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Old 04-21-2019, 11:29 PM   #21
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Or, if anyone is feeling ambitious, you could always drill a small hole, install a small LED light.....think pilot light, right next to the disconnect switch....and wire it up so that when the Battery disconnect is in the On position, the bulb is lit. Obviously, when turned off, the bulb would be out.
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Old 04-22-2019, 06:10 AM   #22
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Before "marking it so it is easy to understand", I'd verify just how the switch is positioned when the battery is ON and when the battery is OFF. This thread has members reporting both switch positions for each battery condition. So, I'd unplug from shore power, turn the switch to "your choice of positions" and try the ceiling lights. If they turn on, then mark that switch position "ON" and then turn the switch off and check the ceiling lights. If they do not turn on, then mark that switch position "OFF"....

As for adding an LED "pilot light". That's "bling" that will "impress the easily impressed" but will also add another "parasitic drain" on the battery, causing your battery system to discharge even faster than it already does. I guess what I'm saying is, "If you want to impress the chipmunks and novice campers, adding a light will make some of them smile. If you're wanting to improve the function of your electrical system, adding something that discharges your batteries faster may not help you camp better."
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Old 04-22-2019, 06:15 AM   #23
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Quote:
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Before "marking it so it is easy to understand", I'd verify just how the switch is positioned when the battery is ON and when the battery is OFF. This thread has members reporting both switch positions for each battery condition. So, I'd unplug from shore power, turn the switch to "your choice of positions" and try the ceiling lights. If they turn on, then mark that switch position "ON" and then turn the switch off and check the ceiling lights. If they do not turn on, then mark that switch position "OFF"....

As for adding an LED "pilot light". That's "bling" that will "impress the easily impressed" but will also add another "parasitic drain" on the battery, causing your battery system to discharge even faster than it already does. I guess what I'm saying is, "If you want to impress the chipmunks and novice campers, adding a light will make some of them smile. If you're wanting to improve the function of your electrical system, adding something that discharges your batteries faster may not help you camp better."
John, you make very good points! I am going to figure this one out sooner or later. It seems the ceiling lights are the best way to check. After unplugging from shore power, of course.
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Old 04-22-2019, 07:48 AM   #24
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There is a light in the storage compartment in view of my disconnect. Very easy to see whether it's on or off.
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Old 04-28-2019, 07:54 AM   #25
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I don't get it.

To me, a battery disconnect switch is a solution looking for a problem.

It takes me about 30 seconds to unhook the negative on my battery.

Am I missing something here?
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Old 04-28-2019, 08:47 AM   #26
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Agree with battery disconnect comment, apparently you do not have vented battery cover(s). 30 seconds you may get vent tubes off and out of the way and a few screws out of the battery covers. Big Pain getting to battery and leads
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Old 04-28-2019, 09:28 AM   #27
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I love my battery disconnect. The battery boxes are strapped down and the cables are tightened to the terminals with lock washers. It's so much easier to just turn my disconnect switch in 2 seconds than mess with the boxes, straps and cables. To each their own, of coarse.
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Old 04-28-2019, 10:56 AM   #28
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I don't get it.

To me, a battery disconnect switch is a solution looking for a problem.

It takes me about 30 seconds to unhook the negative on my battery.

Am I missing something here?
I suppose it depends on how your trailer is set up. For me to even get to my batteries I have to pull the cowl off, unlock and remove both LP tanks, crawl back in the there and disconnect the straps....which fall to the ground under the trailer, fight to get the battery box lids off and THEN I have access to the battery terminals. At that point it probably does take 30 seconds to disconnect a battery cable, but, if I wanted to check/fill the batteries I have to stand on my head to fight trying to do that. Solution? Battery disconnect and watering system for the batteries. I no longer even think about removing the cowl except to fill an LP tank. Much, much better.
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Old 04-28-2019, 11:22 AM   #29
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OK, I get it. My battery is just sitting on the A frame in a box.
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Old 04-28-2019, 12:18 PM   #30
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I put a disconnect in mine and I have it so when it is in the off position Everything is off, did it for storage,, no good to me if detectors stay in as they will run battery to nothing
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Old 04-28-2019, 01:24 PM   #31
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As said, when on the lights work, but as many in other posts have done is turn the battery disconnect, removed the key and found a dead battery in a week to 10 days, there is other stuff which Keystone deems vital and they drain the battery. when I leave for over a week, I pull the battery
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Old 04-28-2019, 01:53 PM   #32
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turn the battery disconnect, removed the key and found a dead battery in a week to 10 days, there is other stuff which Keystone deems vital and they drain the battery.
I fully suspect whatever stays on is required by some governmental code or other as "safety gear," and that the inevitable dead battery is simply the result of the government being "here to help you." I remove the battery for charging, and thereby "help myself." :-)
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Old 04-29-2019, 10:22 AM   #33
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I don't get it.

To me, a battery disconnect switch is a solution looking for a problem.

It takes me about 30 seconds to unhook the negative on my battery.

Am I missing something here?
Honestly?

My battery disconnect on my previous rig was a wrench. I never had any problem with it.

Comes pickup day for my new rig, the dealer shows me this fancy battery disconnect switch with a removable key, then warns me that it doesn't shut off every vampire load. My first thought is, what good is this switch? In what circumstances would it ever be the right thing to use? Why would I need to remove the key? Exactly what problem does this switch solve for me?

Then during our shakedown cruise a few months later, I go to use our loo at a highway rest stop with no services, and I can't turn on the water pump. I can't even turn on the inCommand screen to turn on the water pump. I panic. I check the fusebox, no obvious problem. I crawl under the front of the rig to see whether the road junk that knocked our TV umbilical loose earlier that day also severed any of the battery wires. Panic is reduced that evening when we learn that the rig still works properly on shore power. (I was not looking forward to cranking out the slide.)

After some help on this forum, I am reminded that there is a disconnect switch. Turns out it has been in the disconnect position since the day I took it home from the dealer, because the markings on it are even more ambiguous than the sign on a transgender bathroom.

So this switch has yet to solve a single problem for me, but sure caused a big one.

I'd say whatever you're missing, I'm missing it, too.
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Old 04-29-2019, 01:32 PM   #34
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Ihaven, your statement: I fully suspect whatever stays on is required by some governmental code or other as "safety gear," and that the inevitable dead battery is simply the result of the government being "here to help you." may hold some merit, but generally manufacturers keep those safety devices hot-wired because of the liability involved were there to be an incident. I believe Pogo had it right with "We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Old 04-29-2019, 01:50 PM   #35
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Disconnect

I put my disconnect right at the battery, and wether some like it or not ,,, oh well. When I turn it to the off position I am assured the EVERYTHING is off. It only sat for 2 months but when I turned it on everything worked, any longer than that and I put my battery tender on it. Anyway I wanted it to be able to kill everything and it does.
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Old 05-16-2019, 04:08 AM   #36
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Not trying to be a wise guy but turn on the lights and turn the switch either way, which ever way turns the lights off the disconnect is in the no battery position.
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