[DASERVICES]

Do you disconnet your battery on a regular basis?? or do you have a split charge relay??

I've connected mine to the back light of the van, I always pull the connectors apart at the end of the day as precaution.

[JM123]

I never realised this was an issue for you guys but its good you can use the forum to get it off your chest - a diode is a small electro-device based comprised of p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor material - this creates the pn-junction, anyway blah blah blah, in a reverse biased diode when the reverse voltage increases the depletion layer (this is the no mans land between the p and n fields) gets bigger, the greater the reverse bias (reverse voltage) the wider this layer becomes. While this depletion layer gets bigger the current flows in the external circuit, once the depletion layer stops growing the transient current drops to zero  - the length of time the transient current flows depends on the RC time constant of the external circuit - normally a matter of nanoseconds and so in most cases can be ignored.

So in essence when the polarity is reversed the diode prevents any current passing through although the voltage remains the same.

[H h20]

I never realised this was an issue for you guys but its good you can use the forum to get it off your chest - a diode is a small electro-device based comprised of p-type semiconductor and n-type semiconductor material - this creates the pn-junction, anyway blah blah blah, in a reverse biased diode when the reverse voltage increases the depletion layer (this is the no mans land between the p and n fields) gets bigger, the greater the reverse bias (reverse voltage) the wider this layer becomes. While this depletion layer gets bigger the current flows in the external circuit, once the depletion layer stops growing the transient current drops to zero  - the length of time the transient current flows depends on the RC time constant of the external circuit - normally a matter of nanoseconds and so in most cases can be ignored.

So in essence when the polarity is reversed the diode prevents any current passing through although the voltage remains the same.

OOOOOOOOOH get you Mr Mills with your fancy tech talk  ,well straight over my head  ,
i fitted a simple 99p inline fuse from Maplins,
Gaz

[JM123]

of course as Jeff says you could just use a Zener diode which is a rectifier diode - a Zener diode rectifies voltage.

Jeff you know anything about Schottky diodes??

Gaz - if you spent 7 years at uni you'd be a geek too

[john tomkins]

I connected mine the "idoits proof way" as I know I am one. Bought one of those connectors in local electric store where the connector only connects one way, stops you connecting live with negative.

Doesn't work if you use crocodile clips on a separate battery though

[jeff1]

of course as Jeff says you could just use a Zener diode which is a rectifier diode - a Zener diode rectifies voltage.

Jeff you know anything about Schottky diodes??

Gaz - if you spent 7 years at uni you'd be a geek too

A schottky diode is better known as a barrier rectifier, they are normally capable of passing higher currents than a standard diode and have a low forward voltage drop a higher surge capability, and there peak surge current is normally very high.
I never went to uni (to posh for me ) I spent 4yrs at college studying electronic servicing and only managed to get city & guilds part 1,2,& 3, but it gets me by
I can fix my own tele though and no I don't mean the one with valve's in .

Guy's I'll try to answer all your questions, but I need a cupa tea first

[jeff1]

Right I have my cupa tea, my box of ritz crackers and a plate of cheese so I'm happy now

i have got an inline fuse on my red wire so if i was to put the wrong way round   yes i have done it   it blows the fuse 5p not £75   plus i have put a cheap £2 switch in so i just switch my v stream off with the switch and do not have to touch my v stream   only to change the water flow which is not very often
stu

I agree with the in-line fuse, that williamsons are now adding to the varistream, but were talking about making the system itself Idiot proof, and adding an in-line fuse does not make it so.

I see lots of posts on here were the guy's say KISS (keep it simple stupid), Lets say you blow your fuse when out on a job, now the fuse in my varistream does not have a value printed on it, its only because I know the red one is rated at 10 amp, how about the guy's who don't know this, they stick in a higher rated fuse, do the same thing again, Bang goes your varistream that will be £75 please. Its no Joke at this price.

I and JM123 will probably know the true cost of making such a piece of equipment like the varistream and I know that Williamsons, can reduce the price of them, and still make a profit.

Jeff, have you talked to Martin at williams's?
He is the most helpful guy you could wish to meet. I am sure if you voiced your concerns to him, he would take your comments on board. The problem may never have occurred to them.
My dealings with williams's have left me impressed with their patience and courteous service. Dai

dai
I have never phoned williamsons, and I don't doubt you, that there a good bunch of lads, but they are also professionals in there field.

As for the problem may not have ever occurred to them, I can't swollow that one, and my reason for this, is they must have a fair supply of returns to them and being pro's, they know what the problem is, and being pro's they would know, how to rectify the problem, (simple a little zener diode) but also being a supplier and adding this little diode on the board, would do them selfs out of £75 each time, because when a guy blows the board its his fault, not the supplier or manufacturers.

Not for my sake but for the sake of you guy's, I want williansons (or there supplier) to add the diode to the board if they won't drop there price, also adding this diode should in no way increase the cost.
One company Eco-Flow as sair said, they have one built in.

I look at you guy's as my friends, for all the help I have had from you in the past, and this just makes me so angry, when I see the prices were being charged, not just for varistreams but all the other gear as well, I understand that companys have to make a profit but so do we.

So I for one will fight to get this diode installed for you.

[sair]

might as well plug it
eco flows are still only £65.00 still an line fuse is cheaper and saves hassle . we even send one out in the kit to stop this happening

[jeff1]

might as well plug it
eco flows are still only £65.00 still an line fuse is cheaper and saves hassle . we even send one out in the kit to stop this happening

Plug away sair £10 is £10, but I wish someone would print the fuse rating on the holder as well as the fuse. at least this way the guy's can carry a spare with them.

I might even buy the eco flow and compare it to the varistream, and get back to the guy's with my findings.