2014 Keystone Sprinter - Battery Disconnect

Thanks all!

I verified the lights on the fridge do go off with the switch. Until I can isolate that circuit my solution is more batteries, so I installed two 6v golf cart batteries and charging with the 60w panel during the week while we aren't there.

Top up with generator on the weekend for an hour or so.

I run into something I was unaware about with the TT plugged in the truck ever things works with the switch off?

CaptSailor wrote:
I discovered this unit DOES have a disconnect switch right behind the battery, and I know for sure the slide works with it off, but I don't know if the fridge will light. Does anyone happen to know?

It's not surprisng at all that the slide will work regardless of whether the battery disconnect switch is on or off as the slide motor doesn't present any parasitic draw - same for the tongue jack - no reason to run either of these through a disconnect switch. The purpose of any battery disconnect switch is to prevent parasitic draw from items inside the trailer from drawing down the battery during periods of non-use ... but if you want the fridge to work while you're away and the trailer isn't plugged into shore power then the fridge must be running on gas and be able to receive 12 vdc power from the battery to run it's electronics, which in turn means that disconnect switch obviously has to be on. The downside is that other items that aren't being used because you're not there are still also drawing down the battery, the radio memory circuit being one - I added my own kill switch for those times I absolutely want the radio totally off and not drawing down the battery. Remember also to turn off the television wall plate and if your fridge has a climate control circuit turn it off as well as it alone will seriously draw down the battery ... if your particular fridge doesn't have a switch it would be good idea to add your own, as I've done. Your propane / CO detector will also be running 24/7 anytime that disconnect switch is on but when you're not there it's a moot point as to whether it's serving any useful purpose since there's no one there to respond even if it does alarm ... regardless, it's constantly drawing down your battery. Since your intention seems to be running your fridge constantly even though you're not there and you have no shore power available solar is the solution, the problem being you don't have anywhere near enough, 100 watts being the minimum for this application.

Parked off grid, your 60 watt solar is not keeping up with the draw of the things running in your TT.
While you are not there , I would pull the fuses for , gas/propane detectors, radio/tv .

Just make sure the fridge is still in operation prior to leaving.


The detectors alone are probably pulling about 20 amps a day from your battery. At best, a 60 watt panel is pumping maybe 3-4 amps at peak for a very short time during each SUNNY day.
The fridge while running on gas is pulling at 1/2 amp per hr. or more, depending on make/model.

FYI - the keystone factory disconnect is for "most stuff" - you need a real disconnect if you dont want a discharged battery.

Use the fridge light as your indicator. The disconnect switch typically interrupts power to the distribution panel, possibly the alarms, but not the slide, the power jack, and, possibly, the emergency brake switch.

budwich wrote:
:-( I see you said the slides work with the battery disconnect switch switched... hmmm. There got to be more to the "story" than that.
when you say "battery disconnect switch behind it"... do you mean the fridge? If you turn off 12v to the fridge, it will not operate.

There is a battery disconnect switch attached to the trailer tongue, right behind the battery. Looks factory to me, but couldn't say for sure. I noticed it the first time we took the trailer out. Parked it, put out the slide, then realized no lights! Went looking for the problem, and found that switch. Like I say...the slide had power, but none of the lights, etc.

Boon Docker wrote:
Disconnect will more than likely kill power to the fridge. Turn disconnect off and open fridge door, see if the light turns on, if not then no power to fridge.

Somehow I never thought of that...that's quite likely to be true I suppose.

:-( I see you said the slides work with the battery disconnect switch switched... hmmm. There got to be more to the "story" than that.
when you say "battery disconnect switch behind it"... do you mean the fridge? If you turn off 12v to the fridge, it will not operate.

Disconnect will more than likely kill power to the fridge. Turn disconnect off and open fridge door, see if the light turns on, if not then no power to fridge.