New CO and LP detectors draining my batteries, what to do?

Cut one of the two wires running to the detector and put a switch inline. You could go to Radio Shack and find a nice small switch that wouldn't require much more than a small drilled hole to mount. It won't have to be very big as the current draw is miniscule.

Eric

If you just replaced your detectors, and they drained your batteries, the batteries were bad in the first place. In my MH, disconnecting the HB's cuts power to the propane detector. The others are run on 9 volt battery.

Power is miniscule and no effect unless left in long-term storage.

If there is no one inside to hear an alarm why are any of your batteries not shut off at the batteries with a battery disconnect switch? Or in your case, one for each? Maybe I missed something here...

I thought of adding an inline switch, that was the idea I was thinking might be the easiest option. As for the batteries being bad, nope they are good they did not get drained right away, it's been several days since they were installed. I assumed these ran off the house battery as well but if the house battery drains does it start to use the main battery that starts the engine? Also there is not a stock battery cut off switch, I would have to add one but was not sure at which battery to add one too. I assumed if a battery would be drained from the detectors it would be the house battery, but it seems its the main battery to the engine as I can't start the MH. Keep in mind he old detectors had on and off switches that I manually turned on when using the MH, and turned off when not using the MH and that way the batteries were not drained. When I first bought the MH I did not know you had to turn off the detectors and the same thing happened the batteries drained. Since then the batteries have been fine until I swapped the detectors and realized they had no on be off ditch and after several days running they drained the batteries. If I were to put a battery cut off should I do it at the house battery only or both?

I was thinking most motorhomes already had battery disconnect switches installed...

???

If not that is what I would do...

Roy Ken

"and after several days running they drained the batteries"

That doesn't sound consistent with good batteries and the devices you suspect. They don't require much current and should not run down a fully charged battery in "several days".

efiguero wrote:
I thought of adding an inline switch, that was the idea I was thinking might be the easiest option. As for the batteries being bad, nope they are good they did not get drained right away, it's been several days since they were installed. I assumed these ran off the house battery as well but if the house battery drains does it start to use the main battery that starts the engine? Also there is not a stock battery cut off switch, I would have to add one but was not sure at which battery to add one too. I assumed if a battery would be drained from the detectors it would be the house battery, but it seems its the main battery to the engine as I can't start the MH. Keep in mind he old detectors had on and off switches that I manually turned on when using the MH, and turned off when not using the MH and that way the batteries were not drained. When I first bought the MH I did not know you had to turn off the detectors and the same thing happened the batteries drained. Since then the batteries have been fine until I swapped the detectors and realized they had no on be off ditch and after several days running they drained the batteries. If I were to put a battery cut off should I do it at the house battery only or both?

The detectors in my coach are wired to both batteries, coach and chassis, so the easiest thing for me to do would be to wire in a switch at each detector. If I wanted to use battery disconnects, I'd need two. As I leave the MH plugged in all the time, I've done neither.

Eric

Eric

I'd put in a switch - battery disconnect works but that would shut off your fridge which would present problem for some.

I do not have a switch on my detectors,and just pull the fuse for both when I store my MH for any period of time. This prevents them from discharging my chassis batteries.