Battery dieing!

I've got a 24-year-old RV, and we had a problem with the batteries dying over time. I assumed there was some kind of parasitic loss, and I know the house battery has one because I hard-wired a Propane/CO alarm to it so that when the battery is connected it must be on. That alone would drain the house battery over time.

I installed cut-off switches on both the house and engine batteries. When I park the RV for storage, I disconnect the batteries. No problems since then.

Every year I store my MH with no charger and not starting it. Every Spring it starts fine. Yes it gets cold here and we had 153" of snow last winter. That is almost 13' and not a record. Batteries that are charged prior to storage do survive cold.

I did not read all of the replies but the problem I encountered probably was not covered (too dumb to admit). I had a similar problem. When I started checking, I had a substantial drain at battery when parked and "nothing" on. For some reason, I went to a switch or switches that I think are on the driver side windshield post (you can tell I have not been in it a while). They are not marked as to purpose or on/off - I could not find a light on). Changing the setting of the switch removed the drain. The switch was for the heated mirrors and who knows when turned on.

We got the C to attend our grandsons' ballgames. Never did - my wife got sick. We used it while she took out-patient treatments at the world's top center for multiple myeloma (UAMS in Little Rock, AR). We have perhaps used it once or twice since. It sits in the building for months. Hopefully I can get her to agree to sell it sometime. It was too small and if we ever have to go back for treatments, I will get a trailer with a little more room (permanent bed).

The bottom line is that all batteries will die if left long enough. The last one I purchased was a glass mat at about $400 but even the literature for it says to have it hooked to a battery minder if left unused for an extended period. I now have a trickle charger/battery minder on both the chassis and house batteries (I used trailer light connector to make a quick connect for the hard to reach house battery). I do not know how long that has been but over a year - perhaps two. Everything seems to be holding. A week or so ago I disconnected minders to move RV further in building. Both batteries are still holding at max. I need to hook them back up.

Good luck

There is definitely something shorted or a poor connection to or in the radio/camera. It should be disconnected for now. The house battery going dead is likely a separate problem. Your RV service guy, if a pro, should have knowledge and test equipment to quickly find and fix the problems, if not, find an auto electric repair shop with RV systems experience.Meanwhile disconnect your starting battery and re-connect it to drive the rig when needed. Disconnect the house battery until you find the problem in the house battery circuit. Is there a dealer that sells and services your rig, in your area?

My RV fixer guy tried starting the motor home, Get ready for it !! The dash radio/ back up camera screen started to smoke(coming out of the CD part of the radio, Plus also the house battery is dead(covered under warranty) but there is critter paw prints on top of the house battery. The new battery I got (Advanced Auto Parts) was still covered under warranty, so I took the new/replacement battery back to Advanced and they had to charge it for hour (store policy)I went back in an hour and they told me the battery was fine, fully charged.
So I take it back to my RV fixer guy and he tests the battery and it tests weak.
I'll never go to Advanced Auto parts again.
So were thinking either the dash radio used all the power or a critter chewed some wiring some were.
I don't were to find one of those dash radio's/ backup moniter at.
Keeping my fingers crossed for next week
Thanks all again for the help, LOL the saga continues

That Chassis Battery is the one that stays up for months without me having to disconnect anything or turn any switches off.
The House Battery Disconnect should not have to be turned OFF to keep the Chassis Battery from running down.
Are you leaving something ON that you didn't notice, dome light, map light...?
I think a problem in the Charging Circuit (which is basically the Alternator since the Regulator is inside it) could drain the battery, but I also think it's too soon to go after that.
Four items that I can think of connect the Chassis Battery to parts of the Coach
1. Running, Tail, Marker Lights. Shouldn't drain Battery unless left ON
2. Stop Lights. Should be OK unless Brake Pedal is Stuck
3. Battery Isolator. Lets Chassis charge House Battery but doesn't let House run Chassis down. Would have to be defective to run Chassis down.
4. Start Assist. A Solenoid with a Dashboard Pushbutton. Allows House to give Chassis a Jump Start. Again, would have to be defective.

If you have the "RV Radio" installed, rather than Ford OEM, that might pull the battery down really quick.

I am on my second starting battery, about ready for a third (this one is 60 months into its 36 month warranty).

When new and fully charged, the size 65 starting battery has for me been good for 2-3 months of storage and still hold charge for starting. That's with only phantom loads from the engine control module and stair controller, radio is disconnected (actually switched to house batteries, which are then disconnected). But longer storage will pull it down to fully discharged, less than 10 volts, which is damaging, as the plates sulfate.

A decent starting battery is good for maybe 10 deep discharge cycles. It can be destroyed by one really deep discharge, I've seen an interior light do that, just the kind of load it takes to pull one down to no measurable voltage.

The other problem with the way we use these starting batteries, is the way they get charged after a deep discharge: they get blasted by the alternator, which is designed to put on a finishing charge at high voltage, after the small discharge from starting.

If we want that starting battery to last, we need to put it away fully charged, and put it on a maintenance charger or positively disconnect it from all loads.

In your case, whether you wiped it out early, or you just got a bad battery (it happens) you need to take it back and get a replacement. Most likely you got it with a warranty that covers 100% at this stage of its life cycle.

Hi RP, I drove the RV to my rv fixer guy and it sat still for almost 1 week, like I said, I might have left the battery connect switch on inside the unit.

Hi RP,

After the battery was replaced, how long did the RV sit without running?

Thank's all for the replies, It's the main battery under the hood and yes it's been tested, show's dead, I'm going later this am to get it and get a 2nd replacement (new) battery from Advanced Auto parts.
I might have left the house switch on, could that kill the main battery? If so that's a problem as well because I put 2 new house batteries in it last year, plus also ive got a camping trip coming where there are 0 services (I can run the generator for a few times during the day) Again Thank for the quick responses back.