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Automatic Charge Relay - How to Improve your battery isolator

Battery isolator ACR Truck charging

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#21 ntsqd

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 03:32 PM

I guess I'm not buying into the "alternators are battery maintainers, not chargers" thing. It is true that the regulators typically used with land vehicle mounted alternators are about a "stupid" as they get, and that may be the reason behind this assertion. That is to say that it's not the alternator's fault that it's not a 'charger' and that it is the cheap, low grade regulator that it's been saddled with that is at fault. I've been looking into how to change that, and it gets expensive pretty fast. In the marine world the alternator is a charger, not a maintainer. They use regulators made by Balmar or Sterling Power to name two (not sure of/if any others). If you click those links be ready for some sticker shock.

 

Then I stumbled onto the C-Tek D250S which solves the stupid alternator regulator problem (at least for the camper battery(ies)) and provides battery separation all while also working as the solar charge controller too. Though it still isn't inexpensive, it does replace at least one other component making it's purchase a more reasonable option. What we have is working, which is why we don't yet have a D250S to report about. With this unit (or one of the marine regulators) I think that the alternator can become a viable battery charger.

 

Our truck ('95 CTD does not have an internal alternator regulator, it is external to the alternator and is actually built into the PCM. In our truck's case, these are known to fail while the rest of the PCM continues to work as expected. This makes a marine external regulator very tempting. Except for the cost. But it would put the truck's Die Hard Platinum starting batteries under a multi-step charger instead of a simple, 'stupid' regulator.

 


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Thom

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#22 nikonron

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 03:40 PM

Went with #2 welding cable to my camper battery from a Blue Sea  ACR, gives me the ability to start the truck from either battery if needed. Solar panel keeps both batteries charged up.  Ron


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#23 DrJ

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 04:32 PM

Nice work Ron.
What size wire did you use from the ACR to the truck?

The Blue Sea ACR is meant to handle way more charge than I ever use it for.
It could certainly handle what Ron is doing if the wire gauge is enough.
The gauge of wire is certainly the limiting factor in my system now.

Anyone ever put in a second alternator to run to the ACR?

I've been considering that along with increasing the wire size.
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#24 nikonron

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 07:06 PM

20160918_140224_resized.jpg #2 to the main battery also. Whats nice about the welding cable is the flexibility and it has a heavy insulation.  Ron


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#25 Vic Harder

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 08:21 PM

nice that you found welding cable in red too.  I've only ever seen it in black.


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#26 nikonron

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 08:51 PM

Yes, the red is nice, look on ebay.  Ron


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#27 SB_Surf

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 08:52 PM

I had noticed the following on my 2013 Fleet and retested it again today to confirm...

 

While my truck is running my stock Sure Power 1314A engages bridging the truck and camper batteries together. If I enable my solar system On and turn Off the truck, the 1314A remains engaged and the solar system then shares the charging of the truck and camper batteries. Not excited about that...

 

If the solar system is then turned Off or a significant load (ie furnace or fridge) is turned On, then the common batteries voltage drops and the 1314A finally disengages.

 

It appears that the 1314A does not sense the truck-side only contacts to determine when to disengage.

 

Have others experienced the same 1314A behavior?

 

Is there a smarter separator/isolator on the market?


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#28 ntsqd

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Posted 18 September 2016 - 10:11 PM

nice that you found welding cable in red too.  I've only ever seen it in black.

My local commercial/industrial/vehicular battery store, PowerStride Battery, stocks both red and black Carolprene welding cable as well as lugs and adhesive lined heat shrink to go with it.

In welding cable you need to pay attention to the insulation jacket material being under-hood compatible as not all of them are. From my own investigation Carolprene was, and I've no reason to suspect that it has changed.

 

I had noticed the following on my 2013 Fleet and retested it again today to confirm...

 

While my truck is running my stock Sure Power 1314A engages bridging the truck and camper batteries together. If I enable my solar system On and turn Off the truck, the 1314A remains engaged and the solar system then shares the charging of the truck and camper batteries. Not excited about that...

 

If the solar system is then turned Off or a significant load (ie furnace or fridge) is turned On, then the common batteries voltage drops and the 1314A finally disengages.

 

It appears that the 1314A does not sense the truck-side only contacts to determine when to disengage.

 

Have others experienced the same 1314A behavior?

 

Is there a smarter separator/isolator on the market?

 


"Dual Sense" is usually considered a desirable option in an ACR/VSR. It is the charging voltage, not the battery voltage, that keeps the separator closed. As you have noted, as soon as the voltage drops below that of a charging voltage the separator opens. I don't see a downside to this behavior.


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Thom

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#29 Stalking Light

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Posted 20 September 2016 - 12:48 PM

DrJ, I went ahead and got the BlueSea 7622. I'm assuming I can just cap off the switch wires if I want to install it without the switch and then install the switch later? I haven't decided yet where I want to locate the switch but would like to get the SurePower replaced before Expo East.

 

Thanks.


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#30 nikonron

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Posted 20 September 2016 - 02:21 PM

Charlie, I have the 7622 and did not install the switch, odds are you'll never need it. And yes you can just cap off the switch wires.  Ron


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