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Old 10-28-2021, 01:14 PM   #1
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Battery Disconnect

Hey guys, this might be silly but I am racking my brain. With the battery disconnect in the ON position and hooked up to shore power, I noticed my battery run all the way below 3v. I would even throw a B01 error on the panel. I went outside, threw the battery disconnect to the OFF position, and I havent had a problem since.


My main question here is this: If the battery disconnect is in the ON position - this means my batteries are disconnected and when the switch is in the OFF position it means my batteries ARE connected, right?

Im just trying to figure out why my battery would drain when hooked to shore power.
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Old 10-28-2021, 01:21 PM   #2
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That is correct. On means disconnected in most cases.
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Old 10-28-2021, 03:23 PM   #3
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When you engaged the disconnect switch, by turning it on, you took the batteries out of the charging circuit.
Only engage the disconnect switch when it's not connected to shore power, so the parasitic power drains won't deplete the batteries.
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Old 10-28-2021, 04:43 PM   #4
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Uhhh, here is what Forest River Inc, states about their battery disconnect switches, via videos. It does not seem to agree with the previous advice.


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ff-217978.html
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Old 10-28-2021, 04:49 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rpmcnulty View Post
Im just trying to figure out why my battery would drain when hooked to shore power.

This can be caused by a bad converter, or you have blown the reverse polarity fuses to the converter. Please read posts #1,2, and #5 in this thread:


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...nt-152813.html


Have you checked to make sure the battery is good?
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Old 10-28-2021, 05:31 PM   #6
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This is one of my pet peeves. They should never label the "Battery Disconnect" On or Off, all disconnects should be labeled Open and Closed. That would cut down on a lot of confusion.

Having said that, all the Disconnects I've seen on RV's have been as the links that Wmtire posted, On means that the battery is connected and Off means that the battery is disconnected.
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Old 10-28-2021, 05:46 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Bama Rambler View Post
This is one of my pet peeves. They should never label the "Battery Disconnect" On or Off, all disconnects should be labeled Open and Closed. That would cut down on a lot of confusion.

Having said that, all the Disconnects I've seen on RV's have been as the links that Wmtire posted, On means that the battery is connected and Off means that the battery is disconnected.
If the switch is labelled "battery Disconnect" then ON would be in compliance for the switch function which would mean the batteries are disconnected. The switch should just be labelled "batteries" then ON would comply with the switch function which would mean the batteries are connected. The label for a switch should denote its intended function. If the switch is labelled as said and the function is the opposite then it is ambiguous to say the least and totally misleading.
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Old 10-28-2021, 05:55 PM   #8
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If the switch is labelled "battery Disconnect" then ON would be in compliance for the switch function which would mean the batteries are disconnected. The switch should just be labelled "batteries" then ON would comply with the switch function which would mean the batteries are connected. The label for a switch should denote its intended function. If the switch is labelled as said and the function is the opposite then it is ambiguous to say the least and totally misleading.

This is why we made the FAQ showing the Forest River videos on this subject matter. It does get confusing.
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Old 10-31-2021, 11:08 PM   #9
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The battery disconnect/connect switch on my RV contains a light bulb that is illuminated when switched on (batteries connected) and off when switch is in off position (batteries disconnected). However it is misleading that the coach batteries are disconnected, they are mostly disconnected. Because there are 3 wires that bypass this main disconnect switch and are directly connected to the positive terminal of one of the coach batteries. This results in parasitic losses not prevented by switch. So, I recently installed a disconnect switch in the ground cable to ensure complete isolation.
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Old 11-01-2021, 12:59 AM   #10
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A $7 voltmeter from Harbor Freight would remove all doubts.
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Old 11-01-2021, 09:54 AM   #11
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No doubts…

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Originally Posted by NavyLCDR View Post
A $7 voltmeter from Harbor Freight would remove all doubts.
…that’s why I wired in a ground isolation switch.
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:00 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by wmtire View Post
This can be caused by a bad converter, or you have blown the reverse polarity fuses to the converter. Please read posts #1,2, and #5 in this thread:


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...nt-152813.html


Have you checked to make sure the battery is good?
Ill check that all out - I hope not - the trailer is brand new lol
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:06 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by wmtire View Post
Uhhh, here is what Forest River Inc, states about their battery disconnect switches, via videos. It does not seem to agree with the previous advice.


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ff-217978.html
Yeah, their advice for the 'key type' is to just cover the DISCONNECT word. ON means batteries are connected, OFF means they are not connected.

Will check out the other options you suggested as I should not run a battery down on the ON position
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:11 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Go Poly View Post
The battery disconnect/connect switch on my RV contains a light bulb that is illuminated when switched on (batteries connected) and off when switch is in off position (batteries disconnected). However it is misleading that the coach batteries are disconnected, they are mostly disconnected. Because there are 3 wires that bypass this main disconnect switch and are directly connected to the positive terminal of one of the coach batteries. This results in parasitic losses not prevented by switch. So, I recently installed a disconnect switch in the ground cable to ensure complete isolation.
Does your coach have this installed?
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:12 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by rpmcnulty View Post
Yeah, their advice for the 'key type' is to just cover the DISCONNECT word. ON means batteries are connected, OFF means they are not connected.



Will check out the other options you suggested as I should not run a battery down on the ON position
Yes you should not run a battery down IF your shore power connection is good (you are getting 120 volt AC to the electric distribution panel in the RV) ....AND the converter is outputting

You need to make sure you have 120 volt AC inside the RV for the converter to work. Are your microwave lights on or operational?
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:32 AM   #16
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Does your coach have this installed?
Yes, similar to that. But as I said, not all devices are routed through that box/main disconnect switch.
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Old 11-01-2021, 10:53 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by wmtire View Post
Yes you should not run a battery down IF your shore power connection is good (you are getting 120 volt AC to the electric distribution panel in the RV) ....AND the converter is outputting

You need to make sure you have 120 volt AC inside the RV for the converter to work. Are your microwave lights on or operational?
Found the issue - Im an idiot. I was reading the switch key in the wrong way. Short side of the key points to the way the switch orientation says.

Quick tip for anyone else, if you cannot remove the key for the switch, it is ON. If you can remove the key from the switch, it is in the OFF position.

So turned out I had the coach in the OFF position the first couple days of camping. Thinking I turned it OFF (but actually turning it ON) is why everything all of a sudden became right in the world.
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Old 11-01-2021, 11:01 AM   #18
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Yes, similar to that. But as I said, not all devices are routed through that box/main disconnect switch.
That is correct but you could just have moved those items from the battery post to the #1 post on the side of the BCC. Those items do include the awning/steps and possibly the LP detector and evidently those items having power with batteries disconnected are not important. The BCC #1 stud is only powered when the battery disconnect switch is ON and/or when shore power is applied. This is predicated upon an SDC-107 type BCC installed. Oh well.
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Old 11-01-2021, 11:10 AM   #19
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Thanks!

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That is correct but you could just have moved those items from the battery post to the #1 post on the side of the BCC. Those items do include the awning/steps and possibly the LP detector and evidently those items having power with batteries disconnected are not important. The BCC #1 stud is only powered when the battery disconnect switch is ON and/or when shore power is applied. This is predicated upon an SDC-107 type BCC installed. Oh well.
Thank you Bubbles! I appreciate any knowledge to help me navigate the nuances of this M/H! My previous M/H I always found myself battling battery issues! This M/H has been challenging as well.
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Old 11-01-2021, 12:28 PM   #20
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Ill check that all out - I hope not - the trailer is brand new lol


Quote:
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Found the issue - Im an idiot. I was reading the switch key in the wrong way. Short side of the key points to the way the switch orientation says.

Quick tip for anyone else, if you cannot remove the key for the switch, it is ON. If you can remove the key from the switch, it is in the OFF position.

So turned out I had the coach in the OFF position the first couple days of camping. Thinking I turned it OFF (but actually turning it ON) is why everything all of a sudden became right in the world.
Glad you found it was simply user error.

On another note I see there are several conversations going in this thread with a motorhome being thrown in the mix which can be confusing things.

You stated you have a travel trailer thus do not have a motorhome coach.
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