shut off for coach batteries?

[DON]

Hi, I have a 76 winnebago chieftain.  I have two coach batteries.  While in storage, I would like to make sure no power is on in rv.  I have tried to shut power off in battery compartment with shutoff switch on one battery.  This does not work,  for there is still power.  I am told about isolater in older rvs causing this issue.  Is there a way for something to be used to shut off power?  Thank you, Don

[Oz]

A few members have installed a manual shutoff in the main power wire from the batteries.  I recall one that was a flip, blade type.  Like in the old horror movies.  He installed it under his dinette seat which is directly above the battery compartment.

[BrianB]

Another alternative is to remove the negative lead from both coach batteries (I am assuming 2 12V batteries in parallel). Then you know that no current is flowing, and you can still use the AC/DC converter on shore power cable. This is how mine is setup in the barn.

[DON]

We tried the blade type, but still had power going to coach. 

[DON]

I will look into shutoff install under dinette.  We were trying within the battery compartment, but still had power.

[legomybago]

I will look into shutoff install under dinette.  We were trying within the battery compartment, but still had power.

We tried the blade type, but still had power going to coach. 

Are you are "still getting power" due to the convertor/shore power in use (plugged in)?? Something doesn't sound right here i??

[HamRad Mobile]

Good morning, Don; 

If you have lifted the negative wires (usually black) from the coach batteries, and you still have 12 VDC power back in the coach area, either you are plugged in to shore power or something similar, or the chassis/engine starting battery is connected to the coach 12 VDC power circuit also.  That 12 VDC power must come from somewhere. 

I also have a Winnebago motor home.  Look also up front in the driving area.  There may be a switch labeled something like BOTH-OFF-MOM which controls a large solenoid up front that is used to connect the coach batteries and the engine starting battery together for a number of different reasons; to charge the coach batteries from the engine 12 VDC alternator power while driving, to use the coach batteries as an auxiliary battery for starting the engine if the engine starting battery has run down for some reason, and maybe a couple other uses.  The BOTH switch position is a long term position.  The MOM (for Momentary) is a spring loaded switch position that will power the solenoid as long as you are holding down the switch in that position.  When you release the pressure on the MOM switch position, the solenoid drops out and disconnects the two battery systems again. 

If that switch has a problem and is shorted on, the solenoid will remain powered and you will have 12 VDC back in the coach area with the coach batteries disconnected.  Also the body of the solenoid will be warm.  If the solenoid is stuck on, there will be the same result with the voltage. 

You can use a voltmeter or a simple test light to see if there is constant 12 VDC power to the coil of the solenoid from the BOTH-OFF-MOM switch, or if the solenoid has 12 VDC on both sides of the large terminals of the solenoid.  With the negative cables of the coach batteries disconnected, you should not have 12 VDC power on both sides of the solenoid with no power to the coil of the solenoid.   

Go to the    www.winnebagoind.com    web site and look for the wiring diagrams for your motor home, under Resources, Product Information, Resources (again), and the year and make for your motor home.  They may be available in a .pdf format of the old microfiche files.  That is how I found the wiring diagrams (and other information) for my 1987 Winnebago.   

There is quite a bit of information still available that helps us to keep our older motor homes going. 

Enjoy; 

Ralph 
Latté Land, Washington 

[DON]

Thanks for the info.