Forum Discussion

lthrneck689's avatar
lthrneck689
Explorer
Apr 23, 2018

House Batteries not working?

Morning!
I've posed here before on pretty much the same issue, and the issue was resolved by my RV Repair Shop, and I'm trying to save $100 to have a circuit breaker reset.
I had to put my 25' Class C Holiday Rambler Augusta in storage due to city codes that prohibit me from parking in my yard. Dumb bell me didn't disconnect the batteries, so they drained, including for some strange reason the chassis battery. The chassis battery was so bad, I had to buy a new one, and I hooked up a disconnect on the neutral cable for storing.
I brought it home to do the maintenance (they allow 72 hours a month) and discovered my house batteries weren't drained, but I had no house DC power AGAIN, which means anther trip to the repair shop. I went looking underneath for the circuit breaker thinking I knew where it was, and thinking it should be in plain sight - NOPE. I do see a box where the cables go in, and there's an access panel with eight screws that will get me inside, but before I remove it I thought I'd check with the forum for advice.
The unit has a battery disconnect switch at the door, right next to the step switch, but it doesn't work (I just ordered a new one). I also plan on adding a disconnect switch to the batteries when I get this circuit breaker issue resolved.
Two questions:
#1 - Anyone have any idea where the circuit breaker is?
#2 - Anyone have an idea why my chassis battery is draining? I thought it was independent from the house?
Thanks!
Rick
Class C
  • wildtoad's avatar
    wildtoad
    Explorer II
    Apr 23, 2018
    The chassis battery may be powering the radio, entry steps, and there is usually some draw to keep other chassis related computers charged. The chassis battery disconnect is a good idea. But you will probably need to reset the radio at a minimum.
  • Artum_Snowbird's avatar
    Artum_Snowbird
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2018
    In every circuit there is a feed out and a return. Try taking your jumper cable, connect to battery negative, then to the negative terminal on your converter panel. If that makes things work, its your negative return. Look for a loose connection. If that doesn't help. Try the same with the positive cable. If that makes it work, then it's the positive. It's a process of elimination.
  • lthrneck689's avatar
    lthrneck689
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2018


    This is what was inside the box under the RV near the batteries. Can't see a circuit breaker.
  • lthrneck689's avatar
    lthrneck689
    Explorer
    Apr 23, 2018
    Fixed! In that pic I posted, there's a tiny little circuit breaker. That's the box that houses the solenoid and relay, and it's located on my RV under the unit near the batteries. The breaker will pop at low voltage. When I reset it, the house DC power came on. I'm still concferned that the chassis battery discharged to the point that it was damaged, so I'm bringing it in for a power draw test. Thanks!!
  • Harvey51's avatar
    Harvey51
    Explorer
    Apr 24, 2018
    I would disconnect both house and engine batteries when parking even for one day if I didn’t have solar power to maintain them. I do that with an older vehicle that is used only occasionally for short trips. Even older cars draw quite a bit of current when turned off - for starters the computer is never fully off unless denied current. The remote door unlock system is always listening for the signal from the remote and so on. We really notice this problem in northern winters because the cold destroys dead batteries.

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