Battery Disconnect Wired Wrong from Factory?

GlampinLife · 07-28-2018, 03:30 PM

Maybe I'm not understanding the point of the disconnect but I thought it was to shut off power from the batteries to inside the camper. On mine, all it does is shut off the charging (if the camper is plugged in to 50/30/20). This video explains how the wires are run. I unhooked the current battery that came with the 5er to put the 2 new ones (run inline) back in. I keep that green one in there unhooked as a backup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6G-grgUalQ

gijoecam · 07-30-2018, 10:21 AM

Have you called Jayco and asked for a schematic? That's where I'd start...

bdreinv · 07-30-2018, 10:51 AM

Under warranty? I would not mess with it the Dealer and Jayco will blame it in you! Been there done that. Thanks

2edgesword · 07-30-2018, 11:54 AM

The function of the battery disconnect switch is to disconnect the battery from all loads in the RV so the battery isn't being drained when the RV isn't plugged into shore power.

I couldn't listen to the video (no sound) but it looks to me like this disconnect switch was attached to the positive terminal. That's opposite to my understanding of how the switch should be connected. BTW, if my understanding is correct and the switch is connect to the positive terminal someone should be drawn and quartered for attaching a black wire to the positive terminal.

There are two wires coming off the positive terminal. One is going to the battery disconnect switch the other is going somewhere else. As far as I can tell the disconnect switch is only disconnecting one of those branches.

GlampinLife · 07-30-2018, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Under warranty? I would not mess with it the Dealer and Jayco will blame it in you! Been there done that. Thanks

Not under warranty and the last time I took it back to our dealer, we had more problems that we started with. I wanted to see if anyone else had this problem and if it was a quick fix. I have an extended warranty with Good Sam and found a new RV shop not far from me that I'll let take a swing at it once they slow down with work.

I plan on calling Jayco today to get a schematic, just wanted to see if anyone else ran into this problem.

GlampinLife · 07-30-2018, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2edgesword

The function of the battery disconnect switch is to disconnect the battery from all loads in the RV so the battery isn't being drained when the RV isn't plugged into shore power.

I couldn't listen to the video (no sound) but it looks to me like this disconnect switch was attached to the positive terminal. That's opposite to my understanding of how the switch should be connected. BTW, if my understanding is correct and the switch is connect to the positive terminal someone should be drawn and quartered for attaching a black wire to the positive terminal.

There are two wires coming off the positive terminal. One is going to the battery disconnect switch the other is going somewhere else. As far as I can tell the disconnect switch is only disconnecting one of those branches.

Sometimes YouTube mutes by default but there is sound in the video.

2 wires go up to the fuse panel in the camper. The 3rd goes over to a connection next to the batteries (not sure what that is).

The only thing the disconnect does is stops the charging when plugged in to 50/30/20

RVermont · 07-30-2018, 12:39 PM

This is a punt and might be wrong, but it appears like the + wire going to a terminal block is just for hooking up extra wires to keep the battery terminals clear of excessive wiring. This also might be large fuse block but really did not get a clear view. The other one probably goes up to your battery charger/converter as that would not run through the battery disconnect. From the terminal block the wiring is going to your disconnect switch and then to individual branch circuits, possibly you have leveling jacks, auto steps ( though these would probably not be on a disconnect circuit) as well as your inverter and normal house wiring.

Test the disconnect switch to see if there is power to both sides when turned on then turn it off and retest.

Email or call to jayco for your wiring diagram will quickly solve most of the mystery. Will post my Seneca drawing so you can see what they should provide to you. This is very useful for troubleshooting these types of issues.

Good luck and keep us posted.

RVermont · 07-30-2018, 12:42 PM

curver900 · 07-30-2018, 01:15 PM

can you tell what kind of switch it is? then go get the schematic online for that switch too... they could have just hooked it up wrong.. I have one and when it is in the off position NOTHING is powered anywhere.

Good luck my guess is you are going to have to take the switch off and take a pic of the back and trace some wires and then go from there...

not hard just time consuming... I'll bet they hooked the positive house on the wrong side of the switch....

2edgesword · 07-30-2018, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlampinLife

Sometimes YouTube mutes by default but there is sound in the video.

2 wires go up to the fuse panel in the camper. The 3rd goes over to a connection next to the batteries (not sure what that is).

The only thing the disconnect does is stops the charging when plugged in to 50/30/20

I guess I'm missing something but why would you not want to charge the battery when hooked up to shore power?

ExChief · 07-30-2018, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlampinLife

Maybe I'm not understanding the point of the disconnect but I thought it was to shut off power from the batteries to inside the camper. On mine, all it does is shut off the charging (if the camper is plugged in to 50/30/20). This video explains how the wires are run. I unhooked the current battery that came with the 5er to put the 2 new ones (run inline) back in. I keep that green one in there unhooked as a backup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6G-grgUalQ

Maybe this thread will help

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ing-52941.html

GlampinLife · 07-31-2018, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2edgesword

I guess I'm missing something but why would you not want to charge the battery when hooked up to shore power?

That's what I thought was odd. I would think it should charge when on shore power no matter what the switch is set to and the switch only controls if the inside power works or not.

GlampinLife · 07-31-2018, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExChief

Maybe this thread will help

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ing-52941.html

Thank you! I totally missed this thread when I was searching the other day. I'll take the switch off tomorrow and check, I'm guessing the wiring is backwards at the switch.

bdreinv · 08-01-2018, 11:16 AM

If your under warranty and you try and fix it! There is a very likely chance the RV dealer and Jayco will blame the problem on you!Just took my 06 Eagle in for 4 defective axle seals and all new brakes under warranty!And we are 11 months out of warranty.

GlampinLife · 08-01-2018, 06:26 PM

It's not still under the Jayco 2 year warranty and I'd never take it back to our incompetent dealership after the last trip there.

I'll call Jayco in the morning, been busy all week shipping beach carts, have some free time in the morning.

GlampinLife · 08-01-2018, 06:38 PM

So with shore plugged in to the RV. Both sides of the switch are hot no matter if I have it turned on or off.

As soon as I unplug shore, the post on the Off side of the switch is dead and the other post is still hot.

I'm assuming these 2 black wires need to be switched?
The black line my pinky is pointed at goes back over to the battery. The black line hooked up to the Off side of the switch goes up to my fuse box (I'm assuming, it goes in that direction with a bunch of other wires)

ExChief · 08-02-2018, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlampinLife

So with shore plugged in to the RV. Both sides of the switch are hot no matter if I have it turned on or off.

As soon as I unplug shore, the post on the Off side of the switch is dead and the other post is still hot.

I'm assuming these 2 black wires need to be switched?
The black line my pinky is pointed at goes back over to the battery. The black line hooked up to the Off side of the switch goes up to my fuse box (I'm assuming, it goes in that direction with a bunch of other wires)

The wire that is "hot" with shore power plugged in and "cold" with shore power unplugged should be the charge wire coming back from converter. This wire should be on the same stud of the disconnect as the wire coming from the battery. The other wire should be on the "off" side of the disconnect.
You can also tell by testing with all 3 wires off the disconnect and camper plugged into shore power. The wire from the battery will be "hot", the wire from the converter should be "hot" and the third wire should not have power on it while disconnected from switch. Again, two "hot wires go together and "cold" wire goes on opposite stud.

Hopefully I have explained this in an understandable way.

ExChief · 08-02-2018, 04:03 AM

I have been "assuming" you have the same or similar converter as mine. If so here is a link that explains/shows how the wiring is done.

https://www.progressivedyn.com/wp-co...30-English.pdf

GlampinLife · 08-04-2018, 09:51 AM

While waiting for Jayco to get back with me on the wiring diagram, I made some wire changes.

I moved the wire coming off the battery to the post on the disconnect with the wire coming from the fuse panel. On the other post of the disconnect I put the jumper wire that goes to the post with all the jumpers under the disconnect switch.

Now when the switch is turned On or Off, the batteries are charging when plugged into shore power. What I wasn't sure about is when I have the switch OFF and plugged into shore power, nothing works inside the camper. I was thinking shore power would trump that switch and have power inside the camper regardless of that switch being on or off.

The batteries now charge no matter if the disconnect switch is on or off, so that's a win.

ExChief · 08-04-2018, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlampinLife

While waiting for Jayco to get back with me on the wiring diagram, I made some wire changes.

I moved the wire coming off the battery to the post on the disconnect with the wire coming from the fuse panel. On the other post of the disconnect I put the jumper wire that goes to the post with all the jumpers under the disconnect switch.

Now when the switch is turned On or Off, the batteries are charging when plugged into shore power. What I wasn't sure about is when I have the switch OFF and plugged into shore power, nothing works inside the camper. I was thinking shore power would trump that switch and have power inside the camper regardless of that switch being on or off.

The batteries now charge no matter if the disconnect switch is on or off, so that's a win.

Its now working as designed as I see it.

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