Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

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Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

October 07, 2022, 07:38:48 pm

We have the Battery Disconnect Switch installed. I turned it to the OFF position the other day and still had 12V power in the RV. We were disconnected from 120V also.

If I understand it right we still had power because the solar panels were supplying 12V to the house although the batteries were not supplying power to the house, and the Solar panels were not charging the batteries.

So nothing will go into or out of the batteries while the switch is OFF?

To fully shut off the power to the house we would need to remove the fuse in the converter panel that is labeled: SOLAR PANELS 20 AMP?

Do I have this right? Am I missing anything?

Thanks,

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #1 – October 07, 2022, 08:36:32 pm

This is correct.

Steve

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #2 – October 08, 2022, 01:07:31 pm

Bonnie,
I would think it is dependent on how your solar is wired.
Does your solar controller go directly to your power center (eg into a breaker or into another connection in the power center)?
If it was wired into a breaker/fuse you could just turn that breaker off/take out that fuse.

Are you seeing 12v in the coach because your have something in a outlet that is showing a voltage? Or seeing that voltage somewhere else (battery monitor, solar controller)?

It would help to have more info about your components - eg your solar controller brand/model and your power center brand/model.

Also if you got the LD new or someone owned it before that might have made changes.
Our LD had some unique components put on by the first owner with unusual wiring.

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #3 – October 08, 2022, 01:15:59 pm

What Steve said. Pull the solar fuse before disconnecting the battery or "funny" things will start to happen (ask me how I know). This is assuming it is the factory setup. I taped a little sticky reminder to the inside cover of the converter so I don’t forget!

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #4 – October 08, 2022, 03:59:50 pm

We bought the LD new. It is all factory setup. Attaching pictures.

What were the “funny” things that happened? What can go wrong? I did the battery disconnect but did not pull the solar fuse.

We were changing the water pump and I wanted to disconnect the 12V, so I flipped the switch on the battery. Saw we still had power (because the lights were still working) and was not sure how to turn it off, so just swapped out the water pump with the 12V power still on. Then flipped the battery disconnect switch back on. Now I know I need to pull the solar fuse too, if I want the power fully off to the house.

Now I have more questions about solar. I should probably do a new post, so I will post it shortly.

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #5 – October 08, 2022, 04:30:29 pm

When you pull the fuse on the solar, you should see the lights go out, which would confirm that wiring is as assumed by Steve (unmodified from what the factory did).

Re: Battery Disconnect Switch and Solar panel fuse

Reply #6 – October 08, 2022, 08:25:27 pm

Hi Bonnie; You don't want to equalize the AGM batteries, and I believe Warren stated that you have to 'borrow' the proper equipment to do so from the LifeLine factory rep's about once a year.
Question regarding leaving LD plugged in
The picture of your 12 v fuse panel has the water pump listed as 10 A. Position #8. It is the light blue fuse labeled 15 Amps. Many newer and higher flow water pumps do need to be upgraded to 15 amps from the 10. The pumps have internal overheat (thermally protected) protection. (You don't need to worry, the wire LD uses can easily run the extra current without any issues.) Pulling that fuse is all you need to do. You don't need to turn off the battery. Also if you are just cleaning the strainer or something, you can just turn the pump off at it's normal switch. It isn't a shock hazard as it might be with a 110v AC pump. DC at 12 or 15 volts is almost non hazardous. As long as you don't short it out, and the fuses will protect you there. I've completely replaced my pump, and just turned off the pump switch. Remember not to turn it on until you are finished.
As far as oiling up the antenna. I've only greased the gear sector once, um after about 20 years and I've never taken it apart enough to grease anywhere else. I did spray some spray lube on the baseplate (not WD-40) so it would rotate better, at about 15 years when I replaced the up lead, and resealed the entry point into the ceiling where the cable enters the aluminum base casting. If you seriously want to watch TV, your best bet outside of an RV park with cable is a satellite receiver dish (I chose Dish network over Direct because I can turn off the monthly bill when I'm not using it.) RonB

I forgot to mention about resetting that accumulated watt hour meter on the R3000i. It is mostly to see what is going on with the panels, but isn't too useful. For you living in the LD full time, you should get a real battery monitor with a shunt resistor. I like my Balmar SG-200 Amazon.com: CDI Electronics SG200 Battery Monitor Kit, 12V-48V : Electronics and I just got the bluetooth gateway a few days ago so I can keep tabs on my Lithium battery set up from my outdoor easy chair. (Thanks Kent)

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