Motor movers

[Terryb250]

Hello all,
just returned to caravanning after a 3 year break. My new (second hand) van has a Truma MM fitted....happy days.!
However, I have a couple of questions that I am sure you seasoned vanners will be able to answer:
1/ The isolating switch is under the off-side bunk, so I have to climb into the van to switch it on / off, which is a pain. Is this the recommended location for the isolator switch, or can it be fitted so it can be easily accessed from outside the van?
2/ Does the MM need to be isolated when en-route? Thank you.

Regards,

Terry.

 

[Plodd]

Our isolating switch is located in the battery box. Our first van but I was led to believe this was the usual location. If ours is left inactive for more than a few minutes it resets and has to be switched on again.

 

[Martin24]

No knowledge of the brand but our isolation switch on Powrwheel movers have always been in the battery box. that's been the case on the last 6 vans.

We certainly always switch ours off when towing.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Isan isolator necessary - Its considered good practice and is recommended by all mover manufactures

Does it have to be near the battery - from the circuits concern it doesn't really matter, but its good practice to have the main form of isolation of a circuit as close as is reasonably possible to the source of the current. This means if anything happens to the wiring it can still be effectively isolated.

Can you move it - well I suppose you can, but you would have to consider how to make good the joints and there are some definite no no's for example you must not fit it in the gas bottle locker.

You could of course fit a second isolator leaving the original. but as I say not in the gas bottle locker.

 

[Raywood]

We have had three caravans fitted with movers. The first one had no isolater switch, but this was when they first came out, the second was in the caravan and this is in the battery box. The location is probably irrelevant as far as using it is concerned but the battery box is probably best on the basis of what the Prof says.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

If in the battery box it has to be in the 'shielded' compartment, not the battery compartment, in case any explosive gases are released from the battery and a spark is generated when switching. That's also why the mains connector is in the 'shielded' compartment, in case somebody disconnects the mains connector before isolating at the bollard.