What is this switch in the dinette?

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I have to admit, when the question was first posted I thought the answer was going to be "heat pads". I'm a little surprised that that little switch is for the battery.

Ron, they used the same type of toggle switch for the heat pads and heat tape that we had them install. However, they're under the driver's side of the dinette cushions. They have labels stating what they are, although on mine they don't say "on" or "off", like someone else got (but theirs didn't have labels identifying what they were - another thread).

Those two switched go left to right. The battery shutoff switch goes up and down (least on mine).

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

Just curious why.
If one looks at the switch, it's rather obvious if it is on or if it is off.

Well, someone else did post that usually Up means it's On, but she said some folks had it the other way. So, it may not always be obvious by looking at it.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, a quick glance of 71 year old eyes can discern red/green vs up or down from a distance.

[gbaglo]

So, if the switch is off, will the LED be green? Or will it be red?
And, if the switch is off, will the LED be off? Or will it be a drain on your battery?

[dfandrews]

The next question is, do you want that extra LED on in the dark of night, staring at you when you're trying to sleep?

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

So, if the switch is off, will the LED be green? Or will it be red?
And, if the switch is off, will the LED be off? Or will it be a drain on your battery?

I would say if he has green and red one of them is going to be a battery drain and defeats the purpose of the switch in the first place.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

Well, someone else did post that usually Up means it's On, but she said some folks had it the other way. So, it may not always be obvious by looking at it.

The "normal' positioning of a switch is up for On and down for Off. If some people have it reversed, then I would suspect that the installed "got it wrong." In any event, if it is YOUR trailer, you should know if up is On or Off. All I am saying is it is visually obvious if the switch is in the up or down position. If my switch happened to be Off in the up position, I would simply reorient the switch, but that is me. And if I were to walk into someone else's trailer and their switch was Off when up, it would be of no concern to me. People should be intimately familiar with their own trailer. As someone has already stated, all one has to do is to unplug the trailer from shore power. If the lights come on, the battery cutoff switch is On. If they do not come on, the cutoff switch is Off (unless the battery/batteries have been discharged or have failed).

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

The "normal' positioning of a switch is up for On and down for Off.

Except for the stupid Surburban water heater switch.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

I would say if he has green and red one of them is going to be a battery drain and defeats the purpose of the switch in the first place.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Yes, a quick glance of 71 year old eyes can discern red/green vs up or down from a distance.

And typically one would have the battery cutoff switch on when the trailer is in use and perhaps even when not in use to allow the converter to keep the battery/batteries charged, unless they are removed for seasonal storage.
Furthermore, if 71 year old eyes can discern red/green from a distance they can certainly discern green or no green (dark), thereby rendering a second indicator light totally unnecessary. On top of that, the easiest way to install a double indicator would include the use of a relay to switch between the two lights. Seems to me to be a lot of unnecessary work when one indicator either lit or not lit tells the whole story.
Better yet, install an assembly around the switch that will prevent accidental operation. Flip the switch on when you want it on, and off when you want it off. Voila! No unnecessary holes, no additional annoying lights during sleep hours, and no unnessary constant drains on the battery. Simple.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

Except for the stupid Surburban water heater switch.

True. But probably actually manufactured in China (I'm not sure). And China is on the opposite side of the planet from us. Hence, up would be down and down would be up over there!

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

Except for the stupid Surburban water heater switch.

Hi: KountryKamper... There's a story here. Our abridged version is "Off is on & On is off". Reace wouldn't leave that one alone as he pointed out one day I'd have a "Brain freeze" and curse him off and on!!! He changed the switch for us at the Escape Rally. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[KarenH]

I don't understand all this concern about labels and lights on switches. Does anyone label their switches at home? Even those with double and triple wall plates? (Yes, one can buy lighted switches but I assume that is for convenience at nighttime.)

[cpaharley2008]

In your home you have an unlimited supply of electricity so, other than cost, you have no worries. In your trailer your supply is limited to your battery capacity, no battery, no lights, no heat, no refrigeration. So monitoring your power use is more critical in your trailer.

[Donna D.]

The only problem I have with labels is there needs to be enough light to read them and I'd better have my glasses on

I remember through muscle memory and mnemonics.

I have the three switches on the door jam. For my trailer it's (top to bottom):
Inside
Porch
Outside

So... instead of labels, I just remember IPO. You know... like Initial Public Offering (stocks).

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

In your home you have an unlimited supply of electricity so, other than cost, you have no worries. In your trailer your supply is limited to your battery capacity, no battery, no lights, no heat, no refrigeration. So monitoring your power use is more critical in your trailer.

No debate whatsoever there. More important consideration, however, is how often does any person boondock, where battery power would be critical. I do not know of many campgrounds that do not have electrical hookups providing the same unlimited supply of electricity as I would have at home. And I may be assuming what point you are trying to make that I should not be assuming, but I fail to comprehend how an indicator light (or lights) on the battery cutoff switch would have anything to do with monitoring power use and/or the status of charge in the battery, nor would it ensure availability of power for lights, heat, or refrigeration. So I would respectfully ask that you clarify the point you are trying/intending to make.

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I don't understand all this concern about labels and lights on switches. Does anyone label their switches at home? Even those with double and triple wall plates? (Yes, one can buy lighted switches but I assume that is for convenience at nighttime.)

I pulled all the labels ETI installed on our new camper off both inside and out. We like the clean unlabled look. When I can't remember that up is on and down is off I think it will be time to stop camping.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

So, if the switch is off, will the LED be green? Or will it be red?
And, if the switch is off, will the LED be off? Or will it be a drain on your battery?

Or, just use the normal switch convention and know that up in on. Seems simple to me.

Originally Posted by KarenH

I don't understand all this concern about labels and lights on switches. Does anyone label their switches at home? Even those with double and triple wall plates?

I was wondering this too, Karen. I have never labelled light switches, and it did not take long to remember what they were.

But again, we all must just do what works best for us. Nobody gets harmed either way.

If it were something critical that strangers might have need to use, labelling would be a benefit though.

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Maybe it's time to "Switch" the conversation to Poutine. That's about as far off the issue as we can be on!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by KarenH

I don't understand all this concern about labels and lights on switches. Does anyone label their switches at home?

Hopefully most folks live in a house wired by a qualified person who follows conventions and wires switches that when "down" are off.

The obvious question is, why doesn't ETI spend a few cents more and install switches with an on-off plate? If wired correctly then there's never a question about whether it's on or off.

Personally, if I had a switch in an exposed position like that I'd have a switch guard on it.

Ron

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Hopefully most folks live in a house wired by a qualified person who follows conventions and wires switches that when "down" are off.

The obvious question is, why doesn't ETI spend a few cents more and install switches with an on-off plate? If wired correctly then there's never a question about whether it's on or off.

Personally, if I had a switch in an exposed position like that I'd have a switch guard on it.

Ron

Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Hopefully most folks live in a house wired by a qualified person who follows conventions and wires switches that when "down" are off.

The obvious question is, why doesn't ETI spend a few cents more and install switches with an on-off plate? If wired correctly then there's never a question about whether it's on or off.

Personally, if I had a switch in an exposed position like that I'd have a switch guard on it.

Ron

Pictures of our easy to make guards and labeling . We hate things installed down low but understand why . I can read if switch is on or off from trailer door . Also to answer someone else on forum ,when you are boondocking you don't always have electricity and some of us don't have solar at all or yet . The guard idea was from Myron . The switch Escape uses is plastic and very easy to break .