Need help with installing a P.A.C 200amp battery isolator

[pervitizm]

I just got it in the mail today and I want to intall in my 07 Suburban. Anyone here who has this install on they're tahoe/suburban, where did you mout these unit at? Did you mout it on the firewall, or did you mout it near the fuse box? Is there an easy accessory wire available under the hood that I could use to turn the isolator on/off? Also is there anything else I have to do special with this isolator since this is a newer truck? From the directions it looks like I'll go from the alterntor to the one of the isolator's hot lead. Then from the 2nd isolator hot lead to a fuse/relay switch, which will then go to the second battery. Does that sound about right? Then there are two smaller leads on the isolator, one for ground and the other for the accessory wire to know when to turn the relay on/off.:ack::ack:

Yeah I'm confussed just typing this, so if anyone out there can lend a helping hand....or reply I would be forever in your debt.

 

[Hardin Thicke]

It appears the device you have is a traditional relay which "makes" when you're running, and "breaks" when you shut the engine down. I guess the primary advantage is you don't experience the .7V forward voltage drop that you do with a traditional diode isolator. The downside is that it isn't passive like a diode isolator, and requires those 2 extra wires to energize the coil of the relay. You're going to have to install a switch to operate the relay, or perhaps connect it to a circuit that is hot only when the ignition is on. If you're still confused, I'd take it to a mobile sound shop, and let then install it for you.

 

[2008Yukon]

I also have the PAC200. I havent connected it yet, as I just recieved it sat. I think theres a place to mount it back by the battery under the support. Just run the cable like the instructions with it show. You can ground one side of the relay right to the relay mount. As for the ignition side, I really havent looked in the fuse center yet. But im sure its there!

 

[pervitizm]

I've read on some other forum that the inignition wire was pink and located near the fuse box, I can't find that wire. I see a lot of red, and red/black wires but nothing pink. Besides trying to find this inignition wire my other problem is the tray to hold the battery in place. I tried one of those universal trays from Autozone and I just didn't feel comfortable using it. So I called up a few dealers to see what it would cost to get the tray from them. I've been quoted prices from $21 to $70. Man this is starting to become a hassle.

 

[pervitizm]

I also have the PAC200. I havent connected it yet, as I just recieved it sat. I think theres a place to mount it back by the battery under the support. Just run the cable like the instructions with it show. You can ground one side of the relay right to the relay mount. As for the ignition side, I really havent looked in the fuse center yet. But im sure its there!

2008Yukon, have you installed your PAC200 yet? I'm still having troubles trying to find an ignition source under the hood.:ktoe: I've finally got my tray setup and the power wires to hook it up. All I need now is another circuit breaker and to find that damn ignition source that I can tap.

 

[pervitizm]

Question for the rest of you guys, according to a wiring diagram I found over at www.the12volt.com it says that the ignition wire for tahoes is pink. Is this true? Cause I've been looking and the only wires I see are red and red/black. I looked near the gray plug that connects to the fuse box and saw a wire that looked kind of pink but it was pink/black looking wire.

 

[Thundergod]

Purvitizm:
Doesn't your Sub come with another battery tray drvr side front?

 

[pervitizm]

ThunderGod,

It came with part 1 of the three part factory battery tray that they have for the Tahoe/Suburbans. What I did was went to advanced autoparts and brought a univeral tray and modified it so that it would hold down my yellowtop. So far so good. I've had the battery in the truck for three days now with no issue. I just finished hooking up the Isolator tonight too.

F.Y.I
Definitely tap into one of the pink wires from the fuse box in order to get the isolator to turn on. Some how I got the wrong information from over at 12Volt and through that a orange wire would be a good ignition source. Found out that the orange wire I tapped was to the wiper fluid and I had wiper fluid shooting out all over the place.

 

[pervitizm]

Now for those of you here that are running the isolator, did you guys notice what the voltage was on the second battery? I'm asking because my yellowtop is staying at 12.40-12.43 volts. This is the same reading I get when I test from the alt to ground as well. However when I test my factory battery I'll get any where from 13.78 - 14.20 volts. Shouldn't the second battery's voltage be a bit closer to the the primary battery? Right now I have nothing hooked up to the second battery(that will change by mid week). I'm starting to wonder if this isolator was a good ideal to begin with. Nothing but trouble and a money eater.

 

[73shark]

Not sure how an isolator works but would assume if it's electronic, then there will be a finite voltage drop across it. Doubt that it would be over one volt tho.

 

[JKmotorsports]

Both batteries should have similar readings while the engine is running. If you meter the batts with the engine off, you may get dissimilar readings depending on the condition and type of batteries. It is always recommended to go with the same brand, capacity, and age batteries so you don't run into any problems with the alternator over or under-charging either one of the batteries.
Can you hear the isolator click on/off when you cycle the ignition? If not, then the isolator isn't closing the circuit, thus not allowing the aux battery to charge. If you get the same readings on both batteries while the engine is running (around 14v) then the isolator is working properly.

 

[pervitizm]

Both batteries should have similar readings while the engine is running. If you meter the batts with the engine off, you may get dissimilar readings depending on the condition and type of batteries. It is always recommended to go with the same brand, capacity, and age batteries so you don't run into any problems with the alternator over or under-charging either one of the batteries.
Can you hear the isolator click on/off when you cycle the ignition? If not, then the isolator isn't closing the circuit, thus not allowing the aux battery to charge. If you get the same readings on both batteries while the engine is running (around 14v) then the isolator is working properly.

I can hear the isolator clicking on/off when i cycle the ignition. when I test the batteries with the truck off I get the same reading for both which is right aroudn 12.2v on both batteries. It's when I turn the truck on I get the starting battery at 13.3 to 14.4v while the yellowtop is still at 12.43v. Keep in mind for the aux battery I went straight fromt he alt to a fuse then from a fuse to the isolator. Should I just go from the starting battery to the isolator instead?

 

[JKmotorsports]

Measure voltage at the input of the isolator and then compare that to the voltage at the output of the isolator to see if you have a large voltage drop across the isolator terminals. It should be very minimal, less than a couple tenths.

 

[pervitizm]

Thanks for your help guys. I found out that my positive terminal on my aux battery wasn't tightened down enought. Once I did that my voltage jumped up to around 13.6v. Now I'm almost done with my stereo.

 

[73shark]

The devil is always in the details.