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Version no. 230609EN
Article no. 500004204
BATTERY ISOLATORS
BI & BATTERY MATE
Solid state and electronic battery isolators
Multiple battery charging
To prevent the starter battery and the
batteries supplying the lighting and
bowthruster from draining each other they
should be kept separate. As a consequence
the charge system is more complicated than
in installations with only one battery: the
alternator on the propulsion engine has to
recharge all the battery sets individually and
the same applies to the battery charger.
Although it is possible to select the battery
source manually, using a battery switch,
much better results can be achieved by
placing a battery isolator in the positive
cable connection from the alternator and/or
battery charger to the various batteries.
Almost all Mastervolt battery chargers come
standard with two or three outputs. Only
when two or more banks have to be
charged with high current, a battery isolator
has to be fitted (75 A + 100 A optional).
Manual switch versus
battery isolator
The advantage of a manual switch is that, if
needed, the battery supplying the system
can be parallel connected to the starter
battery. Before doing so, however, ensure
the switch is fitted with a ‘dual’ mode.
A downside to this method is that both
batteries can become discharged at the
same time. A more reliable option is to use
a battery isolator. This aluminium profile has
three or more diodes mounted inside it that
isolate the charge current and prevent it
recirculating. The battery isolator is ‘solid
state’ and will therefore not wear. The
Mastervolt battery chargers and alternator
regulators are prepared to operate with
traditional battery isolators, as this equipment
offers easy accessible voltage adjustment
to compensate the voltage drop.
Solid state - maintenance free
Charging is done fully automatically once
you have fitted the BI battery isolator. As
there are no moveable parts there is no
wear. The (average) voltage drop for 0.7 V
can be compensated for in different ways:
1. In Mastervolt appliances with sense
wires (pos. and neg.), the voltage drop is
automatically compensated for.
2. If the charger is not fitted with the sense
wires, a jumper or dip switch setting will
have to be made to increase the voltage.
3. Mastervolt alternators equipped with the
Alpha Pro charge regulator can be
adjusted to the correct charge voltage so
that the voltage drop is compensated for.
Mastervolt offers the Battery Mate series
for use in installations where charge equipment
cannot be adjusted.
• HEAVY DUTY USE
• EASY TO INSTALL
• CAN OPERATE IN ANY
ENVIRONMENT
• FOR AUTOMOTIVE
AND MARINE USE
• BATTERY MATE VERSION
A battery isolator as part of a charging system. VOLTAGE DROP FREE
battery
charger
battery set 1
battery isolator
battery set 2
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