Battery Disconnect Switch Operation - 2016 Ventana LE

[fagnaml]

After owning my "new to me" 2016 Ventana LE for a short four months I'm still climbing the learning curve on all of the "stuff" the Ventana LE has compared to the 2007 Damon Astoria I previously owned.

One of those items is the Battery Disconnect Switch located on the controls panel above the entry door. The Battery Disconnect Switch has been in the "on" position with its red indicator light illuminated since I purchased the Ventana LE. I have always had the LE connected to shore power since the purchase either at an RV park or at my storage facility.

This past weekend I questioned what was really happening with the Battery Disconnect Switch in the "on" position but did not play with it. I found this information about the disconnect switch from Newgle:

"The Battery Disconnect Switch is used to control the disconnect relay connected to the battery bank. This switch disconnects most loads when placing the coach in storage or when the coach is not in use. Not all loads are disconnected, and, depending on the coach and its options, some systems may have memory circuits purposely not wired to the disconnect solenoid. The inverter is typically not on the disconnect and will need to be powered off separately.

To operate the battery disconnect:

1. Press up and release the battery disconnect switch to turn on the disconnect. When the battery disconnect is turned on, the indicator light will illuminate.
2. Press down and release the battery disconnect switch to turn it off. When the battery disconnect is turned off, the indicator light will also turn off.

This description doesn't answer my basic question -- when the Disconnect Switch is in the "on" position and the red light is illuminated are the batteries disconnected from the 12 volt users?

Please forgive my ignorance and thanks for the help!!

[twinboat]

When its on and the light is lit, the battery is connected.
If your storring the RV with shore power, leave it on.

["007"]

This description doesn't answer my basic question -- when the Disconnect Switch is in the "on" position and the red light is illuminated are the batteries disconnected from the 12 volt users?

Any time you are using your coach you leave the BCO on as you have been doing with your shore power plugged in and also when your driving because your Alternator is now charging all your batteries.
What is this necessary for your battery charging system is keeping all your batteries fully charged.. Dependent on year of coach the BIRD or B.I.M. are controlling the chargeing of your batteries, this link on your charging system is found in this sticky.
To go further if you ever have a problem turning on the BCO you may see the red light flicker and no voltage reading, your house batteries have lost enough charge to not turn on the charging system, you either lost power or accidentally shut off BCO or maybe you did not check the water level in your wet cells, AGM batteries would not have this problem.

[deanrd]

I hate assuming what I think it should do


Common sense tells me that if I have the battery disconnect switch off for storage that if I drive the coach, it won't charge house batteries. I just can't find a thread to verify this


Thanx - Dean

[twinboat]

The battery disconnect on my MH disconnects the battery from the house loads BUT does NOT disconnect it from the chassis battery charging system.

I believe most are designed this way so the Boost/AUX start switch will work without the house battery disconnect switch on.

The house battery disconnect latching relay is typically a 60 to 80 amp device. The Aux or Boost start circuit needs over 150 amps to be effective.

[GCSuper]

One of the questions I had during my PDI was did the batteries charge when the switch was in the off position. Our tech didn’t know for sure so we tested the batteries with the switch on and off and found out that the charger does change the batteries with the switch off. I typically leave my disconnect switch on all the time if on shore power and off if unplugged.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by GCSuper

One of the questions I had during my PDI was did the batteries charge when the switch was in the off position. Our tech didn’t know for sure so we tested the batteries with the switch on and off and found out that the charger does change the batteries with the switch off. I typically leave my disconnect switch on all the time if on shore power and off if unplugged.

Do you have an inverter/charger in your rig ?
That may be why it charges the batteries with the battery switch off

Do you have 12 volt power with shore power on and the disconnect switch off ?
Converter/chargers power the house without having the battery on.

[C.Martin]

I would look in the “black bag” for the Newmar handout on fuse/breakers for the 12v system.

Look for the diagram that shows the fuses and breakers located back wall of the the power cord bay.(behind Velcro plastic panel) They all get power from the disconnect relay. The ones receiving power from the battery side of the relay are “constant battery powered” ...the ones receiving power from the switched side of the relay are “disconnect battery powered”.

Our B2 and B3 breakers feed the 12vdc fuse panel in the half bath...these are “disconnect” battery powered.

Anyway...if you have this handout...you can read the list of things that will disconnect with the disconnect switch.

Once you understand where the relay is...and how they are wired to the different sub panels to one side of the relay or the other...you will best understand your system.

[C.Martin]

Here’s a screenshot...