Hellroaring vs. National Luna vs. PowerGate
- Thread starter NLXTACY
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Just a FYI, the kit is $375 from Equipt1 but you can buy the individual pieces from them if you want to use your own cable. I think the solenoid is $140 and the dual controller is $95.
The big picture? I haven't heard anything bad about any of the systems you are looking at. You will probably be happy with whichever you choose.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
- Thread starter
- #23
SUNDAYPUNCH, you are totally right. It really doesn't matter which I choose because they will all do what they are supposed to do. And yes, I don't think I've ever read someone say "this suck, I regret this decision" when it comes to dual battery choices. I am really interested in hearing why one system is better than another.
Look I really don't know what's keeping me from just flipping a coin and picking.
Hopefully someone has that little piece of info that will sway me.
Look I really don't know what's keeping me from just flipping a coin and picking.
Hopefully someone has that little piece of info that will sway me.
Your concern must be more focused on which one is more foolproof when charging and not how to provide the juice stored in your batteries to the most important job which is turning on your cruiser.
Solenoids can fail and the electronic module which turn them on can fail, electronic isolators can fail, marine battery switch can melt or corrode their contacts and on and on.
In a emergency were your main battery is depleted , you can always use a jumper cable to hook both positive posts in parallel for a moment to get ignition but if your alternator or whatever system used to distribute or isolate the batteries fail and you discover it too late, you will be in trouble if you are all alone.
I am a firm believer of Murphy's Law, and any system can fail: not now, not later but just when you would not expect it.
There is not a more scary case scenario as is in the marine world when your are miles away from any help and they stil relay in the simple mechanical marine switch and lately most if not all boats, carry a solar panel.
And for CHARGING, the diode isolators as the one Surepower pioneered (which have their cons like the 0.5 volt drop or generated heat) have well proven their reliability (if you choose the right size and protect their output). In fact your alternator produces alternate current which is converted to DC by diodes on it's rectifier plate. So if alternator manufacturers stil use diodes inside them is because they are reliable.
But a cheap or poorly designed diode isolator can be also your worst nightmare.
Having a electronic box that monitors main battery voltage and switches the alternator output to the aux battery through a solenoid when the main is fully charged is exciting and high tech but !!!!!!
Last edited:
I ordered my National Luna set up today
Word. It's a brand name begging to be on a T-shirt with a cool logo.
Are you trying to say this ISN'T a cool logo?
I've had their isolator for 2 or 3 years and love it. The owner is Mike and he is very accessible and helpful on the phone. However, their web site sucks terribly. It would have been an ugly web site 10 years ago. In Web 2.0 it is pathetic.
-B-
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
Could be a great project for someone with some web know how, bring him into the next century, trade for an isolator.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
- Thread starter
- #33
Just to close out the thread, this is what I ultimately did:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-...roaring-bic-95150b-plus-guest-appearance.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-...roaring-bic-95150b-plus-guest-appearance.html
Do you feel the Powergate is best for its build quality, design, performance or all of the above?
Rich
Rich
My .02$ (FYI I run a simple isolator system currently and to date works flawlessly)
All three are good systems but if money were no object I would go Powergate, no question (the Luna is pretty pricey as well)
Simple does not necessarily mean less options but it does mean less to fuss with. For me a “one-way valve” for current is perfect. I decide how and where the current will be routed from each battery knowing they are isolated in case of a large draw. I intend to replace my current isolator with something from Powergate but currently the budget is going other places.
I have the Natl Luna install brochure and talked to the rep from Equip at CM this year. I like the volt meters but after doing some reading of the install book I decided against it. The install says a winch should be driven by the main battery and looking over the kit I agree. It does not appear the kit is designed to handle high loads. Not horrible but I like my winch on the aux batt, so it wasn’t the right kit for me.
Hellroaring has gotten great reviews and while it seems like a quality system I dislike the switches. I have made several smarta$$ comments over the years about the ability to self-jump being “mandatory” for some users. It has a certain “cool factor” but shouldn’t be the driving factor in the purchase. I could be wrong but the potential for a “driver error” (switch in wrong position leaving one or more batteries dead) was enough to dissuade me.
I prefer my systems "simple" just like me
I don't understand how the "self jump" option can kill the batteries.
You are supposed to use a momentary switch aren't you?
You are supposed to use a momentary switch aren't you?
NLXTACY
Wits' End
- Thread starter
- #37
^THAT^ is why I didn't take that into account. I would ONLY use a momentary switch for "jump-start". The flexibility is way more important for me in the LX being as I go everywhere in that thing and I have tons of extra electrical vampires connected to it. With my FJ60 its an occasional rig with very little electrical accessories so its really only purpose is to control the dual batteries. Which is why I would consider the Powergate. But the Hellroaring is still on the table. I may just use it so that I could swap in an emergency. Dunno yet.
I like the design simplicity. I cannot comment on quality because I have not seen it in person. Based on the specs, I expect the performance to be very good but again no personal experience. It will certainly out perform my current isolator.
If you are refering to this " ... switch in wrong position leaving one or more batteries dead ..." I am referring to normal operations. It is my understanding that the Hellroaring system uses a remote switch to choose between all functions not just the self-jump. The potential for the switch to be left in a position that would allow one or more of the batteries to drain without being recharged is enough to disuade me. It may NEVER happen to anybody else but Mr Murphy follows me around like a shadow
I'll stick with K.I.S.S. (emphasis for me on the last S)
NLXTACY-
A thread that starts with your requirements, gathers up constructive discussion and awesome contributions along the way, and a post that follows up to you're complete write up?!
You, sir, are a model mudder!
Thanks.
-KK
A thread that starts with your requirements, gathers up constructive discussion and awesome contributions along the way, and a post that follows up to you're complete write up?!
You, sir, are a model mudder!
Thanks.
-KK
NLXTACY
Wits' End
- Thread starter
- #40
haha! Well I only do it because I've gone through SOO many threads where a question is asked but there was no follow up to see where it went from there. Did it work, did it not? What is the final solution? Those threads don't help this forum and makes the search function more of a pain in the ass because of dead leads.
But thanks for the kudos!
But thanks for the kudos!
