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Old 11-16-2017, 11:35 PM   #1
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ETI battery disconnect switch

Looking for answer regarding Battery Disconnect switch and how the one Escape installs handles the battery disconnect job. I understand how battery disconnect switches work, but the one Escape installs seems way too small to handle the job at hand?

I'm use to seeing much more robust battery disconnect switches in car's, RV's and boats, then got to thinking the small switch may control a remote relay that disconnects the batteries from system.

I remember asking about it at ETI, but never received answer other than it disconnects the batteries. At the time I told myself I would come back to the question, but fell off radar screen until tonight.

Does anyone know if the switch is controlling a relay, wired directly to battery or wired in some other way I'm not familiar with?

Cheers!
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Old 11-17-2017, 01:05 AM   #2
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There isn't a relay in the system - all the current being shut off goes through that switch. It is the only (positive side) connection between the battery and the power centre.

Very high-capacity switches are used for circuits which must handle very high current, but the Escape's switch is only handling what the DC fuse panel distributes to various loads around the trailer. There is typically a 50-amp fuse in this connection, so it doesn't need more than a 50-amp switch. An inverter can use much more current, but when Escape installs an inverter, it gets its own connections to the battery; it doesn't use the storage/shutoff switch. The battery (or batteries) can provide much higher current than the switch can handle, but there's no reason for that much current to flow.

If you decide to run an unusually large amount of 12 V DC stuff from the fuse panel, you could need to upgrade the switch and the wires connected to it... but the usual approach is to wire large extra loads directly to the battery (appropriately fused, of course), like the inverter.
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Old 11-17-2017, 05:23 AM   #3
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I have never used that switch except when changing batteries.
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Old 11-17-2017, 06:10 AM   #4
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I had thought about replacing the toggle switch with one of the bigger disconnects, mainly to keep it from getting inadvertently knocked. I don't recall if it's 30a or 50a, but it is sufficient for the load. I believe it's 8 awg from the batteries to the switch so the switches lugs are big enough to handle the ring connectors. ETI uses the non battery side of the switch as a tie point for a few circuits, it'd be a challenge to connect those little wires to the lugs on one of the bigger disconnect switch. The one I looked at had either 1/4" or 3/8" lugs.

I did add a home made guard to the toggle, the store bought were for smaller switches.
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Old 11-17-2017, 09:01 AM   #5
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I remember well the night we stopped on our maiden trip home with the new trailer and going nearly nuts trying to understand why suddenly none of my electricity was working. First thing done when we got home was make a switch guard.

For those who might not know where their battery disconnect switch is, here's a picture of mine in the 19.
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Old 11-17-2017, 12:37 PM   #6
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The details of wiring this switch vary by model, by year, and by equipment... all of which makes sense. What is consistent is that
  • opening the switch disconnects the battery from the main power centre (WFCO box), where all circuits that might drain power during storage should be connected, and
  • the inverter is not connected to the battery through this switch.

Steve (St3v3) traced the wiring in his 15A, drew it up, and shared it: 15A Wiring Diagram
In Steve's relatively simple trailer, the breakaway brake switch is the only item not shut off by this switch (labelled "Main Shutoff"), and only the power centre is on the non-battery side.

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Originally Posted by padlin View Post
ETI uses the non battery side of the switch as a tie point for a few circuits...
Just curious... what other circuits are connected there, and how are they fused?
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Old 11-17-2017, 08:59 PM   #7
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Thank you all for your responses. Now I understand how they are able to use an On/Off toggle switch as battery disconnect.

I've asked ETI to not install the monitors for inverter and surge protection as I will mount those where I want them later. They responded they have to wire in the monitors, but can leave unmounted. Works for me!

I've also made a request to not install their battery disconnect switch. If they have to install it then my request was to mount it underneath the bench. Regardless of outcome I will replace their switch later with a marine grade battery disconnect accessible through rear access hatch.
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Old 01-22-2018, 05:22 PM   #8
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Battery Disconnect Toggle Switch

Has anyone replaced or moved the ETI battery Disconnect Toggle Switch. We have a 21 with U-Shaped Dinette on order. I understand what the switch does and the need for the switch. However, based on the 21 I viewed and the photos of the toggle switch, it sure seems like it has the potential to make contact with the leg of someone sitting in the dinette. A skinny inch long piece of metal protruding out from the bench does not seem like a good idea to me. I know some have put a plastic switch guard on the toggle to prevent this from being a problem. I will do that too if I have to but I would rather not. I called ETI and asked if they could replace it with a lower profile toggle (like the toggles they use for the light switches). I was told they would not. I asked if they could move the switch from the outside of the bench to the inside of the bench. I would not mind raising the seat to access the switch. I was told they would not move it. So my tentative plan is to move it inside the bench when I get it home. Wondering if anyone else has moved it?
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Old 01-22-2018, 05:31 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matt View Post
Has anyone replaced or moved the ETI battery Disconnect Toggle Switch. We have a 21 with U-Shaped Dinette on order. I understand what the switch does and the need for the switch. However, based on the 21 I viewed and the photos of the toggle switch, it sure seems like it has the potential to make contact with the leg of someone sitting in the dinette. A skinny inch long piece of metal protruding out from the bench does not seem like a good idea to me. I know some have put a plastic switch guard on the toggle to prevent this from being a problem. I will do that too if I have to but I would rather not. I called ETI and asked if they could replace it with a lower profile toggle (like the toggles they use for the light switches). I was told they would not. I asked if they could move the switch from the outside of the bench to the inside of the bench. I would not mind raising the seat to access the switch. I was told they would not move it. So my tentative plan is to move it inside the bench when I get it home. Wondering if anyone else has moved it?
A crew removing my refrigerator for repair broke off the handle on my disconnect switch in my 17. They put in a replacement (the same switch) and I broke it off a couple months later. Decided to leave it broken and use my Leatherman to flip it. Since I only turn it off for winter storage or to work on the electrical system, the 1/8" handle worked great.

I believe it is a 50 amp switch, although the spade connectors are only rated at 30 amps. If I ever replace the one on my 21, I'll use something like this one.

So far, the switch in the 21 is still whole!
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Old 01-22-2018, 05:33 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by matt View Post
Has anyone replaced or moved the ETI battery Disconnect Toggle Switch. We have a 21 with U-Shaped Dinette on order. I understand what the switch does and the need for the switch. However, based on the 21 I viewed and the photos of the toggle switch, it sure seems like it has the potential to make contact with the leg of someone sitting in the dinette. A skinny inch long piece of metal protruding out from the bench does not seem like a good idea to me. I know some have put a plastic switch guard on the toggle to prevent this from being a problem. I will do that too if I have to but I would rather not. I called ETI and asked if they could replace it with a lower profile toggle (like the toggles they use for the light switches). I was told they would not. I asked if they could move the switch from the outside of the bench to the inside of the bench. I would not mind raising the seat to access the switch. I was told they would not move it. So my tentative plan is to move it inside the bench when I get it home. Wondering if anyone else has moved it?

Yes, I saw another person had this switch.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So I contacted them, found out what it was and ordered one. Once we had it it was decided that it did not need to go in the original spot. Matter of fact to do so would have meant reworking the framing. So I moved it closer to the Wet bath, just to the side of the EMS display. The wiring is 8 awg and was easy to redo. The only issue was finding 8 awg 3/8th ring terminals. I own a bag of them now since I could not find a pack of two anywhere.
It does not stick out so it will not annoy someone, and will not get accidentally turned off. And the best part is with the table down I can lean down and use it instead of crawling under the table.

Edit, they had Escape install it in the original spot so Escape redid the framing. Since mine was already framed the framing was in the way of the new switch. Otherwise I would had also installed mine there and just put new connectors on for the new switch.
But this worked out to be even better.

Edit #2, on mine the battery was very close to the battery disconnect switch so total wiring is less than 6 feet. 8 awg is rated for more than the thermal disconnect Escape uses so I did not upgrade. On a 21 or a 17 the battery might be further away from the disconnect so they might have beefier wiring like 6 awg. You will need to check what size they used to the disconnect on yours.
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Old 01-22-2018, 05:47 PM   #11
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I was just at Escape and brought this same switch with me for my upcoming Escape 19. They will install it and the charge is $50.
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Old 01-22-2018, 07:19 PM   #12
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The water pump switch in the Aframe is in a place where it can be constantly flipped on by a hip (just below counter height--and no remarks about my hips). Some people have put a drawer pull--the kind that uses two screws and is a crescent or 3 sides of a rectangle over it so you can reach in and flip it on and off but it is protected from accidental flippage.
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Old 01-22-2018, 07:57 PM   #13
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Checking Webster

Quote:
Originally Posted by h2owmn View Post
The water pump switch in the Aframe is in a place where it can be constantly flipped on by a hip (just below counter height--and no remarks about my hips). Some people have put a drawer pull--the kind that uses two screws and is a crescent or 3 sides of a rectangle over it so you can reach in and flip it on and off but it is protected from accidental flippage.
Is flippage a word? Can you use it in a sentence? Sounds like a good solution to prevent flippage.
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Old 01-22-2018, 08:59 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Kent View Post
I've also made a request to not install their battery disconnect switch. If they have to install it then my request was to mount it underneath the bench. Regardless of outcome I will replace their switch later with a marine grade battery disconnect accessible through rear access hatch.
That's what I did. They didn't put one in and I installed my own. I have two 12's and I like to keep them isolated from each other.

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Old 01-22-2018, 09:10 PM   #15
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I will never forget our maiden trip home "The Great 2017 Chilliwack Dash" , setting nice and comfy on a cold January night at Seven Feathers Casino OR. when boom! out went the lights. Initially my mind went into worst case scenario then realized I had accidentally pushed the toggle down with my leg .
Any way I just flipped the switch around, cut the ON/OFF sticker in half and reapplied. Have never had a problem since.

Tin.
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