Charging House and Starter Batteries

[lawrence_craig]

Hi all,

My Split Charge Diode https://sterling-power.com/products/...0a-2-3-outputs failed on me recently.

I have been able to manage it since by just manually connecting the cables from the alternator to the batteries.

I am wondering about what I do for replacement. Some people suggest VSR but I expect that would require me changing my current setup.

The other recommendation was just to replace the it like for like. However I know these suffer from voltage drop and since the diode fail, the batteries have been charging much better directly.

The other solution I was thinking of was just installing a manual switch.
Is there any drawback to a manual switch apart from the personal discipline element (ie. isolating the starter battery before the leisure battery drains it)?

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Cheers

[john61ct]

Why would a VSR change anything?

Blue Sea's are great, they call them ACRs.

Really dozens of devices that will do.

A manual switch is unreliable as humans slip.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Why would a VSR change anything?

Blue Sea's are great, they call them ACRs.

Really dozens of devices that will do.

A manual switch is unreliable as humans slip.

Except those dozens of devices don't all work the same. I've had a BEP VSR automatic relay installed since 2010. Has worked flawlessly, but I recently discovered it allows current flow both ways. Would be nice to have a manual switch in the event one of the batteries suffers a fault so I don't lose both. I recently saw a device (Blue Seas maybe) that had both auto & manual as options.

[john61ct]

Yes all VSR / ACR are two-way once closed, but not all are dual-sense in responding to a source going high on either side.

An override manual switch can be a good feature for exceptional circumstances,

especially for those with the ampacity to allow self-jumping,

but then IMO each bank should have their own manual isolation switch anyway.

[smac999]

If you currently have a battery isolator. Replace it with a victron Argo fet. The wiring will be the same.

If you go with a vsr / acr. You will need to rewire stuff.

They both work a bit different.