Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-17-2016, 03:52 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 227
Does battery charge with disconnect flipped?

So, the question came up about the battery disconnect on my Crusader 296bhs.

I'm of the understanding that the batteries will charge even if the disconnect is flipped (e.g. no lights inside the RV can turn on).

Someone was suggesting my batteries wouldn't charged and I disagreed. My rv is in storage, so I can't check.

What do you all think?
__________________
2014 Crusader 296BHS
2015 GMC 2500HD Denali
kohai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 03:59 PM   #2
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Does battery charge with disconnect flipped?

If disconnect is off they won't charge.




2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "5"
2015 nights camped "34"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 04:04 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 227
Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS View Post
If disconnect is off they won't charge.
I should note that my landing gear do work with the disconnect flipped. That's why I'm assuming the power will also charge the unit.

I may be wrong, as this has come up because my trailer was plugged in over the winter but my batteries were flat this spring and the disconnect was flipped. I didn't plug in the trailer so I can't confirm it was plugged in other than take their word for it.
__________________
2014 Crusader 296BHS
2015 GMC 2500HD Denali
kohai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 04:07 PM   #4
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Does battery charge with disconnect flipped?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kohai View Post
I should note that my landing gear do work with the disconnect flipped. That's why I'm assuming the power will also charge the unit.



I may be wrong, as this has come up because my trailer was plugged in over the winter but my batteries were flat this spring and the disconnect was flipped. I didn't plug in the trailer so I can't confirm it was plugged in other than take their word for it.


Landing gear and or slides are hooked directly to the battery thus bypassing the battery disconnect
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 04:10 PM   #5
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
There's no possibly way to charge the battery if it's disconnected sorry [emoji6]


2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "5"
2015 nights camped "34"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 04:11 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 227
Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS View Post
Landing gear and or slides are hooked directly to the battery thus bypassing the battery disconnect
Doh. -1 for me. I'm glad I didn't chew them out too bad for the batteries being flat. They did a battery test and said they are ok. These are deep cycle 6v so I hope they are right.
__________________
2014 Crusader 296BHS
2015 GMC 2500HD Denali
kohai is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 04:12 PM   #7
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
[emoji482]


2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "5"
2015 nights camped "34"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2016, 05:19 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
Depends on your specific unit. On my Georgetown they will not charge with the batteries disconnected, although as others have pointed out, even disconnected there are a number of loads that are still connected. Frankly I may change that when I connect my solar charge controller and there is no real reason for it to work that way. all it takes is moving a lead from the converter to another post on the disconnect.
__________________

2015 335DS
ScottBrownstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 11:20 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
OswegoLion's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Port St. Lucie
Posts: 327
Battery Disconnect

[[B] So when is battery turned off?
OswegoLion is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 11:39 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
camaraderie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,832
Quote:
Originally Posted by OswegoLion View Post
[[B] So when is battery turned off?
The usual answer is never completely. BUT you can make it so by mounting a battery disconnect device to the negative terminal and making sure nothing is left connected directly to the negative terminal.
Like this:

Note that the RED cable is connected to the negative post in this picture which is generally not correct...guess someone ran out of black cable!
__________________
________
Cam
2015 Georgetown 280DS
2019 Vespa Primavera 150's (pair)
camaraderie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 11:44 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
The main reason for the battery disconnect is to remove parasitic loads. This can be stuff that's "always on" like the CO detector and possibly the fridge, as well as for errors like mistakenly leaving an inside light or the radio on.

Landing gear isn't normally an issue because they normally have a switch that you can't "leave on." Same with slides and jacks. Also with the brake switch.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)

2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
rockfordroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 11:48 AM   #12
Pickin', Campin', Mason
 
5picker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
Quote:
Originally Posted by OswegoLion View Post
[[B] So when is battery turned off?
When the battery disconnect is engaged (disconnected) it typically is wired that all parasitic draws (things that consume power all the time) are off. It's OK to have things like the jacks and stabilizers always connected because they only draw current when in use (push a switch) and as such, won't drain the battery.

EDIT: sorry rockfordroo... typing at the same time!
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA

Days Camped '19=118 '20=116 '21=123 '22=134 '23=118 '24=86
5picker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 12:19 PM   #13
larryandamy
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Escondido, CA
Posts: 143
Does battery charge with disconnect flipped?

Don't speculate...
Just find out how your rig is set up.

Take a voltmeter and measure your battery voltage with the disconnect switch in the on and off positions.
When your batteries are charging, the voltage will always increase from when it is not charging.

Here is how to do this:
With disconnect in the off position measure the voltage at the battery.
Unplug your trailer/charger.
If the voltage drops, then your batteries are charging with the disconnect in the off position.
If the voltage stays the same, then your batteries do not charge with the disconnect in the off position.
larryandamy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 12:47 PM   #14
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Quote:
Originally Posted by larryandamy View Post
Don't speculate...

Just find out how your rig is set up.



Take a voltmeter and measure your battery voltage with the disconnect switch in the on and off positions.

When your batteries are charging, the voltage will always increase from when it is not charging.



Here is how to do this:

With disconnect in the off position measure the voltage at the battery.

Unplug your trailer/charger.

If the voltage drops, then your batteries are charging with the disconnect in the off position.

If the voltage stays the same, then your batteries do not charge with the disconnect in the off position.


What speculation?
If the battery is disconnected it cannot and will not charge period [emoji17]
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 02:23 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Todouble's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 849
I have a crusader and with my battery cutoff switch off I can use the auto level control for jacks but not run the slides or anything else. Mine will charge the batteries even with it off. Mines a 2014 model. Just saying!
Todouble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 02:28 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
...and the definitive answer is...it all depends, maybe and maybe not!
__________________

2015 335DS
ScottBrownstein is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 02:58 PM   #17
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Please show me a wiring diagram that makes it possible.


2008 2500hd Duramax
2015 Columbus 320RS
2016 nights camped "5"
2015 nights camped "34"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 06:31 PM   #18
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 5
2008 Coachmen Pathfinder

Mine does. Both battery banks will charge and several other circuits are still live with the disconnect activated. And the chassis battery will charge with the chassis disconnect activated. See the attached drawing.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Pathfinder Electrical.pdf (57.8 KB, 65 views)
garythelen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 08:50 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
bubbles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
Quote:
Originally Posted by garythelen View Post
Mine does. Both battery banks will charge and several other circuits are still live with the disconnect activated. And the chassis battery will charge with the chassis disconnect activated. See the attached drawing.
The chassis disconnect is not in question it is a coach battery disconnect issue. The dwg you posted (only sheet 3 of 5 is posted) does show what appears to be an emergency start tie in and inverter power control along with other powered items but I couldn't find coach battery disconnect interface. Maybe I just can't see it or it is on one of the other sheets. And of course you may also be correct.
bubbles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-18-2016, 09:20 PM   #20
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 5
Battery disconnect

Sorry about the orientation of the pdf, but it can be rotated by pressing Control, shift and + at the same time.
Actually the disconnect is shown, it's near the top of the page on the left side, but not labeled as such. It is marked BJ1 on the diagram.
I only included sheet 3 because it showed the power wiring. Sheet 1 and 2 are an overview of the whole motorhome showing where parts are located and the interconnection harnesses, sheet 4 is the front fuse box wiring, and sheet 5 is the parts list.
The battery isolation manager can be viewed here: precisioncircuitsinc.com/product/battery-isolation-manager-control-relay-225amp-continuous/
garythelen is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:37 PM.