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Wiring Schemas - PDF

The document discusses the use of battery isolators and charge splitters, which utilize diodes to prevent current flow between batteries while allowing charging from a single source. It outlines the advantages, such as automatic operation and simplicity, as well as disadvantages like voltage drop and heat generation. Despite the drawbacks, split charge diodes remain popular in the marine sector due to their durability and the introduction of technologies to reduce voltage drop.

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Slaven Ivanovic
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16 views11 pages

Wiring Schemas - PDF

The document discusses the use of battery isolators and charge splitters, which utilize diodes to prevent current flow between batteries while allowing charging from a single source. It outlines the advantages, such as automatic operation and simplicity, as well as disadvantages like voltage drop and heat generation. Despite the drawbacks, split charge diodes remain popular in the marine sector due to their durability and the introduction of technologies to reduce voltage drop.

Uploaded by

Slaven Ivanovic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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4. Battery Isolator / Charge Splitter

This split charging method utilises the property of diodes to allow current to flow only in one direction. So current can flow from the alternator (or other charging source, e.g. battery charger) to both
batteries but cannot flow between batteries, thereby isolating the starter battery from the leisure battery and preventing it being flattened. The biggest drawback with the use of diodes is that they
incur a relatively large voltage drop across them, typically around 1V, which in a 12V system is quite significant. This voltage drop means that the leisure battery never sees the maximum voltage from
the alternator and doesn't fully charge, so split charge diodes are sometimes used in conjunction with an after-market alternator controller to increase the regulated output voltage and compensate for
the voltage drop.

Advantages

Automatic operation
No contacts to wear out
Simple to install
Units often have multiple outputs for several batteries
No risk of contacts arcing and so protects against ignition (important on boats where gas or petrol fume build up is a concern)

Disadvantages

Suffer voltage drop so don't charge batteries fully


May need to be used with after-market alternator regulator to boost voltage
Generate significant amounts of heat
Batteries cannot be combined for emergency engine start unless a bypass switch is fitted
Relatively expensive
Split charge diodes are still widely used in the marine sector due to their simplicity and durability which offsets their slightly lower charging performance compared with other systems. Manufacturers
have also started to employ new technologies to minimise the voltage drop issues such as the use of low-voltage drop Schottky diodes and FET-based charge splitting.

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