RV Battery Disconnect Switch:

As you move around the RV, you might find a switch marked “Battery Disconnect Switch”. It does exactly what it says it does – it disconnects the battery from the RV’s electrical system. That is very straightforward.

What are some reasons you might want to do this?

• You are switching out your battery or performing maintenance on the battery and this provides a clean disconnect from the rest of the RV. If you don’t do this, you are “spiking” the DC current from the battery to the rest of the RV more times than you need to do – hard on everything.
• If your RV is going to be stored for awhile, by disconnecting this switch, you’ll reduce small DC loads on the battery that will discharge it faster than its natural self discharge. Things such as monoxide detectors, clocks, sensors in the convertor circuitry, microwave clocks, controls for hot water heaters and refrigerators – all will contribute to draining your battery unnecessarily.
• I read about a CLEVER use of the battery disconnect switch ( actually a special switch ) to create circuitry so leveling jacks and slides cannot be moved, while the rest of the battery operated items in the RV would work very well. I thought that was a very good idea.

Not all RV’s have this switch, but I would expect most fifth wheels to have one. Ours was located in the fifth wheel basement on the passenger side of the RV.

Here is the battery disconnect switch :