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Old 04-21-2019, 06:47 AM   #1
yesiamapirate
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Battery Disconnect-Help me understand

Hi Friends, I am back with yet another "help me" question. You all are great, btw. So I have a 2019 Cougar 27sab. Please help me understand my battery disconnect switch. I have read through the posts re this topic and still am scratching my head.

In the following pictures, which indicates that the power from my battery is off? Large end up or down? Is it disconnect on or is it battery on???

Also, if I go to the left the whole key comes out! What is the reasoning? I am assuming that when the key is out, the power from the battery is off? But why is off and on on the top and bottom but yet to remove the key it is on the side? ( turn the key to your left as you look, towards the tiny screw there.....

I do understand that it is not a total disconnect so some things will still operate on battery power. My only question is how do I tell if I am engaging the battery disconnect?

Thank you in advance.
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Old 04-21-2019, 06:51 AM   #2
chuckster57
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Real simple explanation;
Key in the position to "fall out" means the battery is NOT connected to the trailer. You can remove it for peace of mind.

Key in the other position:
Battery is connected to the trailer. It MUST be in this position to allow the battery to charge from shore power and on some models the TV.
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:19 AM   #3
yesiamapirate
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Real simple explanation;
Key in the position to "fall out" means the battery is NOT connected to the trailer. You can remove it for peace of mind.

Key in the other position:
Battery is connected to the trailer. It MUST be in this position to allow the battery to charge from shore power and on some models the TV.
Sorry to be so dense. Lol. I understand that key out means no battery power. But the key out position is neither up(“on” label in the picture) or down (“off” label in the picture . It is to the side. To take the key out you don’t point to off or on?? So what does on and off position give me? And further, does the long end of the key point to what you want or short end? If it were just key in our out, ok...then what is the purpose for the labels on off?
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:31 AM   #4
chuckster57
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Your not being dense , but I cant say I've seen a disconnect with the ability to remove the key "in the middle".

The LONG end of the key is pointing to the position.

ON is connected and OFF is disconnected as I recall. At work we either put the key in and turn it till it "locks" in the connected position or remove it and let it hang so the next tech knows the battery is off.
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Old 04-21-2019, 08:04 AM   #5
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I have the same switch and your 2nd pic is "ON". It should be easy to test. Unplug your rig from AC so the converter isn't working. Try one of your 12 volt lights. If it works, it's ON and vice versa. Turn the disconnect the other way and try again...should be the opposite.
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Old 04-21-2019, 08:53 AM   #6
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Your first picture shows it on (battery connected). Second picture shows it off (battery disconnected). As you say if you turn it past off you can remove the key. I would call this a lockout position allowing you to positively shut off the battery and remove the key so nobody else can operate it.

They should have labeled it connected and disconnected to be clear.
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Old 04-21-2019, 08:59 AM   #7
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This ^^^^ is the easy way to check. When lights are on....switch is on!! I will say that the "unusual" position for key removal may just be specific to that particular bypass knob. My last one was really nice and tight and the key came in/out in the proper position. Replaced it (starting malfunctioning and wouldn't connect power) and the new one is similar to yours; somewhere in the middle of the "turn off" swing it will just come out. It will however lock in position when on.
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Old 04-21-2019, 10:02 AM   #8
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Danny, Do you know what brand yours is? The ones on the Grand Designs we sell don't have that feature.
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Old 04-21-2019, 10:19 AM   #9
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Danny, Do you know what brand yours is? The ones on the Grand Designs we sell don't have that feature.

Chuck, I don't know off the top of my head. I bought one at Tractor Supply and one from Amazon because "one" of them didn't have screw holes that would match - I don't remember which one I used. I believe I still have the package from the one I used out at the barn (about 5 miles away). I plan on running out there later and I'll try to get that.
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Old 04-21-2019, 11:23 AM   #10
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Danny, Do you know what brand yours is? The ones on the Grand Designs we sell don't have that feature.
Here is a link to the one I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Bat...ll-spons&psc=1

I'm not real happy with it. It has 2 mount holes vs 4 in the old but they lined up and it holds good. It feels sloppy but it's tight when in the on position...and it works and doesn't just cut out when it feels like it like the old one. Probably look for a different one sometime in the future...but then again, like I said...it works.
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Old 04-21-2019, 11:57 AM   #11
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Thanks. I don’t have a disconnect in my fiver, and I’m still debating the need for one since it’s stored in my back yard.
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Old 04-21-2019, 01:00 PM   #12
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I'm not sure it if would be beneficial. The type like mine that just shut off part of the "drawers" hasn't proven useful to us. It just caused problems. A full cutoff at the battery might be beneficial if you had to shut down the trailer and remove it from power for any length of time. Ours stays plugged in 98% of the time so the converter is always running keeping the batteries charged. Our other trailers didn't have a disconnect and we did boondock a lot. I just took a generator with us when off grid and when I returned to put the trailer away (no power) I just removed the battery cable. Didn't have any issues to speak of that I recall.
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Old 04-21-2019, 01:38 PM   #13
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I have to disagree with some of the advice given here. I have a 2018 Cougar 22RBS travel trailer with a switch like the one pictured by "yesiamapirate". During the long winter months I keep it plugged in to shore power and make sure the disconnect switch is "ON" so the battery is trickle charged and ready to go in the spring. The key has a kind of arrow shape to it with one end bigger than the other. On my coach the battery is connected to the trailer when the smaller, pointier end is facing up or to the "ON" position. In the two photos of the switch on the first post of this thread, the left photo shows the key in the "OFF" position and means that the battery is no longer hooked to the trailer wiring. Naturally the right photo is "ON" and that's how mine stays all winter.
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Old 04-21-2019, 01:45 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steveo57 View Post
Your first picture shows it on (battery connected). Second picture shows it off (battery disconnected). As you say if you turn it past off you can remove the key. I would call this a lockout position allowing you to positively shut off the battery and remove the key so nobody else can operate it.

They should have labeled it connected and disconnected to be clear.
Actually, this is exactly backward.

Think of the SMALL end as the "arrowhead." Pointing up to ON, the battery is connected. Pointing down to OFF, it is disconnected. So his first photo is off, and the second is on.

I will also say that my key does not remove in either the off or on position, as I noted in another post about two weeks ago. I never tried removing it in a halfway position. So I just went out and played with it again.

I discovered that the key only turns in one direction (CCW) between on and off... and to remove the key you have to turn it about 20° PAST the off detente, then it will pop right out. Once you get the key out, the keyway and pin that keep it engaged in the lock are immediately obvious.

One of the items on my to-do list this week is to paint an arrow on this key, and label over the ambiguous plate legend with an unambiguous legend.

* * *

I decided not to put it off. Here's how it should have been labeled by the switch manufacturer.
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Old 04-21-2019, 01:52 PM   #15
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Which direction you have to turn it may depend on which way the switch was installed and on which way it was wired. There could be lots of combinations. One size will not fit all.
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Old 04-21-2019, 02:40 PM   #16
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Which direction you have to turn it may depend on which way the switch was installed and on which way it was wired. There could be lots of combinations. One size will not fit all.

You are absolutely correct. When I replaced mine the replacement operated "backward" from the OE. I left the original backplate (the new switch didn't have one) and made sure the key pointed to on when it was actually on. To turn it off it turns the opposite way from the indicated off on the old plate. I checked it for on position when installing but failed to see what way it turned. Doesn't matter to me. On is on and off is "the other way" it will turn and fall out.
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Old 04-21-2019, 05:35 PM   #17
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Actually, this is exactly backward.

Think of the SMALL end as the "arrowhead." Pointing up to ON, the battery is connected. Pointing down to OFF, it is disconnected. So his first photo is off, and the second is on.

I will also say that my key does not remove in either the off or on position, as I noted in another post about two weeks ago. I never tried removing it in a halfway position. So I just went out and played with it again.

I discovered that the key only turns in one direction (CCW) between on and off... and to remove the key you have to turn it about 20° PAST the off detente, then it will pop right out. Once you get the key out, the keyway and pin that keep it engaged in the lock are immediately obvious.

One of the items on my to-do list this week is to paint an arrow on this key, and label over the ambiguous plate legend with an unambiguous legend.

* * *

I decided not to put it off. Here's how it should have been labeled by the switch manufacturer.
This is perfect and on my to-do list! Thank you!
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Old 04-21-2019, 05:42 PM   #18
yesiamapirate
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Thank you all for your thoughtful posts and the time you took to help. I am glad I am not losing my senses. It really was confusing. I am going to verify one more time which end is up and label accordingly. I am fortunate to belong to such a great group.
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:11 PM   #19
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Actually, this is exactly backward.

Think of the SMALL end as the "arrowhead." Pointing up to ON, the battery is connected. Pointing down to OFF, it is disconnected. So his first photo is off, and the second is on.

I will also say that my key does not remove in either the off or on position, as I noted in another post about two weeks ago. I never tried removing it in a halfway position. So I just went out and played with it again.

I discovered that the key only turns in one direction (CCW) between on and off... and to remove the key you have to turn it about 20° PAST the off detente, then it will pop right out. Once you get the key out, the keyway and pin that keep it engaged in the lock are immediately obvious.

One of the items on my to-do list this week is to paint an arrow on this key, and label over the ambiguous plate legend with an unambiguous legend.

* * *

I decided not to put it off. Here's how it should have been labeled by the switch manufacturer.

Thanks for correcting me. You're right! In the short time between looking at the pictures and writing a response it got turned around in my head! 😁

Seems to happen frequently when your brain gets older!

On my to do list for tomorrow is to go out and make an arrow on the switch and mark up the label so it says connected/disconnected.
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Old 04-21-2019, 08:25 PM   #20
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Thanks for correcting me. You're right! In the short time between looking at the pictures and writing a response it got turned around in my head! 😁

Seems to happen frequently when your brain gets older!

On my to do list for tomorrow is to go out and make an arrow on the switch and mark up the label so it says connected/disconnected.

Steve, you may not need to mark the keys. Look at my post #16. They are pretty simple to assess; key is locked in place...you got battery, key wants to fall out/come out...you're in bypass. Might save you some time.
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