Thread: Tank circuit using a Solenoid instead of a Diode or diode isolator

Screw it, I just bought a 100amp continous duty solenoid and another relay for the batery isolation setup rather than going the tank route. It's easier - and about the same price - as doing the CarPC tank circuit Diode, which in my opinion is way too expensive for the product offered. I can also hook up 8 AWG wire to the Solenoid setup, something that is impossible with a tank diode due to the use of disconnect push on terminals.

Diode based giant isolators are way too expensive and are way overkill for using a 12AH SLA battery. I don't want to mess around with the power wire under my hood again.

I am going to hook up a relay to the magnetic coil of the Solenoid - this relay will receive it's signal from the ignition wire (same wire used to hook up to a car stereo) and will pass the current to the Solenoid coil. I will run 4 AWG power wire from my fused distribution block and wire up an ANL 100A fuse and fuseholder. Next I want to run a 8 AWG wire from the other positive pole on the solenoid to the positive connection on the tank battery (due to it's smaller connectors, which won't accept 4 AWG wire). The wire run from the distribution block to the solenoid and the solenoid to the battery will be a total of like 2 feet - with of course, the 4 AWG wire being the longer piece of wire. The 400watt Vector invertor will be hooked up to the tank battery via way of a distribution block and a fuseholder. (4 way 8 AWG block).

I have 1/0 running to the distribution blocks and a 1/0 ground. My main "big 3" wires under the hood have been upgraded to 1/0 wire as well. I don't imagine a problem with passing current or having a dangerous sitution with lack of electrical bandwidth. Considering that the car will not draw power off of the back battery when starting and that the small battery will draw such little amount of current when the car is on (to charge), I don't current see any saftey issue with the setup.

I have installed this setup yet. DO any of you see a safety or other problem with this setup?

I have using a 100A version of this solenoid:
http://www.grainger.com/industrial-s...oids6C028.html

and this battery:
http://www.batterywholesale.com/batt...tml?prodID=376

And of course a standard relay with a built in diode:
http://www.delcity.net/delcity/servl...d=73578&page=1

Please excuse if me if this doesn't work at all. I can always return the stuff. I have not seen a single tank circuit post about using solenoids - just using Diodes or regular relays (which I would think aren't safe enough).

-LAKORAI