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iamalienru's avatar
iamalienru
Explorer
Nov 21, 2015

coach battery drain

my coach batteries continue to drain overmite this happened with my old batteries so i bought new ones they are a year old I have turned the shut off to them off and closed all breakers i also hear a clicking nosie coming from the fuse box area next to the batteries when hooked up to power or generator don't konow if it is a problem 1998 american Eagle

8 Replies

  • I would guess that your starting 12 volt batteries are the problem.

    They lead an easy life and should last a very long time (I got almost 10 years out of mine) providing they meet the 950 CCA each specification. If they do not meet the 950 CCA the service life is much shorter.

    I am assuming that your coach is outside in sunny California and your solar panel is functioning. Once all your battery switches are off, your solar charging system is hard wired to the battery banks and is controlled thru the fuse box that you refer to. This is your Battery Control Center and contains a relay which is likely what you hear clicking on shore power or generator power.

    The BCC will direct all charging between the 2 battery banks, once one is charged it will via the relay begin charging the other bank.

    If your 12 volts batteries are shot, this is not possible...hence the clicking as the BCC keeps switching from one bank to the other.

    That is my theory.

    (For those who have newer coaches, these vintage Eagles do not give you the specifics on float charge levels etc, they are much more simple than the new units that have sophisticated energy management systems etc.)

    If you do need to replace your starting batteries, go with some 1050 CCA rated batteries that are available and widely used in farm and construction equipment.

    They are available in the same size that your starting battery trays were designed for.

    I got mine from Advanced Auto Parts. They were Carquest brand.
  • So it's your chassis, not the house batteries that are going dead?

    Common drain for chassis batteries is electric steps, dash radio, slide and stabilizers, and of course the engine ECM. Oh, And of course the vehicle lights.
  • i still have the problem of why they are draining I will start checking the beakers for continuity but i would think that if they were bad it would just shut power off
  • Ihave 2 12 volt main turck batteries 4 6 volt house batteries I left it pluged in to power overnight the 6 volt house batteries are reading good my multy meader will only read 11.4 volts on the main battieries so they must be junk now. I really dont know how to check the float charge I am going to pull out the main batteries and put a 2 amp charge on the them overninght see if the hold it
  • More info, are you hooked up to shore power? what are you running? Have you checked the flote charge? How many and what kind of batteries do you have?
    Bill
  • Something is still on. Pull all breakers and fuses. Put a meter across the battery and start turning things on one at a time
  • 1. What size are the batteries?
    2. 6 volt or 12 volt?
    3. How many batteries?
    4. Do you know the brand and model of your Inverter/Charger? Most Amercan Eagles have this type charger/Inverter system.
    If you have the battery disconnect OFF and the batteries drain dead in less than 12 hours(overnight) you have to have a massive 12 volt draw. Now, if you have an Inverter/Charger, THAT appliance is NOT turned off by a battery disconnect and if that Inverter is ON, that would drain some battery systems overnight. Doug