Forum Discussion

rollexx's avatar
rollexx
Explorer
Apr 29, 2017

Battery disconnect

Picked up a battery disconnect for our fifth wheel. It's the paddle type that connects to
the negative battery post. Our trailer has two 12V batteries wired together.
I asked the guy at camping world if by installing this switch on one battery would it cut both batteries off. He said yes.
Well after installing I still get 12V power to 12V systems. Can only get power off by disconnecting a wire on second battery. Do I really need a switch for both batteries or am I doing something wrong? Thanks
  • Harvey51's avatar
    Harvey51
    Explorer
    May 07, 2017
    A battery has 6 cells connected together in series with only two external posts.

    Similarly, Think of two batteries connected together in parallel as a single battery or box. One wire coming out to ground, another wire to positive. A switch on either wire would isolate the whole double battery. One of the wires will come directly from a battery post so the aforementioned disconnect could be attached to that post.

    However, that post will have a second wire on it, going to the same polarity post on the other battery. Could be tricky getting the wire and the switch on the same post.

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