2020 21C battery update parts question

[GaryandEllen]

I’m updating to LI batteries from 2 6VDC batteries.. I’ve just opened up the space where the batteries are and I’m seeing a couple of parts that I can’t identify. Can you tell me what these are?

[Vermilye]

Thermal auto reset circuit breakers.

[GaryandEllen]

I haven't had a chance to follow the wires to see where they go. I'm guessing they would be part of the charging circuits. Do you know if one of these goes to the converter and maybe the other one goes the the 7-pin connector for tow vehicle charging?

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by GaryandEllen

I haven't had a chance to follow the wires to see where they go. I'm guessing they would be part of the charging circuits. Do you know if one of these goes to the converter and maybe the other one goes the the 7-pin connector for tow vehicle charging?

That is how my Bigfoot is set up, one between the converter and battery, the other between the 7 pin and the battery.

Charles

[alanerickson]

There are electrical prints here:

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ams-19980.html

Clicking on the small picture will make it larger. That post should probably be here in the charging section, but it is what it is.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

There are electrical prints here:

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ams-19980.html

Clicking on the small picture will make it larger. That post should probably be here in the charging section, but it is what it is.

IMO that post of electrical diagrams is so helpful it should have a cross-link sticky in both that Problem Solving sub-forum and this Escape Systems sub-forum.

Ya never know where people may look for help, both places are good candidates.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by alanerickson

There are electrical prints here:

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...ams-19980.html

Clicking on the small picture will make it larger. That post should probably be here in the charging section, but it is what it is.

Asking for a bit of help. For the life of me, I can not read the yellow trailer connection that appears to not be connected to any load.


Thanks!

[alanerickson]

Backup lights.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I took those out of my main charging circuit. my two lithium batteries each go through a 100A ANL fuse to a positive terminal (and the two grounds go directly to a matching negative terminal). the battery terminal of the WFCO/PD4655's fuse board goes directly to that same positive terminal, as does the grounding lug on the back of the WFCO cabinet.

I used the thermal breakers for the new AWG 10 wire that goes to the breakaway switch, and on the original AWG 8 wire from the trailer hitch that now goes to an Orion-Tr DC-DC 12/18 isolator. Solar and the output of the Orion goes directly to my new terminal strips.





this isn't the final wiring diagram, it doesn't show the thermal fuses on the breakaway and tow vehicle.

[GaryandEllen]

alanerickson thanks for the wiring diagram. I've had time to figure out most of it now but it's good to see it drawn out. I also like the updates that John shared. Pics are always great.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

Asking for a bit of help. For the life of me, I can not read the yellow trailer connection that appears to not be connected to any load.

Originally Posted by alanerickson

Backup lights.

That's the label. It's the middle pin of the 7-way connector, and while backup lights are a common use, it's not used in an Escape at all, and it may not be connected to anything on the tow vehicle side either.
It is really defined as an ancillary circuit for whatever you want to do with it, which means the function has to be confirmed on both tug and trailer sides to use it.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

...

It is really defined as an ancillary circuit for whatever you want to do with it, which means the function has to be confirmed on both tug and trailer sides to use it.

I can't think of any use for it. Perhaps inspiration will strike...

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

I can't think of any use for it. Perhaps inspiration will strike...

The most common use, other than backup lights, is to run separate stop (brake) lamps, either just to provide a centre high-mounted stop lamp, or to allow the left and right combined stop/turn circuits to be used for dedicated turn signals instead. Either of these would require matching tow vehicle wiring.

It could also be used as a second power circuit, such as to provide one power circuit which is only on when the tow vehicle is running and another which is on all of the time... which has been done for trailers which don't have their own battery (not useful in any obvious way for an Escape, but a standard system in Europe).

I've heard of people using it as an additional negative ("ground") contact, because the single standard ground may be inadequate for all of the circuits in use.

Obviously, incompatible uses can cause problems: if the tow vehicle connects this pin to a lighting circuit and trailer grounds it, the lighting circuit will be short-circuited to ground.