[revrnd]

I've noticed that there seem to be 2 types of battery isolators, diode style which use diodes mounted on an aluminum heat sink & the "smart" relay style which looks like an old Mopar starter relay.

Which style is more prevalent in the UTV world? Pros or cons? I used the diode style when I added an aux' battery (winch install) to my truck back in the 80s. On Wiki' (a dubious source for automotive type info) I found this:

and if a diode-type isolator is used (which is very common) there is additional voltage drop in the circuit between the charging source and the batteries

 

[fswan]

I've noticed that there seem to be 2 types of battery isolators, diode style which use diodes mounted on an aluminum heat sink & the "smart" relay style which looks like an old Mopar starter relay.

Which style is more prevalent in the UTV world? Pros or cons? I used the diode style when I added an aux' battery (winch install) to my truck back in the 80s. On Wiki' (a dubious source for automotive type info) I found this:

Yeah, there is voltage price to pay; as near as I can tell (without actually doing a detailed comparison), it appears to be around .7V. But, that really (to me) is irrelevant because the battery is fully charged at 12.7V and I get 14+v consistently through the isolator--I installed a voltage meter so it's easy to check. Some of the more common isolators are:
1314 Sure Power 100A Batter Separator Uni-Directional | Waytek, Inc. I have this one on my Ranger and out of all of them on the market, it is my favorite--a bit more flexible to use.

Battery Doctor 150 Amp Battery Isolator: BatteryMart.com I have this one my RZR and although it works well, it has an LED on it that glows even when the machine in shut down. PIA if you leave it sit for extended periods without running it.

AOPEC Automotive Electronics - Products No personal experience with this one but haven't heard any complaints

http://www.trueam.com/product/utv-dual-battery-kit/ Again, no personal experience