Battery Isolators
A battery isolator is used to prevent primary battery systems from being drained and are mostly used in car stereo systems. These devices cause a secondary/auxiliary battery to be drained instead of the vehicle’s primary battery. This is so whether the stereo is used when the engine is turned off or if an after-market stereo system has been installed that requires more power than the stock vehicle battery can provide.
Types of Battery Isolators
There are two types of battery isolators: solenoid (relay) and diode.
Diode Battery Isolators
The diode battery isolator combines two high current diodes in a heat sink. It is maintenance free and long lasting. However, many diode-based isolators experience voltage loss, which results in them being unable to charge to as high a voltage as when they are connected to a vehicle alternator. Advanced diode battery isolators also include an extra terminal that is used to control current flow through the isolator.
Solenoid Battery Isolators
Solenoid battery isolators use large, high current relays to control electric current flow through the isolator. This type of battery isolator does not experience any voltage loss. However, it is not as reliable as the diode battery isolator and may require frequent replacement.
Can a Second Battery be Added Without an Isolator?
Depending on a car’s design or the second battery’s location in the car, a battery isolator may not need to be installed in a vehicle’s electrical system in order for a second battery to be installed. Many consumers successfully install a second battery in their car if it is close to the stereo amplifiers. If the battery is inside the car’s passenger compartment, it should be a sealed battery. If it is installed in the trunk, a standard battery that is installed in a battery box and has ventilation routed to the area can be used. Standard lead acid batteries create flammable gases, so an unventilated area is an additional explosion hazard. The second battery should also be fused in order to prevent an electrical fire in the vehicle due to over-voltage. Two common mistakes that consumers make when installing a second battery without an isolator are 1) failing to ground the battery properly and 2) allowing objects to come into contact with the battery’s terminals.
|
|
- How a Battery Works
Batteries are used constantly by the public, from cars, computers, laptops, radios, to portable MP3 players, cell phones, and clocks. A battery, in a nut shell, can be defined as a can filled with certain chemicals that produce electrons from electrochemical reactions. Alessandro Volta created the first battery in 1800. In order to accomplish his [...]...
- What is a Barrier Isolator?
A barrier isolator is a device that is the physical barrier between a laboratory technician or observers and laboratory work that is in progress. The pharmaceutical industry is the largest barrier isolator user. Modern barrier isolators can be operated at ambient, positive, or negative environmental pressures. They also protect people, the environment, a product, or [...]...
- Lithium Ion Battery
A Lithium Ion battery is a type of battery that is rechargeable and lasts longer than any other type of rechargeable battery currently on the market. Lithium Ion batteries are used for a wide variety of applications and are currently extremely popular due to their ability to be used in a wider range of temperatures [...]...
- Rectifier
A rectifier changes alternating current into direct current. This process is called rectification. The three main types of rectifier are the half-wave, full-wave, and bridge. A rectifier is the opposite of an inverter, which changes direct current into alternating current. Half-Wave Rectifier The simplest type is the half-wave rectifier, which can be made with just [...]...
- Nickel Cadmium Battery
A Nickel-Cadmium battery is a type of rechargeable battery that is often used instead of other common rechargeable batteries, such as Lithium-Ion batteries and Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries. Nickel-Cadmium batteries were once the most popular type of rechargeable battery, but have battled with other rechargeable batteries over the years concerning price and applications due to the [...]...