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02-22-2018, 06:06 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,758
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the light may have been on because the detector has a backup capacitor or battery that finally got drained. Even if you disconnect the negative cable the battery should have a maintainer connected as the battery life will be longer.
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02-22-2018, 07:02 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,832
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In answer to the OP's original question..get one of these $7 disconnect switches from Walmart or Amazon and everything will shut off via the green know. It is the equivalent of removing your negative wire...and YES you put this on the NEGATIVE post for the simple reason that it is SIZED for the negative post and the positive post is larger and you could damage the battery trying to pound it on the positive! LOL
__________________
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Cam
2015 Georgetown 280DS
2019 Vespa Primavera 150's (pair)
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02-22-2018, 07:04 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flybob
In most cases the positive side of the battery can have more than one connection ( dist panel, jack, etc) but it is very unusual to see more than one ground connection to the battery. This is one reason why most people say remove the negative side.
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This is why Battery Monitors like the Victron have the shunt installed in the negative lead from the battery. That way you are monitoring ALL current in/out of the battery using a single wire.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change  )
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02-22-2018, 07:22 PM
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#24
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camaraderie
In answer to the OP's original question..get one of these $7 disconnect switches from Walmart or Amazon and everything will shut off via the green know. It is the equivalent of removing your negative wire...and YES you put this on the NEGATIVE post for the simple reason that it is SIZED for the negative post and the positive post is larger and you could damage the battery trying to pound it on the positive! LOL
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I just got one today! I actually work at Napa and figured that would be as good as anything! Hooked it up and checked for all the little lights in the camper and they were off! When I tightened the knob back down, they were on! Good to go. I want to buy a maintainer also just so I can keep the battery fresh! 
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02-22-2018, 07:46 PM
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#25
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,853
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashbyjames581
I just got one today! I actually work at Napa and figured that would be as good as anything! Hooked it up and checked for all the little lights in the camper and they were off! When I tightened the knob back down, they were on! Good to go. I want to buy a maintainer also just so I can keep the battery fresh! |
I used one of those green knob disconnect switches on my HTT for 10 years.
Cost me about $5 at Walmart.
Never had any issues and it always worked.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.) 
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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02-22-2018, 08:04 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camaraderie
In answer to the OP's original question..get one of these $7 disconnect switches from Walmart or Amazon and everything will shut off via the green know. It is the equivalent of removing your negative wire...and YES you put this on the NEGATIVE post for the simple reason that it is SIZED for the negative post and the positive post is larger and you could damage the battery trying to pound it on the positive! LOL
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Switches like these along with many variations were popular back in the day when vehicles had generators and the "cutout relay" in the regulator would go bad. All the "cutout" did was disconnect the generator from the battery when the engine was shut down and a switch like this was often a lot cheaper than a new regulator.
That was back in the day when almost everyone checked their oil and water before starting up too. Who knows how much oil you'd burned or coolant had leaked out since the last trip. You were under the hood anyway so switches like this weren't all that big a deal.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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02-22-2018, 08:26 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 9,230
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I have one on my Falcon for when it sits. Never a dead battery!
__________________
2012 SunSeeker 3100SS Toad-1962 Futura Average 100 + days camping
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02-23-2018, 12:04 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Pfafftown NC
Posts: 2,353
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Guess what? A dirty battery can conduct power even with the negative post totally disconnected. While not enough power to turn a light on, it could technically cause some conductance and over time drain a battery. This is real. I had this happen with an old dirty but good battery.
__________________
There are 10 types of people in the world.
Those that know binary, and those that don't.
2013:31 / 2014:51 / 2015:58 / 2016:37 / 2017:46
2018:16
Total 239
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02-23-2018, 05:54 PM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evereddie
Guess what? A dirty battery can conduct power even with the negative post totally disconnected. While not enough power to turn a light on, it could technically cause some conductance and over time drain a battery. This is real. I had this happen with an old dirty but good battery.
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This was a major problem on old batteries that had the exposed lead cell connectors (and some 6V GC batteries still do). Any electrolyte that bubbled out of the cells when charging at a high rate literally shorted the cells across the battery top.
New batteries that both control the venting better and have totally enclosed tops are less of a problem. It's still a good idea to clean the battery tops with a light solution of dish detergent, water, and a little Baking Soda. Just don't get any of the solution in any of the cells.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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02-24-2018, 07:19 AM
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#30
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evereddie
Guess what? A dirty battery can conduct power even with the negative post totally disconnected. While not enough power to turn a light on, it could technically cause some conductance and over time drain a battery. This is real. I had this happen with an old dirty but good battery.
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How will this power anything with the negative terminal disconnected?
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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02-24-2018, 08:13 AM
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#31
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 10,525
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I'm guessing your old dirty battery wasn't that good to begin with.... if it's really nasty on top it probably has been boiling or excessively out gassing. Not a good sign.
I've added a disconnect switch to the pos side of my batteries on all my trailers. I keep a battery tender Jr connected when at home. I typically get 5-6 years out of my batteries before they show reduced capacity. I'm good with that.
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Peace!
Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
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02-24-2018, 05:40 PM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Herk7769
How will this power anything with the negative terminal disconnected?
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Won't power anything with the switch disconnected but disconnecting switch won't stop discharge across the top of a dirty battery. Only solution is to clean it. Won't matter what kind of switch you use or which pole of the battery you disconnect, the battery will slowly discharge through the conductive buildup on top surface between + and - terminals.
__________________
"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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02-26-2018, 11:03 AM
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#33
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TitanMike
Won't power anything with the switch disconnected but disconnecting switch won't stop discharge across the top of a dirty battery. Only solution is to clean it. Won't matter what kind of switch you use or which pole of the battery you disconnect, the battery will slowly discharge through the conductive buildup on top surface between + and - terminals.
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I misunderstood your post then. I thought to said the battery would power something with the negative terminal not connected at all.
Self discharge is another thing. A lead-acid battery will self discharge over time due to internal factors. It will also self discharge due to external factors like a current path between the poles of the disconnected battery (no wires attached at all).
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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