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Old 03-31-2019, 10:25 AM   #1
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Battery Disconnect Switch Warning

WARNING: Never attach a battery disconnect to the positive terminal. See this link...

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Old 03-31-2019, 11:04 AM   #2
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I think that most RV batteries are isolated and located in a battery box and a lot of what the video recommends isn't related as much to RV's. That being said, you should always use caution anytime when working with/handling a 12v battery. My disconnect is wired to the negative side via this switch. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Battery-Dis...-/202496607440
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Old 03-31-2019, 11:04 AM   #3
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Very nice way to explain what I have always known and done. Disconnect on the negative side.
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Old 04-02-2019, 10:53 AM   #4
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Using the switches in the video I can completely understand why you would install on the negative side. But I plan on installing a switch similar to what hikerjohn showed but I was going to connect it to the + side. I was going to connect it to the + side because, in my thinking, that stops all current from entering the unit. If I disconnect on the - side and something happens to short out and ground, it will be free to draw an unlimited amount of juice from the battery. Am I thinking about this incorrectly? In hikerjohn's link the instructions show it installed on the positive side.
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Old 04-02-2019, 11:06 AM   #5
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Assuming that the something that shorts out and grounds doesn't ground on the negative battery post there is no way that the battery could supply voltage if the ground wire is disconnected through the battery shut-off. Current doesn't flow through air at the voltage that vehicles have, that takes the voltage of lightning.
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Old 04-02-2019, 12:27 PM   #6
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Yeah.....I'm going to lose a lot of sleep over that warning

The only difference from what I have and what came from the factory is the positive cable is landed on heavy duty lugs rated for way more current than the electrical system is. The switch is fully encapsulated in plastic insulator and bolted to the cross member.

I've ran similar switches on several vehicle-mounted winches to break the power wire and never had an issue.

In this particular case, breaking the ground versus positive gains you nothing, except if I forget to turn the battery switch on my emergency brake still operates because the positive wire for the e-brake bypasses the switch and the ground is connected from the battery to the frame. I guess you could possibly get a ground through the hitch ball to the tow vehicle as long as the trailer is still attached, but I'm going to assume that if the e-brake cable pin is pulled the trailer is on its own and mine will function as intended.

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Old 04-02-2019, 12:35 PM   #7
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Just curious...
What is the toggle switch for

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Old 04-02-2019, 12:57 PM   #8
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Just curious...
What is the toggle switch for

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That is the switch that turns our TireMinder TPMS signal booster on/off, for boondocking purposes.

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Old 04-02-2019, 01:00 PM   #9
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Just curious...
What is the toggle switch for

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I went back and read an older thread where we talked about which wire to break on the disconnect switch.

If anyone does break their ground be sure to run a dedicated ground from the e-brake box directly to the battery post or the line side of the disconnect switch so the e-brake controller will have a ground and operate properly in the event that the trailer decides to go solo.
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Old 04-02-2019, 01:19 PM   #10
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If you plan on drag racing, the NHRA requires that you kill the positive side. I've read that NASCAR kills the ground side with their emergency disconnect switches.

If these two entities can't agree then some guy on YouTube might not be the authority either.

I would say flip a coin and kill whichever side is easiest.
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Old 04-02-2019, 02:45 PM   #11
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Just curious...
What is the toggle switch for

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I believe there is more than one wire connected to the positive battery terminal and the way this switch is connected still allows of some power to the trailer for the electric tongue jack (possibly other items in the trailer). If you put the disconnect switch on the negative terminal (I've never seen more than one wire off the negative terminal) it should off power to everything in the rig.
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Old 04-02-2019, 04:02 PM   #12
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If you plan on drag racing, the NHRA requires that you kill the positive side. I've read that NASCAR kills the ground side with their emergency disconnect switches.

If these two entities can't agree then some guy on YouTube might not be the authority either.

I would say flip a coin and kill whichever side is easiest.

Who ever told you that NASCAR breaks the ground side was wrong. I've worked on whole bunches of old cup cars in the ARCA series and the positive wire is always the wire that is broken with the battery switch on the dash, unless they've changed things in the last few years. The switches on race cars are enclosed rotary switches and not the exposed knife switch like in the video. For that type of switch the warning makes sense, for enclosed switches it doesn't. In either case if something falls across the battery you've still got big trouble.
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Old 04-05-2019, 11:09 AM   #13
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I went back and read an older thread where we talked about which wire to break on the disconnect switch.

If anyone does break their ground be sure to run a dedicated ground from the e-brake box directly to the battery post or the line side of the disconnect switch so the e-brake controller will have a ground and operate properly in the event that the trailer decides to go solo.
I have my disconnect on the ground side. Anytime the TV is connected to TT, it is closed; as well as when the TT is in use
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Old 04-05-2019, 03:19 PM   #14
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The factory disconnect in my Eagle is on the positive side, but the wiring is also enclosed in a wall in the storage bin, so I don't think it's particularly susceptible to accidental grounding.
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Old 04-10-2019, 12:47 PM   #15
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Theory states that the charge runs from the (-) side to the (+) side, and apparently the reverse was the original theory by Ben Franklin.

Having said that, I have my disconnect hooked up to my left side batteries (+) terminal just because its the #1 battery, but it would be easy to switch to the negative. I dont think it matters, because no matter where the switch is located along the main circuit, the flow of electrons stops when the switch is in the off position.
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Old 04-10-2019, 07:49 PM   #16
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My thoughts are, if youare unsure of what side to put a disconnect on, put one on both sides + and - Problem solved. Sorry for sounding so harsh, but this has gone on and on.
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Old 04-11-2019, 10:45 AM   #17
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My house battery disconnect switch is me. Whenever I leave my unit for an extended period I just disconnect the negative battery cable. It's only a 1/2 inch nut (or 9/16 - i forget). Easy on, easy off.
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Old 04-11-2019, 12:04 PM   #18
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My thoughts are, if youare unsure of what side to put a disconnect on, put one on both sides + and - Problem solved. Sorry for sounding so harsh, but this has gone on and on.
It falls under the categories of:
- Which TV to purchase?
- Which battery should I buy?
- Do you travel with your fridge running on LP?
- Do you tow with Cruise control on?
- Which is better gas or diesel?
- Which is better a V8 or EcoBoost?
- Is a MPPT SOLAR charge controller better than PWM?
- Can I just buy a regular inverter instead of a sine wave inverter?
- How much SOLAR do I need?
-
-
-
-

And the list goes on and on... and will forever!
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