Should I Leave My RV's Battery Disconnect Switch On When Going ...

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3. Should I Leave My RV's Battery Disconnect Switch on When Going Down The Road In My RV?

Should I Leave My RV's Battery Disconnect Switch on When Going Down The Road In My RV?

by Ron (Chicago, Il)

Properly Using RV Battery Disconnect Switch

QUESTION

Should I leave the battery disconnect switch on my fifth wheel in the on or off position while driving on the road? I've been turning it to the off position and have noticed that the battery is not fully charged when reaching my destination.

ANSWER

Battery Off Position

The way most battery disconnect switches are wired in RVs is that when the battery disconnect switch is in the "batteries off" position the RV house batteries will not receive a charge from your tow vehicles charging system or in the case of a motorhome the RV house batteries will not receive a charge from the motorhome's charging system. Also, when you are plugged into shore power with the battery disconnect switch in the "batteries off" position in most cases your house batteries will not receive a charge from your RV's converter/charger.Furthermore, depending on the age of your RV and the type of battery disconnect switch installed with the Battery Disconnect Switch in the "batteries off" position your RV's 12-volt lights and accessories may not work even when plugged into shore power.Good Sam Extended Service Plan is mechanical breakdown insurance for your RV, 5th Wheel, Trailer, and Tow Vehicle! FREE QuoteThe only time you should keep the Battery Disconnect Switch in the "batteries off" position is when you are storing and not using your RV. Keeping the batteries off during storage helps prevent your house batteries from being completely discharged during storage from constant drains from such items as RV TV antenna amplifiers, Propane Detectors, etc. Also, if you keep your RV plugged in during storage keeping the batteries off will prevent your house batteries from being overcharged by your RV's converter/charger. This helps prolong the life of your RV's house batteries.

Battery On Position

When the Battery Disconnect switch is in the on position, your RV house batteries will be charged when you are going down the road and when your plugged into electric. All your 12-Volt lights and accessories will function normally.

Installing an RV shutoff Switch

For those RVers that own an RV without a battery disconnect switch you can purchase and install an battery disconnect switch.Watch the video below to learn how to install an RV Battery Shut-Off Switch on your RV's House Batteries.

To instantly download the RV Education 101 Videos available from RVing Expert Mark Polk visit the RV Education 101 Video Download Store

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Comments for Should I Leave My RV's Battery Disconnect Switch on When Going Down The Road In My RV? Average Rating Click here to add your own comments

Rating Gen Gas Line by: Mark My 2003 Motorhome Windsong by Forest River.The onboard generator gas line is hooked up to a 5 gallon boat tank. Can the generator be hooked up to the Motorhome gas tank.Thanks Mark

Rating Disconnect battery switch and converter by: Cathy At what position to I put the battery disconnect (Store or In Use) and the AC/DC converter( MagnaTek 7300 Electronic Series if I only want to use my Class B Dynamax Isata as a fail driven vehicle. Seems like anything I try it won’t crank after a few days. New batteries all around.

Rating help by: bobby lonewolf where is the battery disconnect switch located on a keystone raptor toy hauler.

Rating Disconnect switch by: Robert You should have your batteries on whenever you are plugged into AC power. Even if the rig is plugged in during storage so your converter does not burn up from not having a load on it. You are sending dirty voltage to all your 12 volt appliances that have circuit boards on them.Robert Ace Rv & Trailer Repair

Rating What if you have solar by: Anonymous If there is a solar panel for the batteries, do you ever need to turn the switch off?

Rating Battery switch by: Anonymous Hello. My father lives in an RV and we are trying to locate the disconnect battery switch but we cannot seem to find it. Where can it be located? He lives in a Catalina Coachman 1989.

Rating Battery by: Bobby N We’ve had new trailer 1 week & battery is dead. Now we know we should have turned off switch. But should it have drained that quick from just antennae & smoke & gas detectors? All major appliances have been off. Did we ruin this battery already?Frustrated in Florida

Rating Question by: Ryan My RV has two battery disconnects. One on the compartment wall behind batteries and another one on the side by the Water hook-up hubs. Do both disconnects have to be in "open" position while driving to recharge the batteries? Or just the one behind the batteries?

Rating Leave switch on when towing. by: Don Battery power must be on while towing in case of emergency disconnect. This provides power to electric brakes if trailer becomes unhooked.

Rating Thanks - Info about Disconnect Switch!! by: Vic Schmidt Thanks for clearing this up for a brand new Motor Homer!! 😎

Rating Red Light On or Off on Disconnect Switch? by: Vic Schmidt Should the Battery Disconnect Switch's Red Light be On or Off during normal operation or when on Shore Power.Seems like that light should be On except when you are storing your rig between outings, correct?Note From RVing Al: The red light should be on during normal operation. When you use the switch to disconnect the batteries from the system, the light will be off.

Rating answer t converter inverter Question by: Anonymous An inverter takes your battery power 12V DC and produces AC 120V output. A converter does just the opposite it steps down your 120 v Ac input and feeds it to a diode bridge whose output is 12v DC.

Rating auto park brake by: Anonymous problems with thee auto park brake, so i disconected the whole system, and use the foot emergency brake. but now i have all kinds of electrical problems, do i need to disconnect a fuse, relays , sensers, etc?

Rating converter by: Emily My husband had a stroke in 2011. We have a 1995 Newmar Kountry Star motor home. I am learning all I can, but need some help.The box located on the underside of the bed.Is this the converter, and the power box in the outside storage,is tthis the inverter. What is the function of each one? Any help appreciated

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