Salesman switch

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Salesman switch

April 12, 2021, 09:34:04 pm

Has anybody had their switch go bad on them and had to change it out? When my switch is in the off position, I still have power to the 12VDC system that is controlled by that switch. Shows around 11vs on the circuits that it controls.
How is it accessed?

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #1 – April 12, 2021, 09:58:20 pm

Out of curiosity, which circuits are still functional? All of the 12 VDC house stuff or is it just a couple of them?

I seem to recall some circuits do not pass through that switch. Some are connected to chassis battery not house battery so are unaffected by that switch.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #2 – April 12, 2021, 10:17:08 pm

The salesman switch on our coach appears to be mounted to the "ceiling" of the fuel tank bay, with the switch shaft sticking up through a hole cut in the interior floor next to the entry door. The switch is covered with a protective cover which I have never removed, so I am assuming what I just said is true. We have never used our salesman switch in 8 years or ownership, so I can't even say for sure that it works.

If the handle on your switch is held on the shaft by some sort of screw, the screw may be loose, allowing the handle to turn on the shaft so that the switch is not actually changing position? Just a guess!

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #3 – April 12, 2021, 11:11:03 pm

Our salesman switch works. Bumped it unknowingly with the vacuum cleaner..... Panicked . Called Dave n Diane , done.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #4 – April 13, 2021, 12:50:50 am

Michelle, elec step, shore reel, HWH comp, refrig, LP/CO, dash mem, door locks c94p c95p, door locks c94d c95d, freezer and solar panel are not tied into the salesman switch.
Chuck, our switch is on the front wall of the step well, it too is covered by some type of plastic box that I can't reach unless I remove the head lights and I can't figure out how they come out! The handle for the switch was tight on the shaft but there's some play in the mechanism that I don't think should be there. I'll investigate it some more tomorrow.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #5 – April 13, 2021, 07:29:56 am

Richard,

Caution: The main supply cable to this switch has power on it all the time and it does feed through a breaker. If you don't un hook the battery cables before you start you may ruin a good pair of underpants if you are under the front end and short out this cable to a ground.

On our '97 (it sounds like ours is in the same place) you have to:
1. Remove the Philips screw that secures the handle.
2. Pry handle off shaft. This can be stuck on the shaft as you have found.
3. Once the handle is off you should be able to see a nut. Ours takes a 3/4" open end wrench. Remove this nut, the star lock washer, along with the switch position indicator plate.
4. Now the hole mess pushes out the back side.
5. There should be enough cable to pull the hole mess (our back cove come off with the switch) down to where it can be worked on. You may need to cut a couple of cable ties.
6. The back cover is held on by a couple of screws, move them and the cover pops off.
7. This will expose the 2 bolts that hold the cables on the switch. Remove these and the switch is free.

Mike

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #6 – April 13, 2021, 11:11:00 am

Thanks Mike! I planed to disconnect power to the switch before starting any work on that.
So, once the nut, washer and plate are removed, the switch with that plastic cover will be able to be lowered so I can get to it?

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #7 – April 13, 2021, 11:22:49 am

Since I no longer have headlights in the original position and I had to take the panels that cover the holes off for the painting I could easily see where the switch was. It's in that space between the step and the headlights. If you raise and block the coach and slide in you should be able to see it. I definitely recommend and second removing the cable from the battery first. While I have no first hand knowledge of that, I could see me doing that. Good luck in that.
I guess that switch is useful for long-term storage maybe but the other thing I was thinking is why have it at all? I put a battery switch on the positive battery terminal when I changed out the optima batteries for odyssey's. I can easily turn it off right there and I have enough switches on my lithium batteries that I can turn it off there so the salesman switch in my mind is redundant and not necessary. So probably if mine ever went bad I think I would just connect the two wires to a post and leave it like that.
But I would like to hear reasons for not doing that from you Old-Timers that have been around a lot longer than I have with these coaches. Maybe I'm missing something.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #8 – April 13, 2021, 11:29:20 am

Remove the ground cable from the battery to disable the power to the switch, check it at the switch with a volt meter before disconnecting it.

Make sure all power sources are off, solar, battery chargers, unplug the coach if it is plugged in. Verify. No big sparks is a good thing.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #9 – April 13, 2021, 12:03:44 pm

Said another way. Don't let the smoke out.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #10 – April 13, 2021, 12:58:23 pm

Quote from: Journey, Roam, Explore – April 13, 2021, 11:22:49 am

But I would like to hear reasons for not doing that from you Old-Timers that have been around a lot longer than I have with these coaches. Maybe I'm missing something.

I never think of myself as an "old timer" but I guess when I look in the mirror there is one in there.

I agree that I can see no useful purpose in that switch. I have stored several coaches for multiple months over the years. If I am storing them without battery charging hooked up, I disconnect the batteries. (A switch at the battery would be handy and is probably in my future.) Turning off the salesman switch leaves some undetermined number of 12 volt circuits still active. Not knowing which circuits are still on when the switch is in the off position, in my opinion, renders this switch useless.

Richard

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #11 – April 13, 2021, 01:11:34 pm

The salesman switch was designed to make selling coaches easier. When the coach was sitting on the lot, the salesman could go around inside and turn on all the interior lights. Then as he exited the coach he turned off the salesman switch to save the batteries. Later, as he walks up to the coach with prospective customers, he turns on the salesman switch right after he opens the door. Then he and the customers can walk into a brightly lit interior that makes a immediate good impression on the shoppers. This technique was especially helpful with the walnut wood interiors, which some people thought were too dark and somber.

Or so I've been told...

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #12 – April 13, 2021, 01:34:30 pm

This is about the same as race cars use. Avoid switching it off under high load , as the arc will deteriorate the contacts.
I change out the race car switches about every3 yrs. They go bad and provide intermittent/no power.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #13 – April 13, 2021, 01:42:21 pm

If you are going to put a switch at the batteries to cut power to/from the batteries put it on the negative cable. It is OK to add one to the positive side too for maint work but the negative cable switch is just like disconnecting the negative cable, which you should always do for big electric stuff.

Make sure there are no other sources of power on as well, chargers, solar, second battery sets. Pay attention, be methodical, always verify.

Even with switches on the batteries it is negative off first and on last, always.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #14 – April 13, 2021, 03:58:09 pm

Quote from: rbark – April 13, 2021, 11:11:00 am

So, once the nut, washer and plate are removed, the switch with that plastic cover will be able to be lowered so I can get to it?

On ours yes, Once you push the switch back through the step well wall you can pull it down below the headlight. I would say more like tugged down rather than lowered.

Mike

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #15 – April 13, 2021, 04:42:30 pm

In 18 years of ownership I've yet to use the salesman switch. I would simply jumper across the two circuits at the buss bars behind the kick panel. Or makes more sense to add disconnects at the battery negative terminals

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #16 – April 13, 2021, 04:54:13 pm

I agree with what everyone has said about the salesman switch and will probably bypass it, but at this point I just want to KNOW if it's bad or not, then I can move on to something else.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #17 – April 14, 2021, 07:04:03 pm

So.... now I know the status of my salesman switch! It turns out that when I disconnected all sources of power from the house batteries to the electronics panel, I over looked removing the cigarette lighter plug jumper cables that I use to connect the two battery systems!. THAT is where the misleading voltage was coming from. With that plug removed I now get a reading of 0.021vdc when i test the circuit for the AH with salesman switch off. With cables disconnected from SM switch there's no continuity to the switch.
I guess I have to remind myself that when I think I'm done checking things, I need to check at least one more time to make sure I haven't forgotten something.

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #18 – April 15, 2021, 12:49:09 am

Rbark, you've experienced a good lesson for us all. When something fails, what have I done recently?

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Salesman switch

April 12, 2021, 09:34:04 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #1 – April 12, 2021, 09:58:20 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #2 – April 12, 2021, 10:17:08 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #3 – April 12, 2021, 11:11:03 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #4 – April 13, 2021, 12:50:50 am

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #5 – April 13, 2021, 07:29:56 am

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #6 – April 13, 2021, 11:11:00 am

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #7 – April 13, 2021, 11:22:49 am

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #8 – April 13, 2021, 11:29:20 am

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #9 – April 13, 2021, 12:03:44 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #10 – April 13, 2021, 12:58:23 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #11 – April 13, 2021, 01:11:34 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #12 – April 13, 2021, 01:34:30 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #13 – April 13, 2021, 01:42:21 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #14 – April 13, 2021, 03:58:09 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #15 – April 13, 2021, 04:42:30 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #16 – April 13, 2021, 04:54:13 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #17 – April 14, 2021, 07:04:03 pm

Re: Salesman switch

Reply #18 – April 15, 2021, 12:49:09 am

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