Battery switch switch explanation needed

[MrHenrietta]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

Sorry, I confused myself on where the other wire was going, I see you did say going to the house batteries. So I would have to think it is a basic battery disconnect a switch. So when off, your isolator still provides power to the inverter and other house distribution while the engine is running. Do you loose all house power when off and not running or just the inverter? If just the inverter then I would lean to a inverter disconnect switch like boywonder said, although I am not sure that I would wire it that way. When you use the term "cord" I think of power cord as in AC power cord, if you mean just a large DC cable, then that is totally different. Having a second isolator ( it does look like a isolator) in the rear would not be a standard thing, but if you had multiple house batteries and wanted to isolate their outputs you could use a second one. You could come up with specific reasons to do so.

You are not crazy.. I edit'd the original post with the correct routing of the cables : )

When the switch is off I am only getting power to the inverter/charger, interior lights and appliances when the engine is running. When the switch and engine are off I get no power to inverter, interior lights and appliances.

[MrHenrietta]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

So I would have to think it is a basic battery disconnect a switch. So when off, your isolator still provides power to the inverter and other house distribution while the engine is running.

This is correct. What would be the reason to ever turn this switch off?

[Scalf77]

If your inverter has a switch to turn it off, I would say that it is redundant, and not much reason to change it, if you can mot turn off your inverter, then you would leave this off, unless you needed the inverter for something. Otherwise even just sitting idle (nothing plugged in or on) you could be using power from the house battery. That would be my best guess. Although most inverters has a seperate on off switch. Also if this is a inverter/charger combo, that also changes things.


-greg

[MrHenrietta]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

Also if this is a inverter/charger combo, that also changes things.


-greg

It's a Xantrex inverter/charger combo.

[MrHenrietta]

I edited the above post. When the van engine is off and switch is off I get no power to inverter/charger, interior lights and appliances. If the switch is off but the van is running then I do get power to the inverter/charger, interior lights and appliances.

[Scalf77]

That does make a little more sense, it would be just a battery disconnect switch. I would say you want it on unless your put it in long term storage.

-greg

[MrHenrietta]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

That does make a little more sense, it would be just a battery disconnect switch. I would say you want it on unless your put it in long term storage.

-greg

Thank you so much for the info!