Powering down between trips

[mossemi]

12 hours ago, Kirk Peterson said:

Maybe the little red clips are powering the battery heater?

 

Born and raised in Florida!  Never would have thought about a heater.

Mossey

[mossemi]

2 hours ago, Dave Mazone said:

I'm dumbfounded (perhaps a little dumb, too). In an attempt to eliminate the power drain, I tried to install a cutoff switch...didn't work. Since I was sending my new Ollie to covered storage, I shut off the solar and disconnected the negative battery terminal (the one with cables going into the hull). To my surprise, all my lights still turned on. What the heck? I really hate electrical. Any help?

Can you elaborate on your attempt to install a cutoff switch.  Maybe some pictures as well.

Mossey

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, mossemi said:

Born and raised in Florida!  Never would have thought about a heater.

I've  been in Idaho 22 years. I think about heating  options all the time! 😂

[SteveCr]

Hull 806....My batteries have wires coming off both the front and back battery negative terminals. Check that back negative terminal shown below. I have not traced that wire to see where it goes but you may be getting return current through it.

On the other hand...try using the on/off buttons. Someone posted the Lithionics storage procedure above.

 

 

[Dave Mazone]

9 hours ago, mossemi said:

Can you elaborate on your attempt to install a cutoff switch.  Maybe some pictures as well.

Mossey

Hi Mossey,

I have the AGM's and I disconnected three different cables that lead into the Ollie (just the negative side). The cut off I attempted to use just has a lever the you pull up to severe the connection to the battery. The lever had two different sized holes, one with threads and the other without. The cables wouldn't slide over éither termimal I tried to use (and I didn't feel comfortable drilling the holes larger). I hope the pictures help my explanation.

[mossemi]

12 hours ago, Dave Mazone said:

I have the AGM's and I disconnected three different cables that lead into the Ollie (just the negative side). The cut off I attempted to use just has a lever the you pull up to severe the connection to the battery. The lever had two different sized holes, one with threads and the other without. The cables wouldn't slide over éither termimal I tried to use (and I didn't feel comfortable drilling the holes larger). I hope the pictures help my explanation.

The basics!  It's all about safety 

And let me be clear about any information I provide below.  I have not looked at any battery installations on Ollie's newer than 2017, so if any knowledgeable OTTO's with 2021 or 2022 model Ollie’s that see anything I have wrong, please chime in with any current information.

The first thing I would like to say is that you should never ever enlarge the hole in a cable lug/connector.  And you should never ever use a cable lug/connector with a hole that is larger than the stud you are connecting to.  And make sure that any equipment you install is capable of the battery load you have.  The battery disconnects in your pictures are probably designed for single car or truck batteries.

Disconnecting either the 4/0 positive or negative cables that pass through the battery box wall into the inside of the lower hull should break the battery connection.  That would still leave solar positive and negative cable connected to the batteries and the same may apply to the battery charger section of the Xantrex equipment.

Mossey

[Dave Mazone]

On 2/27/2022 at 6:45 AM, Steph and Dud B said:

Are you plugged into shore power or your truck's 7-pin connector? With the solar panels disconnected and the main negative battery terminal off you must be getting power from an external source. 

OMG! Yes! I was still plugged into the 7-pin. You asked the RIGHT question, Steph. Thank you.

[Dave Mazone]

22 hours ago, mossemi said:

The basics!  It's all about safety 

And let me be clear about any information I provide below.  I have not looked at any battery installations on Ollie's newer than 2017, so if any knowledgeable OTTO's with 2021 or 2022 model Ollie’s that see anything I have wrong, please chime in with any current information.

The first thing I would like to say is that you should never ever enlarge the hole in a cable lug/connector.  And you should never ever use a cable lug/connector with a hole that is larger than the stud you are connecting to.  And make sure that any equipment you install is capable of the battery load you have.  The battery disconnects in your pictures are probably designed for single car or truck batteries.

Disconnecting either the 4/0 positive or negative cables that pass through the battery box wall into the inside of the lower hull should break the battery connection.  That would still leave solar positive and negative cable connected to the batteries and the same may apply to the battery charger section of the Xantrex equipment.

Mossey

Thanks, Mossey. Yes, I knew better than to not mess with the sizes or drill-out cable ends (I don't know why, but I knew you shouldn't). You're probably right about the disconnect. I'll do some more research. I think Steph pin-pointed my other concern (why do I still have power when my negative cables are disconnected?), because I was still plugged into my truck! Still a novice, but enriched because of you guys. Thank you.