Auxiliary Battery Disconnect Switch

[ep120794]

On the swith panel next to the entry on my 1999 Tropi-cal, there is a switch labeled "disconnect that is described in the manual as the Auxiliary battery disconnect switch. Right above this switch is the house auxiliary battery indicator light. When I push the aux batery disconnect to the left, I a clicking noise (like a relay connection) down in the battery compartment, and then the indicator light comes on. I have a couple of questions:

1. What is this switch specifically for?
2. When should it be in the left position where the light is on and when should it be in the right position where the light is off.
3. Where should the switch be when connected to AC?
4. Where should the switch be while in storage for a few weeks?

Thanks!

[Old Trucker]

I would the switch red light would be in the on position.think . off if parked for a few weeks.

[Theberrys]

I turn the light off when I'm not using the coach, that disconnects the DC loads and drains the house batteries less. When stored I have mine plugged in to 115 AC to keep the battries topped off.

Dick

[donhoward49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ep120794 On the swith panel next to the entry on my 1999 Tropi-cal, there is a switch labeled "disconnect that is described in the manual as the Auxiliary battery disconnect switch. Right above this switch is the house auxiliary battery indicator light. When I push the aux batery disconnect to the left, I a clicking noise (like a relay connection) down in the battery compartment, and then the indicator light comes on. I have a couple of questions: 1. What is this switch specifically for? 2. When should it be in the left position where the light is on and when should it be in the right position where the light is off. 3. Where should the switch be when connected to AC? 4. Where should the switch be while in storage for a few weeks? Thanks!

1. The switch supply's 12 volt to the coach, or disconnects when in storage.
2. Turn it on, lighted, when using the coach. turn the switch off when leaving the MH parked for a week or more.
3. I leave the switch ON when connected.
4. Turn off when stored to slow battery drain.

[donhoward49]

New story on the disconnect switch. Due do monsoon rains on Oregon last week i decided to raise the front of the coach for a few days. I turned the start switch to "ON" and the power gear panel to ON and the light in the panel came ON.. tried to operate the jacks and got nothing... I squeezed under the steering wheel and played with the parking brake switch, still nothing. Thought I needed to stuty where the fuze might be. As I was giving up to go home i noticed the disconnect switch, turned it ON and had power to the jacks... Remember that I said the light came on at the jack panel but i guess their was no power to the jacks.... I just keep learning, if only I can remember it all.

[JJH3rd]

We Keep the 05 Dolphin on shore power in the back yard and I've learned the hard way that I MUST USE THE BATTERY DISCONNECT SWITCH to disconnect the 12V system. If I do not, sooner or later I will find the Xantrex inverter/charger in an "Inverter Overlaod Shutdown" which WILL also cause the house batteries to become discharged.

The Battery Disconnect switch is there for a reason... Use it.

The previous owner also had a chasis battery disconnect switch installed on the wall inside the bay with the AC/DC controlers and the inverter/charger. In a thread last year I asked if anyone knew what it was and as per usual, someone here did.