House Battery Replacement...

[LWBAZ]

Regarding which cables to disconnect first (positive or negative), the issue is that in this particular configuration we're talking about - four L16 batteries, two-wide/two-deep, inside a wood box with limited headroom - there is virtually no way to remove the positive cables first.

Below is a photo of the battery box in my 2018 Cornerstone. It was taken after I made some minor modifications to the floor of the box and completed the installation of four Lifeline L16 batteries, replacing the original Discover batteries, but the original setup was similar.

There are three positive battery cables - two 4/0 cables (one for each inverter) and one slightly smaller cable, probably 3/0, that supplies power to the 12 volt DC loads in the coach. The problem is that those cables are connected to the two batteries in the BACK of the box. And unfortunately the limited headroom in the box makes it virtually impossible to remove those cables without removing the cables from the two batteries in front and getting those two forward batteries out of the way.

Fortunately, Entegra installed two large rotary shut-off switches, one for each inverter. So, as has been mentioned several times in this thread, turn those two switches off first and then it won't matter which cables you disconnect first.

To elaborate just a bit, after you turn off the two rotary switches, you'll want to remove & label the cables from the two forward batteries, remove those two batteries from the box, then remove & label the cables on the two aft batteries, then remove those batteries from the box.

Installation is of course the reverse of removal.

[twinboat]

Magnum said to remove the positive cable first.
They didn't say it had to be off the battery.

Find the required fuse in the inverter cable, remove the cable from the inverter side of it and all is good.

No hot cable laying around and then you can go back to removing the negative first, from the batteries.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Magnum said to remove the positive cable first.
They didn't say it had to be off the battery.

Find the required fuse in the inverter cable, remove the cable from the inverter side of it and all is good.

No hot cable laying around and then you can go back to removing the negative first, from the batteries.

Correct, however...

If you look at the photo I posted above, you'll see the two inverter fuses mounted on the left side wall of the box. I considered removing the cables from those fuses as a means of disconnecting battery power from the inverters, but didn't like the idea of loose hot cables that could inadvertently be shorted out while I was working to remove the two forward batteries. That could be avoided by taping up the cable ends, but it was/is much simpler to just turn off the two rotary switches.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by LWBAZ

Correct, however...

If you look at the photo I posted above, you'll see the two inverter fuses mounted on the left side wall of the box. I considered removing the cables from those fuses as a means of disconnecting battery power from the inverters, but didn't like the idea of loose hot cables that could inadvertently be shorted out while I was working to remove the two forward batteries. That could be avoided by taping up the cable ends, but it was/is much simpler to just turn off the two rotary switches.

If you remove the cables GOING to the inverters from the fuses, they are no longer hot.

You would need to swap the cables on each fuse so the cable from the battery is inside.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by twinboat

If you remove the cables GOING to the inverters from the fuses, they are no longer hot.

You would need to swap the cables on each fuse so the cable from the battery is inside.

Agreed - that would work, assuming there is sufficient slack in the cables to make the change. Could probably be accomplished by relocating the fuses on the side wall of the box.

But the point is, why bother when Entegra already installed a pair of easy-to-use rotary switches that accomplish the same thing.

[Hittntheroad]

Wowww! You guys wore me out just reading this. Lol. Sliding tray.

[LWBAZ]

Originally Posted by Hittntheroad

Wowww! You guys wore me out just reading this. Lol. Sliding tray.

Yep, Entegra used to have that setup too - back in the good ol' days.

[Sandflea]

I use 2 group 31 marine batteries in my Wilderness, a 1 in my Field and Stream, I have no problems changing them out, or in, now hooking and unhooking the inverters, thats a different game. I'm going to install drawer slide bases for the 5th wheel compartment, it was set up for 4 6v

[ransil]

Originally Posted by Hittntheroad

Wowww! You guys wore me out just reading this. Lol. Sliding tray.

you are comparing a mouse to an elephant.

2016 and newer Enterer are different animals than 2 group 31 batteries in a side compartment