Battery Separator Issue? (1 Viewer)

[Brentbba]

I installed a new 1314-200 Sure Power battery separator to replace a very old one I think had gone bad. Two reasons on the old one. First, I've stopped hearing the distinctive clicking of the solenoid clicking open and closed. Second, I'd turned off my truck (senior moment as I have ALWAYS left the truck running with the air compressor in use...in the past) and aired up two trucks with my compressor at the end of the Monache trip. That killed both the aux battery and my main battery. It shouldn't have killed the main battery. It should have disconnected.
I ordered and installed the new one wired exactly as the old one. I got two distinctive clicks when I connected the main battery cable to the separator, and nothing since that. Ground wire was already attached when I connected the main battery. Both batteries read 12.1 with the engine off and 14.5 with the engine running. Drain on the main battery when starting the truck went down to 11.2. Running Optima Red Top batteries. They are 8 years old but voltage shows they are still good.
Do I have a defective unit? Aux wires to stuff in the truck is wired both to the Aux side of the separator and directly to the battery in the case of the compressor and winch. Lights, ham radio, etc. are connected at the separator. It's been that way for years. Original separator has to be over 8 years old as I had it before installing the Optima Red Tops in April, 2015. Good life out of the Red Tops, but part of me wonders if the separator isn't working due to age of the batteries, despite the voltage numbers looking good on both batteries.
I'd love to solve this soon as I don't want to get stranded with dead batteries from just the fridge running if the batteries aren't truly separated when the voltage on the main drops below 12.8V.
I am in contact with the seller of the separator and they are contacting the manufacturer on the issue too.

 

[gummycarbs]

Both batteries read 12.1 with the engine off

Ignition on or off? If that's with the ignition off, then your batteries are bad.

You only mentioned the solenoid once. Did you replace it? Is it clicking/clunking now?

 

[Brentbba]

12.1 is with ignition off. 14.5 with engine running. 11.2 reading when starting the truck.

I did replace the solenoid with a new one. Same brand and model so wiring is exactly the same. As mentioned, I got 2 clicks out of the new unit when I connected the main battery to the solenoid and nothing since.

 

[gummycarbs]

12.1 is with ignition off

That's a very bad battery.

I would connect a battery charger to the primary battery and see what happens. Every battery isolator I've seen just connects the two when the primary battery's voltage goes high enough to indicate that it's being charged.

 

[Brentbba]

Back of my brain thinking was that perhaps just bad/old batteries were causing the separator not working properly.

 

[LandLocked93]

Yeah, 12.1 isn't nominal. But only down to 11.2 while cranking doesn't exactly scream 'help!' imo.
Agree with putting one of the batts on a charger and see if t resolves to 12.5V at least. Could just be drawn down still from the deep discharge. Tho 8 years on red tops...kinda surprised they lasted that long. They don't make them like they used to.
The two clicks you heard sounds like it energized, then de-energized. But I'd think anything over 12V would make it work like it's supposed to.
Could be time for a dash-switched, simple relay so you don't have to dick with this again?

 

[Brentbba]

Just biting the bullet and getting 2 new batteries. 8 years on this pair is plenty.

 

[robnicko]

Why not use something like the Piranha smart isolator or Redarc?
Theyre much better to feed power to the AUX battery and much safer for the electronics in your truck than the old style solenoid

 

[Brentbba]

Why not use something like the Piranha smart isolator or Redarc?
Theyre much better to feed power to the AUX battery and much safer for the electronics in your truck than the old style solenoid

View attachment 3416558

I've had no issues so will leave well enough alone. Spending enough right now.

 

[gummycarbs]

much safer for the electronics in your truck than the old style solenoid

Why?

 

[LandLocked93]

I've had no issues so will leave well enough alone. Spending enough right now.

Dual engine batts on a 'dumb' alt are close enough to each other in an engine bay for just a relay imo and ime.
Recommend voltage and current shunt monitoring on each to boot, but to each their own.

 

[robnicko]

Why?

protects against spikes etc.
each to their own but the Piranha one I have has served well for over 20 years...

 

[george_tlc]

If spikes were an issue, winches and starter motors would quickly destroy everything. The inductive spikes from those are much more concerning than joining/disconnecting 2 batteries. I've had a dumb solenoid in our 80 for 23+ years, never an issue with any of the electronics.

Motor vehicle electronics are very rugged in design and a required to pass significant tests that incorporate bad things, load dumps, reverse battery, 24V jump starts, etc. Not nearly as 'delicate' as some folk think.

cheers,
george.

 

[LandLocked93]

Why not use something like the Piranha smart isolator or Redarc?
Theyre much better to feed power to the AUX battery and much safer for the electronics in your truck than the old style solenoid

I'm running a RedArc BCDC2420 and agree they are the top dog in the sector.
One thing tho that I think alot of people miss is that their value (any BCDC not just RedArc) really comes into play in how they overcome voltage drop over distance. Such as from an engine room batt to a cabin batt in the rear of the truck. They eliminate the need for 1/0+ cabling front to rear (considering 3% drop). This saves alot of $$$ in cabling costs off the trot.
To use a BCDC just for 2 FLA engine room batts is wasteful imo. Unless you have some battery chemistries that need special attention.