Battery Isolators,Separators, and Switches?

[ProfessorPaddle]

I am guessing that the sound is not really purposefully to let you know it is working, the flashing LED on the remote does that, I just figured it was a by product of the Magnetic Latching Process which would be very difficult and costly to buffer or insulate the sound out of.

Speaking of ... I have one of those wireless inductive chargers for my Android phone and if you want to know about STUPID programmers, google this "turn off android inductive charging sound" the stupid notification is blazing loud, you can't turn the volume down and you can't turn it off. It blurts out this stupid sound 3 or 4 times and has woken up my kids twice... Laying in bed one night I went to lay my phone down on it and realized it was gone... I rolled over to my wife and asked where is my charger, she said I put it in the garage, use the damn cord so you don't wake me up. The next morning I went out to the garage to get it and found that she had driven a lag bolt through the thing and screwed it to the wall... NICE. Not sure why I felt like adding that other than I am bored at the moments wasting my time, oh and yours.

[ProfessorPaddle]

Oh and you can turn it off but it requires gaining root, and you have to replace the sound file with a something silent or different. I did that but apparently not quick enough to please my wife.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPaddle

I am guessing that the sound is not really purposefully to let you know it is working, the flashing LED on the remote does that, I just figured it was a by product of the Magnetic Latching Process which would be very difficult and costly to buffer or insulate the sound out of.
....

No, that was just the sound of me being a smart-a$$ (or attempting to be)

[ProfessorPaddle]

Gotcha... Can you do that silently next time. lol

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPaddle

Gotcha... Can you do that silently next time. lol

But then you won't notice me.

[daveb]

Originally Posted by ProfessorPaddle

I am guessing that the sound is not really purposefully to let you know it is working, the flashing LED on the remote does that.

Flashing???

[Scalf77]

Originally Posted by daveb

Flashing???

I agree Flashing means 1 of three things:

• LEDs OFF - Batteries are isolated
  
  LEDs ON - Batteries are combined
  
  LEDs slow steady blink, ON-OFF -Start or Engine Isolation is causing batteries to be isolated
  
  LEDs quick steady blink, ON-OFF -Undervoltage lockout--either battery is below 9.6V@12V DC
  operation or 19.2V@24V DC operation. Overvoltage lockout--either battery is above 16.2V@12V DC
  operation or 32.4V@24V DC operation.
  
  Remote Switch Set to OVERRIDE “ON” or “OFF”—Automatic operation is suspended for 10 minutes after remote switch is returned to “AUTO”
  
  LEDs double blink,Blink-Blink-Pause, Repeat -Manual override--check ACR for switch states OR
  ACR mechanical failure
  

[daveb]

Exactly... it usually indicates an issue/condition. Mine has only done that when one of my starting batteries was failing. But I also have my separator set to auto open during ignition start. Before I set it to that I don't remember it flashing slowly during a start. I'll have to check mine out. I only had it set that way for a few days so I don't recall.

[edit] the separator is very loud.

[LFFE]

OK, I am starting to figure this all out. I think...
I have an 03 diesel with a 50 layout and solar. I have a solar boost 2000e and I found a surepower isolator under the hood mounted to the front drivers side wheel well.

I have been having some battery issues for a while now, and I think it is time to replace the isolator. I want to switch over to either a surepower or bluesea bi directional separator. If i want to mount this under the back seat will I will have to replace the wires connecting the house and starting batteries correct? I am about to hit the road for a month plus. Anybody know of a place near Jackson Hole, Denver, or the north east that deals with this type of thing?

[coyotearms]

Looks like this thread drifted away from the topic for a bit, but my 2nd Sure Power separator in three years stopped working. So I visited this wonderful thread to see what folks are doing. My build (SMBI) was delivered with a DOA bi-directional 1515, go figure. Van Specialties in Portland put in a 1514 while fixing a bunch of other things SMBI did wrong. I chose the uni-directional 1514 at the time for the same reasons stated numerous times above (Solar should have highest priority when camped, problems with main batteries getting masked until you NEED to jump them, having a manual switch on a bi-directional unit such as the Bue Sea 7622 is not idiot proof). Since then I also had a telling experience at home one morning when I could not start the beast because I was a bad boy and let the van sit for about a month (something I rarely do---6.0 diesel!). When I hit the AUX START switch . . .nothing. It turned out there was a low current short circuit somewhere in the the engine compartment Ford found (and most likely done during a previous Ford service/repair) AND the fricking AUX START circuit in the Sure Power ALSO failed! Now we are about to head to Alaska and need to address it. Also note we have all-AGM's so no worries about mixing battery types except for relative age of each bank.

I read with some optimism:

Daveb,8/9/2013: Myself, I have enough solar to charge both battery systems. I had nothing but trouble with Sure Power and after several units replaced I went with the Blue Sea 7622. I have had no issues since. I also purchased the remote kit but if you have access to the separator it has full controls on it. By having the separator connect while the van sits outside not in use, the solar keeps both battery systems fully charged. Usually by morning my all systems are fully up w/I two hours. With the blue Sea, if either battery banks fall below 12.8, the separator opens. In the open position the solar only charges the house bank. Once the house bank is up, the separator closes and charges both systems as normal. The solar controller ramps down as the banks reach full charge.

This seems to imply the 7622 can automatically solar charge the house first and then charge the mains. I don't see how that is possible with any position of the manual switch. Certainly that will not happen with that switch set to connected or disconnected. If it is set to auto and assuming the solar is connected to the house bank, very soon into the bulk charge phase, during the accept phase (~14.4v) and even after the float phase starts (~13.2V) the 7622 will connect until nightfall because it connects when either battery sees 13.5V for 30s or 13.0V for 90s. These voltage/times were in fact chosen to make sure the 7622 will connect during float, "SI ACR Performance during Charger Float Mode," http://www.bluesea.com/resources/500...ger_Float_Mode. The good thing is that after the sun goes down the batteries would disconnect, but given the entire range of weather and seasons (we live in Seattle), this could lead to charging both banks, yes, but not fully before the sun goes down when camping and using stuff, i.e. not giving priority to the house while the sun shines.

So as much as it seems clear that the Blue Sea is more reliable than the Sure Power, and given all I have to do is swap out an old 1514 for a new (~$70), that's the plan. I will also replace is the existing dashboard momentary switch with a rocker that lights up brightly when on, such as I use for my compressor:
.
That could make jump starting a bit easier if only because Van Specialties mounted the dash switch below the ignition switch (need two right hands!). Given that it is on the dash and very bright, if it does accidentally get turned on, it should be readily notices(?). I have no plans to have that switch on long term, because it draws power. Sure Power told me up to 50W---it can get hot! And who knows, having it on may be necessary to get a broken van to the garage. Once I drove all the way from Reno to San Francisco in a sedan without a generator!

And after reading about all the additional tips, I know I should also have the capability of 1) bypassing and 2) turning off the separator: 1) a wrench available to connect both cables to one terminal of the separator should do, easy as pie , and 2) a rocker switch or in-line push connector to disconnect the separator coil ground wire, pretty easy .

In conclusion I view these my plans as nothing more than a work-around because Blue Sea only makes uni-directional version of the 7622!

Please try to shoot holes through this plan so I will be sure I am doing it right! Note, a number of interesting ways to go about this did not appear to be applicable in my case (like using Ford parts) given that the two mains are under the chassis and the three house batteries are inside the van in the rear, but resulting in the need for only about three feet total and two cabls to connect both banks to the separator in the present configuration.