Keeping two batteries happy (separated)
Please excuse this long post, but I thought a more comprehensive discussion of this topic might be of interest. As is common with many RV's, I have two batteries in my RV, one for starting the veh...
Forum Discussion
My philosophy is this...
When a charging source is enabled, EVERYTHING charges AUTOMATICALLY. N-O S-W-I-T-C-E-S. Switches and wiring degrades over time and fails. This provided me with a great source of income for 30 years.
When I want to check the INTEGRITY of my battery splitter I don't want to have to don a pair of roller skates or take Celebrex before contorting myself to go behind a dashboard. It is so much easier to look at a device that has a short ground wire and two big cables connected to it. That's all I need to check out.
The 200 ampere "Smart Solenoid" model can take anything a charging system can dish out. Yes you need a fuse or breaker just like you would with any of the alternatives.
I've got better things to do than suddenly remember that I forgot to turn a switch on or off. Not when an alternative is available and it is plug n play.
A few folks will go 10 years that last me a year or two. All of my customers that needed conventional solenoids replaced certainly did not go ten years on theirs either. I find the ten-years figure to be astonishing.
The newer breed of battery "combiner or splitter" use solenoid components that are much higher quality than simple can type solenoids sold in parts stores.
But, and this is a big one...
If I had a charging system that had the capability of putting in ANYWHERE NEAR the capacity amperage rating, I would upgrade to a 200 amp solenoid.
I am cheap, lazy, and forgetful. My choice is obviously the smart solenoid.
When a charging source is enabled, EVERYTHING charges AUTOMATICALLY. N-O S-W-I-T-C-E-S. Switches and wiring degrades over time and fails. This provided me with a great source of income for 30 years.
When I want to check the INTEGRITY of my battery splitter I don't want to have to don a pair of roller skates or take Celebrex before contorting myself to go behind a dashboard. It is so much easier to look at a device that has a short ground wire and two big cables connected to it. That's all I need to check out.
The 200 ampere "Smart Solenoid" model can take anything a charging system can dish out. Yes you need a fuse or breaker just like you would with any of the alternatives.
I've got better things to do than suddenly remember that I forgot to turn a switch on or off. Not when an alternative is available and it is plug n play.
A few folks will go 10 years that last me a year or two. All of my customers that needed conventional solenoids replaced certainly did not go ten years on theirs either. I find the ten-years figure to be astonishing.
The newer breed of battery "combiner or splitter" use solenoid components that are much higher quality than simple can type solenoids sold in parts stores.
But, and this is a big one...
If I had a charging system that had the capability of putting in ANYWHERE NEAR the capacity amperage rating, I would upgrade to a 200 amp solenoid.
I am cheap, lazy, and forgetful. My choice is obviously the smart solenoid.
