Battery Isolators...

[mabrodis]

And if that pi$$e$ you off then that's your problem.

-B-

Agreed, sorry, that was builtup from other intances too, wasn't directed at anyone in peticular just venting (maybe we should have a Venting part of the forum) . Anyhoo, it sounds like a good product and I'm glad Mobi-dude posted here about it.

Now about the beta testing discount..

I'd be willing to 'Trail Rate' it. So after my testing you can market it as 'Trail Rated', seems to work for Jeep, and they make crap, so you're already better off..

 

[drohweder]

Man! Let the guy be excited about his product! Be patient and I bet there is a TLCA discount for us all!

I just picked up a new SurePower Model 952 for $26 on ebay. I was all set to do the solinoid but it was $47 at napa and so I held off. I am sure woody is certain this POS will turn to rust in no time but I think I am going to give it a shot. I have a standard Delco alt so I don't think I am over the 95amp alternater max.

Now the questions begin again about setting this up. I want to keep the main battery for the starter and run all aux off the other. I also thought about just keeping all the current wiring on the main battery and adding all additional stuff to the aux. My cruiser is pretty much got its stock wiring harness and I just want to run a second fuse box for the stereo, future lights and any future mods like the winch and fridge. Can I still use a marine switch with this system? How do I fix that regulator feedback problem?

 

[Riley]

Since I work in a electronics engineering group, I thought I'd add my two bits...

- Seems kinda weird to not let one of the mobi engineers spend 15 minutes here to answer some questions. For sure that's a lot more effecient than discussing the same questions over and over on the phone. 15 minutes is all that it would take. Getting input and contact from end users is always good for the design team. Plus posting here is much easier to limit on how much time is spent in end-customer contact.

- Assuming that the isolator is only used for charging, why are people rating the current handling in term of 100amps? how about 10 to 20 amps? seems more typical of charge currents.

- seems to me all that's required is a switcher/convertor to provide full isolation from the 12 volt main system the to the alternate backup/seperate battery. That's how I would approach this problem but perhaps a 10 amp switcher would be too expensive?

I'm not too crazy about using relays to connect the 2 batteries during charging because the batteries will be a different voltages and simply connecting 2 different batteries together in parallel is not a good thing (it will pull the higher battery down). I like the idea of running a isolator just for charging the second battery assuming it's running a bunch of equipment seperate than the other systems on the truck.

 

[Rich]

Riley, I feel that there has been more sales pitch than tech info offered from Mobi and until real facts are published it pretty much remains fluff to me.

Anyway, there are two related considerations when sizing the current capacity of the device that parallels the battery. One is what is the max current that the alternator will put out to charge totally dead batteries. I believe the stock 80 alternator in the late '90s models is rated at 80 amps. The other consideration is if the paralleling device also supplies power to devices connected to the batteries. Then you need to size the device for the maxium load. The starter and a winch would be the two big load devices. A winch can draw over 400 amps, on an intermittent basis.

Once I get my hands on a proper crimper for 2/0 wire, I'm going to install a dual battery system sized for winching. I will use a manual marine switch to select between either battery or both batteries to supply all power to all devices. So the switch will need to be able to handle the draw from a winch. Bluesea offers a switch that can handle that kind of load.

If I decide to include, in addition to manual control, automatic parallel charging for both batteries I will use the Bluesea electronic solenoid.

I will run two identical batteries in order to avoid overcharging / charging issues when they are run in parallel. I have used a simliar system in a boat for years with no issues. Normally I keep the batteries in parallel and only separate them when I am going to be using power for a period of time with the engine off.

 

[mobi-arc]

Guys,

We just got back from the Off-Road Expo in Pomona (Los Angeles) where we introduced a pre-production MOBI-ISOLATOR unit. We set up a test fixture using an array of airplane landing lights to create a load that could be switched either through the MOBI-ISOLATOR, or an industry-popular Sure Power Isolator (www.mobi-arc.com/comp.jpg) . It was powered by batteries and when switched on, the lights, through the MOBI-ISOLATOR, would draw 90a with a voltage drop of .035 volts. When switched to the Sure Power, current decreased to 82a with a voltage drop of .946 volts; the 8 amps get dissipated as heat through the four pounds of aluminum strapped to the Sure Power unit. The MOBI-ISOLATOR was over 25 TIMES more efficient. Obviously, we're excited that the technology used in the MOBI-ARC Control Units yields amazing efficiency when used for isolation purposes. We're still waiting for the graphics people but hope to complete the packaging and testing in the next couple weeks. We hope to get some pictures taken, put together a stats page, and spin out a brochure in the next couple of weeks as well. I'll keep you guys informed.

Scott

 

[drohweder]

Are you going to have a Sure-Power trade in option??

 

[Beowulf]

>> We hope to get some pictures taken, put together a stats page, <<
>> and spin out a brochure in the next couple of weeks as well. <<
>> I'll keep you guys informed. <<

It's been over 2 weeks. Any information?

-B-

 

[Beowulf]

>> We hope to get some pictures taken, put together a stats page, <<
>> and spin out a brochure in the next couple of weeks as well. <<
>> I'll keep you guys informed. <<

Did this Mobi-Arc isolator ever make it out of engineering? It was supposed to be in production now and we've heard nothing more about it.

-B-

 

[mobi-arc]

We haven't released it yet and until patent documentation is finalized and submitted, it can't be released without screwing ourselves. The package CAD's are done. Unit will be housed in an aluminum anodized package as opposed to a plastic encapsulation shell; purley for aesthetic purposes. The PCB will be frozen and sent out for manufacture by the end of next week. We've made some changes to the internals so the next generation MOBI-ARC product line could share parts with the MOBI-POWER isolator, thus providing better economies of scale. Size of the package will be 2.5" x 5/8".

We're really excited to get it complete and out the door, but our excitment is tempered by our desire to plan long-term and get everything set up just-right.

Artwork is done and can be viewed at www.mobi-arc.com/isolatorlabel.jpg

 

[desertdude]

Flashy art work...

 

[Hltoppr]

I went with a Sure-Power and an Optima Blue top marine to power the fridge...works great so far!

-H-

 

[RUSH55]

Hey guys, this thread seems to be filled with some electrically knowledged folk, so I'll pitch this Q on this thread cause it's kinda related.
I have a 77 FJ55, that I put a 100 amp Speacter Alt in, when the stock one went out. Once I installed the new alt., I had this problem when at idle, the amperage would drop to the bottom of the negative side (on a stock amp meter guage). I hooked up a dual batt. system with an isolator. The aux. batt. runs my winch and aux. lights. Even after hooking up the dual batt. and isolator, I still have this problem. The other part of the problem is that at night, with lights on, and at cruising rpm's (~2000-2500 rpms), the amperage will drop, then suddenly jump up to high on the positive side of the guage, then drop, then jump, ect. until it just feels like leveling out, or staying in the negative.
What I have heard, but not exactly expanded upon, is that the stock wiring can't handle the increase in amps, and develops too much heat or something, causing strange charging system behavior.
I have a stock type external voltage regulator, everything is basically stock except for the 200 amp alt and the dual batt. setup.
Does anyone have any idea what the hell the problem is and what I can doo about it?
Thanks!

 

[toy60]

I have manual system I really believe in the KISS principle.
I have the switch mounted near the glovebox and joined between the batteries with a 75 amp fused wire. The second battery runs the winch and is isolated by the switch.

It Works Its simple and its Cheep!!!!!

 

[RUSH55]

You have your main batt. hot cable going to your alt.??????

 

[toy60]

Yeah not standard cruiser alt in the old dear. It has the reg built into the alternator.
You ar right, normally it goes up to the regulator first.


Hope nobody takes me literally and modifies their wiring I would feel really bad about that!!

 

[lovetoski]

Was in a marine store today getting some electrical stuff, and talked to one of the guys about dual batteries. They do a lot of these on boats....

I was asking him about the 4 way switches that are so affordable. $25 bucks, some cable, a battery, and you're set up w/duals. He said they call these "1,2, kill" switches - because of the number of times that people leave them in the "both" position, then drain both batteries.

He really likes a new product from bluesea (great stuff by the way) that looks interesting. It works mostly automatically, but has an overide function. It's a smart solenoid, that connects the two batteries when there is a charging source (ie the engine is running, and the alt is cranking out). However, the solenoid automically disconnects when the charging source drops out. So, when you engine is off, the two batts are separate. If all of the aux loads are on the second battery, you can't kill the starting battery.

A link is below.

There is an in cab switch that has three positions: on, auto, off. Auto is the mode that does what I described above. On means that both batteries are connected, even if there isn't a charging source (eg - your starting battery is dead, and you want to use the second battery to start the engine). Off position means just that - the batteries are not connected, no matter what.

Wiring looks easy enough. I don't think there is a voltage drop like with some isolators. You can easily have in-cab control. Down side is that cost is about $140 for the solinoid + switch. (It's a full service marine store - there might be better prices, but I haven't checked around.)

http://www.bluesea.com/product.asp?Product_Id=22756&d_Id=7458&l1=7458&l2=

What do you guys think? Is this flawed somehow, or would it work OK?

 

[Rich]

Doug, see post #36

 

[mobi-arc]

Was in a marine store today getting some electrical stuff, and talked to one of the guys about dual batteries. They do a lot of these on boats....

I was asking him about the 4 way switches that are so affordable. $25 bucks, some cable, a battery, and you're set up w/duals. He said they call these "1,2, kill" switches - because of the number of times that people leave them in the "both" position, then drain both batteries.

He really likes a new product from bluesea (great stuff by the way) that looks interesting. It works mostly automatically, but has an overide function. It's a smart solenoid, that connects the two batteries when there is a charging source (ie the engine is running, and the alt is cranking out). However, the solenoid automically disconnects when the charging source drops out. So, when you engine is off, the two batts are separate. If all of the aux loads are on the second battery, you can't kill the starting battery.

A link is below.

There is an in cab switch that has three positions: on, auto, off. Auto is the mode that does what I described above. On means that both batteries are connected, even if there isn't a charging source (eg - your starting battery is dead, and you want to use the second battery to start the engine). Off position means just that - the batteries are not connected, no matter what.

Wiring looks easy enough. I don't think there is a voltage drop like with some isolators. You can easily have in-cab control. Down side is that cost is about $140 for the solinoid + switch. (It's a full service marine store - there might be better prices, but I haven't checked around.)

http://www.bluesea.com/product.asp?Product_Id=22756&d_Id=7458&l1=7458&l2=

What do you guys think? Is this flawed somehow, or would it work OK?

Aside from the moving parts, seems like a clever product.

 

[Rich]

If it achieves it's published spec of 1 million cycles, I don't think moving parts much matter. The manufacturer also backs it with an unlimited warranty.

 

[mobi-arc]

If it achieves it's published spec of 1 million cycles, I don't think moving parts much matter. The manufacturer also backs it with an unlimited warranty.

My guess is the million cycle rating is gratuitous and probably no-load switching. Every time that contactor opens and closes, it will arc slightly. Every time it arcs, carbon deposits on the contacts and over time, that will become less and less efficient ultimately becoming a high resistance connection. The byproduct of course is heat which will ultimately kill it. Now, does that take two years or two-hundred years? Who knows.