Vehicle has three batteries, is there a way to isolate the crank battery from the compartment batteries?

Tiny
AZZAM12AZZAM
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 FORD F-450
  • 6.0L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 80,000 MILES
I have 2010 E450 ambulance has three batteries is there a way to isolate the crank battery from the compartment batteries so I don't end up with drained batteries when am using the compartment light when the engine is off.
Friday, April 1st, 2022 AT 6:08 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,963 POSTS
It actually should have one already if it has a shore power charging system in it. The isolator is normally part of that unit and allows the engine to charge the house batteries while the engine is running, and it charges all of them when plugged in. When the shore power disconnects the isolator splits the system automatically using the relays in the charger/inverter unit. Now if that unit was removed there should still be an isolator under the hood. It's usually a box with 3 terminals on it. One connects to the house battery bank; one connects to the cranking battery and the other goes to the alternator output.
Who made the unit? Most of the companies can get you wiring diagrams for the stuff they add, just won't have anything the squads added themselves.
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 AT 12:06 AM
Tiny
AZZAM12AZZAM
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Thanks, Steve, for your time and reply. The unit made by wheeled coach, they sent me the 52 pages of their work, but was hard for me to understand. I have built a shower, toilet and small kitchen. I but water tank and 12v water pump in the compartment some time I camp for two days that way I don't my crank battery go drained that's why I want to have crank battery separately from the other two batteries. I hope the attached image help which wires I should isolate.
Thanks again Steve.
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 AT 2:44 PM
Tiny
AZZAM12AZZAM
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Also this.
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 AT 2:46 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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That is a different layout than they normally use. Most of the units I've worked on have a starting battery under the hood, the house batteries are normally in a different location. In your case I would probably add a different battery in another spot. Then set that one up as a starting battery. It would allow you to use a common isolator to split the systems and still charge the batteries with the factory alternator. You could do that with the current batteries but it's going to take running new cables to one battery to split it off and installing a heavier cable to run the starter. An RV store would have all the parts.
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Saturday, April 2nd, 2022 AT 7:24 PM

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