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Marks71 · 11-08-2015, 10:15 PM

I had new solar and charger / controller installed Friday. Took our van camping and plugged in most of the weekend. When out and about, did not hit the battery disconnect, because I had enough charge and didn't worry about it.

However, when pulling out of camp today, I hit the disconnect and turned everything off, as I normally do, in anticipation of storing on a lot tomorrow am and for the next few weeks.

When I stopped this evening, the fridge was on; I tried the lights and they worked; basically , everything worked, even with battery disconnect hit. In summary, our disconnect switch now does not disconnect anything.

Any guesses whether this is a switch fail (can that happen?) or is it possible our solar installer inadvertently bypassed the disconnect (can that happen?) when he was hooking up the new charger/ controller?

Appreciate any informed opinions.

Mark

overlander63 · 11-09-2015, 04:20 AM

The solar panels need to be connected to the batteries, so they can be charged. Depending on the type of system, they may need to have bypassed the cutoff switch in order to wire the solar panels.

Boxster1971 · 11-09-2015, 07:10 AM

Mark - I assume your 2015 Interstate has a remote switch for the disconnect near the sliding door. Have you checked the actual switch to see if it is turning off via the remote switch? It should be located under the lounge seat.

- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

Marks71 · 11-09-2015, 07:32 AM

No I haven't. I"ve always just relied on the remote. I"ll check the actual switch today when I get back to the vehicle. I should have thought about that, but it was late last night and I was just trying to figure it out. Thanks

So what will the outcome(s) mean? ...if the actual switch turns off, does that mean it's a switch fail by the remote? Or could the solar install have somehow bypassed the remote?

lewster · 11-09-2015, 08:02 AM

All of my solar installations bypass the disconnect, as the charging output from the solar controller should be fed directly into the batteries. I also include separate disconnects that will isolate the array and solar charge line if desired.

This should not effect the OEM disconnect switch. If you still have DC power to your fuse block, then the solar installer must have bypassed the disconnect.

I would have the system re-checked for proper wiring thru the disconnect.

Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

Marks71 · 11-09-2015, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewster

All of my solar installations bypass the disconnect, as the charging output from the solar controller should be fed directly into the batteries. I also include separate disconnects that will isolate the array and solar charge line if desired.

This should not effect the OEM disconnect switch. If you still have DC power to your fuse block, then the solar installer must have bypassed the disconnect.

I would have the system re-checked for proper wiring thru the disconnect.

Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

Lew, thanks. I'm still a little unclear. so base case, solar should be wired directly to batteries for obvious reasons. Should NOT affect the disconnect. This disconnect switch has always worked until now. Could it simply be a fuse?

Or Is there any way the solar install could have affected the remote disconnect? (e.g. it must be wired somehow to interrupt power from batteries to the coach .. maybe a wire was snipped, or shaken loose, or something during install of the solar charger-controller?)

What do you think?

lewster · 11-09-2015, 09:42 AM

All is possible. Not being able to look at the installation or trace the wiring makes it very difficult to determine.

If the installer you used is local, I would have them re-examine the wiring to find the problem.

Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

Jim Foster · 11-09-2015, 10:31 AM

With the isolation switch in the battery disconnect position, do you still have 12v inside the coach at night? If so, I would say the switch is not doing it's job as the only 12v supply at night would be the battery.
I don't know exactly what mechanism is used to isolate the chassis battery from the house battery, but perhaps that might need looking into.

Lewster?

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Jim Foster · 11-09-2015, 11:10 AM

Another thought. Is it possible that the solar installer wired directly to the coach battery and to the coach side of the isolator switch to, for some reason, allow the coach to be powered by solar only with the switch in the isolate position? I would see no reason for that, but the 12v is coming either from battery or the solar if you are unplugged from shore power.

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Marks71 · 11-09-2015, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marks71

No I haven't. I"ve always just relied on the remote. I"ll check the actual switch today when I get back to the vehicle. I should have thought about that, but it was late last night and I was just trying to figure it out. Thanks

So what will the outcome(s) mean? ...if the actual switch turns off, does that mean it's a switch fail by the remote? Or could the solar install have somehow bypassed the remote?

Ok I started playing with the manual disconnect this am for the first time ever. (My bad). Turns out there's an "always" on, an always off, and an in between position that allows the remote to operate it. My installer inadvertently turned it back to always on after his install, rendering the remote useless. I put it back in the in between position and all is now well

I swear I can't find anything about this in the manual

Sorry to take everyone's time. Thanks for all the comments

Titus · 11-09-2015, 12:05 PM

The solar should always bypass the disconnect (I think). It sounds like things might have been rewired so that the everything bypassed the disconnect. But I am not sure why that would have been done, since that has no relation to having new solar. More likely I would think is that the manual (rear) and electric (front) cut off switches are out of sync. Try manually turning the rear one to line up with what the front one says, then turn the front one, then check the back one.

jim.waters · 11-09-2015, 12:29 PM

Isn't there a manual override on the battery switch? If the switch is manually moved to the ON position, maybe the on/off switch by the door won't work???

FlaBucki · 11-09-2015, 02:10 PM

I had a similar issue with my 2014 AI. It turned out the manual switch under the lounge was turned the wrong direction (according to the dealer tech) so that it did not rotate closed by use of the door switch. Once he showed me how it should work, I have not had an issue since then.

dregan67 · 11-09-2015, 03:35 PM

I experienced the same problem where the battery disconnect switch wasn't working. So I installed a new disconnect switch from colonial airstream and it worked. Never even knew about the manual switch but now it works. Dan'l

UKDUDE · 11-09-2015, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marks71

Ok I started playing with the manual disconnect this am for the first time ever. (My bad). Turns out there's an "always" on, an always off, and an in between position that allows the remote to operate it. My installer inadvertently turned it back to always on after his install, rendering the remote useless. I put it back in the in between position and all is now well

I swear I can't find anything about this in the manual

Sorry to take everyone's time. Thanks for all the comments

The switch by the door operates the motorized disconnect at the rear under the sofa. But that motorized disconnect can be rotated manually, in which case it gets out of synch with the switch. And I think a red light on the switch indicates it's out of synch. So rotating it back usually corrects the problem!

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Marks71 · 11-09-2015, 10:13 PM

I'm going to repeat because I don't think most responders are getting my point

Problem solved this am, but I haven't seen anything in a manual or any comments that correspond

*my manual switch has 3 positions: off, on, and in between. Only in the in between position does the switch work. I discovered this by playing with it, then my solar installer sent me an email with the same info. He said he mistakenly turned it back all the way to on, instead of the intermediate stop

2015 grand tour.

Marks71 · 11-09-2015, 10:16 PM

Sorry. My post above is poorly worded

Only in the in between position for manual disconnect knob does the remote switch work

bsedor · 11-10-2015, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marks71

Ok I started playing with the manual disconnect this am for the first time ever. (My bad). Turns out there's an "always" on, an always off, and an in between position that allows the remote to operate it. My installer inadvertently turned it back to always on after his install, rendering the remote useless. I put it back in the in between position and all is now well

I swear I can't find anything about this in the manual

Sorry to take everyone's time. Thanks for all the comments

Do you know where I can find this switch in my 2016 Grand Tour? I don't see anything in the manual about it either!

lewster · 11-10-2015, 06:31 AM

Should be next to your 120VAC breaker panel. Pull the laminate cover panel from below the rear side seat on the driver's side and it will be evident.

Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

Marks71 · 11-10-2015, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bsedor

Do you know where I can find this switch in my 2016 Grand Tour? I don't see anything in the manual about it either!

Yes, the manuals are awful. I have a 2015, and it should be the same
* rear side seat on driver's side
* pull off that laminated door with the hand holds on top and bottom, right under that seat
* right next to the breaker panel is a large red knob, about the size of a gas stove burner knob
* as I said, mine has the 3 positions: off, on, and something in between, that seems to allow my remote switch at front of coach to operate. In the off or on position, the remote switch up front doesn't seem to do anything.

Good luck

Mark