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Dusty_R's avatar
Dusty_R
Explorer
Aug 08, 2021

Engine battery power loss

Engine battery power loss when not in use. And not plugged in, to 120v.

We have an Itasca on a 2014 E-450 that for the last while the engine battery will run down over night.

When the ground cable from the battery is unhooked there is 0.2 volt from unhooked cable to it's battery post.

This is without the RV being plugged in.

Anyone else had this problem? Where do I start to look to fix it?

Going to put a battery switch on it for now.

Dusty
  • This is just a guess. I would start pulling fuses one at a time to narrow things down . If pulling a certain fuse then shows zero volts , then a short is on that circuit. Could be a faulty switch on something on that circuit.
  • Items like electric step and LP detector draws battery down.
    Battery disconnect should stop drain.
  • Should be OK for at least a month, hence a significant draw. BUT you need to measure amps not volts. Easiest method to isolate is with a clampon ammeter. I added a battery switch to both battery banks for storage. Be sure they are adequate for the application. ie High amperage for the chassis battery.
  • If the battery has been discharged many several times, it may no longer be capable of holding a charge. The more modern the vehicle, the more parasitic loads there are.
  • Some amount of parasitic draw is normal. First thing I would do is have the battery tested.
  • I had the battery ground cable disconnected and opened the passenger door, and something started chattering, probably a relay. So I put the ground cable back on the battery, and now everything is back to normal.
    Is it going to stay fixed? I sure hope so. I'm guessing that it was a stuck relay.

    Thanks,
    Dusty
  • Dusty R wrote:
    I had the battery ground cable disconnected and opened the passenger door, and something started chattering, probably a relay. So I put the ground cable back on the battery, and now everything is back to normal.
    Is it going to stay fixed? I sure hope so. I'm guessing that it was a stuck relay.

    Thanks,
    Dusty



    Tnx for updating , good find. ;)