpose. To disconnect the batteries from the panel or starter in an emergency. Chuck

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Check it out...... Yandina Marine Electronics

Yup that's pretty darn cheap. I think I will order one!

[delmarrey]

I have two. The old 50 amp for the forward battery (windlass) and a 100 amp for the house batteries. The alt wire goes directly to the start batteries.