Dual battery problem.

[bidkev]

Sorry folks! I'm as thick as pigshit when it comes to electronics [smiley=helpa.gif]

Im trying to instal dual battery but am left with a negative on battery 2 with nothing attached. All the disgrams that I've googled show the console attached to this but all my electrics go into an isolator with originally, only one neg and one positive to battery 1. I've wired both pos's from battery 1 & 2 to their respective dual battery switch and the one pos coming from the isolator to the "Off" (common) switch. The one neg coming from the isolator is wired to the neg on battery 1 whcich leaves nothing on battery 2 neg. What am I doing wrong or is this correct?

TIA kev

[Jackko]

Kev

Negative terminals from battery 1 and 2 are joined with a cable

Cheers John

[aido]

you've made that sound difficult kingtin.
if your using a 1-2-both-off isolator switch,
connect batt 1 +ve to the pos 1 terminal
batt 2 +ve to the pos 2 terminal
both batt 1 + 2 -ve's to the common terminal
that takes care of the inputs to the isolation s/w
then connect the outputs to the bus bar/switch panel
+ve to the output terminal and
-ve to the common terminal (where the two batt -ve's are attached.

it's nice to put a large fuse or circuit breaker on the +ve output lead
between the isolator and bus bar/switch panel, close to the isolation s/w.
this protects for faults on the heavy current wire between the isolator
and user systems.

don't forget the motors alternator connections,
+ve to the isolator output and -ve to the isolator common.
(if the isolator does not have field terminals)
IN THIS CASE MAKE SURE YOU NEVER SELECT OFF WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING.

GOOD LUCK.

[aido]

if your isolator switch has only 3 terminals,
the negatives are simply joined together like
john said, substitute that for my reference
to a common terminal on your isolator.

[bidkev]

Sorry folks, I forgot to mention that battery terminals neg 1 & 2 are joined.......so I've got it right, right?

cheers

kev

[Doomy]

Spot on Kev.

Negatives are all joined.

Positives are isolator via switch.