Giggy box

Maineiacs · 03-13-2021, 09:46 AM

Keystone has some interesting videos posted about their new "giggy box". A master electrical disconnect. Anyone have one?

**chuckster57** · 03-13-2021, 09:53 AM

https://www.keystonerv.com/innovations/giggy-box

Says AFTER 2021, and NOT on 5ers...looks nice and organized though.

travelin texans · 03-13-2021, 10:36 AM

If it doesn't completely disconnect all the 12 volt battery drain when turned off it's no better than any of their other disconnects just neater wiring & a silly name.

Maineiacs · 03-13-2021, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

If it doesn't completely disconnect all the 12 volt battery drain when turned off it's no better than any of their other disconnects just neater wiring & a silly name.

The marketing literature (which may or may not be 100% accurate) claims it will be a true disconnect including all parasitic loads. The concept is a good one because it will incorporate in one dry place all of the various and sundry connections and inline fuses. Might actually come to pass - might not.

notanlines · 03-13-2021, 02:11 PM

I'm guessing a group of 12 year-olds were chosen to name this item?

**chuckster57** · 03-13-2021, 02:18 PM

It will come to pass..

Javi · 03-14-2021, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

If it doesn't completely disconnect all the 12 volt battery drain when turned off it's no better than any of their other disconnects just neater wiring & a silly name.

Says it will disconnect all parasitic drain except the breakaway switch which would be illegal for them to do. And it shouldn't be a draw unless activated.

**chuckster57** · 03-14-2021, 07:21 AM

Isn't the LP detector also federally mandated to be always on?

Javi · 03-14-2021, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Isn't the LP detector also federally mandated to be always on?

As far as I know the only applicable requirement for a battery on a trailer is the breakaway switch while towing. And legally it could be specifically dedicated to the breakaway switch.

**JRTJH** · 03-14-2021, 08:29 AM

I agree with Javi. The only "DOT/NHTSA" requirement is for a breakaway switch to be active on trailers over a specific weight when they are being towed on public roads.

The "off the road, parked in a campground RV" is not a "federal highway mandated requirement", so DOT/NHTSA would not have any regulatory control over anything that's "not on the highway"

Where the "mandate" (probably more an agreement between RV manufacturers than a "mandate") would come from RVIA. All of the manufacturers "get together and decide what they want to require on every trailer that has an RVIA compliance sticker on it. Most financial institutions won't finance an RV that does not meet RVIA (or CAC) requirements, so there is some "meat to requiring the sticker"...

RVIA has a requirement that "all inhabited RV's must have an operational LPG. smoke and CO detector installed. There are also some requirements on placement of the devices to meet "self imposed RVIA requirements"....

I believe the "BCO switch wiring" to always power the safety detectors is an RVIA requirement, not a "federal regulatory requirement"...

As for the other parasitic drains (radio presets/memory, remote control/in-command standby circuitry, etc) that's up to the manufacturer. But if you think about it, if you turn the remote receiver or the in-command system "completely off" then you can't "access it via a smart device" from the house... So, it makes sense that the manufacturer (Keystone, Forest River, etc) would wire that type equipment to be "always on".....

This new Giggy Box looks like Keystone's attempt to recognize that consumers want a way to completely remove power from their trailer during storage. This looks like their way of solving two or three issues with "one fix".... I'd guess we'll see a "master cutoff switch" from another manufacturer and probably a "dual switch" like on some motorhomes from other manufacturers.

Stacyismetoo · 07-09-2021, 05:49 AM

I have a Giggy box on my new Keystone Carbon toy hauler. It is nice and organized, however, the battery disconnect does not actually work. I opened the cover and verified that I do in fact have the optional disconnect but when I turn the power switch to the off position, all the 12V system is still active. I am NOT plugged into shore power. I’ve reached out to keystone for guidance

machz · 07-09-2021, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stacyismetoo

I have a Giggy box on my new Keystone Carbon toy hauler. It is nice and organized, however, the battery disconnect does not actually work. I opened the cover and verified that I do in fact have the optional disconnect but when I turn the power switch to the off position, all the 12V system is still active. I am NOT plugged into shore power. I’ve reached out to keystone for guidance

I also have it on my 22MLS and it kills everything in my RV when I switch it to off. I haven't hooked it to a meter yet but I know none of my systems work with it off and no shore power.

travelin texans · 07-09-2021, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by machz

I also have it on my 22MLS and it kills everything in my RV when I switch it to off. I haven't hooked it to a meter yet but I know none of my systems work with it off and no shore power.

I wouldn't store the rv too long with the factory switch in "disconnect", you'll likely come back to dead batteries. The original DOES NOT totally disconnect all parasitic drains, the LP/CO detector, in some cases electric slide motors & clock memories are all connected directly to the batteries, disconnecting battery cables is a sure way to completely disconnect or wire a disconnect on the negative cable going directly to ground.

**JRTJH** · 07-09-2021, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

I wouldn't store the rv too long with the factory switch in "disconnect", you'll likely come back to dead batteries. The original DOES NOT totally disconnect all parasitic drains, the LP/CO detector, in some cases electric slide motors & clock memories are all connected directly to the batteries, disconnecting battery cables is a sure way to completely disconnect or wire a disconnect on the negative cable going directly to ground.

That is correct, or at least it has been in past model Keystone trailers....

If you think about it for a moment, IF the trailer is "completely disconnected, with no power" then you couldn't "wake up the In-Command system with your smart phone from the house". The "In-Command system," like the older "remote control system" must be "in the standby mode (electrically connected) if it has the capability to "wake up and make things happen"....

So, AFAIK, any trailer with a "sleep function" or a "remote control" or a "In-Command system" is, at least partially energized unless the battery is completely disconnected from the trailer.

I have not yet seen a Keystone trailer with a "true battery cutoff switch" that was wired that way by the factory.

Disclaimer: There may be some trailers that have a "true disconnect" but I have not seen any wired that way from the factory.

LHaven · 07-09-2021, 11:18 AM

I would never expect my inCommand system to work despite the battery disconnect switch, and I would be surprised at people who did. I understand the propane/CO detector has to stay active for "saaaaaafety" (legal) reasons, but I don't like it. If I'm camping in it, I won't have the disconnect switch disconnected, and if I'm not, the propane/CO detector is irrelevant.

**flybouy** · 07-09-2021, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

I would never expect my inCommand system to work despite the battery disconnect switch, and I would be surprised at people who did. I understand the propane/CO detector has to stay active for "saaaaaafety" (legal) reasons, but I don't like it. If I'm camping in it, I won't have the disconnect switch disconnected, and if I'm not, the propane/CO detector is irrelevant.

I'm guessing the legal team would want to cover all bases. If you are connected to shore power with bat switch off then the converter would power the 12 vdc devices. Let's say there's an electrical fire or lightning strike and the converter fails , you could be asleep without that "saaaaafty" device.

LHaven · 07-09-2021, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

If you are connected to shore power with bat switch off

Well, sure, but why would I ever camp like that? There's about as much chance of that as there is of the propane detector itself just breaking.

**flybouy** · 07-09-2021, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

Well, sure, but why would I ever camp like that? There's about as much chance of that as there is of the propane detector itself just breaking.

I'm guessing they (Keystone legal team) didn’t consult you because it's not all about you and you're camping habits. I'm guessing you wouldn't use a blow dryer while taking a shower yet your blow dryer will have that warning label on it.

Truth is no one here knows why the BCO is wired that way but I doubt that it was done "just to annoy someone". Maybe a homeless addict broke into a camper and started a fire and Keystone was sued? We don’t know but I do know litigation sows the seeds for much of these things.

**sourdough** · 07-09-2021, 02:34 PM

Here's a little video explaining the Keystone giggy box. At about the 1:30 mark he says it disconnects everything in the trailer except the breakaway switch... So Stacyismetoo probably has a problem that the dealer needs to look at. Does sound better than the old hodge podge of wires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWC4bJacArQ

machz · 07-12-2021, 06:52 AM

I'm new at this so I'm not saying you are wrong but how would shutting the box off drain the batteries ? I know when it's off nothing in the RV works, it appears to kill everything so nothing has power.

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