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Old 01-22-2018, 10:30 AM   #1
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Install Battery Disconnect Switch

We have a 2018 FC 25 FB with 50 amp service. We are parked for the winter and are on shore power. My understanding is that the Parallax converter is not a 'smart' four stage unit and that it will slowly kill our batteries.

This happened to us with our 30 amp 2017 FC and I installed the multi-stage Progressive Dynamics unit to solve the problem. That was a relatively easy DIY but that's not true for our 50 amp FC.

Here's my plan to protect the batteries:

1. Install a battery disconnect switch on one of the batteries.
2. While on shore power for extended stays, flip the switch to disconnect the batteries from the converter and connect a smart battery tender to maintain proper voltage.
3. When we hitch up to move, flip the switch back to the connect position and remove the battery tender.

I've been reading related threads that recommend one of the positive terminals. See, for example, http://www.airforums.com/forums/f542...ll-168120.html

The electrical diagram shows that a 4 ga wire connects one of the batteries to the inverter and that a 6 ga wire connects the other battery to everything else, including the jack.

Should I install the disconnect switch on the positive terminal of the 6 ga battery? If so, will this protect the batteries from the 13.6 volts put out by the converter? While on shore power, will everything work normally?

Thoughts? Thanks, Dave
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Old 01-22-2018, 11:26 AM   #2
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Originally Posted by dasams View Post
My understanding is that the Parallax converter is not a 'smart' four stage unit and that it will slowly kill our batteries.
Oopsie. Our 2018 FC came with a WF-9855 converter, not a Parallax...
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Old 01-22-2018, 11:02 PM   #3
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Install Battery Disconnect Switch

Hi Dave -

That was my diagram you are referencing. The stock batteries in your battery box are connected in parallel so they act as a single, larger capacity 12v battery. So you don’t disconnect one or the other, you disconnect both at the same time.

You need to remove both the invterter positive cable and house positive cable from the battery terminals and attach both to one side of the switch, then run a new cable from the other side of the switch to the positive batt terminal. You will need to install a ring terminal on the house 12v positive line because by default airstream stick an automotive clamp on it, and the switch requires a ring terminal connector.

While you are at it it’s a good idea to also upgrade the parallel cables that connect the batteries together to a heavier guage as a best practice. 1/0 guage is what I chose.

Look carefully again the attached wiring diagrams to include the embedded comments and also the attached photo. You can choose from a 2 pole or 3 pole switch - your choice.

Finally, I wouldn’t bother with a separate maintainer. Just leave your batteries connected for 36-48 hours while on shore power and they’ll get a full charge by your converter/charger. Then disconnect and leave them sit until you are ready to break camp. If you are camped at the same site for more than 2 or 3 weeks on shore power you can re-connect them 12 hours before departure to top them off if you really wanted to as they have a small self-discharge with no loads.

Batteries don’t need to be connected to the system for all your 12v items to work when on shore power, your converter will produce 12v to the system independent of the batteries being present / connected.
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Old 01-23-2018, 08:16 AM   #4
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This is great info. Thanks for putting it together.

On a related note, the wires on the bottom battery block access to the cells, ie, very difficult to check the water level. Wouldn't it make sense to rotate the battery 180 deg so that the wires would be out of the way? I tried to check my levels yesterday but couldn't remove one of the caps because it was blocked by a heavy gauge wire
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Old 01-23-2018, 09:29 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dasams View Post
Oopsie. Our 2018 FC came with a WF-9855 converter, not a Parallax...
Starting with the 2018 models Airstream changed to a multistage converter.
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Old 01-23-2018, 10:20 AM   #6
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I think if you install a disconnect switch, as shown in earlier thread or a knife switch like I did, you should be fine. I leave mine disconnected while still plugged into shore power, just as a safeguard. I still have power when I want to do something inside, or in our case, bad weather below freezing, so I run the internal heater at 40deg to make sure everything is kept from freezing. (In TX not so bad...if I was in colder climates, I would likely winterize, but we do use our trailer in winter months here.)

I have not used our AS for past 1.5 months, so I will connect the switch today and let my multi-stage charge and charge/tend the batteries a few days. I don't have the WFCO unit; I have installed the Boondocker 50amp unit and it works fine. I have not seen anything bad from AS users on the new WFCO multistage unit on the Forum yet. I know some folks say the WFCO units are not as good as the Parallel Dynamics or Boondocker, or some other models, but I am not an expert here. I would use it unless you have issues.
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Old 01-23-2018, 12:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dasams View Post
This is great info. Thanks for putting it together.

On a related note, the wires on the bottom battery block access to the cells, ie, very difficult to check the water level. Wouldn't it make sense to rotate the battery 180 deg so that the wires would be out of the way? I tried to check my levels yesterday but couldn't remove one of the caps because it was blocked by a heavy gauge wire
I've seen nice pre-made cable assemblies in an assortment of sizes and lengths with ring terminals on Amazon. They also come in red and black.

Consider getting longer cables that route better between the batteries. I can see it's crowded in there...

Fortunately my series-connected Golf Cart batteries are end-to-end in the battery box and the cables don't interfere much. I also have a battery watering system that does not need cap removal to add water...have a look at them.

"A solution exists! Proof left as an exercise for the student" Found lurking in a College Calculus textbook. The proof required the use of 'String Theory' and very advanced mathematics. The only way our Prof came up with the answer, after three days of working on it, was to ask his friend, the actual author of the text.

It was a carefully-planned and staged joke by a very serious mathematician. (My class, as a group, hated the author for it...)
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Old 01-23-2018, 12:14 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dasams View Post
We have a 2018 FC 25 FB with 50 amp service.
Here's my plan to protect the batteries:

1. Install a battery disconnect switch on one of the batteries.
2. While on shore power for extended stays, flip the switch to disconnect the batteries from the converter and connect a smart battery tender to maintain proper voltage.
3. When we hitch up to move, flip the switch back to the connect position and remove the battery tender.

The electrical diagram shows that a 4 ga wire connects one of the batteries to the inverter and that a 6 ga wire connects the other battery to everything else, including the jack.

Should I install the disconnect switch on the positive terminal of the 6 ga battery? If so, will this protect the batteries from the 13.6 volts put out by the converter? While on shore power, will everything work normally?

Thoughts? Thanks, Dave
Okay let's take these one at a time.
Quote:
1. Install a battery disconnect switch on one of the batteries.
You'll find that your converter has a positive on one battery and the negative on the other. Same with the inverter, just using the positive from the other battery. You'll need to interrupt the flow with a switch, and I don't think what you propose will work.

Quote:
2. While on shore power for extended stays, flip the switch to disconnect the batteries from the converter and connect a smart battery tender to maintain proper voltage.
Okay.
Quote:
3. When we hitch up to move, flip the switch back to the connect position and remove the battery tender.
You're battery tender has the same kind of connector that's used in the Zamp connector. Check polarity, but you may be able to just plug into the zamp.

Quote:
The electrical diagram shows that a 4 ga wire connects one of the batteries to the inverter and that a 6 ga wire connects the other battery to everything else, including the jack.
The batteries are in parallel, so both batteries are connected to each device. It's just that the red inverter cable is on one battery, while the red converter cable is on the other.
This is done to equalize the load on the batteries. I'm above my pay grade here, but I think the idea is to have the electrons flow through BOTH batteries, rather than be sucked out of one and replaced by the other.

The jack is a separate wire (black with a yellow ring crimp)
and that's the positive of the jack. The negative is through the frame to a terminal block and the black battery cables.

In theory, your 2018 has a three stage charger, so you may be able to leave it plugged in.

My "work in progress" will replace the too short battery jumpers which are 6 AWG with 2 AWG and make them about
14" long, creating a "S" curve that allows getting to the filler caps.
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Old 01-23-2018, 12:31 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mollysdad View Post
Okay let's take these one at a time.
You'll find that your converter has a positive on one battery and the negative on the other. Same with the inverter, just using the positive from the other battery. You'll need to interrupt the flow with a switch, and I don't think what you propose will work.

Okay.
You're battery tender has the same kind of connector that's used in the Zamp connector. Check polarity, but you may be able to just plug into the zamp.

The batteries are in parallel, so both batteries are connected to each device. It's just that the red inverter cable is on one battery, while the red converter cable is on the other.
This is done to equalize the load on the batteries. I'm above my pay grade here, but I think the idea is to have the electrons flow through BOTH batteries, rather than be sucked out of one and replaced by the other.

The jack is a separate wire (black with a yellow ring crimp)
and that's the positive of the jack. The negative is through the frame to a terminal block and the black battery cables.

In theory, your 2018 has a three stage charger, so you may be able to leave it plugged in.

My "work in progress" will replace the too short battery jumpers which are 6 AWG with 2 AWG and make them about
14" long, creating a "S" curve that allows getting to the filler caps.
" think the idea is to have the electrons flow through BOTH batteries, rather than be sucked out of one and replaced by the other."

When all the leads are connected and the switch is "on", load will be equal, with minor resistance perhaps due to cable length, size. In other words, when all connected, each battery will be working as "one" unit. The hookup of one load cable to one battery terminal and one to the other battery and terminal suggests there may be a load sharing, but not really much difference when all connected. Now, here come the experts likely to split hairs...
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Old 01-23-2018, 12:44 PM   #10
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No expert as an old navy mechanic, but disconnects on the negative posts are better, worse, or same?. And btw, electrons obviously flow from positive to negative, right?
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Old 01-23-2018, 01:22 PM   #11
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No expert as an old navy mechanic, but disconnects on the negative posts are better, worse, or same?. And btw, electrons obviously flow from positive to negative, right?
No, electrons flow from negative to positive. However, it makes no real difference which lead you use. You're interrupting the flow.
The difference is that an exposed switch on the positive terminal might cause a giant spark if you accidentally touch something to it, like a wrench to the frame.

The beauty of using the negative cable on the Airstream is they are longer than the positive and therefore you have more options in mounting the switch. Airstream places the batteries with the negative forward, so the cables entering the battery box have longer leads on the negative by 4-5 inches.
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Old 01-23-2018, 02:06 PM   #12
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My aftermarket (bigger, taller) battery box is all plastic..less hazard for shorts...although its still possible. Always best practice to disconnect negative lead(s) first anytime we're working on them...

It holds a couple of (ridiculously heavy) GC-2 Golf Cart batteries in series.
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Old 04-06-2018, 03:35 PM   #13
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Our 2018 FC 25's #4 positive cable leading to the inverter is terminated at the battery with a Fuse Block. How best do I deal with this while installing a Battery Switch?

My only thought is to cut this #4 cable with the fuse block and add a ring terminal to make it the lead into COM on the switch. In this scenario I suppose both the Coach Circuit and the Inverter will be protected by the fuse block. Make sense?

Thanks in advance.
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Old 04-06-2018, 03:52 PM   #14
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Our 2018 FC 25's #4 positive cable leading to the inverter is terminated at the battery with a Fuse Block. How best do I deal with this while installing a Battery Switch?
How about adding the disconnect switch in the negative line?
It accomplishes the same thing, and you'll find the black leads are about 5" longer if you need to lop off a terminal and replace it.
They're longer (at least on mine) because Airstream put the batteries in the box with the negative terminal farther forward.
Now although you'll have one switch, you'll group all the positive cables on one battery and all the negatives (after the switch) on the other. Airstream split them up.
The batteries are tied together with jumpers.

I considered two switches for a while, one for the converter and another for the inverter; the small key looking switches. I still think it's a valid idea.
And makes a neat installation, the keys are removable.
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Old 04-07-2018, 09:25 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoorsLite View Post
Our 2018 FC 25's #4 positive cable leading to the inverter is terminated at the battery with a Fuse Block. How best do I deal with this while installing a Battery Switch?
A side post disconnect switch should work.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 06-10-2018, 11:27 AM   #16
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I had to remove the fuse block to accommodate an upgrade to 2 6v AGM batteries. I noticed on other posts that the fuse block was not in many of the setups so thought it was maybe nice to have, but not necessary.
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Old 06-11-2018, 01:13 PM   #17
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My batteries have a negative to the frame from each battery, and the batteries are connected - to - and + to +. Seems like I need two negative battery cut-offs. Correct?
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Old 06-11-2018, 01:33 PM   #18
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My batteries have a negative to the frame from each battery,
Are you sure? I also have a 2017 FC and I had one set of cables to the converter and another set for the inverter.
Quote:
and the batteries are connected - to - and + to +.
Yep!
Quote:
Seems like I need two negative battery cut-offs. Correct?
That's one option, or you could rearrange all the positive cables on one battery and all the negatives on the opposite battery. Then one switch would break the connection to everything. Just maintain the loads across both batteries, and don't forget the jack which is a black wire with a yellow crimp ring and it's positive.
There's also the Zamp connector which doesn't go anywhere, but if you want to keep it available for future use, keep it across both batteries also. You could use it for a trickle charger.
At some point all the terminals start to pile up so I guess that's why Airstream spread them out.

You probably have one black cable with a post terminal, so you'll need to address that also. Cut the post terminal off and replace it with a ring?

I ended up with a marine switch for two batteries but that might be the most complicated way. Many times I considered two of the red key switches, mounted on the side of the battery box, one for the inverter and the other for the converter.
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Old 06-13-2018, 11:36 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by Mollysdad View Post
Are you sure? I also have a 2017 FC and I had one set of cables to the converter and another set for the inverter.
Yep!

That's one option, or you could rearrange all the positive cables on one battery and all the negatives on the opposite battery. Then one switch would break the connection to everything. Just maintain the loads across both batteries, and don't forget the jack which is a black wire with a yellow crimp ring and it's positive.
There's also the Zamp connector which doesn't go anywhere, but if you want to keep it available for future use, keep it across both batteries also. You could use it for a trickle charger.
At some point all the terminals start to pile up so I guess that's why Airstream spread them out.

You probably have one black cable with a post terminal, so you'll need to address that also. Cut the post terminal off and replace it with a ring?

I ended up with a marine switch for two batteries but that might be the most complicated way. Many times I considered two of the red key switches, mounted on the side of the battery box, one for the inverter and the other for the converter.
Just connect all your negative wires on a separate switch, either the marine switch mentioned, or a knife switch like I use. That's all you need to do. Amazon has both.
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Old 07-10-2018, 05:49 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by gypsydad View Post
I think if you install a disconnect switch, as shown in earlier thread or a knife switch like I did, you should be fine. I leave mine disconnected while still plugged into shore power, just as a safeguard. I still have power when I want to do something inside, or in our case, bad weather below freezing, so I run the internal heater at 40deg to make sure everything is kept from freezing. (In TX not so bad...if I was in colder climates, I would likely winterize, but we do use our trailer in winter months here.)

I have not used our AS for past 1.5 months, so I will connect the switch today and let my multi-stage charge and charge/tend the batteries a few days. I don't have the WFCO unit; I have installed the Boondocker 50amp unit and it works fine. I have not seen anything bad from AS users on the new WFCO multistage unit on the Forum yet. I know some folks say the WFCO units are not as good as the Parallel Dynamics or Boondocker, or some other models, but I am not an expert here. I would use it unless you have issues.

Hi Gypsy; is this blade switch installed in your 2017 or 2014 trailer? I’m assuming you don’t have the 2014 any longer, but just checking. I tried to install a blade in my 2014 this morning and it was too tall, door would not shut.

Thanks!
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