Aux Switch Questions

[Rahneld]

1) On a 3.6L JL, do the items connected to the MOPAR Aux switches, if energized, remain so during an ESS event?
2) If so, do they run off of the Aux/ESS battery on the 3.6L JL or the main battery during an ESS event? (I realize the question moot during non-ESS operation of a 3.6L JL as the batteries are connected in parallel.)
3) What is it about the installation of this kit, as in the wiring, that has such equipment connected to the Aux switches run solely off the Aux battery in the 3.6L JL--if in fact this is the case? Is it that little orange wire you bypass in the snap connector near the right passenger's foot? I ask this because it seems like on the engine side of the firewall the positive connections of the Aux switch cable seems to be connected to the positive side of the main battery?

Thanks?

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[Tjbrlecic1]

I tested the AUX switches. They stay on when ESS turns the engine off. I turned the ESS off permanently again after the test.
The orange wire is the CAN buss.
As far as power goes it sucks power off the main battery. Do not let the second battery get low. It makes for a real exciting and very bad experience. Been there done that.

 

[Rahneld]

I tested the AUX switches. They stay on when ESS turns the engine off. I turned the ESS off permanently again after the test.
The orange wire is the CAN buss.
As far as power goes it sucks power off the main battery. Do not let the second battery get low. It makes for a real exciting and very bad experience. Been there done that.

Thanks Terry. I'm just not sure from your test that things connected to the Aux switches, or in your case the Aux switches themselves-- simply because they stayed on during an ESS event, tells me what battery was sourced for the Aux switches....

..unless you have additional 411 to say otherwise.

I would hope stuff is running off the Aux/ESS battery, and not because I desire this battery to die during an ESS event, and the bad consequence that arise from this as you alluded to.

I say this, but can't continue without putting some facts out there about the 3.6L JL:

• The two batteries are 99.9% of the time in parallel, but for engine cranks (cold or ESS) or ESS events.
• At the moment of crank the ESS battery is momentarily isolated to signal the starter relay to crank the engine.
• Before this crank takes place, both batteries are reconnected in parallel and either/both contribute to the power draw of the starter overcoming inertia and crank the engine.

This is why an energized ESS battery, all on its own can crank and run a 3.6L JL but not a main battery on its own. Without ESS batttery power that starter relay is not notified to crank the engine.

All this said.....so we're sitting in an ESS event. The Aux battery runs all the electrical needs, Aux hookups as well...maybe. This, in theory is okay because the rig is monitoring the Aux/ESS battery's power during the ESS event, and if that power goes below a threshold, perhaps extremely fast if an owner has some big ass lights hooked up to his aux switches that are on during the ESS event, ESS will end prematurely.

On the other hand if the Aux stuff is hooked up to the main battery, the ESS battery may not drop too low during an ESS event to end it, but come time to crank, the main battery may lack sufficient power to start the engine.

I would have hoped FCA would have designed the Aux switches to work of the ESS battery during an ESS event...not because this battery dying is good, but because that battery is monitored before and during an ESS event, not entering into an ESS event or ending it before the operator takes their foot off the brake to insure it has a threshold of power.

 

[Tjbrlecic1]

Good information.
I installed our AUX switches myself. The switches are hooked to the main battery.
I plan on putting in a two battery conversion when it is time to replace the batteries.

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