David Drummond
Member
Well, I will just post what I know from having it in actual use. It's worked for me just fine, and I have used the same setup for years with no problems, so I take that for what it's worth. I started using it with a regular battery long before the gel type batteries became more common place and affordable. I still use regular ones, just because of warranty availability across the alley, but I have (and still am) considered going with gel batteries. Do I think they are completely necessary? No. Do I think they are better? Most definitely.
I have been using the two battery with the diode isolator. Most of the extra stuff runs off the second battery, including all aux lighting. In many years of using this setup I have yet to ruin a battery (well a decent battery, I did ruin an el cheapo). I don't often leave a lot of things on with the engine shut down either, so the aux battery never really gets a good discharge. I did this one season with a deep cycle battery, and honestly, I saw no difference whatsoever in performance. Deep cycle would probably be a better choice for an aux battery if your going to be sitting for longer periods with the engine off.
Some moderation of use has to be taken into account when you have a lot of extra stuff wired up. One of the biggest benefits of having the isolator in the first place is to keep your main starting battery isolated (thus the name) from the aux battery, so if it discharges it would drain the supply from the main battery and you can still start your car. Those battery buddies that disconnect the battery if the voltage reaches a certain limit might be considered too.
I have checked the voltage output across both A and B terminals on the isolator with the car running, and they are both a steady 13.5v, which is good voltage with the car running.
Anyway, that is my experience over years of trial and error and what has been working great for the past several years and is again the system I am setting up currently. Take it for what it's worth.
Oh, and I would recommend using the 120v power strip regardless of whether or not you have plenty of outlets on your power invertor if your plugging electronics into it. That extra spike protection in an electrical environment that isn't anywhere near as stable as your home current might be the saver some day.
I have been using the two battery with the diode isolator. Most of the extra stuff runs off the second battery, including all aux lighting. In many years of using this setup I have yet to ruin a battery (well a decent battery, I did ruin an el cheapo). I don't often leave a lot of things on with the engine shut down either, so the aux battery never really gets a good discharge. I did this one season with a deep cycle battery, and honestly, I saw no difference whatsoever in performance. Deep cycle would probably be a better choice for an aux battery if your going to be sitting for longer periods with the engine off.
Some moderation of use has to be taken into account when you have a lot of extra stuff wired up. One of the biggest benefits of having the isolator in the first place is to keep your main starting battery isolated (thus the name) from the aux battery, so if it discharges it would drain the supply from the main battery and you can still start your car. Those battery buddies that disconnect the battery if the voltage reaches a certain limit might be considered too.
I have checked the voltage output across both A and B terminals on the isolator with the car running, and they are both a steady 13.5v, which is good voltage with the car running.
Anyway, that is my experience over years of trial and error and what has been working great for the past several years and is again the system I am setting up currently. Take it for what it's worth.
Oh, and I would recommend using the 120v power strip regardless of whether or not you have plenty of outlets on your power invertor if your plugging electronics into it. That extra spike protection in an electrical environment that isn't anywhere near as stable as your home current might be the saver some day.
