I want to add a light to “Store/Use”

[wxman13]

Would like to this to my 2013 Thor ACE 30.1, my store/use momentary switch doesn't have a light, anywhere to get a switch with the light?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by wxman13

Would like to this to my 2013 Thor ACE 30.1, my store/use momentary switch doesn't have a light, anywhere to get a switch with the light?

You realize that unless you do the entire modification you will just be adding confusion to your system? The overhead lights serve the same purpose as the stock light in the switch.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

You realize that unless you do the entire modification you will just be adding confusion to your system? The overhead lights serve the same purpose as the stock light in the switch.

ACE....

Everytime I read these threads on Use Store I get confused

I should point out I never use the Store portion of the switch unless I am just playing i.e. wanting to see everything turned off. As you say that light switch is right there so it is simple on / off for me to know that power is off.

But can you explain in layman's turn what is end objective of posters wanting a light if a relay is on or off?

As for me this is why I got confused tonight...

I assumed that switch was to shut down (OFF) all DC powered devices connected to it? It was a given to me that Generator was NOT running or no shore power

However tonight just playing around with shorepower on an the Switch set to On (USE) my 12vdc socket wired up in the cabin area was reading 13.2 volts. I assumed that okay because AC was on and charger was on. However when I turned the Switch to Off ( Store) that same 12vdc socket jumped to 14.2 vdc Why?

I didn't expect it to power off & show no voltage; but I did expect the voltage to stay be the same as the 13.2 volts when in use mode.

Since all electrical devices were left alone with the Use / Store Switch On & Off, why does it show greater voltage when Switch is in Storage? I am assume this may have something to do with the Progressive Dynamics Charger Charge Wizard, but I have Naut A Clue as to why

btw Naut A Clue was the name of our Chaparral boat when we 1st tried the Marina life.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

ACE....

Everytime I read these threads on Use Store I get confused

I should point out I never use the Store portion of the switch unless I am just playing i.e. wanting to see everything turned off. As you say that light switch is right there so it is simple on / off for me to know that power is off.
Yep, the battery disconnect/should always be closed unless the RV is stored for more than a few days when NOT connected to SP.

But can you explain in layman's turn what is end objective of posters wanting a light if a relay is on or off? I can try.

As for me this is why I got confused tonight...

I assumed that switch was to shut down (OFF) all DC powered devices connected to it? It was a given to me that Generator was NOT running or no shore power It actually just disconnects the house battery bank from the DC buss. The DC buss supplies power to all the DC loads. The power may come from the house battery bank if the disconnect is closed or it may come from the converter if connected to SP or the generator is running.

However tonight just playing around with shorepower on an the Switch set to On (USE) my 12vdc socket wired up in the cabin area was reading 13.2 volts. I assumed that okay because AC was on and charger was on. However when I turned the Switch to Off ( Store) that same 12vdc socket jumped to 14.2 vdc Why?

I didn't expect it to power off & show no voltage; but I did expect the voltage to stay be the same as the 13.2 volts when in use mode.

Since all electrical devices were left alone with the Use / Store Switch On & Off, why does it show greater voltage when Switch is in Storage? I am assume this may have something to do with the Progressive Dynamics Charger Charge Wizard, but I have Naut A Clue as to why

btw Naut A Clue was the name of our Chaparral boat when we 1st tried the Marina life.

Your voltage changed because your converter sensed a voltage drop on the buss and went into charge mode rather than float mode. After a while it would have kicked back down to float voltage.


The USE/STORE switch only makes sense in the context of "No SP and No Generator running". In this case placing the switch in USE (closing the disconnect) allows you to use all the loads supplied by the house battery bank. Placing the switch in STORE prevents the battery from being run down by the loads on the DC buss. Realize this switch has no effect on an inverter (if installed) as they are wired directly to the house battery bank. Some RVs may also have some safety sensors wired directly to the battery bank.

The "Indicating light" also only makes sense if no SP is connected and no generator is running as it really only indicates there is power supplied to the DC buss, which can easily be determined with the house lights as well.

Once SP is connected (or the generator is running) the indicating light will be on regardless of the status of the battery disconnect (USE/STORE switch) as the converter will be supplying power to the DC buss and illuminating the indicating light. BUT, if the disconnect is in STORE (open) the converter will not charge the house battery bank (or chassis battery bank if so configured) as the battery bank is disconnected from the DC buss.

[bevedfelker]

I bought my Vegas new in 2015. I researched every system and compiled the Users' Manual you can find in the Tech Topics section of this forum. The single , most confusing thing I've ever seen involving the Axis/Vegas is that USE/STORE switch. I swear, Thor designed and put that switch there just to entertain owners. From the discussion here (and at least a thousand other places in this forum), that USE/STORE switch is an enigma.

My recommendation -- put a battery cutoff switch in. That way when the battery cutoff is OFF your batteries are completely disconnected from the coach. You'll have no parasitic load draining your batteries while the RV is in storage. And then remember when you reconnect the batteries the USE/STORE must be in USE for the batteries to charge.

And then when the topic of the USE/STORE switch comes up, simply say, "I think I'd rather have a beer."

[OldWEB]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

However tonight just playing around with shorepower on an the Switch set to On (USE) my 12vdc socket wired up in the cabin area was reading 13.2 volts. I assumed that okay because AC was on and charger was on. However when I turned the Switch to Off ( Store) that same 12vdc socket jumped to 14.2 vdc Why?

I didn't expect it to power off & show no voltage; but I did expect the voltage to stay be the same as the 13.2 volts when in use mode.

The higher voltage is due to there being no battery connected, it has to do with the filtering of the charger. The battery is the best filter for the charger and higher end chargers install good filtering capacitors also to reduce the "ripple" of the charger output. Converters have very poor (small) filter caps and as such, the MH AC should not be used unless the batteries are connected or the converter turned off. Otherwise the converters output could be higher than what the 'lectronics connected can handle.

[The_Breeze]

I always accidently hit mine using the awning. I'm watching this thread like a hawk.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Your voltage changed because your converter sensed a voltage drop on the buss and went into charge mode rather than float mode. After a while it would have kicked back down to float voltage.


The USE/STORE switch only makes sense in the context of "No SP and No Generator running". In this case placing the switch in USE (closing the disconnect) allows you to use all the loads supplied by the house battery bank. Placing the switch in STORE prevents the battery from being run down by the loads on the DC buss. Realize this switch has no effect on an inverter (if installed) as they are wired directly to the house battery bank. Some RVs may also have some safety sensors wired directly to the battery bank.

The "Indicating light" also only makes sense if no SP is connected and no generator is running as it really only indicates there is power supplied to the DC buss, which can easily be determined with the house lights as well.

Once SP is connected (or the generator is running) the indicating light will be on regardless of the status of the battery disconnect (USE/STORE switch) as the converter will be supplying power to the DC buss and illuminating the indicating light. BUT, if the disconnect is in STORE (open) the converter will not charge the house battery bank (or chassis battery bank if so configured) as the battery bank is disconnected from the DC buss.

I read this a few times and as it sinks in, it makes wonder more

Let me try to summarize a few assumptions / takeaways, and then perhaps you can tell me where I am going wrong.

- The charger (in my case Progressive Dynamics 9200 will NOT charge batteries PERIOD if the STORE switch is on (or pressed / selected); you call it disconnected from the buss

- The intended use of any USE / STORE switch is predicated on what the RV owner may wish to do in the event they do NOT have access to Shorepower or the Generator running.

- RV Mfg designers see the Switch as assurances or a guarantee that the layman RV owner when knowing placing his / her RV in STORE mode will not have the charger own during a long term storage. My manual actually says to disconnect shore power if you are storing your RV

- So my assumptions of the problem is that some people see this as not ideal because they have parasitic draws, or bad batteries. To get around they wish to leave the charger on the house batteries so the batteries don't drain down. They may unknowingly be making their batteries worse by cooking out water thus requiring more water to be added etc.

If I got the above straight, there is still one thing I do not follow

In my scenario where the shorepower was on, and I toggle the USE / STORE switch... you state

Your voltage changed because your converter sensed a voltage drop on the buss and went into charge mode rather than float mode. After a while it would have kicked back down to float voltage.

So why is converter going into boast mode when the batteries are apparently not available for recharge because the Use / Store switch is in Store mode; or your words that confuse me "Open" from the buss

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by OldWEB

The higher voltage is due to there being no battery connected, it has to do with the filtering of the charger. The battery is the best filter for the charger and higher end chargers install good filtering capacitors also to reduce the "ripple" of the charger output. Converters have very poor (small) filter caps and as such, the MH AC should not be used unless the batteries are connected or the converter turned off. Otherwise the converters output could be higher than what the 'lectronics connected can handle.

See my follow-up comment to the ACE

During meantime, you bring new twists or angles that I have not encountered before. Capacitors, I understand the principle but your statement "filtering of the charging"

Here is my Converter https://www.progressivedyn.com/rv/po...vertercharger/

I assume it is not the best converter in the world and maybe that is why I will see the delta in measurement.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by bevedfelker

I bought my Vegas new in 2015. I researched every system and compiled the Users' Manual you can find in the Tech Topics section of this forum. The single , most confusing thing I've ever seen involving the Axis/Vegas is that USE/STORE switch. I swear, Thor designed and put that switch there just to entertain owners. From the discussion here (and at least a thousand other places in this forum), that USE/STORE switch is an enigma.

My recommendation -- put a battery cutoff switch in. That way when the battery cutoff is OFF your batteries are completely disconnected from the coach. You'll have no parasitic load draining your batteries while the RV is in storage. And then remember when you reconnect the batteries the USE/STORE must be in USE for the batteries to charge.

And then when the topic of the USE/STORE switch comes up, simply say, "I think I'd rather have a beer."

I should have read this first and just went for the beer

Ed I would like to digress a tad and thank you so much for your manual. It was beyond awesome. It saved me tens of thousands of dollars. I didn't get the ACE 29.3 nor the Windsport 27B I was seeking to buy, and in a odd way your manual and this forum was in part why; despite having checks in hand to buy; neither coach passed my PDI that I learned from you I had studied your PDI section inside out almost verbatim. I walked dealer lots with copies in my hand much to the dismay of few salesmen. I think the funniest thing was when we flew to Port St. Lucie, Florida to look at our Winnebago; I had pre-sent a copy and had two copies in hand!!!. Our sales lady gave it to the Tech to go look at a few items in advance of starting our PDI to save time. The Tech came back and said this is for a Thor Axis / Vega I actually spent 6 hours on the PDI, and did most everything in it except getting up on the roof and doing those inspections I did climb up on the ladder to look; but I did not have the nerve to walk upon that roof. They had our coach ready because we could not find anything wrong or not working. I am convinced it was in part because they knew what we were going to look for. 18 months later, I can actually get up on the roof to wash and wax it