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Old 04-07-2020, 04:51 PM   #1
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I want to add a light to “Store/Use”

I’d like to know if any of us has added an indicator light to the Store/Use circuit that will indicate when the solenoid is in “Use”. If so, please let me know how to do this.

Dave

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Old 04-07-2020, 05:37 PM   #2
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I’d like to know if any of us has added an indicator light to the Store/Use circuit that will indicate when the solenoid is in “Use”. If so, please let me know how to do this.

Dave
My coach actually uses an illuminated rocker switch for the Use/Store (master) switch. It is illuminated red when the switch is in the use position and not illuminated when it is off.

Mine came that way from the factory. I believe it should be an easy swap if your coach uses a rocker switch. If it uses a rotary switch that is somethening else.
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Old 04-07-2020, 05:43 PM   #3
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it's simple, really...if you switch on a light, and it works, it's in USE mode
if not, it's in STORE mode...


so, you really already 'have' an indicator light : )
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Old 04-07-2020, 05:51 PM   #4
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Thanks for the replies. I should have been clearer about what i want to do:

I want an indicator light that tells me if the Use/Store relay is “on” when I’m on shore power or generator. When I’m on shore power or generator the red light on the rocker switch is always on; but that doesn’t mean that the relay is “on”

Does this make sense?

Dave
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Old 04-07-2020, 06:12 PM   #5
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your current 'red light' is an indicator that you have EXTERNAL power(shore/generator), not if you are on 'Store' or 'Use' for the switch, which can be misleading...

the original switches are just momentary switches that, as you understand, don't really 'tell' you anything themselves... only checking for lights to come on is the 'indicator'...

if you want 'another' red light or indicator light, it could not be used within this same switch, since you already have an indicator light for another reason: shore/generator power.

I would say that you probably could install your own 'indicator light', a 12v led light, which simply runs from a wire from your fuse panel, which is 'dead' when the Use/Store switch is in 'Store' mode, and 'powered' when it is in 'Use' mode.
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Old 04-07-2020, 06:29 PM   #6
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Thanks all
This discussion is helping me identify my real goal, which is to have an indicator light that is “on” when the latching relay has the coach batteries tied to the converter, when on shore power or generator. Without that light it’s not possible to know if the converter will be charging the batteries. I have volt meters installed for all my batteries, so I can monitor their voltage at all times, but that doesn’t tell me if the converter is going to charge them when they are less than fully charged

Dave
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Old 04-07-2020, 07:00 PM   #7
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Having a USE/STORE or Main Disconnect latching relay position indication light is a great idea. Implementing it is quite complicated.

Where does the power from the light come FROM? Can't be from the house batteries, they may be dead. Can't be from the converter/charger, no power if not plugged in and generator not running. So you have to have an independent power source. Maybe chassis batteries or a small battery pack.

How are you going to complete the circuit to light the indicating light? Best answer is a set of auxiliary contacts on the latching relay. I have yet to see a latching relay in an RV that has auxiliary contacts.

So now you know why Thor just goes with the "DC Buss has power" indicating light.
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Old 04-07-2020, 07:23 PM   #8
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Thanks Ted. You’ve clearly stated the two issues: Power and Circuit

I’ve got to do some more thinking on this one!!

Dave
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Old 04-07-2020, 07:23 PM   #9
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Thanks for the replies. I should have been clearer about what i want to do:

I want an indicator light that tells me if the Use/Store relay is “on” when I’m on shore power or generator. When I’m on shore power or generator the red light on the rocker switch is always on; but that doesn’t mean that the relay is “on”

Does this make sense?

Dave
I suggest you spend $15 and buy a simple volt meter and wire to your house battery bank. If the volt meter indicates the battery voltage is lower then 13 volts. the batteries are not being charged. If the voltage is above 13 volts the batteries are being charged.
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Old 04-07-2020, 07:32 PM   #10
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Thanks Jim. I already have battery volt meters installed for both coach and chassis battery sets. I can see the battery voltage level at all times; however, even if the batteries are at 13+, that doesn’t ensure that someone doesn’t inadvertently trip the Use/Store switch and effectively turn off future battery charging. I want an indicator light to alert me if that happens

Dave
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Old 04-07-2020, 08:59 PM   #11
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Ted let me bounce this off you. I could add a green LED next to the On/Store switch - powered by its own battery, wired through the NC terminal of the latching relay, so that the green light will be on only when the battery charging circuit is closed. If the green light is off, then I know that no charging can happen

Does that sound correct to you?

Dave
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Old 04-07-2020, 10:54 PM   #12
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Ted let me bounce this off you. I could add a green LED next to the On/Store switch - powered by its own battery, wired through the NC terminal of the latching relay, so that the green light will be on only when the battery charging circuit is closed. If the green light is off, then I know that no charging can happen

Does that sound correct to you?

Dave
Not sure how you are trying to do that. You're trying to connect a low voltage indicating circuit (let's say 3 VDC) to a terminal with 12+ VDC on it?

Need a schematic to see how that would work. The only way I see accomplishing this without auxiliary contacts on the latching relay is a logic/compare circuit that would sense the voltage on both sides of the latching relay and drive an indicating lamp.

Basically, if the voltage to ground on both sides of the latching relay is less than .1 VDC difference and battery side or converter side is greater than some minimum voltage (say 5 VDC) then light the indicating light.
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Old 04-07-2020, 10:54 PM   #13
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FWIW, my coach is connected to 50 amp service at the house. I was wrong. The light is not part of the switch but a separate light next to the switch. Unfortunately I do not have the electrical diagram that shows that switch so I can't determine how the indicator is wired. I will request that diagram tomorrow morning.

Here is my Main Power (USE/Store) switch in the "Off" mode.

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Here is the Main Power switch in the "On" mode

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Old 04-07-2020, 11:02 PM   #14
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FWIW, my coach is connected to 50 amp service at the house. I was wrong. The light is not part of the switch but a separate light next to the switch. Unfortunately I do not have the electrical diagram that shows that switch so I can't determine how the indicator is wired. I will request that diagram tomorrow morning.

Here is my Main Power (USE/Store) switch in the "Off" mode.

Attachment 23196

Here is the Main Power switch in the "On" mode

Attachment 23197
But that's not plugged in. Plug in your coach and that light will be on regardless of the position of the latching relay as it is simply a 12 VDC buss power indicating light. If there's power on the DC buss, regardless of source, the light will be on.
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Old 04-07-2020, 11:05 PM   #15
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Thanks Jim. I already have battery volt meters installed for both coach and chassis battery sets. I can see the battery voltage level at all times; however, even if the batteries are at 13+, that doesn’t ensure that someone doesn’t inadvertently trip the Use/Store switch and effectively turn off future battery charging. I want an indicator light to alert me if that happens

Dave
Why not use a guarded switch? The type where you have to lift the cover to activate the switch. You could use a momentary push button switch beside the momentary toggle wired in series so that both would have to be activated to move the relay's position.
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Old 04-07-2020, 11:10 PM   #16
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But that's not plugged in. Plug in your coach and that light will be on regardless of the position of the latching relay as it is simply a 12 VDC buss power indicating light. If there's power on the DC buss, regardless of source, the light will be on.
Wrong, wrong and wrong. My coach is plugged in and the light is off when the switch is off. The same applies if the switch is off and the generator is running. I just checked it when I took the pics about 20 minutes ago.

As I stated in the post the coach is connected to 50 amp service at the house. I will add, the coach is plugged in and the 50 amp breaker in the garage is turned on.
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Old 04-08-2020, 12:19 AM   #17
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Wrong, wrong and wrong. My coach is plugged in and the light is off when the switch is off. The same applies if the switch is off and the generator is running. I just checked it when I took the pics about 20 minutes ago.

As I stated in the post the coach is connected to 50 amp service at the house. I will add, the coach is plugged in and the 50 amp breaker in the garage is turned on.
Then yours is different than what has been the Thor standard since they implemented the indicator light. It would be great to see a true schematic on how they accomplished that.
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Old 04-08-2020, 12:53 AM   #18
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Intellitec BD0 Relay

Now, if you follow the way Intellitec wants it wired, then the LED is "on" when the relay is closed and "off" when open. So if "off" then there should be no voltage on the system side of the relay... if there is voltage, the light will be "on" and I suspect a backfeed, wiring error, or something strange that Thor did. Follow their schematic.
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Old 04-08-2020, 12:56 AM   #19
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Why not use a guarded switch? The type where you have to lift the cover to activate the switch. You could use a momentary push button switch beside the momentary toggle wired in series so that both would have to be activated to move the relay's position.
I'm with Jim on this, a simple solution. If the concern is inadvertently hitting the switch, why not install a cover?

A web search for "rocker switch guard" shows several possibilities. Looks like you could add a cover without replacing the switch.

My Use/Store switch cuts the Axerra unit so that's my warning method. No display, switch is flipped off.
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Old 04-08-2020, 01:01 AM   #20
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Like I said, a real schematic. The switch side is schematic, the latching relay is wiring diagram.
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