Battery cut-off switch

ClaudeA

Just a heads up while towing. My battery is not being charged when towing and the switch in the off position.
I'm mentioning this because when I read the 2017 owner's manual here page 16 states that your TV charges your battery regardless of switch position.
Maybe because mine is a 2016 they wired them differently. This is not a knock just a FYI. 

Z_G

You should have switch on when towing for your electric brakes

ClaudeA

Z_G said:

You should have switch on when towing for your electric brakes

I'm pretty my brakes are working with the switch off.

rkj__

Where is your cut off switch located?  I have a 2016 CS-S, and I have not come across a battery cut off switch.  Mid year change maybe?


Anyway, if my understanding is correct, with the battery power cut off via the switch, if the trailer became disconnected entirely from the tow vehicle, and the breakaway pin got pulled, there would be no electricity to activate the emergency braking.  I believe this is what Z_G was referring to.  The brakes should brake fine when connected to the tow vehicle. 

ClaudeA

rkj Good point, I get it now. My cut-off switch is mounted on the trailer in the tongue box.
So I should tow with switch on all the time. Btw I've camped many times in Grundy PP, good park.rkj__ said:

Where is your cut off switch located?  I have a 2016 CS-S, and I have not come across a battery cut off switch.  Mid year change maybe?


Anyway, if my understanding is correct, with the battery power cut off via the switch, if the trailer became disconnected entirely from the tow vehicle, and the breakaway pin got pulled, there would be no electricity to activate the emergency braking.  I believe this is what Z_G was referring to.  The brakes should brake fine when connected to the tow vehicle. 

ericnliz

@ClaudeA, Yes, you should tow with the switch in the "ON" position. Actually three reasons: 1) So your break-away cable will activate the brakes, and 2), If so equipped with your tow vehicle, your battery can charge in your trailer via your tow vehicle, and finally 3) to keep your trailer battery charged if you choose to run your fridge on 12 volt while driving.

ScottG

@ClaudeA, if your switch is located at the battery, it should be on while towing for the reasons others have stated. I'm skeptical of what it says in the owner's manual, unless they substantially changed the wiring configuration between 2015 and 2016.

Before the days of factory supplied switches, some of us installed cut-offs inside the camper under the driver's side bench, on the wire that feeds the converter. In those cases, you can leave the switch off and still charge you battery and power your breakaway brakes while driving. However, I think the vast majority of T@Bs have the switch at the battery.

ClaudeA

ScottG said:

@ClaudeA, if your switch is located at the battery, it should be on while towing for the reasons others have stated. I'm skeptical of what it says in the owner's manual, unless they substantially changed the wiring configuration between 2015 and 2016.

Before the days of factory supplied switches, some of us installed cut-offs inside the camper under the driver's side bench, on the wire that feeds the converter. In those cases, you can leave the switch off and still charge you battery and power your breakaway brakes while driving. However, I think the vast majority of T@Bs have the switch at the battery.

Being able to isolate the battery while towing would be handy for when going home to give your battery a good charge, but I understand about the breakaway switch.
I live in a condo and my tab is in a storage place so no way of charging other than bringing battery home.

I think I will trace out some wires and see if I can figure something out.

Roamey

I have the 2018 T@B 320 S and the manual says the same thing. I also think it is a misprint. It says the battery will not charge when connected to shore power if the battery switch is off, but supposedly it will charge if towing with the switch off???

ScottG

@ClaudeA, I'm interested to hear what you find when you trace the wires. 

For reference, here's a diagram of how the 12V+ lines connect in the junction box under the front of my 2015 S. Nothing else splices into any of these cables between the terminal and the indicated device.

You can see why in this case disconnecting the "battery" line removes the battery from both the T/V charging circuit and the breakaway brake circuit. 

ClaudeA

@ScottG I'm heading out camping for a week so I won't be tracing out those wires for a little while.
I wonder, the builders must work off a wiring diagram. Would be nice to see it to better understand the set-up.

ScottG

A fellow member created this diagram about a year ago. It's based on a 2016 Outback. The wiring at J-box pin #6 matches my description above.

Be sure to read the fine print, however. Things do change and what applies to one trailer may not apply to another. The only way to know for sure is to start tracing the wiring in your own camper (as you suggested)!