Engine Battery Being Drained

Good ideas for my similar issue.

If you keep it plugged in invest in a Trik-L-Start. Most M/H when plugged in do not charge the starting batt. only the house batt.

This is my first post as a new member.

This is our second year with our 98 Fleetwood Flair. My engine battery kept getting discharged last year. I found that the stairs were intermittently running the motor even though the stairs were fully up or down. Rather than expensive repairs and troubleshooting we had an additional kill switch added to turn off stair power. Normally power is always available for stairs even when all switches are off.
Good Luck

It also wouldn't hurt to check the battery itself. It's not at all impossible for new batteries to be defective from the factory. If it is, it should be replaced under warranty.

jplante4 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Check to see if your mirror heat switch is turned on. Many do not have an auto-off and if left on it will quickly drain the battery.
If that is not it, you can put a meter in the circuit, at the battery negative terminal to see how much current is being drawn. That may help you to locate the problem.

^^^This^^^ puzzled me when I got my first MH. They really need to put a light on the switch.

99% of Motorhomes the Mirror/Heat control IS wired on the Ignition side. IF you have one wired to the battery, it was miswired by the OEM. To test for this is simple. With the Key OFF, if your mirror control activates the mirrors, then the Heat will operate also. IF your mirrors do not operate with the Ignition OFF your Heat will not also. They use the same 1- 12 volt feed to run the mirrors and Heat. Doug

Some OEM's DO have a lighted switch.

On our 2005 Itasca the radio/CD player has a switch on the lower dashboard to power it from the house or the chassis batteries. bumped it one time with my knee and switched it from house to chassis power. Drained the battery in 2 days. Might see if you have similar.

Dave

rgatijnet1 wrote:
Check to see if your mirror heat switch is turned on. Many do not have an auto-off and if left on it will quickly drain the battery.
If that is not it, you can put a meter in the circuit, at the battery negative terminal to see how much current is being drawn. That may help you to locate the problem.

^^^This^^^ puzzled me when I got my first MH. They really need to put a light on the switch.

On Ford Chassis, the Headlight switch-- the dash cluster dimmer wheel. IF that wheel is rolled to the Indent for the non existent dome light, that activates a relay that will drain the battery. Common problem for draining batteries on Ford Chassis. Doug

Get a test light, disconnect the negative cable from the battery, hook the ground from the test light to the cable, secure the probe of the test light to the negative post of the battery. If the light is lit, you have something on. Look for an accessory that may be on. If all the switches are off, pull your fuses one by one, until the light goes out. Then refer to the legend for the fuse panel to locate the circuit or device it powers. Keep in mind, it being a Ford chassis, you will have a continuous slight draw for the ECM memory and the radio clock/preset memory.

Check to see if your mirror heat switch is turned on. Many do not have an auto-off and if left on it will quickly drain the battery.
If that is not it, you can put a meter in the circuit, at the battery negative terminal to see how much current is being drawn. That may help you to locate the problem.