battery disconnect |
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smarsh102
Newbie Joined: 06 Mar 2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 13 |
Topic: battery disconnect Posted: 25 Feb 2012 at 9:55pm |
I would put the switch on the negative wire. Why? Because it is always safer to disconnect the negative wire first. If you accidentally touch the frame of your trailer while undoing the Positive lead on your battery, sparks will fly and possibly weld your wrench to the trailer and cause a fire (if your negative wire is attached) if you have disconnected the negative first nothing will happen. However if you touch the frame of your trailer while undoing the negative wire nothing will happen (even with the positive wire attached). So it should be standard practice to disconnect your Negative wire first. The opposite is true for the install. Positive wire first then negative.
Electrically it makes no difference. I haven't done the switch mod yet but am planning to this spring right after I buy 2 batteries and will be switching the negative wire. |
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 4:13pm |
Based on the shape of the key and price, that looks exactly like the one I have. I added a lanyard so the key is affixed to the battery box body. I put mine in the + side. It's DC, I don't think it makes a difference, but I know the factory installed one on our other camper is also on the + line, so that is why I used that line.
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HuronSailor
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Location: Owosso MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 704 |
Posted: 23 Feb 2012 at 3:10pm |
In my experience with boats, the generally accepted way to install the switch is to put it in the "+" line. In "The Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual" by Nigel Calder (a boatyard bible of sorts) every schematic that includes a cutoff switch shows it in the "+" side. The same is true in every drawing in "Boatowner's Illustrated Handbook of Wiring" by Charlie Wing, another respected reference. The ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) standards for boat wiring say in section 11.7.1.2.1. "A battery switch shall be installed in the positive conductor(s) from each battery or battery bank." So that's the way I do it. So there. But whats the reason? In an AC installation you want the ground to be continuous, so switching the hot side makes sense. But really, that has nothing to do with the DC system on your RV, so either the "+" or the "-" side should work for the pod. I've heard boatyard arguments for both sides, but I've only seen one boat with a cutoff switch on the "-" side. It was at least 20 years old and hadn't caught fire yet, ha.
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.: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :.
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Robwid
Groupie Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 67 |
Posted: 22 Feb 2012 at 10:40pm |
Thanks for all the good advice!
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Robwid
Groupie Joined: 31 Oct 2011 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 67 |
Posted: 17 Feb 2012 at 11:04pm |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 16 Feb 2012 at 8:30pm |
yeah, but they could raise the cost to the end-user by $9. IMO a battery cutoff is just as essential as an LP detector.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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dsmiths
Senior Member Joined: 10 Oct 2011 Location: Southern Ind Online Status: Offline Posts: 866 |
Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 9:03pm |
Cost, eg, if it costs 9 dollars per unit and We produce x amount of units per year, x times 9, you get it.
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Dane and Donna Smith
2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 15 Feb 2012 at 8:14pm |
Coleman used to include a cut-off disconnect with their campers, don't know why all camper manufacturers don't do it, it is absolutely necessary. I installed a 30 amp blade fuse holder next to my battery box. When it is parked I pull the fuse and leave it on the counter.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Footslogger03
Senior Member Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Location: Laramie, WY Online Status: Offline Posts: 362 |
Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 5:08pm |
======================= This is almost identical to the one I bought - - but haven't installed yet. Waiting for the snow to melt ? Mine did not come with installation instructions though. My original inclination was to put the key switch in-line with the "+" terminal. Is everyone certain that the correct wire to use is the "-" terminal ... MJ |
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Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger
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Footslogger03
Senior Member Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Location: Laramie, WY Online Status: Offline Posts: 362 |
Posted: 14 Feb 2012 at 5:04pm |
Livin' the Dream ...'Slogger
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