IntelliTec Belts and Cooling

IntelliTec: Electrical Controls for RV, Specialty Vehicle and Marine Use

IntelliTec is a maker of electrical and electro-mechanical controls built for recreational vehicles, buses, trucks, emergency service vehicles and boats. The company has spent over 40 years developing controls and monitoring systems used for power distribution, battery management and electrical control across the RV, bus, truck, emergency service and marine markets. Its products are often installed at the factory by coach builders, which is why many owners first meet the brand when they open a battery compartment or trace a slide-out problem.

Battery Management Is the Core Specialty

A motorhome carries two very different battery banks: a starting battery for the engine and deep-cycle house batteries for living systems. Keeping both charged without letting one drain the other is the central problem IntelliTec products address. Its battery isolators and voltage sensitive relays sense battery voltage and decide when to link or separate the banks. Unlike diode isolators, this approach lets the alternator begin charging the main battery before the auxiliary battery is connected.

The best-known example is the Bi-Directional Isolator Relay Delay, or B.I.R.D. Unlike older systems that only charged the RV battery from the engine alternator, it charges both batteries when either one is being charged. That means the chassis and coach batteries are both topped up whether you are driving or plugged into shore power. The lineup includes gas and diesel versions as well as potted units for tougher mounting locations.

The B.I.R.D. is typically paired with a heavy-duty solenoid. Shoppers looking for that component can browse battery isolation relays, including high-amperage disconnect relays such as the 200 amp Big Boy.

Slide-Out Controls and Other Electrical Parts

Beyond batteries, the brand covers much of the low-voltage electrical work in a coach. Its range of electrical parts and accessories includes battery disconnect switches, slide-out control modules, energy management systems, programmable multiplex controls, transfer switches and wiring harnesses. You can find these in the electrical parts and accessories section, along with slide-out room controllers and multiplex switches.

IntelliTec also makes controllers for 12V water pump circuits. Its water pump controller was designed for the domestic water pump in an RV or boat, though it can switch other loads such as lighting or fans. Related products are listed under water pressure system pumps.

Smart Battery Protection

In recent years the company has moved into communicating, current-sensing designs. The Battery Guard 1000 sounds an alarm when voltage is low and disconnects power at a preset level to prevent battery rundown. Newer RV-C models use a protocol based on CAN-bus, which lets battery systems share diagnostics with other onboard electronics.

What to Check When Shopping

• Match the gas or diesel version of a B.I.R.D. to your chassis, since charging behavior differs.
• Confirm the voltage and amperage rating of any relay or disconnect against your system.
• Use the original part number whenever possible when replacing slide-out controllers, since module models and room configurations vary.
• Check whether the unit is rated for mounting in an engine compartment or must stay out of direct weather.