12 Volt wiring/explanation - Montana Owners Club

jameswbarton · 10-03-2016, 07:09 AM

There does not seem to be much info on the 12 volt system especially from the RV connector, the battery disconnect, the jacks, the batteries and the converter/inverter.

An example my 6 jacks operate fine without turning the battery disconnect on. Are the jacks hard wired to the battery?

Do the batteries get charged from the tow vehicle regardless of the battery disconnect?

Does anyone have a diagram or explanation of the 12 volt system up to the converter/breaker fuse panel?

jcurtis934 · 10-03-2016, 11:33 AM

Dang, you want a lot. Yes, leveling system not controlled by battery shutoff switch. Do batteries get charged by tow vehicle if switch off - why would you tow with it off? Battery switch cuts off most things, but not levelers, co2 detecter(if assy line wired correctly), propane detect...and not sure but think trailer disconnect switch should also be direct to battery...safety issue. Keystone does not release wiring details. You should have gotten a document on the breaker/converter box which details some of what you want to know and battery disconnect should interupt 12vdc going to conveter. John

jameswbarton · 10-04-2016, 04:04 PM

I did find some information. The battery will not charge from the tow vehicle without the battery disconnect being energized. I also found a sticker on my electric slide motors that they need the RV battery installed as they draw too much current for the tow vehicle to handle. The trailer disconnect is wired directly to the battery as tested today. Battery disconnect made no difference on emergency braking.

So there are some small parasitic loads in the CO2 and Propane Detector. My smoke detectors are battery powered. The converter manual had almost no theory of operation it was only 4 pages and had a wiring diagram an warranty.

Unfortunately I cannot find out how to turn off my residential fridge as that 1,000 watt inverter is drawing from the battery through the disconnect switch.

bad99ram · 10-05-2016, 01:20 AM

James I have the same unit as you. The inverter has a on/off switch on the end red in color. The only way that I found to shut the fridge off is to shut the breaker off in the fuse box. However that also shuts off the bedroom outlets. I'm going to add a inline switch on the fridge next summer after warranty runs out. The fridge does not have a on / off feature that I could find in any research. Lots of complaints about that issue.

jameswbarton · 10-05-2016, 03:58 AM

Thanks!

I was beginning to think I was stupid when I could not turn off the fridge. I did turn it off with the inverter button. So that inverter is powering the bedroom outlets? If so we are screwed for using a electric heater as it would overload the 1,000 watt inverter.

JABURKHOLDER · 10-05-2016, 05:01 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jameswbarton

Thanks!

I was beginning to think I was stupid when I could not turn off the fridge. I did turn it off with the inverter button. So that inverter is powering the bedroom outlets? If so we are screwed for using a electric heater as it would overload the 1,000 watt inverter.

The inverter does NOT power the bedroom outlets. The FUSE at the converter for the fridge is also for the bedroom.

jameswbarton · 10-05-2016, 05:12 AM

Huh? Badram and I found a breaker that shuts off the fridge and also the bedroom outlet. I do not have a manual for the residential fridge inverter. Is the inverter switching the AC load from the breaker to the fridge? It is only inverting when AC to the inverter is not present? Do you have a manual for the 1,000 watt inverter? A fuse would be the 12 volt side powering the inverter a 1,000 watt inverter fuse would be 10-12 amps.

bad99ram · 10-05-2016, 05:51 AM

Ok just walked out and checked it out
1. if you are running on the inverter, no AC and shut the inverter off the fridge shuts off,inverter does not power bedroom outlets.
2. If you are on AC power and need to shut off fridge, the only way is to shut off breaker in fuse box , the bedroom outlets also get shut off.
Hope this helps

**Carl n Susan** · 10-05-2016, 06:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jameswbarton

Thanks!

I was beginning to think I was stupid when I could not turn off the fridge. I did turn it off with the inverter button. So that inverter is powering the bedroom outlets? If so we are screwed for using a electric heater as it would overload the 1,000 watt inverter.

You *CAN* turn the refrigerator on and off at the refer and without using a breaker. It is not obvious, but others have found the trick (amazing what you learn by reading the forum and doing a "Search"). While I don't have one personally (yet) here is what another member found:

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by FordMan1966

You have to hold the 2nd and 3rd button from the left when you open both refrigerator doors. Hold both of these for a few seconds at the same time and that turns it on and off as well. Liked to have never figured it out.

The full post is HERE

Irlpguy · 10-05-2016, 07:57 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jameswbarton

I did find some information. The battery will not charge from the tow vehicle without the battery disconnect being energized. I also found a sticker on my electric slide motors that they need the RV battery installed as they draw too much current for the tow vehicle to handle. The trailer disconnect is wired directly to the battery as tested today. Battery disconnect made no difference on emergency braking.

So there are some small parasitic loads in the CO2 and Propane Detector. My smoke detectors are battery powered. The converter manual had almost no theory of operation it was only 4 pages and had a wiring diagram an warranty.

Unfortunately I cannot find out how to turn off my residential fridge as that 1,000 watt inverter is drawing from the battery through the disconnect switch.

James it is unfortunate that no two Montana's seem to be wired exactly the same. My unit is older (2012) so does not have the residential fridge therefore no inverter. However your conclusion that the RV batteries are not being charged unless the disconnect switch is on is contrary to the way mine is wired. On my unit and others I have looked at the disconnect switch simply interrupts the connection between the Converter and the batteries, anything wired for 12V from the breakers therein are not powered when the switch is off, anything connected at the circuit breakers is powered.
The power wire from the TV is connected prior to the disconnect, as is the emerg brake wire and power to the remote control and the hydraulic solenoid. (see picture) I was unable to identify the wire from the TV in the picture due to visibility but it is indeed there.

I do not, and have never used the disconnect switch other than for testing circuits to determine what is and is not powered with it on or off. A disconnect at the battery/batteries will eliminate all parasitic drain and many have done this, although batteries do lose charge over time without an obvious drain on them.

Good to see you are becoming familiar with the wiring in your unit, makes it much simpler if something is not working as it should be.

jameswbarton · 10-05-2016, 08:39 AM

My manual stated the no battery charge from the TV without the disconnect switch enabled. When I get it back from the warranty dealer this friday I will look at the wiring. It had to back in yesterday.

jameswbarton · 10-13-2016, 03:08 PM

There is an inverter remote control switch that Keystone neglected to install to shutoff the Residential Fridge and Inverter. The residential fridge is wired directly to the battery and the only way to shut it off is to turn off the inverter or disconnect the battery cable. I installed the switch today and mounted it under the breaker panel. Works fine. Too bad Keystone forgot to install it.

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