Victron Argodiode 80-2AC Battery Isolator 80A | ARG080201000

The Victron Argodiode 80-2AC is a diode-based battery isolator that charges two separate battery banks from a single alternator or charger, without letting current flow between them. It suits marine, vehicle and off-grid setups where you need bank isolation without the complexity of relays.

Key features

• Isolation, Schottky diodes isolate two battery banks from one charging source, preventing cross-discharge between them.
• Current rating, 80A continuous, suited to medium-duty alternator and charger installations.
• Configuration, 2AC design gives two isolated outputs from a single input, each able to carry the full rated current.
• Diode type, Schottky construction gives a lower forward voltage drop than standard silicon diodes, cutting charging losses.
• Weight, 0.606kg, with no moving parts and no maintenance needed.
• Operation, passive, with no control wiring, relays or external power supply required.

How it works

Diode isolators pass current in one direction only. The Argodiode 80-2AC takes a single input from an alternator or charger and splits it across two output terminals, each wired to a separate battery bank. Because the diodes block reverse current, neither bank can discharge into the other, so a fault or deep discharge on one bank leaves the other unaffected.

The Schottky diodes used here drop less voltage than conventional silicon diodes, but that drop still reduces the charging voltage the batteries actually see. In alternator systems, the regulator output should be set around 0.5V to 0.6V higher than normal to compensate, an adjustment that's straightforward where the regulator is accessible.

The 80A rating covers total input current, shared across both output banks, so check that combined charging load on both banks stays within 80A. No control wiring is needed and there's no switching noise, which suits installations where simplicity and long service life matter more than active control.

Applications

• Marine installations isolating a starter battery from a domestic or service bank.
• Campervans, motorhomes and HGVs keeping the starter battery separate from a leisure battery.
• Off-grid systems with one charger feeding two independent battery banks.
• Dual-battery 4x4 and commercial vehicle setups needing cross-discharge prevention.
• Any application where passive isolation replaces a relay-based battery-to-battery charger.

What's in the box

• 1 x Victron Argodiode 80-2AC battery isolator

Installation notes

Fit this by a qualified electrician or competent marine/vehicle electrical engineer. Rate the input and both output cables correctly for the current and fuse each output appropriately. When fed from a vehicle alternator, raise the regulator voltage by around 0.5V to 0.6V to offset the diode drop and keep the batteries fully charged. Mount on a solid, ventilated surface, since the heatsink warms under load, and never enclose the unit somewhere sealed with no way to lose heat.