Battery disconnect question

I changed my "battery disconnect" into a "house disconnect" so the solar panel charges the battery when the house loads are disconnected. The battery controller screamed for help when connected to the solar panel but not the battery.

Nice response from all the experience here on RV.net. I will disconnect from shore power and see what items remain connected after disconnect switch is engaged.

Thanks all.

Lakeside

Like some have said some systems will work even with the disconnect switch OFF, this is because they are wired in before the disconnect. If one wants to kill all 12V power to a RV be it MH, 5er, or TT put a disconnect on the negative side of the battery between it and the frame of RV, this will also kill the power to the break-a-way brakes on a trailer if not wired to battery itself.
JMHO

If you're hooked to 120V shore power then
even with the battery disconnected the converter will supply 12V and everything will run.

lakeside013104 wrote:

When my switch is pulled, everything works as normal. The wire leads are connected to both terminals of the switch. Maybe I have a bad switch?

Lakeside

In my Winnebago all the co2 alarms, smoke detector and front jacks still work with the battery switch in the off position.

Interesting semantics. If a battery disconnect is ON, does that mean the battery is disconnected?

Be a whole lot easier if it was called a 'battery connect.'

My experience is that the factory "Battery Disconnect Switch" varies from unit to unit. Mine shuts down most 12 volt but not the CO detector or the smoke alarm. The slides will still work as will the stabilizers. If you want to shut down all 12 volt to the trailer you need to install your own real Battery Disconnect Switch at the battery.

Depending on the manufacturer, that 12VDC system disconnect will shut off almost everything - except any hardwired propane, CO and fire detectors and whatever else he deems necessary. I found out the hard way that those safety devices will draw the battery down over a winter so I installed a full though separate disconnect. We wont be inside then so there wont be a personal safety problem anyhow and if it goes up in smoke, I have good insurance.

MFL wrote:
Don't know what FW you have, but the disconnect switch should kill most everything inside. A few emergency things, such as LP/Co detector, emergency weather radio may still work.

If actual battery cable is disconnected, nothing will work.

Above assumes you are not plugged into shore power.

Jerry

The purpose in my mine is to kill ALL 12 volt power, I installed my own and that is exactly what it does. If I were to check latest RV building regulations, likely the break away brake switch should always have power. I could easly fix that, but because I need on to run the landing gear, I have turning it on covered.

It for sure disconnect all parasitic draws CO2 and propane detectors as they are what will draw the battery down over time.

On my 2015 Winne the electric step is still powered with disconnect switch off.