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Auxillary Batteries shutoff switch

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:08 pm
by Tim and Mia
I have a question regarding my Guest manufactured battery shutoff switch.

On my coach it is located just inside and to the left of the coach main entry door.

It doesn't seem to shutoff the battery power to the coach. I ordered a new switch and installed it, and still the same, does not shut off power.

I then took the old switch and checked it on a meter and did a continuity check and voila, the switch works fine. ( I should have checked it before I ordered another switch!)

So my question is: What else should I check? It seems that the switch is being bypassed or?

I hope this is clear. Thank you.

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 7:35 pm
by Jon Pollei
Tim, do you by chance have your shorline plugged in to power? If you have the batttery switch off and you are plugged in it bypasses the switch so you have power. You can do this to also bypass the battery charger so you don't cook the batterys. :?:

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 7:57 pm
by Tim and Mia
Jon,

Thank you for the reply.

Well yes, I do have shore power plugged in. I unplugged shore power and now the battery switch works properly.

User understanding. This switch isolates coach batteries and coach battery charger only, is that correct?

I cannot seem to find a detailed schematic of this wiring.

Again, thanks,

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:46 pm
by Jon Pollei
Tim, the switch cuts the power from the battery off. It is the same as disconnecting the battery terminals. The shore line bypasses the batterys and everything runs off the 110 converter. Therfore the charge can't return to the batterys. Is this as clear as mud? Sombody with more tech. knowledge could probably put into better words. I'm glad this solved your problem. :D

Battery Cutoff Switch

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:23 am
by whemme
Tim and Mia,

The battery cutoff switch only disconnects your coach batteries from the system - it does not disconnect the converter/charger. If you are plugged into 120 VAC shore line power, you should note that your 12 VDC appliances in the coach (such as your coach lights) are still operating since the the converter which converts 120 VAC to 12 VDC power is still working.

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:25 am
by Tim and Mia
Bill,

I see; so when my battery switch is in the "off" position and I am plugged into shore power 120VAC, then I am still charging my coach batteries.

That helps me to understand why my charge wizard still gives me a green blinking light! (I installed the progressive dynamics charger w/charge wizard.)

So, would there ever be a time when I would want the battery switch off while being plugged into shore power, since the battery charger is always charging? (assuming trickle charging is available via the appropriate device)

That means then, that the primary purpose of the battery switch would be to disconnect the coach batteries to keep them from discharging while the coach is not in use and not plugged into 120VAC shore power?

I hope this is clear. I certainly appreciate your responses.

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:43 am
by George Boley
Tim,
You are partially misunderstanding everyone. When the battery switch is off, the coach batteries are disconnected or isolated from the ENTIRE system. In this mode the shore tie will NOT charge the coach batteries through the converter/charger.

A lot of us shut off the switch when we get hooked up to power in a campground and run solely on the converter. We do this so the converter won't overcharge the coach batteries, shorten their life and boil the water away. Remember after traveling on the road the coach batteries are fully charged when you arrive at the campground.

Don't be embarassed :oops: When it comes to computer things I am "stuck on stupid" :?: and really have to rely on others, so lets both keep asking questions. George B

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 11:02 am
by tomdclark
Tim and Mia,

At the risk of muddying the waters, I think that you have misinterpreted the expanation of what is going on.

The converter/charger converts the 120 volt AC shore power (or generator power) into 12 volt DC power. This 12 volt DC power can do two things:

Firstly, it can be used to power the 12 volt DC outlets and appliances

and, secondly, it CAN be used to charge the battery if the battery is connected.

If the battery switch is OFF, the the battery is NOT connected and the converter just does the first task. The battery is NOT being charged. If the battery switch is ON the converter does both tasks and the battery is being charged.

Personally, when the coach is plugged into shore power and the batteries are not needed, I turn the battery switch OFF. The only exception is when the batteries need to be charged. As has been noted in other posts recently, if you leave the battery switch ON when plugged into shore power, there is the risk of overcharging and boiling the batteries.

I hope this hasn't confused the situation too much. If so, a thousand apologies.

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:11 pm
by Tim and Mia
Thank you kind sirs,

Well now, I believe I am beginning to understand this system a bit.

I installed a replacement battery charger/converter a progressive dynamics w/charge wizard. It's a little baffling to me when I place the battery switch into the off position that this charge wizard continues to show a charge going into the batteries.

I believe this is what started the gears in my brain to think that the switch was malfunctioning in the first place.

I do know that this website is fantastic. It's comforting to know that there is corporate knowledge available for these issues.

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:44 pm
by tomdclark
Tim and Mia,

I was also a bit puzzled by the blinking light of your "charge wizard". I went to the Progressive Dyynamics website and found this in their description of the "charge wizard"

[quote]The Charge Wizard has a light that indicates the Mode it is operating in as follows.

LIGHT “ONâ€

Posted: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:42 pm
by rjcorazza
I read recently that the charge wizard lights will display a charge mode even with the battery disconnected or removed.
Why did Born Free place the disconnect switch in the cab well anyway? It seems like a long run of 12v wiring. I investigated the switch a while back, and was disappointed there is no way to prevent the chassis alternator from charging the coach batteries while the engine is running (or at least no way I have found).
My preference would be a "Both/1/2/Off" switch close to the batteries and an independent switch to disconnect the charging cable from the chassis alternator.