Question on Battery Disconnect

[dpgllg]

Hello,

My 2017 Grand Design Reflection 27RL 5th wheel has a factory disconnect. I had the power disconnected but my battery drained and needs charged now. I did not turn power on until I tried yesterday.

I believe the tech that did our delivery stated that slide 2 will still function even if the power has been disconnected. Could just having this feature cause the battery to drain?

Could there be other things such as the CO2 detector etc. still connected? How can I tell?

Can I install another disconnect that will totally kill all power? Or modify my current disconnect? Any drawback to killing all power?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Dave

[SoundGuy]

dpgllg wrote:
OP Here,

Will this switch work well to solve the problem?

Battery Disconnect Switch

Junk switch my own dealer refuses to stock because of too many failures. 😞 A Blue Sea m-Series Switch or a Marinco Battery Switch cost more BUT will last for years. Mine is a Blue Sea. :B

[dpgllg]

OP Here,

Will this switch work well to solve the problem? I would install it by running one positive wire to it from battery and then connect all other positive wires to the switch.

Battery Disconnect Switch

I saw prices ranging from $5.45 to over $30. Just want to get one that is safe and will not damage anything.

Thanks!

Dave

[Dave_H_M]

Mex, I think I have a total (except for needed juice when switch is activated) cut off with the remote i installed.

i don't have to trudge out to the batt location which is difficult to access and manually throw a switch.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A CUT DOWN switch is not a CUT OFF switch.

A simple TOTAL CUTOFF switch cures the issue once and for all. Unfortunately it means walking over to the battery compartment, and exerting one's self to physically flipping a lever. A few RV'ers hate the thought of such inconvenience.

[brulaz]

Every trailer is wired differently, depending upon installed options. If the manufacturer is no help, you can try tracing your wiring from the battery pos terminal to the disconnect.

In my case, there were only two wires attached to the battery pos terminal: a heavy one to the battery disconnect, and a lighter one with fuse to the optional tongue jack.

And when I looked at the battery disconnect, I found two more wires connected to it on the battery pos side: one was to a mini-solar panel with fuse and the other went to the emergency brake switch.

So in my case the solar panel, tongue jack and emergency brake switch were all connected directly to the battery, not through the battery disconnect. Everything else was turned off by the battery disconnect.

And accidentally pulling the emergency brake switch will kill the batteries quickly, even with the battery disconnect on. It happened to someone on this forum recently.

[dougrainer]

MOST Rv's, the OEM does NOT kill power to the LP/CO detector and that will drain the batteries. How can you tell? Simple. You turn the disconnect OFF and then look at the Detector. If the lights are still on, there is your problem. Doug

[SoundGuy]

dpgllg wrote:
I believe the tech that did our delivery stated that slide 2 will still function even if the power has been disconnected. Could just having this feature cause the battery to drain?

No.

Could there be other things such as the CO2 detector etc. still connected? How can I tell?

Sure, depending how your Grand Design was wired. Anything that represents a continuous parasitic draw will eventually kill your battery. Call their tech service and ask how yours is wired.

Can I install another disconnect that will totally kill all power?

It's your camper, you can do what you want. 😉 Many of us do install our own battery disconnect switch that kills power to anything we want. In my case, I've chosen to wire the tongue jack directly to the battery but everything else runs through my Blue Sea Battery Switch. Some would prefer to also have the brake system's breakaway switch wired directly to the battery but I chose to run it through the switch as I always have the switch on when towing anyway. Your choice, wire it to do what you want. 😉