Battery Isolators for Multiple Batteries
Battery isolators are best seen as the distribution point of an automotive electrical system. Generally built with diodes, isolators ensure that charge is evenly distributed between multiple batteries and the alternator.
Battery Isolators eliminate multi-battery drain when two or more battery banks are in a charging system. These function as a check valve between the batteries and the alternator, allowing current to only flow in one direction, from the alternator to the batteries. Quality and reliability are the cornerstone of our battery isolator selection, featuring leading manufacturers such as EATON and Cole Hersee.
Need a battery isolator for automotive, equipment or marine applications? Waytek offers a variety of solid state models, all designed to meet or exceed OEM specifications. Want a battery isolator with "brains"? Waytek also carries a selection of smart battery isolators, which are smaller, lighter, more flexible and generate less heat than traditional models.
Types of Battery Isolators
The two types of battery isolators are diode and solenoid.
Diode Battery Isolators
The diode battery isolator combines two high current diodes in a heat sink. The benefits are that they do not require maintenance and last a long time. However, many diode-based isolators experience voltage loss, causing an inability to charge to as high a voltage as when 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 (relay) battery isolators use large, high current relays to control electric current flow through the isolator. This benefit of this type is that it doesn’t experience any voltage loss. However, its reliability is lower than the diode battery isolator, so it may require replacement sooner and more frequently.
Battery Isolator Uses
Battery isolators are most commonly used on systems that have multiple batteries. Using these will ensure the battery doesn’t drain the others in the system, offering key redundancy in a system that needs either multiple backups or needs to have several batteries on one alternator.