Iggy

Your solenoid hang-up wasn't due to the alternator. Sounds like it needs replacing.

Did the starter continue to crank on it's own?
Or did the starter drive just hang up on the flywheel?

The regulator is mounted in/on the back of the alternator.
Any rebuild shop should be able to handle it.
Let me know what you find.

Gary C

The starter just cranked on it's own. Even when I turned the key off! I had to turn off the battery switch. But it got fried! I still have the smell in the bilge. I put a new starter in. So you think I might need a new alternator? I will let you know what I find. I'm gonna go out on Saturday. I have the batterys charging so I should be OK. Then I'll pull the alternator and have it checked. I'd do it during the week but I've been working late every night.

ForrestC

Check out Yandina.com. They make some unique high-quality marine battery accessories. In particular, check out one of their battery combiners. This thing charges two batteries from one alterantor and automatically disconnects the two batteries from each other when the engine shuts off. No diodes to burn out, either. Lot of good info on that site as well.

OG Outlaw 24

Just installes a 2000 watt stero on the outlaw. It still has the single marine starting battery. I called the Yandina place from the above post and the gentleman says all I need to add a second battery is a 50 isolater ($50) and the New Deep cycle, No Switches? He says as long as I wire the stereo to the deep cycle it will not draw off the starting battery. Does this sound right?

Iggy

If I understand their info the isolator will allow both batteries to charge then automatically disconnect them from each other when the engine shuts down.
Wonder what happens if one batt is weaker than the other, will the good battery discharge into the other when charging?

doug hess

It is very unlikely that Gary C's alternator was damaged by the starter running wild. The best test is to see if it charges after replacing the starter.

Isolators will keep both batteries charged with the lowest battery drawing more current.

A rarely mentioned feature of isolators is that they protect the alternator output diodes from transients generated by inductive loads. Pumps for I/O trim cylinders and tabs are a major souce of transients in boats.

Doug Hess

Turbojack

Iggy-Battery Isolators are not like relays or switches that have both batteries tied together. Isolators keep the batters total seperate while charging & when not charging.

OG Outlaw 24 - I would put a switch in. If by chance your starting battery died you may still have enought power in your stereo battery to start your engine to get you back home.

Laveyman

Okay, after reading this entire post I'm more confused than before. Do I understad this right?

If you have a switch already installed, then ading an isolator or combiner would be useless?

An isolator and/or combiner would eliminate the need for a switch.

I like the idea of the diode protection, and the hardware automatically charging the battery most in need. But, I already have a switch installed.
I'M SOOOO CONFUSED!!!

Turbojack

A switch is used to tie two or more batteries together with the option to disconnect both from each other. There are 2 types make one is the simple on & off. The other has a off, both, battery 1, & battery 2 settings. With the ones made for 2 battery you can run off of 1 or the other battery or can run off both. If you only run with one if for some reason (bad cell, interior short or just ran it down) all you have to do is switch to the other battery. When you have it on "BOTH" both batteries are tied together thus when they are being charged both are being charged, also the same for discharge. If you are sitting running the stereo with switch on both then you will be running down both batteries at the same time.

What a isolator does is let you keep 2 or more batteries seperate, thus when you are sitting running stereo you are only running 1 battery down. You can run your stereo battery totally down. When you start your boat your other battery (starting) is used to get engine started. Once the engine is running the alt. will run to recharge both batterys, the engine starting battery & your stereo battery. The way an isolator is wired is the output from the alt. goes to isolator, the isolator then sending the charging current to both batteries. When the alt is not running the isolator keeps both batteries from being discharged by the other.

doug hess

Isolators only deal with charging allowing the batteries to be used for different roles. They "isolate" or "separate" the battery use or loads.

Combiners deal with loads, connecting them together for bigger loads but some may have isolators built in,.

A dual battery switch and isolator is a simple setup which gives the best of both functions. You control which battery is being drained and do not have to worry about which battery is getting charged, they both are.

A low battery will pull down a good battery so when necessary the switch can be set to avoid that. When both are low and neither can start the engine separately, both together may do it.

The isolator along with protecting the alternator form transients will prevent a defective alternator from draining any battery connected to it.