Traxide Isolator issues

[Canaussie]

I currently have a uci 160 isolator. When I'm away camping I utilise the optima under the bonnet as well as the two optimas in the camper as my power for fridge and other niceities. For some reason the last 2 times my cranking battery has gone flat.. To my understanding the isolator relay should open to keep the voltage in my cranking battery healthy, but that hasn't been the case. Has anyone else had an issue with this sort of problem. Info fully charge baggies before I leave with a 7 stage Projecta intelli charger 25a set on 12 a for AGM batteries. Is it possible the isolator is faulty?


Cheers Billy

[Redback]

You have mentioned that you charge your axillary batteries, but have you checked your main cranking battery to see if it is OK and have you checked that you have your isolator wired correctly, the light on the isolator tells you this by the way it is flashing.

Baz.

[drivesafe]

Hi Billy, when your cranking battery was flat, were your auxiliary/house batteries still powering your fridge and accessories?

Also, with the flat cranking battery and the USI-160 isolator, did you jump start from the auxiliary batter?

[Canaussie]

You have mentioned that you charge your axillary batteries, but have you checked your main cranking battery to see if it is OK and have you checked that you have your isolator wired correctly, the light on the isolator tells you this by the way it is flashing.

Baz.

Yes have checked that all connections are correct. When I charged the batteries last time I went camping I connected Vinnie (D4) to the camper and charged them all at the same time. Charger is located in camper so batters in bonnet are charged via 50a Anderson plug. I have now reconditioned all batteries and will see how that goes. It's just that when I'm camping and plug into the Anderson plug I thought that I'm using the optima as supply and when voltage gets below 12v the relay inside the isolator should open to keep a healthy voltage in the cranking battery. So far both times camping this has let me down as I have had a flat cranking battery. I have followed the instructions of the kit, so I know it's all wired up correctly.

I guess I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong with where the switch should be on the traxxide kit. By the instructions it should be away from the LEd.

Confused??

Billy

[drivesafe]

Hi again Billy and I think you probably didn’t see my reply as would have been typing yours at the same time.

Did you have anything running in the D4 while you were camping as it sounds like you either have a problem with your cranking battery or something is drawing power in the D4.

[Canaussie]

Yes Tim I have wondered that myself if anything might be drawing power from battery, the first time it happened I was able to jump from aux battery via switch, second time both batteries did not have enough in them to get the car going. As I said earlier I have reconditioned all batteries and will monitor. All voltage seems good across all batteries even though I know this isn't an indicator for there condition.

I am heading to Townsville I might get dealer to check cranking batty health.

Cheers Billy

[Canaussie]

I have put a clamp meter on the negative, was drawing about 3 amps. Does the computer draw that kind of current. I will have to do more investigating.

Billy

[gghaggis]

I have put a clamp meter on the negative, was drawing about 3 amps. Does the computer draw that kind of current. I will have to do more investigating.

Billy

When the car's asleep (after 2mins of inactivity), it should only draw milliamps. Are you doing anything to keep it awake (opening doors, running auxillaries etc)?

Cheers,

Gordon

[Hoppy11]

Also, with the flat cranking battery and the USI-160 isolator, did you jump start from the auxiliary batter?

If we experience a flat cranking battery should we jump start from auxiliary or cranking battery

[Tombie]

If we experience a flat cranking battery should we jump start from auxiliary or cranking battery

The answer means - use the aux battery to provide the power to jump start.

You will always need to follow the procedure and jump using the main battery to get a vehicle going (no point connecting to the aux. it will be isolated).

The USI has a feature to 'jump link' the aux into the starting circuit.

[drivesafe]

If we experience a flat cranking battery should we jump start from auxiliary or cranking battery

Hi Hoppy and there is a catch, it doesn’t matter whether you are using one of my isolators, or some other brand with jump start ability or just using a jumper lead between the auxiliary battery and the flat cranking battery.

If the cranking battery is low but can be charged, then you will most likely be able to jump start from the auxiliary battery.

If the cranking battery dead flat and /or faulty, then you will actually need to get a jump start from a donor vehicle, WHILE THE DONOR VEHICLE'S MOTOR IS RUNNING.

Just as an example, I recently had a call from a friend who had the first TEST USI-160 fitted.

He had been to the cape and back, winching quite a few bogged vehicles on the way and had done a couple of jump starts but that morning he could not jump start his vehicle, even though his auxiliary battery was fully charged.

He tried to jump start from his wife’s VW but as the vehicles were parked side by side, he hadn’t started the VW.

Not until he started the VW and left it idling for a few minutes, did he finally get his 4x4 started.

So be careful, having an auxiliary battery does not guaranty you will be able to jump start from it.

This will depend on how low ( or flat ) your cranking battery is when you try. If the cranking battery is dead flat and/or faulty, it will pull the auxiliary battery down to a level where it too can not start your motor.

[Redback]

The answer means - use the aux battery to provide the power to jump start.

You will always need to follow the procedure and jump using the main battery to get a vehicle going (no point connecting to the aux. it will be isolated).

The USI has a feature to 'jump link' the aux into the starting circuit.

Maybe this is why the main is going flat, could it still be in jump link?? and the main is still having power drawn from it.

Baz.

[drivesafe]

Maybe this is why the main is going flat, could it still be in jump link?? and the main is still having power drawn from it.

Baz.

Hi Baz and NO.

Unlike most other isolators, where the jump start switch bypasses the isolator a just turns on the relays, with the USI-160, the switch tells the USI-160’s micro that you want want to jump start.

The micro then checks to see if it can be done and then links the batteries.

If you do not get the motor started with in 20 seconds of trying to, the USI-160 will cancel the Jump Start mode and revert to normal operations.

If you succeed in starting the motor, as soon as the voltage rises over 13.15v, indicating the motor is running, the USI-160 again will cancel the Jump Start mode and revert to normal operations.

Even if you select Winch mode, and this can only be done while the motor is running, and you forget to take it out of winch mode, 5 minutes after you turn the motor off, once again, the USI-160 will automatically revert to normal operations

So there is no way you can accidentally leave the USI-160 on and flatten the cranking battery if you flatten the auxiliary battery.

[Redback]

Hi Baz and NO.

Unlike most other isolators, where the jump start switch bypasses the isolator a just turns on the relays, with the USI-160, the switch tells the USI-160’s micro that you want want to jump start.

The micro then checks to see if it can be done and then links the batteries.

If you do not get the motor started with in 20 seconds of trying to, the USI-160 will cancel the Jump Start mode and revert to normal operations.

If you succeed in starting the motor, as soon as the voltage rises over 13.15v, indicating the motor is running, the USI-160 again will cancel the Jump Start mode and revert to normal operations.

Even if you select Winch mode, and this can only be done while the motor is running, and you forget to take it out of winch mode, 5 minutes after you turn the motor off, once again, the USI-160 will automatically revert to normal operations

So there is no way you can accidentally leave the USI-160 on and flatten the cranking battery if you flatten the auxiliary battery.

Just a quick question Tim, how can I tell if I'm in winch mode, there are no markings on my switch, is there a direction the switch should be in??

[drivesafe]

Hi again Baz.

You can only select WINCH mode with the motor running.

If you are in the SHEARED mode ( the recommended setting ) the switch will be positioned away from the LED and the LED will be glowing constantly.

With the motor running, move the switch towards the LED. The LED will now glow for 2 seconds and then give 3 short flashes and then constantly repeats this cycle while you are in WINCH mode.

If you are in IGNITION mode, the switch is positioned towards the LED. Move the switch away from the LED and then back towards the LED again.

This will again put you into WINCH mode.

You can turn the Winch mode off by either moving the switch away from the LED and when the motor is turned off, the USI-160 will automatically go into SHEARED mode.

Or you can leave the switch where it is and just turn your motor off, 5 minutes after the motor is turned off, the USI-160 will automatically go into IGNITION mode.