House Battery Disconnect?

[Waywards]

I have a chassis battery disconnect switch on my Ventana but no house battery disconnect switch. Wondering why? Seems like something one would want for storage.

Note: I'm aware of the house battery switch by the entrance door but that doesn't shut off everything in my experience.

Peeking in the battery compartment, there looks to be a couple of covered sections where the house batteries are spliced to the coach. Has anyone installed a cut off switch at this location? Would there be a reason not to?

Inquiring minds want to know!

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Waywards

I have a chassis battery disconnect switch on my Ventana but no house battery disconnect switch. Wondering why? Seems like something one would want for storage.

Note: I'm aware of the house battery switch by the entrance door but that doesn't shut off everything in my experience.

Peeking in the battery compartment, there looks to be a couple of covered sections where the house batteries are spliced to the coach. Has anyone installed a cut off switch at this location? Would there be a reason not to?

Inquiring minds want to know!

you don't want a disconnect to turn off your CO detector, stereo, fridge control, etc. Except for total storage. If you don't want to disconnect the batter, buy a battery inline disconnect switch at an auto parts store. If this one is off, you will have no slides, jacks.

[einstein2nd]

Originally Posted by Waywards

I have a chassis battery disconnect switch on my Ventana but no house battery disconnect switch. Wondering why? Seems like something one would want for storage.

Note: I'm aware of the house battery switch by the entrance door but that doesn't shut off everything in my experience.

Peeking in the battery compartment, there looks to be a couple of covered sections where the house batteries are spliced to the coach. Has anyone installed a cut off switch at this location? Would there be a reason not to?

Inquiring minds want to know!

If that switch is not functioning your relay might be bad. The switch should shut everything off when in storage to save batteries. Even the CO2 alarm.

I recommend adding a solar battery tender that provides at least 7 amps. Then you won't have to worry about batteries when in storage.


My battery locker is located in my steps and I can access them from underneath the rig. I am not sure about yours.

Can you provide pictures?


Edit:


My house battery disconnect does shut off most of the DC systems. Some still run off the chassis battery. Turn both off and check to see if any items turn on.


The purpose of the switches is for storage. It disconnects all devices from draining your batteries both chassis and house.


My CO2 was going off because of low battery once, the only way I could shut it up was to flip the switch on the disconnect both chassis and house.


An easy fix is disconnect the battery terminals from both chassis and house batteries when in storage. Of course this defeats your question of simplicity.


Edit on Edit:
You stated your rig already has a switch for house but doesn't shut everything off. Please explain more. Do you have dead batteries after pulling from storage?


They have quick disconnect terminals at any auto parts store. It would be a lot easier to install; to answer your question.

[Waywards]

The switch next to the door doesn't turn off the frig for instance so it does leave some things on. It does kill the lights and other electrical.

So the issue is if I leave the coach disconnected for a month the house batteries drop to 6 or 7 volts. I have 6, 2-year-old AGMs.

When I store the coach, I flip all the circuit breakers off, unplug all the stereo equipment and microwave, turn the inverter off, and turn the "house" switch off. I do leave the chassis batteries on since they are connected to a 10 amp trickle charger.

So yeah, there's still an unknown drain somewhere. At this point, I'm thinking I'll just put a disconnect in. I've used automotive top-post disconnects with a twist knob. They work OK but are kind of cheap feeling. I was going to opt for a more robust shutoff switch like the ones on the chassis batteries.

Still seems odd they put one in for the chassis batteries but not the house batteries.

[99dart]

Originally Posted by Waywards

The switch next to the door doesn't turn off the frig for instance so it does leave some things on. It does kill the lights and other electrical.

So the issue is if I leave the coach disconnected for a month the house batteries drop to 6 or 7 volts. I have 6, 2-year-old AGMs.

When I store the coach, I flip all the circuit breakers off, unplug all the stereo equipment and microwave, turn the inverter off, and turn the "house" switch off. I do leave the chassis batteries on since they are connected to a 10 amp trickle charger.

So yeah, there's still an unknown drain somewhere. At this point, I'm thinking I'll just put a disconnect in. I've used automotive top-post disconnects with a twist knob. They work OK but are kind of cheap feeling. I was going to opt for a more robust shutoff switch like the ones on the chassis batteries.

Still seems odd they put one in for the chassis batteries but not the house batteries.

I'm not a Newmar owner, but can sure understand not wanting to ruin the AGM batteries! I installed 4- 6v wet cell in our Quantum ws31 because of the residential fridge. There is still parasitic draw from many different electronics in our rigs even with the "use/store" switch turned off. I have installed a battery cutoff on my system. If storing for the winter do you have access to 110 for hooking up battery tenders? That's what I use to maintain my batteries through our cold winters here in Eastern Washington.

[C.Martin]

There should be a handout in your black bag...and on one page it has the relay, and shows the fuses and self resetting breakers all located behind the cord reel. You will notice they have labels showing battery powered, and disconnect battery powered. This will help you visualize what is still powered after throwing the switch by the door. The inverter has it's own power connection to the batteries. You can turn it off at the Magnum remote. There is a charge button and an inverter button...turn them both off if your not going to be hooked into shore power. That will shut down your residential fridge.

If you want to add a total house system disconnect...I feel the best way is to...

1) Add a high amp switch just past the 350A T-fuse going to the Inverter.

2) Bring all the battery bank grounds to a central bus connection...and then have one 4/0 switched cable going to the batteries.

Note...good time to install the ME-BMK battery monitor shunt.

So, to shut it down

Turn the inverter off at the Magnum remote
Throw the salesman switch by the door
Go to the battery compartment and turn off the Positive lead going to the Inverter with your new switch...finally disconnect all grounds by turning off the other new switch.

That's about as far as one can go...

If you disconnect the battery ground to the UK inverter without disconnecting the positive to the inverter first...it may fry your Auto Gen Start module or Battery monitor module because it will try to seek a ground thru them. This is a precaution for Magnum Energy products...

[Waywards]

I was thinking of installing one of these. It's double pole. What do you think? Over kill or just right?



BEP Heavy Duty Double Pole Battery Switch, 400 Amp

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Waywards

I was thinking of installing one of these. It's double pole. What do you think? Over kill or just right?



BEP Heavy Duty Double Pole Battery Switch, 400 Amp

Overkill.

[Waywards]

So is a 100 amp switch enough?

[twinboat]

If you switching off an inverter and house loads, you need a switch rated higher then the inverters fuse.

You don't need a double pole switch.

[C.Martin]

Don't go with 100A switch.

I would recommend adding two switches... You can see my Inverter switch (red, positive) rated for 350A continuous or 600A surge. It is rated for the cable and T-fuse that Newmar used...350A. This disconnects the inverter to prevent damage to sub components.

The other photo is of my shunt. The lug on the left with one 4/0 cable is where I would add another single pole high amp switch. 400A would be excellent. This would shut down the battery bank...kinda like when you work on an automobile, every manual I have read say to remove the ground from the battery.

Flip the inverter off...then flip the ground off... restore in reverse order...reinstitute the ground...then reinstitute the inverter.

Try not to add a lot of extra cable...it will just add resistance and degrade performance. You see my inverter switch used about two inches of 4/0 and crimp on lugs. My negative addition of about 4 ft of 4/0 was necessary to allow the battery tray to articulate AND centralize all the grounds so that the battery monitor shunt installation could be completed. Great place for a switch...

[Waywards]

Thanks for the pictures. Very helpful.

Would the automotive top post disconnects (the twist knob types) work? Seems like it would be a simpler install.

[twinboat]

Its all about how many amps you draw and how many amps that disconnect can handle.

Research, research.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Waywards

I was thinking of installing one of these. It's double pole. What do you think? Over kill or just right?



BEP Heavy Duty Double Pole Battery Switch, 400 Amp

That will work just fine.