Community Forums

gugno1 · 06-21-2009, 10:21 AM

The battery disconnect switch on my 2005 Damon Outlaw has always allowed me to disconnect and retain the charge on my coach batteries during storage. After the last trip, the switch didn't work and the batterries went dead. When I checked, I found that the switch could be set to the disconnect position, but the 12 volt lights (and presumably everything else on the 12 volt system) in the coach remained on. I removed and disconnected the switch, thinking that the lights would go out, but they remained on. The switch has four wires connected to it, and I can find no wiring diagram to show me where they go. Does this switch open a normally closed relay??? I thought that if I replaced the switch, the problem would be solved. Now I am not sure. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.....

ghamblen · 06-21-2009, 11:07 AM

Sounds like the switch may be OK. Usually those switches control a relay somewhere that does the actual switching. If the relay contacts are stuck that would explain why your lights stay on.

Clay L · 06-21-2009, 11:36 AM

Often the switch has two coming from +12 vdc and - 12 vdc. Then there are two signal wires going to a latching solenoid/relay. The disconnect switch is usually a momentary type with off being the middle position. When pushed one way the polarity of the signal leads causes the relay to switch one way and when pushed the other the realay to switch the way. This type of set up requires no holding current after it has been switched. The digrarm below is one I made of my system.

gugno1 · 06-21-2009, 12:41 PM

Thanks, guys.....unfortunately I pulled one of the teminals out of the switch when I tried to unhook it, so I have to find a new switch....but if I read this right, the relay is on and will likely stay that way without a switch to change it....maybe I should put a blade-type switch on the battery ground wire and leave the battery disconnect switch out of the picture altogether.....(?)......the batteries are under the entry steps and are that would be just a convenient.

Gary RVRoamer · 06-23-2009, 12:04 PM

Yes, a simple knife switch, or better yet, a Perkins rotary switch on the battery cable itself would do just fine.

The disconnect switch is usually a momentary switch that pulses a relay to actually connect or disconnect. Typically it signals one or the other by reversing the polarity (plus or minus) of the pulse. That's likely why the switch has 4 wires instead of two.

gugno1 · 07-12-2009, 08:10 AM

Thanks, Gary....don't know what a Perkins rotary switch is or where to get one....but will check an auto parts or marine store to see what they might have....been on vacation but now back to trying to sove the problem.....

Gary RVRoamer · 07-12-2009, 07:45 PM

Sorry - that was a typo anyway. It's Perko, not Perkins.
Perko battery switches are commonly used in boats - they are quality, heavy duty, waterproof switches.

Perko Battery Switch - 8501DP - BoatersWorld.com

Fatbear5 · 07-19-2009, 11:01 AM

I too am having a problem with my battery disconnect switch on my 1995 Coachmen Santara. The "coach" switch works but I cannot disconnect the "chassis" battery. When I push the rocker switch the light stays on. The unit is not connected to shore power. Might the relay fail for one disconnect switch and not the other? How would I test it? Any tricks to replacing a relay if that proves to be the problem?

I am two weeks into RV ownership so my apologies if this is an especially dumb question.

Thanks/Jeff

wa8yxm · 07-19-2009, 11:55 AM

I'm guessing you have the same battery control system I have.

First: The battery disconnect is not the switch, that's the remote control for the battery disconnect.. Look for a big black box, it will have 3 heavy duty cables coming likely into the bottom and several smaller wires (or a wire loom or bundle) it may have a pair of push-to-reset circuit breakers in the bottom.. You absolutly need to know where this is, this is very improtant.. Oh, it has fuses and other stuff inside it too. which is why you need to know where it is

one of the fuses is a 5 amp and feeds power to the switch.

Now, with the switch DISCONECTED, cycle it 25 to 100 times, Use/Store/Use/Store.. Just keep pushing and pushing

Now hook it back up and see if it works

If it's working you will hear a CLUNK from that box I mentioned above.

If that fixes it (or if it does not) post and we will explain or direct farther

Also, when you find that box.. Let us know what it says on the cover

azloafer · 11-10-2009, 03:54 PM

I have the same switch and asked for advice on this forum. I was told to forget that switch and use the main disconnect switches in the battery bay. One is for chassis and one for house. That switch, which is near the entry, seems to be useless. The switches in the bay turn everything off. I was depending on that switch that you are talking about and my house batteries went dead. Lesson learned.

Dr4Film · 11-11-2009, 09:03 AM

With regards to battery disconnects, there are two systems. One is a remote type rocker switch usually located somewhere close to the entry door. This is a simple on and off switch which activates a Coach Battery Disconnect relay located in another compartment that cuts 12V power from the coach batteries to the inside of the coach. This has nothing to do with the Chassis battery at all. The second is a complete disconnect system for both the Chassis and Coach batteries. These are generally large type rotary switches located in a compartment near the batteries. Mine are Perko Rotary switches. There is one for the Chassis Battery, and one for the series of Coach Batteries. They are a simple On or Off setting and are clearly marked for each setting. These are the ones that should be used to disconnect all of the batteries when storing the MoHo for any length of time. The entry switch which activates the Coach Battery Diconnect Relay has been referred to as the "Salesman" switch and to me is completely useless and in fact I have it covered with a protector so I don't accidently hit it instead of the entry step light switch which is identical and sits adjacent to the Coach Battery Disconnect switch. My relay took a dump months ago and I have since bypassed it. I have ordered a new relay and will install it once it arrives but it is not high on the "to-do" list since the bypass has been working fine and I have never used the "Salesman" switch for anything but I want to make sure that all systems are original in case I ever decide to trade coaches.

Traveler123 · 08-18-2010, 03:39 PM

Dr4Film's response included great info. I have an 04 Monaco with either a bad rocker switch or a bad battery disconnect relay. I have never used this switch and dont really need it. However it has a nasty habit of cutting all power to the coach at inopportune times. My question....can I simply attach a bypass cable to the in and out side of the relay and bypass the system permanently? The problem is intermittant and is a real pain in the butt. Anyone have any experience with a permanant bypass?

RobRV · 08-18-2010, 04:48 PM

Do You happen to have a Solar array ? The reason I ask is that I had connected My Solar Charging System to a convenient 12 Volt+ Wire behind the Refrigerator rather than running a separate wire to the Battery . The result was that the Remote Store Mode Switch stopped working. I later installed a dedicated Wire direct to the battery from the Charge controller. The Switch Magically was restored to proper operation.
Another possibility is that You have somehow connected the Chassis battery to the House Battery.

Dr4Film · 08-18-2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgd747

Dr4Film's response included great info. I have an 04 Monaco with either a bad rocker switch or a bad battery disconnect relay. I have never used this switch and don't really need it. However it has a nasty habit of cutting all power to the coach at inopportune times. My question....can I simply attach a bypass cable to the in and out side of the relay and bypass the system permanently? The problem is intermittent and is a real pain in the butt. Anyone have any experience with a permanent bypass?

JGD747,

Yes, you can bypass the relay and that is what most people including myself have done. I have included a photo of the relay I have bypassed. Someday or maybe not, I will possibly replace the relay with something that will work without frequent failures but like I said, it isn't very high on my project list.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.