Isolator Switch

[Lasty]

My battery isolator switch on my Stacer seems to have crapped itself again. The first time it happened it was "fixed" under warranty but it has happened again. If I buy one from somewhere like Bias, are they difficult to replace myself or should I go to an auto electrician?

[peahead]

G,Day Mate,

Changing Battery isolators is very simple. Do you have 2 batteries or do you run a single battery only?

Battery isolators are generally cabled up the same, so if your not sure what cable is what, on the back of the isolator where you connect the cables it should have little symbols for positive Red '+' and Negative Black '-' and if running 2 batteries it will have a second positve Red '+' connection.

As you take the cables off the old isolator one at a time move them to the new isolator switch mirroring your current connections.

Hope this helps otherwise unscrew your current isolator take a pic of the back (where the cables are connected) and it to this thread, otherwise pm me.

Cheers

Jimmy

[pelican]

There may be a reason the isolater is dying. Is there any corrosion on your boat especially around the isolater?

The reason I comment is that it isn't like stacer to supply cheap dodgy isolater ( or is it dealer fitted?) and they should last a very long time even when exposed to salt spray and hose out.. There is some real nasty cheap stuff out there that sould only be used in non marine environments like campervans internally

The better brand ones are Perko and Blue seas etc not the plastic shrink wrapped ones. The better quality ones are sealed non spark units with quality contacts that carry curent batter and don't corrode.

As above label your wires as you pull them off.

Have a look and see what has gone wrong with your old switch and try and determin what has caused it's failure. I have seen a few in the last couple of years that have had issues due to teh poor quality non tinned battery cables so they corrode up really fast at the terminals to the point where the corrosion contacts the hull.

The isolaters are generally designed to be mounted vertically and have drain hole and cable hols at their base. If yours is not mounted correcty fix it as it may be collecting water as run down cales or holding condensation or water from wash down. Have seen some classics mounted under rod holders that get drowned all the time or ones mounted in enclosed battery compartments corrode as the acid fumes come from a charging battery.

When putting back together treat it like a battery terminal and clean everything till bright and shiney and grease free. Tighten up terminations and apply a quality Battery terminal spray such as the CRC one ( messy crap so I mask before spraying ), let dry and recoat.

If there is a means to prevent salt spray etc coming into contact with the isolater in future it would be preferable.