Sure Power Model 1314 Battery Separator wiring question

[leica69]

The installation instructions for this unit specify 6 gauge wire if the distance to the vehicle battery is 10-20 feet as is the case with my truck camper. There is no 6 gauge wire coming from either of the two batteries in my F-250. I assume the connection to the truck battery is made through a wire in the truck's 7-pin trailer harness. I doubt that any of the wires in the harness are greater than 10 gauge and if I'm right on this I'm guessing that the battery separator isn't functioning.
TIA for any comments on this?
njb
(I just became aware of the recall of certain 1314 separators and will be checking my serial number to see if it's on the recall list.)

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I agree strongly with RoyB

Blue Seas is a good company with significantly UNDER-rated specification products. They also have impressive customer service.

End of My Two Cents Opinion.

[leica69]

Thank you MEXICOWANDERER and RoyB for the detailed replies. I will deal with this over the winter. After posting the query I discovered a Hellroaring 95150B I bought a few years ago. I think I'll swap out the 1314 for the Hellroaring unit. Thanks again, njb

[RoyB]

A good alternative for the SURE Battery separator would be the BLUE SEA SI ACR model which will do the same type of functions as the SURE model.


This monitors the charge status of the second battery and will switch it in and out depending on the settings. When your truck battery is being charged by the truck alternator so will the second battery. Then it will switch the second batteries away from the alternator when being used. This insures the truck start battery is never in the second battery circuit when being used.

All of this is designed to switch out the truck start battery and not run down the truck battery.

I am going to do something like this with my setup by having split battery banks, one in the truck bed and the other bank on the trailer tongue.

My setup will allow the truck alternator to charge the truck bed batteries or I can do some BLUE SEA switching and allow the trailer converter/charger set charge the truck bed batteries.

This is just a study thing right now but will be looking something like this diagram... When I hook up my trailer I will connect up the 7-way cable and also the 2-pair 4AWG battery pair like shown in the second floor plan pictorial drawing.. Doing this will combine the two battery banks for the trailer operations (600AH Battery Capacity).




I am hoping to use 150AH TROJAN T-1275 12VDC batteries in both banks.

My next investigation will be if the truck alternator is large enough to handle the additional batteries. My back-up plan would be to charge the truck bed batteries using a B&D VEC1093DBD smart mode battery charger using the 2KW Generator for power source when the truck is being used by itself.

Roy Ken

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The 6-way trailer plug is near useless to charge a camper battery. The wires running to the plug and socket are far too small. Ridiculously so with regards to charging. The wiring is merely adequate to -maintain- a fully charged battery full.

Hundreds maybe thousands of campers are forced to upgrade to a genuine charger socket and plug. A second socket and plug devoted to battery charging only.

Six gauge wire is about the size of a fat pen. You need to use circuit breakers at each battery to protect this wire. I use small heater hose sliced lengthwise to use as a sleeve over top section of wire that passes under the truck. Stay away from exhaust components.

Have a trusted BODY SHOP make the hole (2 wires fit into one plug and socket hole using twin contacts).

Then you run a pigtail PLUG that will reach the socket mounted in the pickup bed fenderwell. The pigtail positive runs to a sixty amp breaker you purchase and install yourself.

You do -not- have to run a ground cable the full distance.

You DO have to make a ground cable six gauge, that connects between the engine block and chassis frame. On the same piece of steel (no riveted joints in between!) connect another 6 gauge ground and that will run to the new socket mounted in the pickup bed.

Then you will be happy. I'll bet the supposed battery feed line is 12 not ten gauge. A sad joke.

Keep us posted about the 1314. Sure Power went to hell when Cooper Industries bought out Sure Power from the Scheidler family. Ralph Scheidler's people made good products. Cooper of course wants to milk the cow. Bet there are weekly meetings now to discuss buying from the latest cheapest electronic parts sources in China.

If you insist on sticking with the original 6-way connector and socket you are going to regret it.