Views on a Battery Isolator please?

[tangomikeromeo]

My Banner recently decided that life was all to much and gave in - but some rapid man maths and a look at the calendar confirmed that I could get a replacement for Christmas. (From me, to me 😬)

 

I've got (at least I think I do, I haven't opened my present yet) a Powervamp25 and have been advised that it won't last much longer than a week with the immobiliser troughing away.

 

I think I've got the following options:

1 - Remove bonnet and attach trickle charge every time. A bit of a faff and I'm not comfortable with the idea of leaving something on in the garage. Also another faff on the way out.

2 - Find some way to connect the trickle charger (halfords own with crocodile clamps) to the cigarette lighter socket. Less of a faff coming and going but still not happy with the leaving on issue.

3 - Fit a battery isolator and turn it all off when not in use. Plan is not a FIA set up. Is the routine off and on of power bad for the ECU? It survives when changing batteries (or taking the old one out for some TLC before reading it its last rites) but is this really all it should tolerate?

 

POBC - thoughts please.

 

And top service from Seven Speed on the advice and delivery. Would have been next day had I been in to take delivery

[Jonathan Kay]

1 Order a conditioning charger (see previous discussions).

 

2 Buy a cigar lighter plug with lead attached from Halfords. Try to ignore the current sale on tools and storage as you approach the till.

 

3 Connect your existing trickle charger to the cigar lighter plug. If you don't want to cut the clips off then jury-rig the connection with a wood spacer, some screws and insulating tape.

 

4 Leave it plugged in but only switch it on for 1h each day until the conditioning charger arrives.

 

Jonathan

[Roger Ford]

Buy a cigar lighter plug with lead attached from Halfords

And connect to the charger/conditioner with push-fit bullet connectors. That way when you inevitably drive off with it still attached, it shouldn't break anything.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

I got a cheap isolator switch with two removable keys from CBS and fitted it in the bulkhead above the passenger footwell with the terminals and baseplate in the engine bay and the pillar/key through into the cockpit.

 

This isolates everything including the immobiliser.

 

It is hidden out of sight inside the cockpit.

 

No need for a charger or conditioner if you turn it off whenever you leave the car.

[Ian B]

Yep, Ian copied what I did :

 

 

 

Except I had the switch isolate everything EXCEPT a dash mounted ciggy socket, directly fused from the battery, that I can then still use to easily connect a charger/conditioner with a ciggy plug connected to its output.

 

 

[Ozzy]

Something I've never bothered with so far, but may do in the future. I was looking at the isolator kit on CC's website, and there are several cables included. So what else do you have to run via the isolator switch?

 

I assume if you use the standard mounting position, you have to drill another hole through to the engine bay, to get all the cables through?

 

Oz.

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

That's another reason why I mounted it with the terminals in the engine bay close to the battery. I think the CC kit includes a more complex switch that leaves some circuits powered ?? My simple one isolates everything.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Whatever battery you choose, I would put an isolator and a power outlet/cigarette lighter in as described above.

Always take the isolator key with you when you leave the car, plug a battery conditioner in from time to time.

I would use an FIA type isolator and fit it in the usual Caterham place, simply because that is where everyone expects it to be.

[Ozzy]

*arrowup*Ok

 

So what exactly do you have to run via the switch to isolate everything Ian?

 

From memory, I think I have the large red cable to solenoid, plus a couple of other cables connected to the battery positive.

 

Nigel.

[michaeljclark]

I too copied ianB after the original Banner bit the dust and then I forgot do disconnect the terminals on the replacement one weekend, which a week later:

 

(a) meant I had a flat battery, thus

(b) causing me to miss a fish and chip Blat with IanB and Stationary M25 Traveller.

 

Now after a Blat I just park the se7en, remove Big Red Key. Even after 5 months of winter stopping play the engine fired on 1st turn of the key!

 

Tis a worthy modification!

 

Mike

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Nigel, I think that there is a diagram/are instructions in 7faq.

Otherwise speak to John S/Bio, he will know.

As mine was a Scholarship car, it was already fitted.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

http://7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?HowDoI%2FFitA%5FBatteryMasterSwitch

[michaeljclark]

Quoting ozzy: 

So what exactly do you have to run via the switch to isolate everything Ian?

 

Install the switch on the -ve side of the circuit, least ways that's how jj48 (Richard Young of Automotive Engineering) did mine.

 

Install switch, take -ve cable from battery and attach to be side of the switch, make up extra cable and run from other side of switch back to -ve battery terminal.

 

Nice and simple!

 

Mike

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Run a short fat cable from battery + to the switch. Connect all the cables that were on the battery + terminal to the other switch terminal. Simples.

[Ozzy]

See what you mean. Very simple!

 

[Klunk]

If using the non FIA switch in the bulkhead you're better isolating the earth side. It does the same job and doesn't knacker your battery (or you) when you inadvertently drop a spanner near the switch and dead short the battery! 😬

 

With an FIA switch you have to be in the positive side to ensure the engine doesn't 'run on' after it's switched off in the event of a crash. There are plenty of good diagrams on google images which explain what should go where.

 

Merry Christmas all.

 

Giles

[Ian B]

Simple switch is likely to be more reliable that the FIA version (they are known to suffer 'partial' failures).

 

If you fit it in the -ve then only one connection needed.

Motor factors or good car accessories shop should have ready made cables, if you don't have an auto electrical place near you to make up whatever length you want.