What is this round black thing?

[Bobbo]

I have gotten tired of going out of the TT, opening the battery box, and turning ON the Blue Sea Disconnect Switch whenever we are boondocking and want to watch a video, then going back to turn the switch back off. I decided to install a disconnect switch just like the one that Airstream installed to disconnect the house batteries from the trailer. I ordered the switch, the cable and a 200 amp Intellitec latching relay. (The inverter is fused at 110 amps so I didn't get the 100 amp model.) When it came, it came with this black disk with a wire and another screw connector. There is no mention of this piece at all. I don't have any idea what it is or how to hook it to the relay. Any help will be appreciated.

[Bobbo]

wa8yxm wrote:
Light indicates 12 volt system is "Live) sounds like you have two wires reversed. YOu can switch them at the switch.

THere are 4 wires on teh switch. Two are the control wires to the solenoid (you can reverse them at the solenoid if you like) and the other two are power and ground.. You need to reverse two wires. does not matter which pair.

HOWEVER.. I like to have the control wires at GROUND potential when the switch is not pressed. So use a volt meter or test light and if they are Cold/COld (No light or voltage) reverse 'em at the solenoid or the switch. If they are HOT HOT (Light or battery voltage Reverse power and ground at switch.

Or just turn the switch over.

Will do.

[wa8yxm]

Light indicates 12 volt system is "Live) sounds like you have two wires reversed. YOu can switch them at the switch.

THere are 4 wires on teh switch. Two are the control wires to the solenoid (you can reverse them at the solenoid if you like) and the other two are power and ground.. You need to reverse two wires. does not matter which pair.

HOWEVER.. I like to have the control wires at GROUND potential when the switch is not pressed. So use a volt meter or test light and if they are Cold/COld (No light or voltage) reverse 'em at the solenoid or the switch. If they are HOT HOT (Light or battery voltage Reverse power and ground at switch.

Or just turn the switch over.

[Bobbo]

DrewE wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
Got a question Doug. I hooked up the relay using their control panel and their cable just like this document said to. But when I press "USE" the indicator light goes off, when I press "STORE" the indicator light goes on. Is the light supposed to be on when the battery is DISCONNECTED?

Nope, the light would typically be on for use and off for store. Swap the control leads to the solenoid and all should be normal.

You can of course verify when power is getting through to whatever you're switching, too, so as to make sure the light and switch labels make sense.

Will do when I actually install it in the RV. So far, I have only bench tested (OK, table tested, I don't have a bench) it with a battery charger as a power supply.

[DrewE]

Bobbo wrote:
Got a question Doug. I hooked up the relay using their control panel and their cable just like this document said to. But when I press "USE" the indicator light goes off, when I press "STORE" the indicator light goes on. Is the light supposed to be on when the battery is DISCONNECTED?

Nope, the light would typically be on for use and off for store. Swap the control leads to the solenoid and all should be normal.

You can of course verify when power is getting through to whatever you're switching, too, so as to make sure the light and switch labels make sense.

[wa8yxm]

Exactly Drew.. Exactly .. I did not think of an MOV but yes that would work as well. and they do tend to be round.

[Bobbo]

Got a question Doug. I hooked up the relay using their control panel and their cable just like this document said to. But when I press "USE" the indicator light goes off, when I press "STORE" the indicator light goes on. Is the light supposed to be on when the battery is DISCONNECTED?

[dougrainer]

The ANSWER was posted by the OP from Intellitec. As Intellitec stated, 99 percent of RV's NEVER utilize that part and the ones that DO, are 24 volt systems. But, we still have follow up posts on that part that is NOT used on almost 100 percent of RV's on these forums since very few of the people that have 24 volt RV's would be on these forums, since their units are in the Million plus range, and they do NOT do their own repairs:B Doug

[wnjj]

wa8yxm wrote:
There is a different kind of diode that can be used on a latching relay.

Below a specific voltage it acts like a standard diode (One way valve) but if you exceed that voltage it turns into a pressure relief valve. So two of those (Back to back) would protect the switch on a magnatic latching relay.

Yes, but this black thing uses a mounting tab for one of its pins. Neither one of the coil pins is ground. Either one can be depending upon the direction. There’s no way to connect this specific device that makes sense.

[DrewE]

wa8yxm wrote:
There is a different kind of diode that can be used on a latching relay.

Below a specific voltage it acts like a standard diode (One way valve) but if you exceed that voltage it turns into a pressure relief valve. So two of those (Back to back) would protect the switch on a magnatic latching relay.

A pair of Zener diodes, sometimes called a transzorb; often it's a single physical component rather than two separate diodes.

It could also be an RC network (at least in theory), or a varistor of some sort.

[gatorcq]

Big Katuna wrote:
Time to call Intellitec.

Please lettuce know what you find out.

Yea the correct answer.

[midnightsadie]

I think you were a smart cookie for asking what the part is. don,t hurt to learn some thing new.

[wa8yxm]

There is a different kind of diode that can be used on a latching relay.

Below a specific voltage it acts like a standard diode (One way valve) but if you exceed that voltage it turns into a pressure relief valve. So two of those (Back to back) would protect the switch on a magnatic latching relay.

[Bobbo]

dougrainer wrote:
The ONLY place I found the Intellitec with that extra part was from a listing on E Bay. ALL other listings did not have that extra part. I have replaced dozens of the 200 amp Intellitec over the years and have never seen that extra part. Here is the Intellitec install for your solenoid. Doug

http://www.mikerobotics.com/Intellitec/PDF/5300507.000.pdf

Thanks for that link. And I now have an answer from Intellitec about that part. Here is their answer:

Intellitec email wrote:
The disc is a surge suppressor that goes across the coil. It is not needed 99% of the time anyway, except in certain 24v applications, so you do not need to use it. Feel free to call or email if you have any questions.

That sounds a WHOLE LOT like what wa8yxm said.

By "goes across the coil" I am assuming they mean from one of the control studs to the other. Anyway, I am going to toss it.

[wnjj]

Tom/Barb wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
Strange
I don't know why there would be a capacitor or a diode, across the switch on off terminals
And the lead is too small for the load contacts terminals, which is where it would be most useful to prevent arcing

From the size of the lugs I'm guessing it is a diode.

Why would it say "latching" if it were a diode?

These are used to control heavy electrical loads.
In RVs, usually to control the battery pack.

It even says "battery disconnect". so It is a relay, of the latching type.

The other issue with it being a diode is the "coil" has 2 polarities: One for latching closed and one for open. There's no way to connect it to this kind of setup.

If it were me, I'd toss the random thing, assuming it is a packaging mistake.