Another battery disconnect mod with battery guage included

amidroc · 07-09-2011, 11:44 PM

So last weekend we were dry camping. I was conerned about the battery's charge level. I would crawl under the front bunk end and take a quick check of the battery level with a digital multimeter. and as i was monitoring the charge i figured that there must be a easier way to do this on a pop up.

I started thinking more and more about it and figured while i was at it i would also install a battery disconnect switch during storage.

Here are a few pics of the mod.

I mounted both the battery disconnect and meter to the outside of the group 27 battery box. i wanted to make it easily accessible.

this shows the positive side of the battery connected.

amidroc · 07-09-2011, 11:45 PM

i added a small push button switch to the positive side of the battery meter to check the charge instantly. If the button wasn't in place the meter would CONSTANTLY show the battery's charge. I figured this minor drain would defeat the purpose of it's intended use, the propane leak detector was already sucking power so i didn't need another component doing that.

here's a close up of the battery charge (it's at full charge)

so with the battery disconnect switched off there's no power going to the rig which is what i wanted

amidroc · 07-09-2011, 11:46 PM

the battery disconnect came with two keys. one it in the bottom of the box and the other is simply tucked under the lid. i will eventually run a cable or something to attach it to the box.

That's about it.

Regards,

ittle dew · 07-10-2011, 07:20 AM

That's exactly what I want to do. Can you give me a parts list and how you did it, I would really appreciate it a lot. I am good with mechanicals but electrics, not so good.
Thanks

amidroc · 07-11-2011, 01:13 AM

most of the parts were purchased at pep boys

Dorman Battery Isolator Switch part# 85988
Dorman Charging system analyzer part# 84502
Black 12 ga wire to connect the battery to the isolator switch
3 terminal ring connector to connect the cable from the battery to the isolator switch
1 momentary pushbutton switch ( i had this laying around from another project) i got it at radio shack
various sizes of shrink wrap

2 5mm screws and bolts to attach the switch to the battery box
strip of 1/2" aluminum flat bar to attach the analyzer to battery box
i drilled 3 holes and counter sunk them so the analyzer would sit flat on the bar.
there is one screw holding the analyzer case together i scrapped it and used a longer one to make sure it could go through the battery case and flat bar.

the connections are as such.

from the battery's positive terminal connect the black 12ga wire to one side of the isolator switch.

i connected the cable from the trailer to the other side of the switch.

the analyzer comes equipped with an aligator clip and probe i cut those off and stripped back the wire. on the black cable i terminated a ring connector on the red cable i also terminated a ring connector but also spliced it to solder it to the push button switch. i used the shrink wrap to secure the cables.

thats about it. PM me if you have questions