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06-08-2016, 08:35 PM
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#1
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1 Rivet Member
2016 23' Flying Cloud
Suquamish
, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 10
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Battery Disconnect Switch issues
Our first Airstream! We love our 23FB Flying Cloud! We have used it once, at a full hookup site. I went to check on things in storage before our next upcoming trip and found that the batteries are dead. It’s at a storage facility so we cannot charge in-place. I thought I switched it to “store”, but now I’m not sure. The battery disconnect switch doesn’t stay in the “use” or “store” position, but only toggles back and forth without a click.
Is it supposed to stay in position? Any advice?
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06-08-2016, 08:49 PM
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#2
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4 Rivet Member
2016 22' Sport
2020 25' International
Clinton
, Land of Purple Mtn Majesty,Montana
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 312
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Mine moves from off to on with a very decisive "click". There is also a plate on the switch mechanism to indicate which is which. Mine is a 2016 Sport 22FB.
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06-08-2016, 09:32 PM
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#3
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1 Rivet Member
2016 23' Flying Cloud
Suquamish
, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 10
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Thanks - starting to wonder if it's a defective switch.
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06-08-2016, 11:02 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2007 23' Safari SE
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Astro2
Thanks - starting to wonder if it's a defective switch.
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It is probably not defective, but it is a very frequently misunderstood and confusing switch, especially for new owners.
There are many threads about this, such as this one:
Battery Disconnect Switch Not Working (for the short answer)
or Battery Disconnect Switch, Solar, and AGMs (for the long answer)
Welcome to AirForums... the Advanced Search feature is your friend!
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06-09-2016, 01:13 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Interestingly, it's actually a latching relay. It needs battery power to connect and disconnect the battery.
You are sorta stuck wherever it landed until you get your batteries charged somehow and can then operate the relay.
It's an Airstream catch-22 of sorts.
Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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06-09-2016, 12:17 PM
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#6
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1 Rivet Member
2015 28' Flying Cloud
Glen Burnie
, Maryland
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 7
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Battery disconnect issues
I had the same problem. There are two fuses on the battery disconnect switch. Both fuses blew out and resulted in inability to toggle the battery on or off. The fuses are standard automotive fuses. Biggest problem was getting to the disconnect switch to replace the fuses.
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06-09-2016, 02:29 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Yup. Ours is on the front wall of the AS under the bed. Real hard to reach.
Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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06-10-2016, 11:32 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Sequim
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 522
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If you left your AS for several weeks the battery will discharge regardless of the switch position due to phanton current draws - LPG detectir is one of thses. Entertainment systems are another possible draw.
See the other threads mentioned above.
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06-10-2016, 05:20 PM
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#9
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Duck Alum(inum)
2008 19' International
Eugene
, Oregon
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 20
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No-click toggle switch
I have the same issue where the switch clicks when I press it up or down (Use or Store), but then returns to the center position. When I'm plugged into shore power, the light stays on regardless of position clicked. I can think of a better brand name name than "Intellitec."
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06-11-2016, 12:16 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Battery Disconnect Switch issues
Keep in mind the light simply means is 12 volt power on the appliances in the AS.
Because of the way the latching relay works in the AS, there is no way to be sure if the relay is open or shut if shore power is connected.
It's actually working correctly.
Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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06-13-2016, 04:28 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
Tavares
, Florida
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,051
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Battery Disconnect Switch issues
Is it possible for this switch (if defective) to prevent charging when on shore power?
Last couple days, my coach ('16 27' FC FB) is not charging when on shore power. It DOES charge when connected to the truck umbilical.
Rich
__________________
“Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that’s right is to get by, and the only thing that’s wrong is to get caught.” - J.C. Watts Jr.
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06-13-2016, 10:18 PM
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#12
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1 Rivet Member
2016 23' Flying Cloud
Suquamish
, Washington
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 10
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We have a portable charger that we use for our boat batteries, and used it to charge the batteries up directly without going through the trailer. We got it up to 11.5, and will hit it up with a cord before our trip. I'm worried that we may have damaged our batteries by letting them go completely dead... time will tell!
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06-14-2016, 04:55 PM
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#13
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New Member
2007 23' Safari SE
Reno
, Nevada
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3
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We have the same issue on a 25 2016
Also was told to click switch up whenever charging source is changed
Further while generator or ground power all systems work like it is directly converting to the coach but not charging the batteries
Vey annoying when your jack won't power up unless generator attached. :-(
Ideas
Charger /. Switch. /. Batteries were repalce 4 months ago
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06-14-2016, 05:45 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
2005 30' Classic
Burlington
, Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,743
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I never could understand what that switch was doing in our trailer, so I don't bother with it!
When we are home and take the trailer to the storage yard, I remove the batteries and bring them home. They are AGM's and self discharge very slowly, but even so, I put a charger on them in our garage every time before I take them back to the trailer for a trip.
When we are camping with the trailer and will be at a site with shore power for more than just a couple of days, I like to disconnect the batteries because we still have the original
non-smart charger in the trailer and I am concerned that leaving it connected for a long time could damage the batteries. (Im not really sure about that.)
I have replaced the original battery clamps with the type that have a quick disconnect knob so as to make it easy to disconnect them from the charging circuit.
Brian.
__________________
Brian & Connie Mitchell
2005 Classic 30'
Hensley Arrow / Centramatics
2008 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD,4x4,Crew Cab, Diesel, Leer cap.
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06-15-2016, 09:20 AM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2007 23' Safari SE
San Diego
, California
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Llando88
Is it possible for this switch (if defective) to prevent charging when on shore power?
Last couple days, my coach ('16 27' FC FB) is not charging when on shore power. It DOES charge when connected to the truck umbilical.
Rich
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Batteries not charging when on shore power sounds like a converter problem.
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04-25-2017, 10:28 PM
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#16
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1 Rivet Member
2008 23' Safari SE
San Luis Obispo
, California
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 11
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Where are the fuses located? My battery disconnect switch is not working either.
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04-26-2017, 07:36 AM
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#17
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3 Rivet Member
1967 17' Caravel
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 221
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The fuses are located on the latching relay which will probably be located near the battery. The way mine works is light always on regardless of relay position when connected to shore power. However the switch/relay still works to disconnect/reconnect the battery. So, when on shore power and my battery meter says 100% charged, I tend to disconnect the battery (light stays on). This is probably not necessary as I have new 4-stage converter/charger.
When on battery power alone, the light turns off when battery is disconnected...indicating no 12 volt power source.
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04-26-2017, 09:15 AM
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#18
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3 Rivet Member
2016 19' Flying Cloud
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 103
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The best way to tell if it's in use or in store is to disconnect from shore power. If the light goes out on the switch you are either in store mode or your batteries are dead. Try switching to use if needed to see if it works on 12v from the battery. For whatever reason the switch is not a rocker switch, in that it always returns to the middle position.
Also, if you can't get your tongue jack to work because your batteries may be discharged, try hooking up your vehicles 7-way plug and operating the jack from your TV power... worked for me.
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04-26-2017, 10:48 AM
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#19
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3 Rivet Member
1967 17' Caravel
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 221
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ATownTX
The best way to tell if it's in use or in store is to disconnect from shore power. If the light goes out on the switch you are either in store mode or your batteries are dead. Try switching to use if needed to see if it works on 12v from the battery. For whatever reason the switch is not a rocker switch, in that it always returns to the middle position.
Also, if you can't get your tongue jack to work because your batteries may be discharged, try hooking up your vehicles 7-way plug and operating the jack from your TV power... worked for me.
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The rocker switch returns to the middle position because it is a momentary switch. If it stayed to one side or the other, the switch would continuously supply voltage to the solenoid coil which in turn would quickly drain down the battery and/or burn out the solenoid coil if not rated for continuous duty.
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04-26-2017, 10:58 AM
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#20
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3 Rivet Member
2016 19' Flying Cloud
Austin
, Texas
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 103
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Right, it's a relay switch I think. Someone in an earlier post was thinking it wasn't working because the switch returned to the middle position. I was trying to answer several post... I should have quoted them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David F
The rocker switch returns to the middle position because it is a momentary switch. If it stayed to one side or the other, the switch would continuously supply voltage to the solenoid coil which in turn would quickly drain down the battery and/or burn out the solenoid coil if not rated for continuous duty.
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