Removing battery charging wires

Thank you will just disconnect the neg side , really easy, I like that!

So you are all set. You can use the converter's breaker to shut it off as suggested above, and turn it back on when the portable gets going, or

you can disconnect the neg or pos wire(s) from the batt to disconnect if you will have a draw while charging, or

you can install a disconnect switch instead of playing with the wires.

Our trailer came with a disconnect switch on the pos line that isolated the converter from battery, but did not disconnect the batt from all loads ,like the LP alarm and stereo clock. (or the jacks and slide) So as Mex says, you want to arrange the switch to disconnect everything.

Note you must remember to connect the switch for going down the road so your emergency breakaway will get power from the trailer batt to operate the trailer brakes. Since memory can't be trusted, maybe leave that wire out of it. Also the Trimetric will reset everything if you disconnect that.

The converter and all the 120v breakers and the 12volt fuses are all located in one place near the back of the trailer and the batteries are up at the front of the trailer.

Or just take the negative wires off the battery when charging if I can get a switch? And I fi do this will the converter run off the gen and still be able to use the 12volt lights?

ONLY if the converter is DESIGNED to do this. Some aren't. Others have so much noise (ripple) it is hard on electrical devices in the rig. Others here on this forum can answer this question by knowing if your converter is an authentic power supply.

Usually the converter is close to the 12v fuse panel so it can run everything on there with no battery supplying that fuse panel.

If you install a deck mount converter elsewhere (like closer to the battery) so it goes on the battery which is wired to the fuse panel, then your converter is supplying the 12v panel by way of the battery posts. Now it gets tricky how to isolate the battery so you can go converter-fuse panel direct. Now for more fun throw in a Trimetric shunt which is on the neg battery post.

Draw a diagram of your set-up with pencil and eraser trying out on paper how to do it first.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
2nd no need to disconnect

BUT BUT BUT

Watch charging voltage if battery is still powering stuff inside the trailer. 15.5 volts may kill some v-e-r-y expensive appliances and electronics. A 4.5 cent factory charging meter ain't going to cut it, get a digital meter.

The best way is as BFL 13 suggested get a GENUINE 200 ampere minimum rated battery cutoff switch and wire it to the house battery negative cables. Shut the battery off when charging or in storage with a battery maintainer BYPASSING the cutoff switch and run directly to the batteries.

Or just take the negative wires off the battery when charging if I can get a switch? And I fi do this will the converter run off the gen and still be able to use the 12volt lights?

2nd no need to disconnect

BUT BUT BUT

Watch charging voltage if battery is still powering stuff inside the trailer. 15.5 volts may kill some v-e-r-y expensive appliances and electronics. A 4.5 cent factory charging meter ain't going to cut it, get a digital meter.

The best way is as BFL 13 suggested get a GENUINE 200 ampere minimum rated battery cutoff switch and wire it to the house battery negative cables. Shut the battery off when charging or in storage with a battery maintainer BYPASSING the cutoff switch and run directly to the batteries.

BFL13 wrote:
You don't have to disconnect any wires, just clamp on the portable charger. Sometimes with smart portable chargers, you need to turn off the converter first and get the portable going and then turn the converter on. Once the portable is running ok, you can have both chargers on.

You can also use your battery disconnect switch to isolate the battery from the converter. You can run the rig 12v on the converter while the portable charges the batts. That way there is no draw on the batts while you are trying to charge them, which gives you full charger amps and less gen time.

The batts will charge at net amps in and out, so if you have a 40amp charger and a 5 amp draw, you are in effect charging at 35 amps instead of 40.

I don't believe I have a battery disconnect switch ???

You don't have to disconnect any wires, just clamp on the portable charger. Sometimes with smart portable chargers, you need to turn off the converter first and get the portable going and then turn the converter on. Once the portable is running ok, you can have both chargers on.

You can also use your battery disconnect switch to isolate the battery from the converter. You can run the rig 12v on the converter while the portable charges the batts. That way there is no draw on the batts while you are trying to charge them, which gives you full charger amps and less gen time.

The batts will charge at net amps in and out, so if you have a 40amp charger and a 5 amp draw, you are in effect charging at 35 amps instead of 40.

Turn off 15A circuit breaker first from right side marked converter. Connect your battery charger directly to battery terminals.