|
|
04-27-2017, 06:46 PM
|
#1
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Dade City
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 35
|
Added a Battery Cutoff and Rewired the Box
I added a battery cutoff and rewired the whole box. - Got rid of the car battery lugs.
- Changed all cables to the heavier gauge.
- Added a common ground post.
- Parallel connections are long enough to go around instead of on top the caps.
- Using the switch as common positive post.
The original wiring was tight across the caps. I had to disconect them in order to check the water level.
Found everything at West Marine.
|
|
|
04-27-2017, 08:01 PM
|
#2
|
Rivet Master
2012 27' Flying Cloud
W
, New England
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 7,402
|
That looks great!!!! So much cleaner! I'm tempted!!!! [emoji3]
|
|
|
04-27-2017, 08:09 PM
|
#3
|
Rivet Master
2016 25' Flying Cloud
Jupiter
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,140
|
Thanks for posting. This is something that I've been wanting to do too. How did you cut the hole in the battery box?
I'm not sure I want to put the switch there, because it would be in the way if I wanted to add larger/taller batteries.
|
|
|
04-27-2017, 08:14 PM
|
#4
|
Rivet Master
2017 23' Flying Cloud
Parker
, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 1,772
|
Added a Battery Cutoff and Rewired the Box
Use A bi-metal hole saw. Drill pilot hole first. 1/4 inch drill bit. Very clean and easy. Lowes and Home Depot sell them for around $15.
__________________
Thanks,
Troutboy
|
|
|
04-27-2017, 08:23 PM
|
#5
|
3 Rivet Member
2016 30' Classic
Naperville
, Illinois
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 138
|
Nice!
__________________
Ed
2016 Classic (with ProPride)
2016 Silverado 3500HD Diesel drw
1995 & 2004 Gary Fisher Hoo-Koo-e-Koo emergency vehicles
|
|
|
04-27-2017, 08:53 PM
|
#6
|
4 Rivet Member
2013 28' International
Bozeman
, Montana
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 466
|
Nice upgrade. A battery disconnect should be standard from Airstream.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 04:15 AM
|
#7
|
Rivet Master
1984 27' Airstream 270
Scotia
, New York
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,082
|
I did not think of using the side of the box for switch mounting!
I made a panel to hold the switch for my MH
The small "FIRE" switch next to the cutoff switch controls the House/Chassis battery solenoid. That allows me to join all 3 batteries manually if I need to.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 04:49 AM
|
#8
|
Rivet Master
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Fayetteville
, Arkansas
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 600
|
Ernster, I did the very same as part of my winter servicing. The battery box was a tangled mess from the factory. I chose to mount the switch and the common post exterior to the battery box. I placed the switch on the negative side with the positive all going to a common post in a junction box. Heavier gauge wire on the connections too.
Here is my question. I may be missing this in your picture but it looks like your switch is wired between your batteries and not between the batteries and your trailer. Shouldn't the battery at the bottom in the third photo be directly connected in parallel to the upper battery? The switch would disconnect both batteries instead of just the parallel connection.
__________________
FishByFly
because I catch fish on a fly...
2017 25' Safari FBQ - “Fly Fish Inn”
2023 F150 XLT
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 04:56 AM
|
#9
|
4 Rivet Member
Chelsea
, Maine
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 380
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by FishByFly
Ernster, I did the very same as part of my winter servicing. The battery box was a tangled mess from the factory. I chose to mount the switch and the common post exterior to the battery box. I placed the switch on the negative side with the positive all going to a common post in a junction box. Heavier gauge wire on the connections too.
Here is my question. I may be missing this in your picture but it looks like your switch is wired between your batteries and not between the batteries and your trailer. Shouldn't the battery at the bottom in the third photo be directly connected in parallel to the upper battery? The switch would disconnect both batteries instead of just the parallel connection.
|
Look closer, he has it right. The red wires on the right run close together but the switch is not breaking the parallel wire.
__________________
2023 Entegra Odyssey 26M
2017 FC 27FB
2017 F250 Lariat Crew Cab 6.2L
Equal-I-Zer 10K/1000
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 05:45 AM
|
#10
|
Rivet Master
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Fayetteville
, Arkansas
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 600
|
Yes. I now see the positive parallel wire running below. I kept looking at this photo trying to figure that routing. Thanks. These improvement sure "clean up" the standard wiring.
__________________
FishByFly
because I catch fish on a fly...
2017 25' Safari FBQ - “Fly Fish Inn”
2023 F150 XLT
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 06:14 AM
|
#11
|
Rivet Master
2016 23' International
Centennial
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,684
|
This looks great! I think I will do it!
__________________
Steve "Centennial Man"
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 11:53 AM
|
#12
|
4 Rivet Member
2015 25' Flying Cloud
GILBERT
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 377
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ernster
I added a battery cutoff and rewired the whole box. - Got rid of the car battery lugs.
- Changed all cables to the heavier gauge.
- Added a common ground post.
- Parallel connections are long enough to go around instead of on top the caps.
- Using the switch as common positive post.
The original wiring was tight across the caps. I had to disconect them in order to check the water level.
Found everything at West Marine.
|
What gage did you use and changing from battery post, did you solider the new connectors to the current cable?
__________________
David & Nancy Ames
WBCCI # 9403 -- AIR # 95597
2015 FC 25' RB
2013 Chevy Tahoe LTZ
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 01:51 PM
|
#13
|
2 Rivet Member
2004 28' International CCD
Cocoa
, Florida
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 65
|
That's AWSOME!!! I've been wanting to do that for years, now I must....
Great job!!
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 02:22 PM
|
#14
|
Rivets?
1992 29' Excella
2010 22' Interstate
Van By The River
, Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,361
|
That's a good looking solution. I presume you have a relatively late model trailer that has one of the pseudo-disconnect switches inside the trailer. If so, I'm under the impression they disconnect most things from 12V but leave some parasitic loads for safety related items. The type of single-pole, single-throw (I think) switch you installed will do the job to really disconnect the entire battery bank.
We added a switch very much like yours in our Airstream B190 van. I was surprised that van did not come with a disconnect switch. Our 1992 Classic trailer has a switch very similar to yours and it came from the factory.
__________________
Lucius and Danielle
1992 29' Excella Classic / 2010 Interstate
2005 Chevrolet Suburban K2500 8.1L
2018 GMC Sierra K1500 SLT, 6.2L, Max Trailering
Got a cooped-up feeling, gotta get out of town, got those Airstream campin' blues...
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 05:46 PM
|
#15
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Dade City
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 35
|
It's the angle of the photo. I have the two batteries in parallel and one cable to switch.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 05:52 PM
|
#16
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Dade City
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 35
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by dames7
What gage did you use and changing from battery post, did you solider the new connectors to the current cable?
|
Changed everything to 4 AWG. I used a hammer style crimping tool with a 2lb mallet. Two hard hits and it was done.
All of the wire and lugs are marine grade.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 06:24 PM
|
#17
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Dade City
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 35
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeaLevel
Thanks for posting. This is something that I've been wanting to do too. How did you cut the hole in the battery box?
I'm not sure I want to put the switch there, because it would be in the way if I wanted to add larger/taller batteries.
|
Hole saw from the inside. That was the hardest part of the project. It's difficult to get pressure directly behind the drill.
The switch I bought can be fully surface mounted on the outside. I thought it looked better the way I did it.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 06:30 PM
|
#18
|
2 Rivet Member
2016 27' Flying Cloud
Dade City
, Florida
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 35
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ernster
I added a battery cutoff and rewired the whole box. - Got rid of the car battery lugs.
- Changed all cables to the heavier gauge.
- Added a common ground post.
- Parallel connections are long enough to go around instead of on top the caps.
- Using the switch as common positive post.
The original wiring was tight across the caps. I had to disconect them in order to check the water level.
Found everything at West Marine.
|
Oh yea........
The total cost for for the job was about $75. Using marine grade components drove up the cost. You can do it cheaper by using automotive components.
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 06:35 PM
|
#19
|
4 Rivet Member
2015 25' Flying Cloud
GILBERT
, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 377
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ernster
Changed everything to 4 AWG. I used a hammer style crimping tool with a 2lb mallet. Two hard hits and it was done.
All of the wire and lugs are marine grade.
|
Thanks.
__________________
David & Nancy Ames
WBCCI # 9403 -- AIR # 95597
2015 FC 25' RB
2013 Chevy Tahoe LTZ
|
|
|
04-28-2017, 06:42 PM
|
#20
|
Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Walnut Creek
, California
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 3,952
|
Very nice job. Certainly a must do if the coach spends time in storage. Our shutoff switch ended up next to the shell in the triangle section of the frame to the curb side of the OP's switch. It's protected there and does not take up space in the box. However, we have a terminal block located where the OP's switch is and it does take some space that might be used if we went bigger on the batteries. Upgrading the cable size is a great addition to the install. Pat
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|