If starting, the voltage will be below 13.4V and the batteries will not be
combined. I installed one on my boat as the electronics power cycled when
starting the motor (351W inboard). They happily stay on now. The only
isolators I have seen have been the diode units. The combiner is a relay.
Bill

".JIMinMA." wrote in message
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"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

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Use two 5 watt solar panels and a continuous duty isolator relay.
It
can't
get any simpler than that.
Jim

Okay sounds good. The isolator would connect to what other than the
two batteries? And it's purpose would be to keep anything on the
boat
from pulling from the aux right? Also, would 5watts overcharge the
batteries and require a controller?

Yes, the batteries would have no load while sitting, but I'm
recalling
those two week trips and my car not starting when I got back.

Thanks!
The relay would be turned on by the ignition switch. You could add an
isolator relay delay and make the installation a little more
sophisticated.
Don't worry about overcharging. Look at the Intellitec web site for
details
on the products I mentioned, and others.
Jim



What you want is a battery combiner not an isolator. $80 at West
Marine.
When one battery goes above 13.4V (charging) the relay combines the 2
batteries. Less voltage drop than an isolator.
Bill


They are kind of similar devices, Bill. Relay isolators do not have the
..7V
voltage drop that the diode isolators do. Also the isolator relay delay
has
a nice delay feature that the West unit doesn't have, which allows the
engine to start on the starting battery before the auxiliary battery is
combined with it.
Jim