Battery box

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by bruce byram

I don't understand what you mean by "isolate the slide during travel." I was unaware that you should turn the battery switch to off during travel. Or am I misunderstanding?

I don't know which post you are referring to on the isolated slide but I do know you need to travel with the battery switch on in order for the emergency brakes to work. At least that is what I've always been told.

[Shane Wood]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

I don't know which post you are referring to on the isolated slide but I do know you need to travel with the battery switch on in order for the emergency brakes to work. At least that is what I've always been told.

Rick
You mentioned it in post#6

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by bruce byram

I don't understand what you mean by "isolate the slide during travel." I was unaware that you should turn the battery switch to off during travel. Or am I misunderstanding?

You must always have the battery disconnect switch turn on (in case you have one that really disconnects) when traveling down the road. That supplies battery power to the brakes system / emergency brake system should the trailer ever disconnect from the tow truck.

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by Shane Wood

Rick
You mentioned it in post#6

Sorry, I've slept some since then. What I was referring to: When traveling sometimes at a truck stop or rest stop we decide we want to eat lunch. In order to open the refrigerator we have to open the kitchen slide. It is not always possible to have a wide enough spot to allow both sides (Kitchen and dining) to open so we need to get in battery compartment to close one of the hydraulic valves off to isolate just one side. Very difficult to do when hitched as the door will not open completely because it hits the truck which means you almost have to lay down on the pavement and reach up in the compartment to isolate one of the slides. I hope that better explains what I meant. You are aware that their are isolation wheel valves located in the battery compartment aren't you?

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by hoosierguy

You must always have the battery disconnect switch turn on (in case you have one that really disconnects) when traveling down the road. That supplies battery power to the brakes system / emergency brake system should the trailer ever disconnect from the tow truck.

On mine, the emergency brake system bypasses the disconnect switch. I thought that was normal.

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by atom ant

On mine, the emergency brake system bypasses the disconnect switch. I thought that was normal.

Yes, yours probably does, as did mine before I made sure Redwood corrected it. That's one of the reasons the battery drains even when the switch is off. They said that that would guarantee power to the emergency brake at all time in case someone forgot to turn the battery switch on.
I explained to them that if the switch is a 100% cutoff then how would I hitch my fifth wheel up without turning the switch on? Once it is turned on to hitch up most would want to make sure their battery gets charged when driving down the road and also most would want their refrigerator to work which would require their battery. I made them make my switch a 100% cutoff switch. No more battery drain.

[mhs4771]

Question: Is it a Ford thing that you can't open the Battery/Generator Door when hooked up?? I can open the front door all the way as long as I'm fairly straight

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Question: Is it a Ford thing that you can't open the Battery/Generator Door when hooked up?? I can open the front door all the way as long as I'm fairly straight

may be because I have the long bed, I'm not sure.

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Question: Is it a Ford thing that you can't open the Battery/Generator Door when hooked up?? I can open the front door all the way as long as I'm fairly straight

It is more likely the pin box. I have the long bed RAM with the Trail Air Tri-Glide which is longer than the standard pin box. I also can open the front storage door fully with about 5 inches of clearance so long as the truck is straight ahead of the trailer.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

Yes, yours probably does, as did mine before I made sure Redwood corrected it. That's one of the reasons the battery drains even when the switch is off. They said that that would guarantee power to the emergency brake at all time in case someone forgot to turn the battery switch on.
I explained to them that if the switch is a 100% cutoff then how would I hitch my fifth wheel up without turning the switch on? Once it is turned on to hitch up most would want to make sure their battery gets charged when driving down the road and also most would want their refrigerator to work which would require their battery. I made them make my switch a 100% cutoff switch. No more battery drain.

I haven't had any battery drain issues, and the emergency brake, landing gear, slides, and hitch lights all bypass the disconnect switch. I can go months and never had an issue. I have the same emergency brake switch on my boat trailer now that I converted to electric brakes, and on my Jeep for using it as a toad - each parked for months without an issue. I think those that have battery drain is because of something being wrong. Going to a 100% disconnect just masks the original issue I imagine, although I think if I was having trouble and couldn't find it I would do the same thing.

[Char & Steve]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Question: Is it a Ford thing that you can't open the Battery/Generator Door when hooked up?? I can open the front door all the way as long as I'm fairly straight

Our previous 2011 Ford would allow us to open the door with a few inches to spare. Our new GMC will not. Probably 3" short from opening it and both were long beds.
Guess we will look into the 5er tailgate this year to make hitching easier.

Steve

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Char & Steve

Our previous 2011 Ford would allow us to open the door with a few inches to spare. Our new GMC will not. Probably 3" short from opening it and both were long beds.
Guess we will look into the 5er tailgate this year to make hitching easier.

Steve

The 5er tailgate won't help with opening the front cabinet, or does your tailgate not open all the way either? I don't have that issue with this one, but I did with my last 5er.

[Shane Wood]

With my rotoflex pin box I could not open the door. I can now open it with the flexair as the pin box is 5" longer

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by atom ant

I haven't had any battery drain issues, and the emergency brake, landing gear, slides, and hitch lights all bypass the disconnect switch. I can go months and never had an issue. I have the same emergency brake switch on my boat trailer now that I converted to electric brakes, and on my Jeep for using it as a toad - each parked for months without an issue. I think those that have battery drain is because of something being wrong. Going to a 100% disconnect just masks the original issue I imagine, although I think if I was having trouble and couldn't find it I would do the same thing.

Those same things were active with mine as well but I couldn't go a week without considerable battery drain. Question: Given all those systems were active, could you tow and would your coach battery keep charging with the battery switch off or would you have to turn the battery switch on? If you had to turn the switch on, then I still don't see the reasoning behind it.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

Those same things were active with mine as well but I couldn't go a week without considerable battery drain. Question: Given all those systems were active, could you tow and would your coach battery keep charging with the battery switch off or would you have to turn the battery switch on? If you had to turn the switch on, then I still don't see the reasoning behind it.

That I never really checked that so not sure.

However, I have often unloaded and left it in front of the house hooked up to the truck to go to storage 88 miles away the next day. A guy could easily figure it would be OK to turn the disconnect off and leave it off, as there would be no reason to turn it back on the next day just to go to storage. A guy wouldn't even care if it was charging going to storage ...........

- and there you have the risk which is why I think that emergency brake switch should be direct, bypassing the disconnect switch. Safety features need to be as passive as they can be.

[Rick and Mindy]

Originally Posted by atom ant

That I never really checked that so not sure.

However, I have often unloaded and left it in front of the house hooked up to the truck to go to storage 88 miles away the next day. A guy could easily figure it would be OK to turn the disconnect off and leave it off, as there would be no reason to turn it back on the next day just to go to storage. A guy wouldn't even care if it was charging going to storage ...........

- and there you have the risk which is why I think that emergency brake switch should be direct, bypassing the disconnect switch. Safety features need to be as passive as they can be.

I agree with the safety issue and making it as passive as possible. The way I look at it, if you have to turn the brake switch on to hitch the coach up, then the emergency brake switch is activated. I know this could happen, but why would you want to turn off the switch once you turn it on if you are traveling. Either system would work, but with all the complaints people have had on here about their batteries discharging it's apparent that most people assume that when the "Battery Switch" is in the "Off" position there should be no battery drain. For some reason, you seem to be the lucky one to have everything working correctly. Another thing I worried about with mine was that I store it in a public storage, which, with the way yours is wired, anyone could turn on the light switch by the hitchpin leaving those lights on or if they new about the "level system" they could actually mess with my hydraulic level-up system. I know, I know, no one would think of that.........weirder things have happened.

[bruce byram]

Thanks for all the input. Now I understand about isolating the slides by turning the valve off. I will continue to leave the battery switch to the on position while traveling.

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by Moland

This appears to have gotten way off track. I'm looking for someone that has replaced the two single battery boxes with just one that will fit the space. I'm happy with where the batteries are, but thanks for side tracking my post..

If you have any plans for long-term participation in this Forum...get used to the sidetracking. It's our nature not to be so regimented so we live it; thank you.

[Shane Wood]

Originally Posted by spindrift

If you have any plans for long-term participation in this Forum...get used to the sidetracking. It's our nature not to be so regimented so we live it; thank you.

You got your answers on the #2 post
X2 on get used to it

[Watersm]

I can live with the awkward access, but am amused by the impossible covers to the batteries themselves. Those vented covers don't remove easily to service the batteries.