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DanEllis · 08-01-2019, 06:06 AM

I have a 2002 Expedition. It has battery disconnect switches on the control panel, conveniently labeled MAIN and AUX with ON and OFF toggle positions. When disconnected from shore power, engine OFF, it appears that the AUX toggle does not turn off 12V house power - lights still on. The engine still starts when the MAIN is OFF, but I've been told that this may be by design. How can I enable battery disconnect short of disconnecting the batteries?

Thanks!

Jim_HiTek · 08-01-2019, 09:32 AM

That's the way my '94 Bounder worked too. If I was going to leave the RV unused for more then 3-4 days, I'd disconnect the battery grounds. Replacing batteries is expensive and that will eliminate any phantom draws, like the engine & tranni ECU's memories or even the radio memories, and of course the CO and Propane detectors. Those all bypass the Main & Aux switches. In your case, even the lights are left on, and so is the step.

I always keep an end wrench and pair of gloves in the battery compartment, even in my Journey now since I sold the Bounder...just for disconnecting the grounds. Takes less than a minute.

DanEllis · 08-02-2019, 05:54 AM

Thanks for the info. As far as I can tell, neither switch does anything. Additionally, the Inverter switch on the same panel does not work. I wonder if those switches are fused somewhere?? It's irritating to have to disconnect battery cables and manually shut off inverter when there are convenient switches that should do the job.

Jim_HiTek · 08-02-2019, 07:17 AM

It's entirely possible that they're fused. I believe my Fleetwood had big fuses buried somewhere in the battery control compartment. Never found them. I believe they were those flat fuse @ 200 amp or so.

Wonder what the battery voltage is? If they are too low, the disconnect relays won't work. So check that.

The Main and Aux relays are 'toggle on - toggle off' and might be in the On position but the battery might be too low to operate them Off. Might be enough juice to run a few lights but not much else.

House Husband · 08-02-2019, 11:36 AM

Go look at the disconnect relays. They may have failed open and some one attached all the cables to on post, making the relay seem as non-existent. If you have enough power to run lights, then there is enough power to toggle the relays.