Battery Disconnect

BobH · 10-06-2014, 08:36 PM

Hi Bob here
Anyone out there know anything about the wiring for the Battery Disconnect.I purchased a Redwood 36RL months ago and getting it ready for Winter. But after have Shore Power unplugged and Invertor Shut off and the Battery Disconnect turned to Off. I noticed when I turned the switches on at front of Cab near hitch for hitch LED lighting and the LED lighting above the REDWOOD Decal, that they both came on , so somehow they are connected directly to the batteries. Ive traced out the wiring yet, but one thing I noticed different from My Infinity that I use to own is that on the back wall of the Battery compartment , there are 2-copper power bars , which seems to connect all the power sources, but yet there are NO Fuses or Breakers between, which my Infinity had breakers between the 2-copper bars. So is there something wired wrong , that the wiring for the front cab is not thru the Disconnect switch or are their maybe more items that are still powered and not going thru the disconnect switch. Also , there is another wiring with a 10amp fuse link just under the hydraulic system , I did not trace this wire either , but maybe it was for the hydraulic system?

Any answers out there??

atom ant · 10-06-2014, 11:30 PM

Ya some of the guys rewired the terminals on the bus bar behind the batteries to make it a true battery switch.

Everytime I think about doing that I'm out of time. Put ours away and just pulled the battery cables.

BobH · 10-06-2014, 11:44 PM

Thanks Atom Ant,
I was thinking that I might have to rewire. Like you say just need to find the time . Im just not sure they have not used breakers as well between the bus bars. I should have taken a better look at my previous trailer as it had a good system. Being Electrican myself , I guess I will be able to figure it out , just thought someone had a drawing ,etc. I wait and see if i get anymore replies .
Thanks Again
Bob

trfield58 · 10-06-2014, 11:58 PM

Bob,
I re-wired mine. There are 12V breakers behind the buss bars. There is a schematic available for download on the other site which details the connections and breakers.

There are a couple of issues with doing a true battery disconnect, both of which (in my opinion) are not really issues at all. The breakaway switch on the king pin requires 12V to operate and if you kill the source, well...no power brakes. 2nd, the Schwintek slide mechanism requires 12V to hold bedroom slide in while traveling (or at least that's what I've been told) I did a true battery disconnect re-wire when I did my 3 new AGM batteries, Magnum Inverter and Solar system. I say it's not an issue because, when I go to hitch up, I need to turn battery switch on to operate jacks and at that point, while towing, leave the switch on until putting coach back into storage. After unhitching for storage, I shut off the switch and ALL loads are dead.....

BobH · 10-07-2014, 02:42 AM

Thanks trfield58
When I got home from work , i grabbed my flashlight in checked it out a little better , and yes i see the breakers behind the bus bars. What site were you talking about for the wiring diagram. I also found a wiring diagram with my Magnum Inverter , which shows the disconnect being wired between it . But it is a 1/0 wire ,which i do not think will fit under the terminals of the disconnect that is installed . I would have to take it apart to check that out .
As far as the Battery switch goes , I usually have it turned on when I connect the trailer to my truck and i leave it on till I'm connected to a Shore power supply. But issue I'm finding right now is I'm getting my trailer ready for storage ,and, i found that some power is still on with the Battery Sw in the Off position. Like the lights on the front cab for the hitch and the Redwood Decal in front . Im not sure what else is on till i really now go thru everything. I made a styrofoam box to surround my batteries to keep them somewhat warm over the winter , because i do not want to remove them, but if there is going to be a drawn of power on them because some items are still using it unless I pull the fuses in the panel box and see what that actually does i guess as well.
But if you can lead me to that wiring diagram , maybe i can sort the rest out.
Thanks again Bob

0nTheRoad · 10-07-2014, 02:58 AM

There are two Redwood Forums, the other forum is here. You will need to apply to join this forum, if you have problems you can post on here for help.

On that forum there is a section named Manuals, Catalogs, Brochures and Procedures, the drawing is in that section.

Here is the drawing...

Rick and Mindy · 10-07-2014, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobH

Thanks trfield58
When I got home from work , i grabbed my flashlight in checked it out a little better , and yes i see the breakers behind the bus bars. What site were you talking about for the wiring diagram. I also found a wiring diagram with my Magnum Inverter , which shows the disconnect being wired between it . But it is a 1/0 wire ,which i do not think will fit under the terminals of the disconnect that is installed . I would have to take it apart to check that out .
As far as the Battery switch goes , I usually have it turned on when I connect the trailer to my truck and i leave it on till I'm connected to a Shore power supply. But issue I'm finding right now is I'm getting my trailer ready for storage ,and, i found that some power is still on with the Battery Sw in the Off position. Like the lights on the front cab for the hitch and the Redwood Decal in front . Im not sure what else is on till i really now go thru everything. I made a styrofoam box to surround my batteries to keep them somewhat warm over the winter , because i do not want to remove them, but if there is going to be a drawn of power on them because some items are still using it unless I pull the fuses in the panel box and see what that actually does i guess as well.
But if you can lead me to that wiring diagram , maybe i can sort the rest out.
Thanks again Bob

Bob, this has been an issue for most of the Redwood owners. I couldn't have my fifth wheel in storage for more than 2 weeks without plugging it in and turning on the battery switch because my battery would drain down. My 31sl was in the Service Center ant they were able to change some wires around to make the switch a true cutoff switch. Now I can leave it unplugged and the switch off and the battery stays charged. I was told by the Service Center that they were probably going to start wiring all the Redwoods the way they corrected mine but obviously that hasn't happened. If you contact the Service Center they should be able to tell you what to do to rewire. It was a very simple fix and required a jumper cable and rerouting one of the original battery cables. Sorry I can't give exact details. If you can't find someone to give you the exacts I could try to take a picture of mine which might help.

BobH · 10-07-2014, 07:16 AM

Thanks Chuk &Ruth for wiring diagram helps me understand what's happening. Only it seems my is wired upside down from what's shown here. What is a Trombetta?
Bob

BobH · 10-07-2014, 07:19 AM

Also Thanks Rick & Mindy. Maybe if you get time and can take a picture that would help as well
Thanks Bob

almcc · 10-07-2014, 01:42 PM

I did the re-wire over a year ago so the memory may be a little hazy, but what I did was as follows:

I pulled the disconnect wiring and as I recall the wireing went to and from the buss bar, I re-wired so that the hot wire from the disconnect went to the top of of buss on the left side (looking at the buss bar), that red wire was 6 gauge on our unit. I had a local parts store do the crimp terminals for me after I figured out the lengths and runs from the batteries. I was left with extra 6 gauge wire after the exercise.

When you do the work, make sure that when you shuffle the crimp connector(s) you don't bypass the breakers so that everything downstream of the buss remains protected. I'm thinking specifically of the lead that goes through the 50 amp breaker to the 12V main power panel.

The other cautions: I believe that the loss of power disconnects the brakes on the bedroom slide, don't move the trailer with the batt switch off. Also, the re-wire will probably eliminate power to the break away switch, so ensure that the batts are connected before hauling. In my case, the safety is that I can't lift/lower the trailer or retract the slides with no shore power when the batt switch is disconnected, a reminder to throw the switch.

0nTheRoad · 10-07-2014, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobH

What is a Trombetta?
Bob

It is a solenoid that provides current to our hydraulic jacks. It is located in the battery compartment near the upper right hand side.

BobH · 10-07-2014, 03:01 PM

Thanks OnTheRoad
I should have guessed that as that was the only other heavy (#6) wire leaving the bus not accounted for
Thanks again
You would think that REDWOOD would have a better system, for the money you pay for their trailers ,along with their Satellite wiring. But I have to admit it is the best trailer I've had so far.

Bob

BobH · 10-12-2014, 12:02 AM

Attached is a PDFs file of my findings on the bus termination. But what I cannot find is what the 15 Amp Fuse Link located just below Hydraulic Oil Tank is for?
Also the #6 wire from the top side of the 50 Amp Breaker where is it coming from? What J-Box?
BobH

BobH · 10-14-2014, 02:51 AM

Another question I have with the wiring diagram for the battery disconnect is there is a #14 red wire coming off the top bus(12V power) side and going thru a single 15 Amp fuse link. Could this be the wire going to the trailer king pin hitch for trailer breakaway switch?
Also, where is the other # 6 red wir going from the power side of the bus bar labeled from J-Box. What is this feeding?
Bob

BobH · 10-17-2014, 11:11 PM

Diagram Attached , will send Pictures later.
Bob

BobH · 10-17-2014, 11:21 PM

Pictures now attached of my Total Disconnect ReWire. Have a 2-position Disconnect Sw, which I can Operate just the Coach 12volt system or just the Slides, Hydraulics , and Exterior Lighting and Breakaway sw. Or I can have all on, or All off.
Bob