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VickieP's avatar
VickieP
Explorer
May 26, 2017

Battery disconnect Switch

Help! We have had our "new to us" 2014 Newmar Canyon Star 3911 for almost two months. About 2 weeks ago, knowing I wouldn't be using it for a while, I switched the Battery Disconnect Switch to off. Everything shut down, I only walked back as far as the fridge to check. Yesterday when I went back out to start the geny and run the ac, do a few things, etc. nothing happened when I switched it back to ON. I walked all the way to the back and there were the numbers/codes/whatever that flashes on the (whatever it is)on the very back bedroom wall, but since I didn't go that far back when I shut it OFF, I'm not sure if they came on or were always on. Anyway, I tried several times and nothing, no power anywhere. I plugged it in to shore power over night and this morning there was still nothing. What should I try next?

14 Replies

  • I put a disconnect switch on both the house and chassis batteries, no problem since then. There was a time I parked beside the house and left it plugged into 50amp.
  • Okay, thanks for all your replies, this is what we know now and where we're at. The meter showed the chassis battery at 8, two house batteries were at 9 & 0. We jump started the chassis battery and started the engine, let it run for 35 minutes, still no power inside or to start the generator. Checked the chassis batteries again with the meter and there was no change. The batteries will need to be replaced, but should I still check the switch? Wouldn't it show dead if there's no power from the batteries? Again, thank you both for your replies, I kinda fly by the seat of my pants, knowing a little, but need reassurance that I'm trying the right things since this is our first MH, we've had a tt & toy hauler in the past. Oh, and I turned the engine off and it started right back up, I will try it again tomorrow to make sure that battery is still good.
  • Some Inverter/Chargers CANNOT charge if the Battery system is DEAD. Some Converters are the same. What you need to do is, start the chassis engine and let run for 15 minutes to put a surface charge on the coach batteries. Then the battery disconnect should come on and your Shore Power/Genset will then be able to fully charge the batteries. Doug
  • Check how much power you have at the house battery's should be 12.5 or a little less if they are close to full. If down around 12.1 or less you will need to charge them. When you turn the disconnect switch off some things are always on Propane detector,radio memory, etc. It could be you have so much still drawing power it drained your battery's.Did you have the switch on when you had it plugged in over night if so the converter or inverter/charger should have recharged the battery's. If the switch was not on it's possible the converter/charger or inverter/charger were not on to recharge the battery's.