SC80Dual Battery Isolator

Next-Gen SC80 Dual Battery Isolator, with new features: Time-Out Reverse Charging Battery Capacity Indicator The new SC80 Mk III is perfectly suited for use in vehicles equipped with a Stop/Start function.

This is the NEXT GENERATION SC80 Dual Battery Isolator (SC80 MkIII), with new features. There are no other types of Dual Battery Isolators that offer anywhere near the operating and charging advantages that our SC80 Isolators achieve. Our SC80 Isolators will allow you to recharge batteries at up to 6X faster than a DC/DC device Click here to download the SC80 Installation & Operating Manual The ORIGINAL SC80 Dual Battery Isolators is one of the most versatile and unique dual battery isolators on the market today and the NEW SC80, which is a direct replacement for the SC80-CB, now has even more advanced features. SPECIAL NOTE, the SC80 is perfectly suited for use in new vehicles equipped with STOP/START function. The new SC80 now has TIME-OUT, REVERSE CHARGING and a BATTERY CAPACITY INDICATOR The NEW SC80 offers many advantages not found with other brands of isolators, but the single largest advantage to having an SC80 in a dual battery set up, is the speed with which used battery capacity is replaced. Because of the way the SC80 operates, by keeping all batteries connected after the ignition is turned off, and sharing 12v accessories power requirements over both the auxiliary battery and the cranking battery, if you use the same amount of battery capacity that ordinary dual battery system uses, which only use a single auxiliary battery, the batteries in an SC80 up set will only be discharged to half the depth you would have to discharge a battery in a single auxiliary battery type setup, as used in ordinary dual battery systems ( including DC to DC type Dual Battery Systems ). NOTE you do not require any form of electrical experience to fit this isolator and you only need basic handyman skills and some basic tools to install this isolator. 16-sc80-mkii_med_hr SC80 SHARED Mode Cut-In ( Turn ON ) at 13.2v, Cut-Out ( Turn OFF ) at 12.0v. By Cutting Out at 12.0v, the cranking battery is still left with 50% of its capacity, which is more than enough to start the most stubborn motor on the coldest morning and as the SC80 is used in countries all over the world, including many up in the Arctic Circle, this unique operation has been well and truly proven as being reliable in all types of situations. NOTE, the CCA rating of a battery is maintained in a battery until it is discharged below 40%, at 0C. So the SC80 will always leave your Cranking Battery in a safe state of charge. The SC80 isolator is designed to make the unit easy to install and an easy upgrade replacement for other types of isolators. Because of the unique way the SC80 isolator operates, unlike all other isolators where they must be located as close as practical to the cranking battery (they will oscillate if there is any significant voltage drop in the cabling), the SC80 isolator can be located anywhere in the system, including in a caravan or camper trailer and will still operate as designed. This ability to be located away from the cranking battery can be a major advantage with newer vehicles where space in the engine bay is not available to mount an isolator or where access to the cranking battery may be difficult, such as in a number of European vehicles, where the battery is mounted under seats in the cabin or in the rear of the vehicle. The SC80 isolator makes this kind of installation much easier. bat_charge_1s_med_hr Battery discharge comparisons (Chart 1) This chart shows the average likely recharge times for each type of set up. Now add to this the fact that the average alternator can easily recharge two batteries in around the same time it take to recharge one battery. So this means with an SC80 set up, you will only take about two thirds the time to fully recharge the two batteries ( to 95+% or higher ). This makes a dual battery set up using an SC80 the fastest way to replace used battery capacity and this means you will fully charge your batteries in a shorter driving time than is needed by any other dual battery set up. Another major advantage that comes with installing an SC80 is the cost benefit, because of the instant increase in the amount of available battery capacity. There will be at least a 50% increase in the total capacity available for running accessories, whereas with any other dual battery set up, this can only be achieved by having to add a second auxiliary battery, which amounts to a much greater cost, loss of space and additional weight. Battery capacity comparisons (Chart 2) bat_charge_2s_med_hrThis chart also includes the comparable cost of the different set ups to achieve the same amount of usable battery capacity. While the SC80 has now been in production for more than 25 years, there is still no other dual battery set that can give the advantages an SC80 dual battery set up offers. Here are some of the other advantages that only an SC80 dual battery system can offer, particularly if you are a heavy power user. Quicker Recharging of Batteries, which means shorter driving times needed to replace used battery capacity. This means your batteries are far more likely to be in a fully charged state at the end of a days drive than can be achieved with any other dual battery set up ( including DC/DC type set ups ). Shared Current Loads. By spreading the load over two batteries, neither battery is discharged as low as a battery in an ordinary dual battery system ( including DC/DC set ups ). So your batteries are much more likely to have a longer life span. Again because of an effect known as Peukerts Exponent, where the higher the load put on a lead acid battery, the actual usable capacity reduces. So with the way the SC80 literally halves the current load, you will get more usable power available than an ordinary dual battery system ( including DC/DC type set ups ) can provide. Auxiliary battery Reverse Discharging into the Cranking Battery. This is a particularly useful advantage, especially now days with more and more vehicles being equipped with STOP/START functions and depending more on their cranking batteries. One of the most common problems suffered by cranking batteries is under charging and this is usually caused by what we call the Shopping Trolley Syndrome, where vehicles are continuously driven for short periods of time, each time the motor is started. Because of the unique way the SC80 keeps the cranking battery and the auxiliary battery connected after the motor is stopped, and the fact when driving around town, most auxiliary batteries are usually at a higher state of charge, with the SC80, this means when the motor is stopped, if the cranking battery is low, the SC80 allows the auxiliary battery to reverse charge back into the cranking battery, helping to raise the charge state of the cranking battery, which ultimately helps to extend the operating life of the cranking battery. This also means, the next time you start your motor, you will be charging two batteries at the same time and as such, you are able to replace twice as much used battery capacity in the shorter drive time, so over just a few weeks after fitting an SC80, even your cranking battery will be in a better state of charge. While this wasnt a design intention when we developed the SC80 over 30 years ago, with the ever increasing number of vehicle makes that now have a lower operating voltage, this ability to allow the auxiliary battery to help top up the cranking battery is proving to be a real bonus, and it has no adverse effect on the longevity of the auxiliary battery. For example, many new Land Rovers, with their lower operating voltage, often get Low Battery Voltage messages being displayed when the owners go to start the motor. While the motor will start without problem, but once an SC80 dual battery system is fitted, within days, the cranking batterys level of charge is increased and the messages cease and many other makes now have lower operating voltages and again, an SC80 duel battery system also helps to improve the charge state of their cranking batteries. TIME-OUT. This is a new feature for the SC80.The Time-Out feature is designed to avoid wasting energy if a vehicle is not used for some time. The Time-Out counter starts when ever the voltage at the input of the SC80 drops below 12.7v. If the voltage remains below 12.7v for 72 hours ( 3 days ) from when the voltage first dropped below 12.7v, the SC80 Times Out and shuts down. Any time the voltage at the SC80 rises above 13.1v, the TIME-OUT counter is reset and suspended and the SC80 will turn on again. REVERSE CHARGING, for SOLAR and BATTERY CHARGER Connections. Again, this is another new feature for the SC80. If the SC80 is still ON and you connect solar panels ( via a solar regulator ) or a battery charger to either battery in an SC80 dual battery set up and all batteries will recharged at the same time. If the SC80 has turned off, either via the TIME-OUT feature, or because the voltage dropped below 12.0v, if you connect solar panels ( via a solar regulator ) or a battery charger to the AUXILIARY battery, the SC80 will first charge the AUXILIARY Battery to a near fully charged state and then the SC80 will turn ON and charge the CRANKING Battery. If you have an Anderson plug mounted at the back of your vehicle, you can make your solar or battery charger connection through the Anderson plug and again, all batteries in an SC80 dual battery set up will be able to be charged. BATTERY CAPACITY INDICATOR. The SC80 now has a basic PULSE COUNT Battery Capacity Indicator to allow you to keep an eye on the state of charge of your batteries while you are camping. The LED on the front of the isolator gives up to 5 RED Pulses to indicate the amount of energy left in your batteries. The chart below shows how it works. dt90-soc-tablem_med_hr-3 Fitting an SC80 isolator is a WIN WIN situation. A WIN for your auxiliary battery and, unlike any other dual battery system, the SC80 is a WIN for your cranking battery as well. Fitting an SC80 as your battery isolator means you will actually save money long term and this pays you back the cost of fitting an SC80 in the first place. No other type of DBS gives you this financial benefit.