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06-16-2015, 09:44 PM
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#1
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Napking
2015 30' International
Plymouth
, Minnesota
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 55
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Battery disconnect switch
Hello,
My battery disconnect red light does not turn off when I switch it from either store or use. Is this normal?
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06-16-2015, 10:02 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master 
2015 25' Flying Cloud
Bend
, Oregon
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 766
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Yes. That switch is the least intuitive device known to man....
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06-16-2015, 10:14 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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Yes that is normal. The Owners Manual has a pretty good description of the switch operation. We use the switch frequently to isolate the batteries for different conditions.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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06-17-2015, 10:18 PM
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#5
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Napking
2015 30' International
Plymouth
, Minnesota
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 55
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Thanks
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06-17-2015, 10:59 PM
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#6
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Free Range Human
2012 25' FB Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Haines
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 736
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From the thread about the 2010 FC. This is how our AS behaves.
"It can be a little confusing.
If the trailer is not plugged in to shore power, the LED lights only in the "use" mode.
If the trailer is plugged in, the LED will be lit in both "use" and "store"'. In the "store" mode the batteries are disconnected from the electrical system. The power supplied by the converter is running the trailer and LED.
Regards,
JD"
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06-17-2015, 11:07 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake
, Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
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In the STORE mode the propane detector is still powered, and has a constant current draw. I believe the battery disconnect relay takes power in either position, so a constant draw (can someone confirm this?) The tongue jack is wired directly to the batteries.
__________________
Doug and Cheryl
2012 FC RB, Michelin 16, ProPride 1400
2016 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4X4 Ecodiesel 3.92 axles
The Truth is More Important Than the Facts
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06-18-2015, 12:41 AM
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#8
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Free Range Human
2012 25' FB Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Haines
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 736
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Doug, if I understand your question, I don't believe the relay is a constant draw. There's just an always hot buss for things like the LP detector. I wish I knew what all of those devices are.
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06-18-2015, 12:45 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master 
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkottum
In the STORE mode the propane detector is still powered, and has a constant current draw. I believe the battery disconnect relay takes power in either position, so a constant draw (can someone confirm this?) The tongue jack is wired directly to the batteries.
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The relay only takes power to move it from one position to the other, but no power constantly. The propane detector takes power all the time, about 6 mA in my trailer. If you have a radio like the one in my 2014 FC 20, and you turn the use/store switch to store, then unplug the rig, when you turn the switch back to USE, the demo disco lights on the radio come on and the thing takes about 0.75 amp. On my unit, the radio is behind a cabinet door and you can't see it has come back on, with it's flashing light display. A good way to kill the batteries in a few days. Really stupid design. BTW, I have found no extra power drain for the sub woofer in my rig. It seems to turn on and off with the radio.
I put a positive off switch on the propane detector as well as the radio. I still totally disconnect the batteries (but leave them in place) for winter storage.
The factory inverter option is another possible power drain. The inverter has it's own power wires to the batteries and does not go through the use/store switch. So, it is possible to leave the inverter on and run the batteries down quickly, even when the switch is in Store. The inverter takes 1.75 amps when on, but doing nothing but sitting there.
And yes, the tongue jack is directly wired to the batteries, so if someone turns on the tongue jack lights there is another drain on the batteries.
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06-19-2015, 08:41 AM
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#10
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Free Range Human
2012 25' FB Flying Cloud
Currently Looking...
Haines
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 736
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Like idroba, I disconnect the batteries any time the trailer is not in use and in a location where my solar panels are not getting good sun exposure.
I agree, it's a stupid design to have a parasitic drain when the trailer is switched to store.
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06-19-2015, 10:32 AM
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#11
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4 Rivet Member 
2019 23' International
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 458
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Is it normal for the panel to read 13.6v when the battery switch is off and the shore power connected? is that just the converter trying to charge a load that isn't there? or am I boiling my batteries?
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06-19-2015, 11:02 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master 
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leedav
Is it normal for the panel to read 13.6v when the battery switch is off and the shore power connected? is that just the converter trying to charge a load that isn't there? or am I boiling my batteries?
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In "store" the voltage you see will be the converter/charger output voltage.
I believe that the 16' Sport units such as you have are the only ones that come with a 3 stage converter/charger from the factory. I understand it is a WFCO unit. If that is true, you do not need to worry about overcharging your batteries if it is working properly.
BTW, the batteries don't "boil" but overcharging can result in excess gassing and loss of liquid. I am a stickler for proper terminology and to me, boiling is what water does when it is heated to 212 F and changes to a gas. The acid in the battery does not do that. The use of the word "boil" is common here on the forum but I would like to see all of us change to something which is more accurate. I am not sure what that might be, maybe "gassing" of the batteries.
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06-19-2015, 11:12 AM
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#13
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4 Rivet Member 
2019 23' International
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 458
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Quote:
Originally Posted by idroba
In "store" the voltage you see will be the converter/charger output voltage.
I believe that the 16' Sport units such as you have are the only ones that come with a 3 stage converter/charger from the factory. I understand it is a WFCO unit. If that is true, you do not need to worry about overcharging your batteries if it is working properly.
BTW, the batteries don't "boil" but overcharging can result in excess gassing and loss of liquid. I am a stickler for proper terminology and to me, boiling is what water does when it is heated to 212 F and changes to a gas. The acid in the battery does not do that. The use of the word "boil" is common here on the forum but I would like to see all of us change to something which is more accurate. I am not sure what that might be, maybe "gassing" of the batteries.
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agree.. the real question I should have asked is "is the battery disconnected from the converter when the disconnect switch is open?"
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06-19-2015, 11:50 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master 
1974 Argosy 20
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Kooskia
, Idaho
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,591
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leedav
agree.. the real question I should have asked is "is the battery disconnected from the converter when the disconnect switch is open?"
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On my 2014 FC 20' the battery is disconnected from the converter/charger when the Use/Store switch is in Store. I believe it is the same on all units with a Use/Store switch, but cannot say that for absolute sure.
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06-27-2015, 10:36 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master 
2015 25' FB International
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 572
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The placard should be changed to read "on" and "off" and the title of the unit should just be "battery." Why would you "use" a "battery disconnect switch" as its labeled and BE on battery.
That took some getting used to. End rant.
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