Battery isolator

[chrismontez Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chrismontez]

I'm looking to install a 2nd battery in my 96 Prado TX and was going to buy an isolator that has this description: "Use with alternators that do not have integral electronic voltage regulator" . Does anyone know whether the Prado alternator has an electronic regulator or not?

[SimpleSi Member Find all posts View Profile Close SimpleSi]

Got a multi-meter? Check yourself.
With engine running, what is the battery voltage?
With engine running (and warm after a trip) what is the voltage?

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

I've got the V6 version and have a dual batt system. But I got sick of the limited space in the engine bay for a decent sized deep cycle so built a battery box to power my camp site. The batt box has a 1 x 50amp Anderson, 2 x cig lighter sockets, 1 x merit plug and 2 x USB ports, press & hold voltage readout to know how discharged the battery is at any time. All fused. I also have a 150w pure sine wave inverter to hook up with the alligator clamps if need be too. The same amount of charging options as the $500 units. Mine cost $50 to make. I like the idea of leaving the battery box and 12v fridge in the shade of the camp site. Hook the solar panels up to it... All set. I have 2 @ interchangeable options for the last meter of solar panel cable. I can swap it over to have an Anderson plug on the end or large alligator clamps.

[chrismontez Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chrismontez]

Got a multi-meter? Check yourself.
With engine running, what is the battery voltage?
With engine running (and warm after a trip) what is the voltage?

I'd say that was how you test to see if your alternator was working or not. Since the company had different isolators for alternators with integral electronic voltage regulators and other isolators for alternators without, I don't see how you answer helps differentiate the two.

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

All modern alternators have electronic regulators, you would need to go back quite a few years to find a car with non electronic type, an alternator with an old electromechanical type regulator will have a separate regulator, it will be a metal can device mounted inside the engine bay.

[chrismontez Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chrismontez]

All modern alternators have electronic regulators, you would need to go back quite a few years to find a car with non electronic type, an alternator with an old electromechanical type regulator will have a separate regulator, it will be a metal can device mounted inside the engine bay.

Yea I had a few of those types in the 60's. I was asking about whether the 1996 Prado still had the the voltage regulator in the alternator housing or if they had already switched over to having the voltage regulated by a separate ECU.

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

The only Prado in Australian that is ECU controlled is the new 2.8ltr, I suspect this would apply world wide.

[chrismontez Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close chrismontez]

The only Prado in Australian that is ECU controlled is the new 2.8ltr, I suspect this would apply world wide.

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know. So I guess I would be buying an isolator for an alternator that has an integral electronic voltage regulator.

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

Any standard VSR will do, Traxide make a very good unit, then there's Intervolt/Engerdrive/Redarc etc.