Battery disconnect question

Lee · 05-26-2014, 07:13 AM

Hi,

I have a 2013 Cougar TT 21RBSWE. In the front storage compartment there is a battery disconnect switch which I leave in the disconnected position when the TT is not in use.

I (rather surprisingly) noticed the other day that the Battery disconnect switch is not what it's title says it should be.

In the disconnect position, my power awning still operates, the slide out still operates and a few lights still have power.

Was the switch incorrectly wired wrong at the factory or is this normal? To be honest in my mind it makes no sense to be wired the way it is.

What exactly is the switch disconnecting?

Thanks,
Lee

Javi · 05-26-2014, 09:14 AM

Howdy Lee, what you're probably gonna find is that the disconnect is wired into the positive side of the battery and downstream of most of the connections. Any lights, pumps, motors and appliances wired before the cutoff will still function. My best guess is that the disconnect will cutoff most of the parasitic draw such as the clock/light in the stereo and maybe the water pump but not much else.

If you truly want to disconnect the battery it is possible to wire a disconnect directly between the negative side of the battery and the main ground on the chassis. This will indeed stop all current and even the charging circuit. For me it has always been simpler to just disconnect the negative battery cable manually and be done with it.

Yosemitebob · 06-10-2014, 06:31 PM

Also, very important, when you use a disconnect on the battery (positive or negative) don't forget to turn it back on before you tow. By putting your disconnect at that location, you effectively turn off the brake system and your charging system from the tow vehicle. I'm not saying don't do it (as I do as well) just remember to turn it back on before travel.

Bob Landry · 06-11-2014, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yosemitebob

Also, very important, when you use a disconnect on the battery (positive or negative) don't forget to turn it back on before you tow. By putting your disconnect at that location, you effectively turn off the brake system and your charging system from the tow vehicle. I'm not saying don't do it (as I do as well) just remember to turn it back on before travel.

The battery disconnect has no effect on the breaks. They get voltage from the TV's brake controller when towing and directly from the trailer's battery should the trailer disconnect from the vehicle.

B&T · 06-11-2014, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

The battery disconnect has no effect on the breaks. They get voltage from the TV's brake controller when towing and directly from the trailer's battery should the trailer disconnect from the vehicle.

Bob, it seems the disconnect switch that Javi suggested would make getting emergency trailer battery power to the brakes impossible, if the switch was open.

Drew Waller · 06-11-2014, 05:52 AM

I got tired of buying batteries because they run down in the winter and freeze. I put my cutoff on the + side. It shuts down everything and my fully charged battery stays that way. I bought it at NAPA and I think it was below $10.00. Those 2 batteries are $100+ each so it seems to be a small investment to save a lot. So far I haven't forgot to turn it on, because nothing works till I do (NOTHING WORKS) it forces you to turn it on to get going!

Javi · 06-11-2014, 05:55 AM

Bob is correct the power for the brakes comes from the TV brake controller, however if you wire the disconnect as I suggested and forget to turn it back on when towing the breakaway device will not be powered.

In my case I cannot hook up without turning it back on, as I have no power to the jacks or anything else unless I were to be plugged into shore power and hooking up is the last thing I do as I am ready to leave.

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Bob Landry · 06-11-2014, 06:09 AM

There have been posts written ad nauseum on where to put a battery cutoff switch. If you put it on the negative side, nothing 12V will work including the breakaway switch.
If you put it on the positive side, then you can control what does and doesn't work. Also, by wiring the breakaway switch directly to the battery, there is one less thing to remember when hooking/unhooking. Another argument for the positive side is that usually, AC and DC grounds are tied together so breaking the negative cable doesn't insure that a ground will not be picked up somewhere else. The armchair engineers/electricians will argue.. Go ahead..
Having been in the marine service business for 20 years, I have never seen a battery cutoff switch wired by an OEM to the negative side and that's good enough for me. When I do a shore power installation, and a switch is used, that's where it goes. It just makes a lot of potential problems go away.

Javi · 06-11-2014, 06:23 AM

Glad you're happy with how you wire your stuff Bob, cause I'm happy with how I wire mine.

Oh.... I got socks older than that, 20 years ain't nothing [emoji40][emoji40][emoji40][emoji40][emoji40]

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Drew Waller · 06-11-2014, 06:30 AM

Bitter Gun Owner
Bitter Clinger
Armed Infidel

I love it Bob, I'm a Life member of the NRA and I'm old! I agree with you, BUT my reasoning for the + side was I couldn't find the draining device. Something is wired differently on my 2013 Raptor. My cut off switch on my 2007 3612 Raptor cut off everything. I went through the fuse box and breakers disconnecting one at a time and had no good results of what was still draining the battery. So I just cut the + side off and that worked. This new 332 TS has a lot of electrical stuff I have never had before and I'm still learning about what I purchased!

One other item I found different on this model is the shower faucet! It requires special attention when winterizing. It has a plastic cross over tube that may hold water even though you pressure blow the lines with air and flush with antifreeze. My new one is in the mail and I'll replace the old frozen one Monday.

Javi · 06-11-2014, 11:36 AM

Okay guys... I couldn't stand it anymore...

Go get you a 12 volt battery, a ground rod, and a set of jumper cables... Drive the ground rod into the ground 2 or 3 feet should do it.. Now hook the positive side of the jumpers to the positive terminal on the battery, the hook that same lead to the ground rod...

What..... nothing happened

That's right current can only flow through the battery if you complete the circuit by hooking the negative cable to the negative side of the battery and to the ground rod... No complete circuit with the battery in between and nothing happens..

Now... if you were plugged into shore power and a wire shorted it would definitely produce current flow, but not through the battery.... it can't; remember both terminals must be connected through a circuit for current to flow. Disconnect the negative side and current flow stops... period

I know many of you have at some time in your past disconnected a battery positive side first and had a spark produced when the wrench slipped and hit the frame... disconnect the negative or ground side and it no longer sparks...

Positive and negative is relative. only to current flow... there were and are positive ground applications... Don't see them much anymore but in another life I saw a few in older cars and heavy equipment.

By the way, it matters little to me which side of the battery YOU choose to disconnect... regardless which you disconnect, the current will not flow through the battery unless a complete circuit is established.

hoffbrew · 06-11-2014, 11:51 AM

I had a Flux capacitor installed and as long as I maintain 1.21 Jigawatts nothing will drain, battery power forever!! Bye bye disconnect switch.

**JRTJH** · 06-11-2014, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoffbrew

I had a Flux capacitor installed and as long as I maintain 1.21 Jigawatts nothing will drain, battery power forever!! Bye bye disconnect switch.

Good one. I'm guessing the "brand name" on your battery is "Lightning Bolt" ??? The only way to produce that kind of amperage (1.21 Jigawatts) is like Ben Franklin did, a kite, a wire string, a key and a "brave (stupid) young soul to fly the darn thing.......

Bob Landry · 06-11-2014, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

Glad you're happy with how you wire your stuff Bob, cause I'm happy with how I wire mine.

Oh.... I got socks older than that, 20 years ain't nothing [emoji40][emoji40][emoji40][emoji40][emoji40]

Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk

Good for you.. I don't remember saying you were wrong. I just gave reasons for the reason I do it my way. Your trailer, your wiring, your business.

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