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Battery switch

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
My Jayco Class C has a momentary rocker switch to disconnect the battery located in the coach. It has become hard to use (sometimes sticks). I have looked online for a similar switch and can't locate one exactly like it so far. I can drive 40 miles to an RV store but don't know if they have one either. Any suggestions? No longer have any Radio Shack stores etc. Would an off/on switch or toggle switch work just as well? Any suggestions appreciated.
13 REPLIES 13

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
As I posted earlier, I ordered a switch thru Amazon. Going by the specs printed on my old switch, and taking measurements, I figured that I need a "JR Products" switch number 12705. It came in the mail today and I just hooked it up. Works fine. Got lucky I guess. Anyway thanks for all the information and assistance from you folks.

j-d
Explorer
Explorer
What I've been trying to say here, is that there are at least two types of disconnects that use different switch wiring.
In this one, you have Red and Black (Pos and Neg) from Battery to Switch. And Brown and Violet back to the disconnect's coil. Switch pressed in one direction, connects Red to Brown and Black to Violet. Pressed in the other direction, connects Red to Violet and Black to Brown. You can see that by how Brown and Violet are connected to opposite sides of the DPDT momentary contact switch. This is the setup tobydad has.

In this one, touching the SPST switch provides Ground (Black). One touch changes the Disconnect To or From ON, the next changes it To or From OFF.
This is what dennislanier has.
You could change from a setup like tobydad's to what dennislanier has, and just use some of the wires, and only two of the switch contacts instead of all six.
But you cannot change from what dennislanier has, to what tobydad has. That is, without 1. adding more wires and 2. going from SPST switch to DPDT switch.
To my knowledge, Winnebago is about the only coach builder to provide detailed parts, wiring and other diagrams. Certainly NOT FR, Jayco, Thor and that crowd.
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
tobydad wrote:
Go to the Jayco website and download the schematic to get the battery disconnect switch part number. Then google Jayco RV parts to find the dealer who sells that switch. I just replaced the battery disconnect switch in my Winnebago and the connector to the switch has 6 poles. The rocker is an on and off, but apparently three different wires are connected and disconnected from that rocker.


Tried to find the Jayco wiring diagram with no luck. I emailed Jayco customer service but they just referred me to the dealers in the area. So I went back online and did further research on my own and came up with what I hope is a correct replacement. I ordered it and will post back on here when it comes in. Thanks for all the responses. A little disappointed in Jayco.

tobydad
Explorer
Explorer
Go to the Jayco website and download the schematic to get the battery disconnect switch part number. Then google Jayco RV parts to find the dealer who sells that switch. I just replaced the battery disconnect switch in my Winnebago and the connector to the switch has 6 poles. The rocker is an on and off, but apparently three different wires are connected and disconnected from that rocker.

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
j-d wrote:
Here's a Momentary Contact Carling Rocker Switch. Looks like this
It's like the Horn Switch in our boat. A boat supply place might have something. If dimensions don't match, you could buy a cheap dollar store white cutting board, and use it as material to make an A-Dapter Kit.

But first: your Battery Disconnect should cycle if you simply touch those two switch wires together. If it's OFF, one touch should turn it ON. If ON, one touch should take it to OFF. If that doesn't happen, something else is wrong.


All the battery disconnect solenoids I've seen need a double pole switch--one direction for on, the other for off. That's a single pole switch, and would likely not work unless you had a pair (one for on and one for off), and that's hardly ideal.

j-d
Explorer
Explorer
Here's a Momentary Contact Carling Rocker Switch. Looks like this
It's like the Horn Switch in our boat. A boat supply place might have something. If dimensions don't match, you could buy a cheap dollar store white cutting board, and use it as material to make an A-Dapter Kit.

But first: your Battery Disconnect should cycle if you simply touch those two switch wires together. If it's OFF, one touch should turn it ON. If ON, one touch should take it to OFF. If that doesn't happen, something else is wrong.
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks j-d. I'm going to keep looking but I may post a pic if that helps folks to help me.

j-d
Explorer
Explorer
Hey Dennis!

The Battery Disconnect uses a Latching Relay. One 12VDC pulse takes it from Off to Locked On. Next takes it from Locked On to Off. You could do this with a doorbell button.

Our Jayco has a momentary contact switch marked ON and OFF. It's spring loaded toward Center. However way it's wired, pushing to ON **OR** to OFF pulses the Disconnect to whichever position it wasn't in before being pulsed.

Ours looks a lot like a Carling Switch shown Here on Amazon.

If you want to post a pic, I'll try to help farther. Can take our switch off to look at if needed.

Dennis, and others watching at home: BEWARE! I've seen two distinct types of Latching Relays, and they require different control wiring.

One: As I described, where the same polarity of 12VDC pulse toggles the Disconnect Relay contacts between OFF and ON. Needs just two wires and a two pole momentary switch.

The Other: Direction of Toggle is determined by the polarity of the pulse. Say it has Black and White wires. If Black is (+) and White is (-) then the Disconnect is pulsed ON. Pulsing it the same way again will leave it ON. If Black is (-) and White is (+) then Disconnect is pulsed OFF. Pulsing same way again will leave it OFF. Needs a Momentary switch with more terminals, connected to more wires.

I think ours might have once been The Other, and the Disconnect was replaced, then rigging its switch to cause a pulse in ON or OFF.
If God's Your Co-Pilot Move Over, jd
2003 Jayco Escapade 31A on 2002 Ford E450 V10 4R100 218" WB

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
Tinyandthegang wrote:
I replaced mine with a switch from O'Reilly's, it is not a momentary switch but an on and off switch with an indicator light.
.

So do you leave it in the ON position all the time you want to use the battery or just turn it on and then off immediately to use the battery?

Tinyandthegang
Explorer
Explorer
I replaced mine with a switch from O'Reilly's, it is not a momentary switch but an on and off switch with an indicator light.

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
JR Products Has many mom on/off switches.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

dennislanier
Explorer
Explorer
Mine has two poles. One for a white wire and one for a brown wire with push-on type connection. I'll keep looking for something similar. thanks.

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
I think it's just a momentary SPDT switch. (It may be a DPDT switch, though; check how many connections it has). I would not replace it with a non-momentary switch as should it get accidentally left or turned on for an extended period of time it will quite likely burn out the coil on the latching relay.

It shouldn't be too hard to find a suitable switch online. If nothing else, a company like Mouser or Digi-Key will undoubtedly have something suitable, and probably the same size or very nearly so as your existing switch.

This switch from All Electronics would work fine, too, but is most likely a good bit larger physically than what you have. A power window switch from a junkyard might be a workable alternative, for that matter.

A pair of momentary pushbuttons might also work out okay in a pinch. Pressing both at once would not be a great idea (but I don't think would cause harm).