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Thread: DB-140 Battery Isolator by Sidewinder - what's peoples Thoughts?

  1. #11
    Join Date
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    I have never had a problem with the primary battery not having enough to start the car with the cutout at 12.4 volts,although I am a bit paranoid. I tend to charge the batteries once the LED cuts out after 3-4 days. When I am camping I connect the solar panel to the aux and then join both batteries.

    The volts actually fall down to the mid to high 11s as the capacitors in the ECU and the fuel pump cut in.

    I had a non starting problem with the previous Optima blue top when I thought the battery had not enough power to start but it turned out to be injector washers LOL. Threw away a perfectly good battery.

    Regards Philip A

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by weeds View Post
    Just checked the Website says 12.7, might be a recent change although mine goes clunk within a few minutes of pulling up probably when the fridge cycles on.

    Given there seems to be a few members who prefer their starter to stay as fully charged as possible I wondering if traxide would do a unit with a higher cut out.
    Hi Weeds and while my standard SC80 is only available with a Cut-Out voltage of 12.0v, for a number of years now, both my Discovery 3 DBS kit, the D3-DS and my Discovery 4 DBS kit, the D4-5S, have a special version of the SC80 where the user can select either SHARED Mode where the isolator cuts out at 12.0v or the STORED Mode, where the isolator cuts out at 12.75v

    Both my DT90 and USI-160 come standard with both settings and in all these isolators, the user simply selects which mode they want by changing the position of the switch in the In-Cab Module, supplies with all of these isolators.

    The STORED Mode is for just that reason. If you are not going to use your vehicle for long periods of time, as there is no need for the extra battery capacity while the vehicle is not in use, then by setting to the STORED Mode you literally shut the isolator down to save battery energy.

    With all of my isolators, the preferred operating setting is the SHARED Mode, with the 12.0v cut out.

    This gives the best performance for both the Cranking batter and the Auxiliary battery.

    Folks if you are happy with those "cheap" isolators, good on you, but compared to what my isolators achieve, you don't actually save money.

    The instant you use one of my isolators, because you now have 50% of your cranking battery's capacity available to run your accessories, you have literally added at least $100 worth of battery capacity to your setup, with out increasing your auxiliary battery size, or adding additional weight to your vehicle and you have not needed any additional space to gain the extra auxiliary battery capacity.

    Furthermore, thinking that keeping a battery at a fully charged state over allowing it to be discharged dow to 12.0v, when you are off camping, will guaranty the battery will always be safer, is giving you nothing but a false sense of security.

    If a battery is stuffed, regardless of whether the isolator cuts out at 12.7v or 12.0v, the battery is stuffed.

    But with the way my isolators work, by cutting out at 12.0v, while you are driving around town, normally using my cranking battery capacity to start your motor than you replace while town driving, my isolators actually keep your cranking battery in a higher state of charge. This one single operating feature will help to extend the operating life of your battery.

    Lots more advantages to using my isolators but the point is, using one of my isolators, as compared to other isolators, "cheap" or otherwise, mine will save you money and long term, my isolators will save you more than what my isolators cost in the first place.

  3. #13
    Join Date
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    I have a couple of Tim's Traxide systems and I have found that what Tim posts works out well.

    Conservative me, I initially used to isolate the camping battery to preserve the cranking battery charge when pulled up for the night, but with growth of confidence I have found that Tim's system works as described.

    I have even adapted one of his units to a portable system on an extra battery container that can simply be transferred from car to car (got too many cars I guess - blame cheap pensioner (& "H") rego).

  4. #14
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    Thanks Tim....it’s been awhile since I’ve been to your website.

    For some of us that do extended touring we-are generally on the move everyday therefore the additional capacity of the starter probably doesn’t get utilized. More and more tourers have permanent solar on the roof which keep the aux topped up. For us the savings ‘in battery capacity’ aren’t really there. I haven’t needed any more than the 100amp/hr AUX and solar.

    If my redarc fails I’d consider your SC80 MKII if it had a higher voltage cut out although having permanent solar would keeps the volts well above 12.

  5. #15
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    drivesafe--With all of my isolators, the preferred operating setting is the SHEARED Mode, with the 12.0v cut out.
    Not being pedantic, as I consider you to be one of only a few on here that talk sense, but surely you mean "shared"? What you are writing means "broken" amongst other things, and is completely confusing. Cheers.

  6. #16
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    I have had the SC80 for over 7 yrs now and had no issues with starting the vehicle at 12.0V.

    If there is a need to isolate the batteries,for whatever reason,just install a switch in the negative wire to the SC80.

    Easy as.
    Paul

    D2,D2,D2a,D4,'09 Defender 110(sons), all moved on.

    '56 S1,been in the family since...'56
    Comes out of hibernation every few months for a run

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by weeds View Post
    For some of us that do extended touring we-are generally on the move everyday therefore the additional capacity of the starter probably doesn’t get utilized. More and more tourers have permanent solar on the roof which keep the aux topped up. For us the savings ‘in battery capacity’ aren’t really there. I haven’t needed any more than the 100amp/hr AUX and solar.

    Hi again Weeds, and this is just for a comparison.


    If someone already has the 100Ah battery, then then there is no weight saving.


    But for someone starting to get there setup sorted. By using my isolators, you would only need a 50Ah auxiliary battery and you would have exactly the same amount of battery Ah available, but with a saving in cost, weight and space.


    Even if you already have a bigger auxiliary battery, and you still only use the same amount of power, because the load is spread over two batteries, these batteries are not discharged as low as the original single battery, and this means they will be fully charged in a lot less driving time.


    As far as solar goes. If you use the same amount of energy with a single battery setup or with a two battery setup, the recharge time will be the same. But because both the SC80 and DT90 have reverse charging, it does not matter where you connect your solar, the SC80 and DT90 will automatically charge both batteries.


    One more advantage with using my isolators. in most cases, when you start your motor, because the two batteries are still linked together, part of the energy required to start your motor is going to come from the auxiliary battery.


    This not only helps when starting the motor, but because the cranking battery is not discharged as much as it would in any other setup, again, your cranking battery will be charged in a shorter drive time, and this one feature in itself, is a major advantage for short, around town, driving situations.


    As posted earlier, there is a lot to how my isolators work.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by drivesafe View Post
    Hi again Weeds, and this is just for a comparison.


    If someone already has the 100Ah battery, then then there is no weight saving.


    But for someone starting to get there setup sorted. By using my isolators, you would only need a 50Ah auxiliary battery and you would have exactly the same amount of battery Ah available, but with a saving in cost, weight and space.


    Even if you already have a bigger auxiliary battery, and you still only use the same amount of power, because the load is spread over two batteries, these batteries are not discharged as low as the original single battery, and this means they will be fully charged in a lot less driving time.


    As far as solar goes. If you use the same amount of energy with a single battery setup or with a two battery setup, the recharge time will be the same. But because both the SC80 and DT90 have reverse charging, it does not matter where you connect your solar, the SC80 and DT90 will automatically charge both batteries.


    One more advantage with using my isolators. in most cases, when you start your motor, because the two batteries are still linked together, part of the energy required to start your motor is going to come from the auxiliary battery.


    This not only helps when starting the motor, but because the cranking battery is not discharged as much as it would in any other setup, again, your cranking battery will be charged in a shorter drive time, and this one feature in itself, is a major advantage for short, around town, driving situations.


    As posted earlier, there is a lot to how my isolators work.
    Just pm’d u a question relating to all of this.
    "Land Rover - making mechanics out of everyday motorists for nearly 70 years"

  9. #19
    DiscoMick Guest
    Why would 12.4 (80%) be a problem?

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by DiscoMick View Post
    Why would 12.4 (80%) be a problem?
    Probably nothing......it’s just that some of us want the main left as it is when we pull up which seems to get by in from those happy to use their starter capacity.

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