The solenoid doesn’t use any power in itself, other than a tiny amount when the ignition system is switched on. Another wire connects the relay to the positive post of the SLI battery, and another runs back to the RV. You simply need to find a source of power from a circuit that’s only hot when the ignition system is “on,” and run it to the relay. The solenoid isolator is relatively inexpensive-it’ll set you back less than $20. Turn the ignition system off, the relay switch opens, preventing current to flow from either the chassis to the RV, or vice versa. When your vehicle is running, current throws the switch closed to allow current to flow from your vehicle charge system back to your RV. Somewhat comparable to a vehicle starter relay, the solenoid is a big electrically operated switch. The simplest battery isolator is nothing more than an electromechanical relay. It used to be there were just two kinds of isolators now there are three. At the same time, the isolator allows your house batteries to charge up by drawing on your chassis or tow vehicle alternator. Without such isolation, your house battery and SLI battery will seek to maintain the same charge level-and if that’s too low to start your rig, you’re left in the lurch. The RV had “stolen” power from the truck battery, leaving us wandering around with a set of jumper cables, looking for a hot jump.īattery isolators do just what it sounds like: They isolate your RV “house” batteries from your vehicle’s SLI (starting-lighting-ignition) battery. After our first night on the road, a chilly one where the furnace ran during the night, we found we couldn’t start the truck up. It's currently pouring outside (no leaks!).On one of our earliest RV adventures, we learned the hard way about the importance of a battery isolator system. If no to question 2, do I just buy the T-MAX kit, but instead of completely removing all of the wiring, just modify what I have (after disconnecting everything, cutting the positive to positive cable to include the fuses, connecting the two pieces to the solenoid, adding the monitor wiring)? Is there a way to utilize what I currently have - current wiring, current unused Stinger SGP32 - to achieve something similar to the T-MAX setup?ģ. Essentially, is this safe enough to park in my garage? (Rather ask a basic question that not.!)Ģ. How fearful should I be of the lack of fuses? I don't know what the odds are of a short (since the truck has been driven this way for a while), nor do I understand when a short is most likely. Other internet searches say some vehicles that come with dual battery setups from the factory don't have fuses either.ġ. I've read that if there is a short in a line, you want a fuse close to each end to avoid having a live arc welder in your hood, causing a fire, etc. There is also a line that runs from the aux positive back to the rear right of the car where there is a fuse box installed and a 12v port for a fridge.īack to my biggest concern: the lack of 200 amp fuses on each end of the positive cable connecting the two batteries. It looks like there is a connector broken off at one of the posts, but no positive cables running to it, no other cables running to it. but it has nothing save a ground wire coming off of it. There is a Stinger SGP32 200 Amp Battery Relay Isolator mounted near the aux battery. There is no solenoid that I can find, no battery monitor like the T-MAX kit, the positive red wiring goes down behind the ARB front bumper, and - my biggest concern - no fuses on the wire between the positive main and positive aux posts. I think that's where the similarities end.
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