2014 Jayco RedHawk Battery Disconnect

[vicskochoracing]

Having issues with battery disconnect relay.. I used ( see attached file) to rewire battery disconnect after customer dropped off unit with bad battery cables and etc.. the only way i can get 12v into the rv , is if i wire brown wire from switch to S terminal and apply 12v to I terminal. I have a red wire coming from aux starter switch and red/yellow wire ( i traced to cockpit and its not connected) next to battery location Bad switch? Faulty new relay? Thank you !

 

[craigav]

I don't recall seeing that either terminal was labeled I and S, which is common for a starter relay Ignition and Start. Perhaps some pictures would be of value, also just for FYI this is a "Latching" solenoid style relay (contactor) where the power is provided momentarily to switch from off to on and on to off with the switch providing for a quick brief grounding of the circuit. There is a circuit board on the relay that turns off the relay if the switch is grounded for more than a brief moment (or after a second or perhaps a couple or more seconds).

In the image below (in the link), power is provided to the board via the left battery terminal connection and the terminal you see the white wire attached is for the brown wire going to the switch. The left side is the positive and the right side (to the switch) is what gets grounded however as mentioned above, if power (brown wire being grounded) is supplied for too long (more than a second or perhaps two) then the (protection) board removes power to the relay coil which requires that the battery(s) be disconnected in order to reset the board. (what is required is the board is removed from any power, commonly done by disconnecting the battery that the left side of the relay is connected to, ie: the coach battery) ~CA

Is this the latching relay you see? https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/kib-electronics-battery-disconnect-latching-relay-lr9806j-bip

 

[vicskochoracing]

This is the Relay being used in this particular redhawk

 

[craigav]

This is the Relay being used in this particular redhawk

I have helped perhaps a dozen or so different people here over many years with different class a and class c motorhomes regarding the battery disconnect latching relay and I believe that the one in your image is not the correct one for any Jayco, at least not with any from other RV'rs that have shared an image or description here and that I have provided any guidance.

The problem is in the control switching where the Jayco has a simple momentary switch making a connection to the ground in order to change the relay on or off. Looking at amazon for a similar relay as in your image, the coach battery switch and wiring for the relay in your image is different. Even the latching relays as in my link above all appear similar but there is a specific one for the Jayco's designated with the "J" in the part number (lr9806j-bip). Those without the J require a different switch and wiring based on what I looked at years ago.

There was someone about a year ago that had purchased the wrong relay and decided to re-wire the switch. Upon determining the challenge of running new wires, obtaining a new switch, and hoping it all worked out, he decided just to go ahead and install the correct latching relay and is what I would suggest in this case as well. ~CA

Notice the Coach Panel BAT Switch wiring required. This isn't the switch wiring for the battery disconnect relay that Jayco's have installed (at least not that I have seen with the Class C & A motorhomes).

 

[vicskochoracing]

WOW! Thank you so much!!! Yea i agree with you.. I look for oem relay to keep it original.. Any leads to relay thats in stock? A quick search has revealed its on backorder Thanks

 

[craigav]

WOW! Thank you so much!!! Yea i agree with you.. I look for oem relay to keep it original.. Any leads to relay thats in stock? A quick search has revealed its on backorder Thanks

It has always been hard to find, I suppose not many are sold. In any case try the link I shared earlier (and below) as it shows to be in stock. Otherwise, I would search different search websites for "lr9806j" or "lr9806j-BIP".

BTW, if the link I shared still has them in stock, that is a great price compared to what I have seen in the past which can be twice as much in some cases. (Just to add, I don't recommend or not the seller in the link, just that I found they sell this relay. I have never purchased from them or heard anything good or bad about them, so buyer beware). ~CA

I would also suspect a Jayco dealer could get it for you as well.

https://pdxrvwholesale.com/products/kib-electronics-battery-disconnect-latching-relay-lr9806j-bip

 

[craigav]

BTW, just a bit of more information for FYI. The default Jayco setup for the battery disconnect doesn't actually disconnect everything. I suppose it is wired this way for legal reasons with the CO/LP leak detector always getting power. The Yellow/Red wire is normally connected to an always on 7.5A fuse on the right side of the relay. This image doesn't show the protection board but would be on the left smaller terminal connection on labeled "+".

What has been done for others and if I ever work on mine and think about it, is to take the Yellow/Red wire off of the always on fuse and connect it to the "LOAD" side of the relay along with an inline 7.5A fuse. If you do this then the battery disconnect will remove all of the power off of the coach battery instead of leaving a low drain on it with the few items referenced in the image (plus maybe another item or two not referenced). ~CA

 

[vicskochoracing]

well I got the coash relay to work...Customer needed rv back before thanksgiving, just had to get a new momentary switch and wired it for reverse polarity. ran 2 extra wires to solenoid.. i also reused the red light from jayco.. ill post pics tomorrow.. Thank you for your help.. Im surprised no one selling a kit to upgrade from the older latching relays. Job took about 30-45 mins

 

[craigav]

Good deal. Certainly a different relay type could work as they do work on other RV brands and styles. As you stated all you need to do is to run a couple more wires and change the switch out (which can be a significant challenge on some RVs). If mine ever fails and I can't easily find a replacement (or it costs way too much), I may install a manual battery disconnect is it isn't that important to me to be able to easily disconnect as I rarely ever disconnect the battery from the RV anyway. ~CA

 

[Johnynorthland]

Man I always worry about my relay going bad! I might just order one to have on hand!

 

[craigav]

Man I always worry about my relay going bad! I might just order one to have on hand!

They are commonly out of stock (based on when I looked a few days ago and in years past). At least they are commonly out of stock for the exact replacement, otherwise if using a different one you have to rewire the switch and run wires.

I will add though as with the 120v transfer switch, the battery disconnect solenoid should last a very long time if you don't engage or disengage it with any current flowing (including charge current). I rarely ever turn mine off which should also make it last a long time and I still have the original one in mine.

In case of an emergency failure you could simply put the left side and right side cables under the same stud and nut (left side preferred as that is the side the fuses get power from) which would provide power again although you wouldn't be able to disengage the power with the switch which likely wouldn't a big deal, if so just disconnect the neg battery cable. In fact if you ever did place both cables under one stud, I would disconnect the neg battery cable during that change. ~CA

 

[Johnynorthland]

They are commonly out of stock (based on when I looked a few days ago and in years past). At least they are commonly out of stock for the exact replacement, otherwise if using a different one you have to rewire the switch and run wires.

I will add though as with the 120v transfer switch, the battery disconnect solenoid should last a very long time if you don't engage or disengage it with any current flowing (including charge current). I rarely ever turn mine off which should also make it last a long time and I still have the original one in mine.

In case of an emergency failure you could simply put the left side and right side cables under the same stud and nut (left side preferred as that is the side the fuses get power from) which would provide power again although you wouldn't be able to disengage the power with the switch which likely wouldn't a big deal, if so just disconnect the neg battery cable. In fact if you ever did place both cables under one stud, I would disconnect the neg battery cable during that change. ~CA

Hey Craig buddy, how are you doing? Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’m always worried about Parts failing especially now that we’re living out of the RV once again! We bought a new condo and doing a ton of renovation. Things are taking much longer than we anticipated, as usual! If I was full-time again, I’d have every part I can think of!

Drop me a PM sometime. Nice to hear from you, happy holidays, merry Christmas, etc..