Isolator issues en vacances

[Boom Sounds]

Hi

We're having a lovely time just south of Bordeaux. In France. Baking hot. What better time to swap out that Isolator which I am sure is causing me some issues? As my wife said to me 'essential maintenance only while on holiday'. What does she know I think, let's just crack on! Anyhow, given that I didn't have a full toolkit with me this was always going to be a folly venture.....and so it was, once I realised (having fitted the new isolator) that the gauge of the posts was different so the existing cables didn't fit. I refitted the old one again, sheared off the last post, then put the new one back again and (having borrowed a drill from the campsite) drilled out the crimp ends and then realised that one of the wires which connected to the third post down (A) contained a diode DII 5404. Anyhow, with the old Isolator now kaput and the new one installed, I did find that one long standing issue has been resolved. My worry is whether I need to worry about the 1000 mile drive back to England if that diode isn't part of the wiring setup and connections to the A terminal ( third post down).

For what it's worth, I thought the diodes were all within the Isolator, not in the wiring!

Any thoughts guys, should I be concerned?

Cheers
Nick

[bkahler]

Nick, I'm a little bit confused. If the diode was in the wiring then what changed that it is not hooked up now after you installed the new Isolator? Did you cut the diode out of the wire?

Brad

[Boom Sounds]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the reply. The wire was shredded by a guy who was helping to drill out the crimp ends so they would fit the new isolator. As a result the diode came out and couldn't be re wired into circuit because the wire snapped on both sides of it rendering it useless. As a result, I had to rewire the new isolator without the diode in place. It seems to work, but I am uncertain if I am storing up trouble or whether this config will give rise to any other issues. Any thoughts on the purpose if that diode?

Thanks
Nick

PS just got a flat on one of the duallies, so things not going too well. Here goes calling in the French mechanics to jack her up.......I'm not hopeful given my schoolboy French!

[richinny]

nick. what was the color and size of the wire with the diode and where did it go from/to?

[Boom Sounds]

The good news is that we made it the three hundred miles up to Nantes but we still have a long way to get back to England.

The bad news is that I am now having 12 volt issues which are frankly baffling me. I hope you guys can help with some pointers.
As per the previous post, I put in a new Surepower 1202-3 isolator while on holiday in Southern France. Unfortunately, during installation, i llost a diode which was part of the wire on terminal A which runs to the alternator, but am unsure precisely what that diode was doing and can't find a replacement over here.
The situation I now face is that I have no power (well only 1.5v) feeding the coach 12v distribution board with the ignition switched off. However, if I turn on the ignition without starting her up, I receive the full 12v. The batteries are all fully charged and show the correct voltage. When i checked the voltage on the output of the 12v kill switch (which feeds the interior 12v board) it is only 1.5v and it does and change to 12v when the ignition is switch on without the engine running. All wiring behind the battery tray appears to be correct and has been cleaned and tightened up. The problem is intermittent insomuch as if I switch off the ignition lots of times and flick the 12 v kill switch I can sometimes get it to right itself and it will then supply the correct voltage from the house batteries without the ignition on.


Wiring is as follows (which replicated that installed by the previous owner)
Terminal 1 has three wires connected to it. Two heavy duty which i assume connect to the starter battery and the alternator. The other 5mm wire connects to a four post solenoid in the engine bay which appears to feed the Chevvy auto 12 volt system.
Terminal E (the second one down) has one small 2mm wire which I assume runs to the ignition.
Terminal A (the third post down) has a narrow 2mm wire which I think runs to the alternator, but I can't fully trace it.
Terminal 2 (4th post down) has a single heavy duty battery which connects to the coach batteries via the battery tray 4 post solenoid.


Any thoughts on what might be causing this and does the wiring set up above look to be correct?


Many thanks
Nick