Charge guard/relay wiring question

[natedawg1604]

So I'm doing some upgrades to a few vehicles and I'm trying to decide the best wiring configuration. The vehicles currently have a lightbar controller (which appears to draw 30 amps max), and they will soon have an older Kenwood VHF Radio & a XTL 5000. I'd like to avoid any possibility of parasitic drain, so I'm thinking the best option is a ChargeGuard connected directly to the battery, connect the ChargeGuard to a 60 amp relay, connect the relay to a Blue Sea systems fusebox, and connect the fusebox to the three items previously mentioned. Would this be doable?

Also does anyone have suggestions for a 60 amp relay with screw connectors? The relays at my local auto parts store have the standard blades, and the female connector plug wires only use 12 gauge wire. I'm guessing I don't want to connect this directly to a 8 or 6 gauge power wire.

 

[mastr]

SPST 12V 85A Continuous Duty Solenoid – Cole Hersee

colehersee.com.au

 

[mmckenna]

The continuous duty solenoid is a good solution. Make sure it's continuous duty, not starter or intermittent duty.

How long are the vehicles going to be sitting without being used?

The Kenwood will have the option of an ignition sense lead that could be powered via the charge guard. The XTL-5000 will also. You could wire the primary power to the radios to the fused distribution block and just power the ignition sense leads via the charge guard. That will leave plenty of capacity for the light bar on the charge guard.

I'm running two Kenwood's in my work truck. The model of Kenwood radio has a built in timer, so I don't need a separate timer. I ran power from the battery to the back of the cab with a circuit breaker near the battery. BlueSea fused distribution block behind the seat. I pulled an ignition switched lead off the upfitter controller and use that to control the radio.
No light bar, but one 360º LED amber strobe that's on a switch that's fed 12 volts all the time (I can park the truck and leave the strobe on).
The Kenwood radios pull a tiny bit of power when off, but I've left the truck for 2 weeks at a time without issue. I did add a small solar panel on the top of the service body to off set that, but where it's parked it doesn't get a lot of sun. It does help, though.

Some radios enjoy constant power on their input a bit more, and I usually run them that way.

My personal truck has a CDM-1550 in it. Radio is powered full time via the distribution block, and only the ignition sense lead is wired to a Lind shutdown timer. Never had an issue with it running down the batteries.

 

[a417]

Make sure it's continuous duty, not starter or intermittent duty.

Can't emphasize the importance of this enough. Verify with the manufacturer of the solenoid, not just the seller. Nowadays people will just about vomit anything onto a web page to sell something on line. If you are buying from anything less than a industry supplier (Grainger, etc), do your due dilligence to at least read the spec sheet on the device.

On more than one occasion I've been asked to unscrew something that "was sold to me as xxxx" and find out that it is complete trash and marketing wank.

 

[mmckenna]

Yeah. I bought a few battery disconnect switches off Amazon for a couple of UTV's.
I've had some that are just fine.
Then I've had a few that work fine for a few months, then go totally intermittent. I've learned not to buy stuff like that off Amazon unless you know for sure it's a known brand name.

The Cole Hersee should be a good one. They are a well known brand.

 

[ramal121]

For the radios switching off the main power to the Kenwood is not a problem. For the XTL, Motorola wants the red leads from the brick and the head on constant power and switch the yellow lead lead to power the radio. Now i have seen XTL's that switch off all power and they seem to be operating just fine, but do you want to go against stated install directives from the big M?

Not a big deal to add a hot fuse block and a switched block to power what you need .

The Cole Hersee relay I've always used is the model 24059. A beast. An alternative is a 75 amp I've used many times with good luck;

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-332-002-168-0332002168/dp/B0117FAGVO/ref=asc_df_B0117FAGVO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312202698398&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15239370509178447271&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032361&hvtargid=pla-453941774871&psc=1

I did do work for a PD where their upfitter ran all after market power through the original Charge Guard's 30 amp internal relay. Halogen lightbar and all. I winced at the set-up pretty hard but surprisingly did not have a failure up to the end of the contract. My objections fell on deaf ears.

 

[mmckenna]

My objections fell on deft ears.

"If it's not smoking, it's not a problem."

 

[ramal121]

And i have spoken with officers that thought they were gonna die if they didn't stop the car and bail right that second. Sh** happens.

 

[natedawg1604]

....
How long are the vehicles going to be sitting without being used?

The Kenwood will have the option of an ignition sense lead that could be powered via the charge guard. The XTL-5000 will also. You could wire the primary power to the radios to the fused distribution block and just power the ignition sense leads via the charge guard. That will leave plenty of capacity for the light bar on the charge guard.
....

You know what, after thinking about this further I may do exactly what you suggest. The vehicles may go a few weeks at most without being used, my understanding is someone usually starts them once a week if they haven't been on calls recently.

 

[mmckenna]

my understanding is someone usually starts them once a week if they haven't been on calls recently.

Even if you don't go that route, starting them up periodically and getting the oil warmed up and splashed around inside the engine is a good idea.

 

[phask]

For the radios switching off the main power to the Kenwood is not a problem. For the XTL, Motorola wants the red leads from the brick and the head on constant power and switch the yellow lead lead to power the radio. Now i have seen XTL's that switch off all power and they seem to be operating just fine, but do you want to go against stated install directives from the big M?

Not a big deal to add a hot fuse block and a switched block to power what you need .

The Cole Hersee relay I've always used is the model 24059. A beast. An alternative is a 75 amp I've used many times with good luck;

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-332-002-168-0332002168/dp/B0117FAGVO/ref=asc_df_B0117FAGVO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312202698398&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15239370509178447271&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032361&hvtargid=pla-453941774871&psc=1

I did do work for a PD where their upfitter ran all after market power through the original Charge Guard's 30 amp internal relay. Halogen lightbar and all. I winced at the set-up pretty hard but surprisingly did not have a failure up to the end of the contract. My objections fell on deaf ears.

Used to work for the company that made that Cole-Herse relay (solenoid). We called them a steel case solenoid. Our sales were mainly for Ambulance upfitters and RV's. They were used for main battery shutoff.

I still have a box of them after 20 some years - tough built suckers

 

[prcguy]

If I leave my new truck parked for 3 weeks the battery is almost dead and that is stock with no radios installed. A lot of new vehicles are like this and I end up sticking a solar panel on the truck whenever its parked.

You know what, after thinking about this further I may do exactly what you suggest. The vehicles may go a few weeks at most without being used, my understanding is someone usually starts them once a week if they haven't been on calls recently.

 

[a417]

Used to work for the company that made that Cole-Herse relay (solenoid). We called them a steel case solenoid. Our sales were mainly for Ambulance upfitters and RV's. They were used for main battery shutoff.

Loved those things. Don't think I ever had one fail.