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09-07-2019, 11:08 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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Battery disconnect switch
Anyone ever had that switch fail to disconnect?
'99 T-1950.
Used it on shore power last weekend, then disconnected the AC and buttoned everything up; left it at the campsite. The disconnect switch was in the Off position. Today I went to hitch up and bring it home, and found the gas detector energized and the radio's LCD clock display lit up.
Turned the disconnect to On for the drive home, then turned it off while unhitching. Everything's now as it should be, with nothing lit up in the camper. I put a meter on the switch and cycled it a dozen times, and it works as it should.
Scratching my head...
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09-07-2019, 12:16 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Ontario
Posts: 298
SUN #9498
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I don't have one but I need to add one so I am following.....
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09-07-2019, 03:49 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,357
SUN #2097
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I assume this is on the battery?
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09-07-2019, 04:42 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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It's on the frame to the rear of the battery. Looks to be OEM.
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09-07-2019, 05:57 PM
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#5
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,651
SUN #89
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As FYI
Sunline did not install a battery disconnect switch on the travel trailers until the 2004 model year and newer. Was told it was part of the 2004 design upgrades.
I do admit who ever mounted yours, did a good job. Can not speak for the brand you have. I’ll have to look up the Sunline provided brand. Have not had one not work for me yet. But they may be newer then yours.
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC
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09-07-2019, 06:25 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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Interesting; thanks John. Now that I think about it, the red cable sheathing is probably a giveaway that it's not OEM wiring. It also seemed a bit odd to me that it disconnects the breakaway switch as well as everything else, but I don't know if that's typical. Seems like the breakaway should always be hot.
I'll just keep an eye on it, and plan on replacing the switch if the situation recurs.
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09-07-2019, 07:35 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Ontario
Posts: 298
SUN #9498
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I have to say I would have thought it OEM..very nice install by whomever..
Gives me ideas on how to install a battery cutout..
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09-07-2019, 08:18 PM
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#8
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,651
SUN #89
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On the Sunline original installs, the emergency breakaway switch is wired hot (live) all the time. It taps in on the upstream lug of the battery disconnect switch. Safer setup that way in case someone forgets to turn on the battery when towing.
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC
Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
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09-07-2019, 08:56 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,131
SUN #64
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnB
On the Sunline original installs, the emergency breakaway switch is wired hot (live) all the time. It taps in on the upstream lug of the battery disconnect switch. Safer setup that way in case someone forgets to turn on the battery when towing.
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My breakaway is wired through a seperate fuse, wired directly to the battery. My '07 has a factory installed disconnect. As far as I know my trailer was the last custom built trailer Sunline delivered, so they had the disconnects until they went under.
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2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Club Cab 4x4 CTD
2007 Sunline Solaris T-276-SR: Misty Blue/Cherry
2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Reg Cab 4x4 OFF-ROAD
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09-08-2019, 07:15 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,357
SUN #2097
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Standard rally race car disconnect. The brake safety wire should not be fused you really want it to work no matter what.
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09-08-2019, 07:55 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 544
SUN #2366
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My ebrake is direct wired and unfused.
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09-08-2019, 08:15 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,131
SUN #64
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Quote:
Originally Posted by j52wf
My ebrake is direct wired and unfused.
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You are correct.
My bad, the brake is wired direct, the jack is fused off the battery.
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2004 Dodge Ram 2500 Club Cab 4x4 CTD
2007 Sunline Solaris T-276-SR: Misty Blue/Cherry
2001 Dodge Ram 1500 Reg Cab 4x4 OFF-ROAD
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09-19-2019, 10:19 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 59
SUN #8084
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Battery feeding the system?
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09-19-2019, 05:28 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 21
SUN #250
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I had a '97 T1950. It did not have a disconnect switch and the e-brake had it's own unfused hot wire direct to the battery. My current '07 195SR has a disconnect switch but looks nothing like yours. You might want to check and see if it can be disassembled to see if a contact got bent.
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09-19-2019, 05:34 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeW
Battery feeding the system?
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Not sure what the thrust of your question is.
As wired, the switch completely disconnects the battery from everything in the camper as long as it works properly.
Paranoia being my middle name, I've procured a replacement switch and will be installing it soon--and modifying the wiring so that the breakaway switch is always hot. Don't really need to do the latter, but it doesn't hurt to guard against CRS syndrome.
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09-19-2019, 05:44 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HurleyMan
I had a '97 T1950. It did not have a disconnect switch and the e-brake had it's own unfused hot wire direct to the battery. My current '07 195SR has a disconnect switch but looks nothing like yours. You might want to check and see if it can be disassembled to see if a contact got bent.
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Replacement switch only cost $10, much cheaper than the time/cost of drilling out "rivets" and finding replacements for reassembly.
I may tear it apart after replacement just for chuckles. If I do, I'll post my findings.
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09-19-2019, 06:21 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 21
SUN #250
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinstaafl
Replacement switch only cost $10, much cheaper than the time/cost of drilling out "rivets" and finding replacements for reassembly.
I may tear it apart after replacement just for chuckles. If I do, I'll post my findings.
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Sounds like a reasonable solution for 10 bucks. I've been tearing things apart to see what was inside since I was a little kid. A couple years later I started to figure out how to put things back together. A few more years later they actually worked after putting them back together. Apologizes to my parents.
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09-20-2019, 06:58 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Maine
Posts: 3,357
SUN #2097
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Without a doubt the inline battery switch is the best the little ones that connects to the battery have a couple of issues. They are designed to connect to the negative post that's ok because it does kill the power but most people will try to connect it to the + post and it really is too small to fit (the + post is a larger diameter). The other problem is it needs to be taken apart to disconnect it so you may just as will remove the - cable to the battery. Most deep cycle batteries have a nut and a post the very simplest method would be a stainless wing nut on the - post. If you disconnect the - cable you run little chance of arcs and sparks.
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09-22-2019, 06:28 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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After disassembling the old switch, I can see a potential way for it to fail to disconnect.
The pin in the key rides on a spiral "ledge" inside the barrel, and as you turn it, forces that center bar assembly down against the lug contacts. Turn it the other way, and the spring between those contacts pushes it back up, breaking the connection.
Though it didn't actually look to be the case, if enough debris accumulated in that barrel, it could jam it enough so the plunger would fail to retract. Had I realized how it's constructed, I would have opted for a better-sealed style of replacement. But it's done. This one lasted 20 years; fair chance the new one will behave for a while.
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12-08-2019, 02:41 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 328
SUN #10986
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Mystery solved--it wasn't the switch.
Just spent a week in the camper at hunting camp, with no issues.
stayed warm with a Mr. Heater, with the furnace turned on but set to a cool temp just so I wouldn't have to battle icicles if the Mr. Heater ran out of gas in the middle of the night (which didn't happen).
Buttoned it up and came home yesterday, returning with a tow vehicle today. While hitching up, installing equalizer bars and whatnot, the furnace came on! The new disconnect switch was turned off.
I finally realized that the power was coming from the tow vehicle wiring, not via the disconnect. Doh!
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