Check your battery disconnect

[Mekirk2]

New owner of a 27bhb here. Found out today my battery disconnect doesn’t actually disconnect the battery - it disconnects the inverter. In the OFF position, coach powered by battery and battery will not charge. In the ON position, coach powered by inverter and battery charges.

From what I’ve read here, it’s probably an incorrectly wired disconnect switch. There is an old post in the 5th wheel forum that mentions it back in 2017 on a 2015 model. Apparently it’s happened to numerous coaches so it could be something people haven’t noticed. Worth a look. Easy check - does your switch actually turn off your 12v lights when you aren’t on shore power?

[Big1]

Yeah, my disconnect switch don't turn off everything in my 5th Wheel so that's why I bought a little solar panel for my batteries.

[GHen]

Our 2017 actually had a factory recall on disconnect switch incorrect wiring. That said, I never use it. I installed a complete disconnect at the batteries.
As I’m sure you have read, the factory disconnect needs to leave all kinds of stuff connected, trailer brakes, smoke and co2 detectors, leveling system and more. Your battery will be dead in a week.

[DrSmart]

For whatever reason, Jayco has our North Point wired as shown below. It would be possible to move the unswitched buss bar over to the switched side and all 12 volt circuits should then be disconnected when the battery disconnect is turned.

[Lake Huron]

Not connected to shore power my battery disconnect in the off position disconnects everything except the front jacks, which is controlled from the leveling system, and the breakaway switch for the brakes.
Connected to shore power, I think I remember turning the disconnect switch off one time and none of the 12v in the trailer worked but all the 120v stuff did.

[Mekirk2]

Here is a video of my issue. Although the ‘design’ is to disconnect the non essential items in their coach from the battery, the fact that the 12v fridge is considered ‘essential’ defeats the purpose of the disconnect switch (to save the battery in storage).

The more I think about it the more I like how it’s currently incorrectly wired. If in need to remove the battery, I can ‘disconnect’ the charging circuit from the converter so the disconnected 12v+ (red) lead is not energized when on shore power. This way you can’t accidentally short it to the frame. I won’t have any power in the coach but at least the lead isn’t hot.

I may leave it as is or I may install a disconnect at the battery itself. Not sure yet.

https://youtu.be/EGYQMvNaqIA

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Big1

Yeah, my disconnect switch don't turn off everything in my 5th Wheel so that's why I bought a little solar panel for my batteries.

The "little" solar panel may minimally help your battery condition, but it won't keep them charged so you can use the trailer.

It would be better to correctly wire the switch, or put a fully functioning one right on the battery.

[GHen]

I have 300w of solar on the roof, but I still fully disconnect the batteries in winter in case of snow covering the panels. If that would happen the batteries would be dead in a week and could be permanently damaged.

[KingKantz]

Has anyone found a fix for this issue yet? Not sure if it’s the same problem, but I purchased a 2022 24BH and was having a pretty similar issue in that my disconnect switch didn’t appear to be doing anything. After staring at an electrical schematic for awhile, I discovered that the battery positive in lead and the fuse panel positive in lead were reversed in the load center. Wired this way, it essentially bypasses the disconnect and provides constant power to your fuse panel inside the load center. The image attached is of the two leads in question before I switched them. After switching them, everything appears to be working as intended. The only things that are constant are the things listed on the schematic posted near the disconnect.

[kirkelli]

There is a schematic behind the main switch panel that shows what circuits are active with switch off.. A copy of mine is attached. I added a main battery cutoff in the battery bay to shut everything down when needed

[bucko]

Originally Posted by Big1

Yeah, my disconnect switch don't turn off everything in my 5th Wheel so that's why I bought a little solar panel for my batteries.

This is an easy fix...on my class C jayco, there is a red and yellow wire that connect to the fuse side of the solenoid (right small post used to power the solenoid's relay). This lead is always "hot". It also powers the interior lights and LP detector, and a few other items with 12 volts. Remove this red and yellow (or red/yellow wire, crimp a fused wire onto the red/yellow wire, and then an eyelet on the other end, and connect to the large right side post (LOAD) of the solenoid. Now when the battery disconnect switch is pressed, everything is disconnected from the house battery. Good for long term storage.

I also keep my RV at home, and keep a battery tender connected to the house battery.