Battery Combiner Switch>? (Sprinter Van)

Bravo30

Well-known member
i have a 2013 Mercedes Sprinter van with a factory installed auxiliary battery package (starter battery + auxiliary battery). the way it sits now, the auxiliary battery connects to the alternator and the starter battery whenever the engine to is running to charge, and then disconnects whenever the engine is off. this way you can power some electrical devices when the engines off without running down the starter battery. this is accomplished by an isolator relay under the drivers seat.

i would like to install a Blue Seas Systems switch that would allow me to combine the starter battery and the auxiliary for starting in the event i have a dead starter battery. can i just connect a positive #2 cable to both batteries with a switch in line and just bypass the existing relay? the batteries already share a common ground so need for that.


Thanks,


 
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rayra

Expedition Leader
That will work. You can also run a small wire from your Aux thru a dash switch to your existing isolator / relay, so you can activate it with Aux power if your starter is dead.

I've just been messing with exactly that rotary switch in my own build topic. As well as re-arranging my own combiner / isolator solenoid and wiring.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
What current is the factory relay/isolator rated for? If its beefy enough, you could just wire a manual switch to control that relay. This assumes the cables are heavy enough.

A boost to a mostly dead battery is very different than a completely dead battery. The sprinter is going to need about 200A for a second to get the engine spinning. The blue sea circuit wizard lets you enter the duration of the load, and you can enter a voltage drop of 15% for starter circuits to get rough gauge estimates.
 

Bravo30

Well-known member
What current is the factory relay/isolator rated for? If its beefy enough, you could just wire a manual switch to control that relay. This assumes the cables are heavy enough.

A boost to a mostly dead battery is very different than a completely dead battery. The sprinter is going to need about 200A for a second to get the engine spinning. The blue sea circuit wizard lets you enter the duration of the load, and you can enter a voltage drop of 15% for starter circuits to get rough gauge estimates.


i though about switching the relay but then what if the relay goes bad or something? we spend the majority of our times out of cell phone range so combining both batteries with a physical switch would be more reliable. Circuit wizards says 2awg is good to go.
 

luthj

Engineer In Residence
If the relay fails (any relay can), you can just use a set of jumper cables. The odds of a relay failing at the same time as the battery is not very likely.
 

Joe917

Explorer
these little projects really help me understand how my van works so for $100 in parts its a fair trade.
Nothing wrong with that. I would just add that you are introducing a new way to fail. Leave the battery switch on both and run down both batteries. The jumper cables are cheaper and fool proof. Do you have/plan any solar? maybe putting the money towards that project.
 

Bravo30

Well-known member
Nothing wrong with that. I would just add that you are introducing a new way to fail. Leave the battery switch on both and run down both batteries. The jumper cables are cheaper and fool proof. Do you have/plan any solar? maybe putting the money towards that project.

Good point about introducing a new way to fail. I’ll definitely be thinking this all over as I finish up gathering information.

I plan on solar in the future. Right now im set up for it via a Redarc BC/DC Charger.
 

gatorgrizz27

Well-known member
This would be another solution, using a momentary switch, if your only purpose for it is self jump-starting.



Default method would be the factory setup, they would only be combined while the switch is being held down. Obviously put it somewhere you can push it and turn the key at the same time. :)
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
i though about switching the relay but then what if the relay goes bad or something? we spend the majority of our times out of cell phone range so combining both batteries with a physical switch would be more reliable. Circuit wizards says 2awg is good to go.
what do you think the odds are of both the relay and starter battery failing at the same time?

and if your Starter battery fails with a dead short you really don't want to combine both batteries. In that case you'd want / need to physically swap the batteries. That scenario is why I elected to go with identical automotive batteries in my setup, rather than a different / deep cycle as my 'house' battery. Trading lesser discharge ability for greater redundancy.
I also had the intent of running a winch with both connected, engine running, solenoid combined, so needed same batteries for discharge.
And I've added rooftop solar which backfeeds to my isolated Aux battery all the time, making up for some of the lowered usage ability of the battery type.
 

alia176

Explorer
I vote for keeping the factory relay and then using a switch to activate during an emergency start condition. I've been using a 200 amp solenoid (USA made) for my dual batt system in the 80 series for over 15 years. This vehicle didn't come with dual batts even though the Aust version had 24v systems. :rolleyes:

But, I'm a firm believer in the KISS principle and would simply use a jumper cable that should be in my toolbox anyway. Factory wiring and gadgets are usually better than aftermarket stuff. Since we like to go to remote places so much, introducing a Chinese made POS gadget would worry me.
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Heh, where do you think most of your vaunted 'factory' components come from? Real trick is finding the particular brands of Chinese goods that don't suck.
Even my Blue Sea components say 'designed in Bellingham, WA and hecho in Mexico. (shrug). Quality of design and quality control is all that matters, not nation of origin.
 
what do you think the odds are of both the relay and starter battery failing at the same time?

and if your Starter battery fails with a dead short you really don't want to combine both batteries. In that case you'd want / need to physically swap the batteries. That scenario is why I elected to go with identical automotive batteries in my setup, rather than a different / deep cycle as my 'house' battery. Trading lesser discharge ability for greater redundancy.
I also had the intent of running a winch with both connected, engine running, solenoid combined, so needed same batteries for discharge.
And I've added rooftop solar which backfeeds to my isolated Aux battery all the time, making up for some of the lowered usage ability of the battery type.

Would like to see a schematic of your setup; sounds like a good route!
 

rayra

Expedition Leader
Would like to see a schematic of your setup; sounds like a good route!
I'd like to see one too! lol Never got around to that part. Lots and lots of pics in my build thread though. It's essentially the '$50 solenoid' setup, though, but with a LOT of extras and options.
My generation Sub had an easy option for a 2nd under-hood battery, so I found the factory tray. I initially mounted the 200A combiner solenoid near that Aux on the firewall. Ran a 1/0 cable (commercial / residential THNN, thick strand, very stiff and difficult to shape, but inexpensive) from the Starter Battery (+) to the solenoid and from the solenoid to the Aux. Solenoid triggered with a wire run from a keyed-on accessory fuse under the dashboard.
As I all along intended a carrier-mounted winch, usable at both ends of the vehicle, I ran 1/0 from both Aux terminals down and under and along the frame and up thru the rear cargo area floor, in the sidewall. I was also building a platform and storage drawers and decided to incorporate a 'power module' with just about everything I could think to throw in it - and double - panel mounted sockets, connections, USB chargers on both the rear and forward faces on the box. The box would stay if the drawers cam out and the 3rd row bench put back in and I wanted the various power outlets facing forward too.
And that's the way it stood for a couple years, while I was busy with other things.
I've only in recent weeks been accumulating all the parts for the winch installation and the final array of Anderson SB175 plug components, another 30' of 1/0 (but thin strand welding cable this time, needing the flexibility), various ring terminals, rotary switch etc. In just the last few days I've completed the wiring extension running from the rear box back out and thru the floor to the rear bumper plug, which I also completed very recently. I just finished the cabling / plug addition in the power box today, courtesy of some swift service by powerwerx.com - I've been getting most of my 12v and APP stuff from them, great service, no connection, just a happy customer - and tonight I was working on the mounting plate to hang the Blue Sea rotary switch where I initially had mounted the solenoid, by the Aux. on the firewall / coaming. The (+) to the plug in the front grill will be interrupted by that rotary.

I also very recently relocated the solenoid to the 'power center' near the Starter battery. Which also puts it near where the charge lead from the alternator ties into the main Battery-to-Starter cable run. The solenoid and that little red plastic junction box are less than a foot apart, laterally. So I finally connected the Aux is it sort of should have been from the start. It's connected (via the solenoid) to the same point of contact as the Starter battery and the alternator. Not that electricity particularly cares. And ALSO I upgraded to a 200A+ alternator and replaced its puny factory charge lead to yet more 1/0 cable.

When it's all done (in about a week), I'll have 200A from ALT to both batteries and bumper to bumper and 1/0 connecting all throughout. I even modified a nice new 20' set of 4awg jumper cables with a pair of anderson plugs near one end, so that 200A can reach another 18-1/2' foot from either end of the vehicle. I still don't actually have a winch yet. Sooon.

winch116 solenoid reloc.jpg
winch119 solenoid reloc.jpg
winch120 rotary switch.jpg
winch133 front plug bracket.jpg
winch155 rear plug conduits.jpg
winch156 rear plug cargo plugs.jpg
winch157 rear plug jumper cables.jpg
winch160 rear power box.jpg


Along the way I added a folding solar panel into a lockable rooftop frame and put the PWM controller in that rear power box, backfeeds the Aux thru that 1/0 cable run. All the cables underneath are each in their own flexible PVC conduit for extra protection and fastened along the top edge of the frame rails / members. The conduit runs are also as watertight as I could make them. And I'm putting weather boots on both ends of both end plugs, which will both be left 'off' when not actively in use.
I don't have a list, but I don't think I've spent more than $1000 on everything (electrical), spread across the last 4yrs.
 
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