How to install LED on battery disconnect switches

Bounder4rfun · 11-14-2011, 03:55 PM

Has anyone installed LEDs on the battery disconnect switch panel on a 2001 Bounder 36s? The two momentary switches are just inside the entry door on the upper cabinet. It seems with it is getting more often that I turn them off or on, but forget which. I find out after I have a discharged battery from the LP detector or something else left on like the antenna amp. I took out the switch harness and it has a connector about one foot long that can be disconnected from the coach. (LOts of wires). Remember the switches are momentary and on is up, off down, and then it goes to the center. Sooo looking at them you can not tell if they are on or off.
Any help out there? I would like to drill two holes in the face plate and intall two LEDs to indicate ON only..Thanks, Roger

Dave78Chief · 11-14-2011, 06:47 PM

While I do not know how a Bounder is set up, you will need to find a circuit close to your switches for each relay that gets turned ON and OFF. Run a wire to one side of the associated indicator light you install. Connect the ground side of the indicators together and then run wire from there to ground. The lights will be ON when the relay is ON and OFF when it is OFF.

Dave

ahicks · 11-16-2011, 08:23 AM

Re: running a wire to power the LED all the way to the relay. For the house battery switch/LED circuit, you could pick up power for that from anything powered by that circuit? E.G. a nearby light switch? Maybe closer, to save you the time/trouble of running a wire all the way to the relay? Actually, that light might be the only one really needed. It would surely be easy enough to do. Good idea!

wa8yxm · 11-17-2011, 12:20 PM

One problem is that it's hard to tell if the switch is on or off if you have shore power. as both sides will have power.

On mine the LED was factory installed, It indicates the house has power.

Does not matter if said power is coming from the batteries or the PDI 9180.

Bounder4rfun · 11-17-2011, 06:45 PM

Tried everything I could think of today to hook up the leds. It appears that there are one hot wire on each switch, one ground on each and two others on each switch that go to the relays. No matter how I hook it up the led only lights for a moment while the switch activates the relay. When the switch comes back to the center the led goes out. I think I would have to connect wires to the aux and main hot side of the relay which is outside under the hood. Maybe It is not ment for me to have the leds light up when turned on..Thanks, Roger

rmmpe · 11-17-2011, 07:05 PM

If you install LEDs, remember they are polarity sensitive and unless they have an internal resistor, you'll probably need a 470 Ohm resistor on the Cathode.

Best bet is to buy one that is already set up for 12VDC and connect as the instructions indicate. Try Auto Zone, etc. They also have blinking LEDs.

Instructions for wiring a single LED:
The longer lead of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) is positive (+). Reversing the polarity of the LED will not damage anything; the LED will simply not light.

Step 1 (optional): If you want the wiring of the finished product to be as small as possible, then trim the leads of the LED and resistor to about 1/2 inch each. This step is not necessary but do this only if you want the wiring to be very small.

Step 2: Connect the resistor and the positive lead of the LED by either soldering or twisting them together. The resistor orientation does not matter.

Step 3: Connect a wire to the open end of the resistor. You will eventually hook up this wire to a positive 12v source. Connect another wire to the (-) lead of the LED. This will be hooked up to ground (-). To connect the wires to the LED and resistor, either solder or twist them on.

Step 4: Insulate the connections with either electrical tape or heat shrink tubing.

Step 5: Connect the (-) lead to ground. Connect the wire that you connected to the resistor to a positive 12v-power source. The LED should now light.

Dave78Chief · 11-17-2011, 08:17 PM

Roger,
That is why I said you have to find a circuit (light, fridge, etc.) that the relay turns on and off. Then run a wire from there to the led in the switch panel. As you found out, you cannot use the relay control wires for this.

Dave