What are these switches for?

[sailingharry]

It is a frustrating and common practice to wire things direct to the battery before the switch. Some things, like a battery monitor, it's necessary. Some things, like a bilge pump, it is perhaps philosophically desirable.

I personally don't like to connect anything directly to the battery. I run a modest wire, maybe a number 12 or number 10, from the battery side of the battery switch to a small blade fuse holder. It still gives them essentially uninterruptible power, makes things clean and neat, and makes it easy to understand.

[brajgreg]

Originally Posted by Nekton73

Have you tried turning the black negative switch to off? Assuming that is a common negative for all batteries then, depending on its place in the circuit, it may interrupt the electricity to your DC panel.

Yeah, I tried that, although I have since read in other forums about this, and they say not to turn the negative off. And even recommend removing the black switch altogether...

[donradcliffe]

Time to start tracing wires. First I'd disconnect the + on each battery individually, and see what battery you are getting power from. Then I'd look for any DIY wiring on that battery which could bypass the switches, like bilge pump, or always on clock circuit,

[Bluechart]

Originally Posted by brajgreg

First time seeing this style of switch on a boat. French made 1992 Beneteau Evasion 36

I have two battery banks, each with two deep cycle lead acid batteries in them. I assumed switching these to the off position would remove power from the DC Panel, but my assumption was wrong.

Thanks for any info!

AND! Under the black cap on each switch is a nut. If this nut loosens, it will not allow the switch to ‘pull away’ from the contact when in the off position.

You can test this by checking the nut, or pull the switch away anga the spring and hold, and you should loose power.

[brajgreg]

Originally Posted by Bluechart

AND! Under the black cap on each switch is a nut. If this nut loosens, it will not allow the switch to ‘pull away’ from the contact when in the off position.

You can test this by checking the nut, or pull the switch away anga the spring and hold, and you should loose power.

I actually played around with this a couple days ago, and it is indeed true that if I pull out on the bank 2 switch, it kills the power. I think switch one works, and switch two has this loose nut or something. I'll check under the cap for the nut to tighten. Thanks!

If my battery charging system is still on, power stays on as well it seems, but maybe it's all due to this switch acting up.

[OS2Dude]

Looks like a jury-rigged mess. Personally, I'd trace it to see what the P.O. was trying to do, then rip it out and rewire the correct way.

The 3'rd engine battery does not have to be near the two house 'banks'. Follow the alternator output and see if it leads to a starting battery.

[brajgreg]

Originally Posted by OS2Dude

Looks like a jury-rigged mess. Personally, I'd trace it to see what the P.O. was trying to do, then rip it out and rewire the correct way.

The 3'rd engine battery does not have to be near the two house 'banks'. Follow the alternator output and see if it leads to a starting battery.

There is no starting battery. It does not exist.

[sinnerman]

They are setting the date on the "flux capacitor".

[brajgreg]

Originally Posted by Bluechart

AND! Under the black cap on each switch is a nut. If this nut loosens, it will not allow the switch to ‘pull away’ from the contact when in the off position.

You can test this by checking the nut, or pull the switch away anga the spring and hold, and you should loose power.

THIS WAS THE PROBLEM!

Not being able to find any info about these switches online, I didn't really want to tear them apart. I didn't even realize the black thing in the middle was a removable cap. Anyway, both red switches had a loose nut in there, and now that I have tightened both of them, when I switch them OFF, the DC panel is isolated. I really thought that maybe Bank 2 was bypassing this switch and was tied directly to the panel somehow, but it appears to all be running through this switch, and when functioning properly, I can isolate my panel using these.

Thank you kind stranger!