Another battery disconnect mod with battery guage included

[amidroc]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Broker777]

Nice work. You gave me the inspiration to do mine this weekend.

[ittle dew]

Yup,
Since the camper is awaiting new tires from FR, I have time to do it now. Thanks again for the parts list and procedure.

[Steve38]

great mod!

[ALMcKinney]

Can you show pictures of the wiring?
Thanks,
Al

[rhyno76]

Originally Posted by ALMcKinney

Can you show pictures of the wiring?
Thanks,
Al

seconded!

[ALMcKinney]

Originally Posted by amidroc

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

12gage seems awful small to go from the battery to the cut off switch

Al

[ittle dew]

Got around to doing my disconnect finally. I found a 12 volt battery gage and momentary switch combo at Cabella's ( under 30 bucks for a 2 battery set up ) It reads battery charge in 10 percent increments, is weather resistant, and the gage lights up when the switch is thrown. I also went overboard and ordered a waterproof battery disconnect switch ( 30 bucks but don't tell the wife ). I wired the gage according to the instructions, red to positive terminal and black to negative. The gage does not come on unless the switch is thrown. I looked at my 12 gage wire that goes to my converter and has a 25 amp fuse, and found my breakaway break switch spliced to the same wire upstream of the fuse. Not wanting to mess with my breakaway, I separated the two into two separate 12 gage wires. I left the breakaway wired directly to the positive side of the battery. I took the converter wire and isolated it with the disconnect switch. Now when I turn off the disconnect, it shuts off my converter, my LP and carbon monoxide sensor ( the big parasitic draw when not being used ) the 12 volt lights etc., anything run through the converter. I can still check the battery and raise the electric lift and work the breakaway breaks even if the switch is off as I saw those as necessary safety thing that I want to work even if I forgot the switch, and the gage as a convenience so I don't have to turn everything on to check my battery level. It took about two hours. I tested it this weekend camping and it seems to work good.

Thank you for your idea, parts list and description and for the courage to cut into my new ( only 4 trips on it ) camper. Off to the next mod