Battery Kill Switch - Montana Owners Club

Joe-n-Doe · 12-17-2007, 02:27 AM

When putting Monty to bed for even a short period of time, do I need to uncouple a battery connection cord OR just use the battery kill switch in the convenience/docking center?

bncinwv · 12-17-2007, 02:30 AM

Some disconnect, I merely use the switch, it still leaves some things hot (Brad mentioned front jacks, front slides). I guess it is another one of those things that is a personal choice, much as some remove their batteries for long storage times, yet I never have (not saying it is right or wrong, just reporting the way I do it.)
Bingo

TLightning · 12-17-2007, 02:43 AM

For a short period of time I turn the swithch off. For a longer period of time I take the battery out. Since the trailer is in a locked storage area, this is another way of securing it. If somebody gets by all the locking devices to the point of trying to hook it to a truck...they'll have to bring their own battery because the landing gear won't move.

stiles watson · 12-17-2007, 03:06 AM

I think the kill switch is sufficient for my purposes.

mail2us · 12-17-2007, 05:18 AM

Joe,

Where is the convenience center/docking center in the RV? Tks. Dennis

stiles watson · 12-17-2007, 07:03 AM

By whatever name it is called, it is on the street side of your rig where the water is hooked up behind the right side bay door.

mail2us · 12-17-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by stiles watson

By whatever name it is called, it is on the street side of your rig where the water is hooked up behind the right side bay door.

Tks Stiles. I've probably seen it but for sure, I know where the kitchen and frig are! Dennis

ken · 12-18-2007, 01:34 AM

When we pulled a Montana (2), we installed a marine off/on switch so I could turn off both batteries or use one or the other as a backup. A good investment. It was easy to install and protected both batteries. In the winter, when the Montana was not used, I took both batteries and stored them on my work bench and ocassionaly put the battery charger on them. Be sure to watch the water level. A continous charge will use up the battery water in the batteries.

Joe-n-Doe · 12-19-2007, 02:15 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mail2us

Joe,

Where is the convenience center/docking center in the RV? Tks. Dennis

Mail2Us here is a link to a photo of it:
http://www.keystone-montana.com/#

mtheo · 12-19-2007, 07:28 AM

I also use the marine 2 battery switch, gives you a lot of flexablilty. Mounted mune right next to the batteries.
Mark

rogue · 12-19-2007, 08:49 AM

Ken, Im sure when you travel, you always have at least one good battery active and on. For those who may not know you need one battery (12Vs) hot incase the emergancy break sw gets activated. With out battery power you will not have breaks on the 5er should it come loose and/or disconnect the 7 pin cable.

ken · 12-20-2007, 10:23 AM

Bob and Ellen
Your right. I always kept one battery on when traveling so the brakes safety would work. I found out nothing works when the hot wire comes loose from the body to the brakes. Keystone didn't leave enought slack in the wire and coming accross 81 below chicago(rough roads)we must have lost the connection. i noticed it somewhat when stopping in Goshin and mentioned it to Steve. Well, after traveling through the hill of west Virginia with no brakes was a trip. I am sure glad we had the Duramax and transmission to brake us down the hills. When we got it into the shop, thats what we found. We gave the wire a little more slack so that wouldn't happen again. Also traded off the Montana so I would't have to worry about that again. Guess what we found wrong first on the motor home was a loose brake line. Their constructed all the same.............

Steve and Brenda · 12-30-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by TLightning

If somebody gets by all the locking devices to the point of trying to hook it to a truck...they'll have to bring their own battery because the landing gear won't move.

It will once the truck power supplies a DC voltage through the power umbilical.

I just turn off the switch, there's no drain on the system once the switch breaks the circuit.

MacDR50 · 12-31-2007, 02:58 AM

If you have access to an amp meter you can check the remaining drain on your batteries with the switch in both the off and on position. On my MH I have a .345 amp drain in the on position with nothing running, lights off etc. This is for the CO2, propane and fire monitors and the fridge and water heater fire eyes. Assuming this is constant, with two 100 amp hour batteries at 80% drain before recharge (these are AGM or what some call golf cart batteries) I figure about 20 days before a recharge is necessary. I installed a 2 amp solar panel charging unit and my batteries are always charged up without being attached to shore power. Since we have long winters I also put in a full disconnect.

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