FWC Wiring?

[Beach]

So while I'm replacing my solar controller, I notice the battery isolator relay/solenoid has the Iota 12v + charging lead on one terminal, also on the same terminal is the 12v + truck charging lead and the third lead on the same terminal is the feed for 12v + to the battery. The other terminal has nothing connected to it, the control wiring has not been connected except for a grd wire to the main grd buss. My question is, is this a standard setup?? Looks like they just used the solenoid for a post to connect all the
12v + feeds. Why not use a post terminal? I don't get their logic.

 

[DavidO]

The Sure Power Battery Separator should be installed as per the instructions

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/batteryseparator1315.pdf

 

[Beach]

Thanks DavidO for posting that, nice having a schematic

 

[Trailbob]

If you bought the camper used, the previous owner may have put the hot leads on one lug to by-pass the separator. That is what I did on my truck, since there is also a "smart" solanoid under the hood that disconnects the starting battery.

 

[K7MDL]

If you bought the camper used, the previous owner may have put the hot leads on one lug to by-pass the separator. That is what I did on my truck, since there is also a "smart" solanoid under the hood that disconnects the starting battery.

+1. Many people use an external charging relay/isolator. I did on my previous Grandby.

 

[Beach]

Its not a problem using only the one post as a common post for those positive leads, just seems like a waste using a isolator solenoid instead of using a single post terminal. Actually I'm thinking about removing the existing setup and using a blue sea battery switch in place of what is there. I'll use switch position 1 for the Iota 12v +, position 2 for the truck 12v + and the output(marked common on the switch) will be connected to the battery. That way I can manually select whatever source I want for charging.

 

[K7MDL]

It is useful to leave it in there in case the next owner (think reseale) needs the isolator. You did not say if you have an isolator of some variety in the truck or not. Using a switch will not prevent you from running down your starter battery when you eventually forget to turn it off (having a number of boats, you will eventually forget, not if you forget). You can just move the wire to the other post and get your isolator back if you need one, no extra cost or wiring.

If you are just looking for a manual switch function, perhaps look to see if it is possible to put a small manual switch in series with the voltage sensing leads inside the isolator, if they are accessible. I used a Blue Sea Systems ACR7100 on several boats and trucks. Since I had one mounted in my truck I also moved the wire in the camper to the same post as you found yours. The ACR7100 has the advantage of performing current limiting to 60amps on the load side wire plus position indication and manual overrides.

 

[Beach]

Isolator looks just like the one in the above hyperlink. Not worried about running down the truck battery as the truck is equipped with a trailer package which has a isolator installed, no continuity to the truck system till motor is running. I like the blue sea stuff myself, in fact the battery switch is a blue sea #6007, I have a distributor down the street from the shop.