Can You drain coach batteries while driving?

From one B owner to another new B owner - forget about your wife being in the back while you are driving. She is going to find out very quickly back there that she will be tossed around and on the floor in no time once you start rolling. Have her sit in the passenger seat in the front and belt herself in. A van RV is not like driving an A or even a large C. Things shake and rattle as you roll. It really is not safe to be moving around the van while driving. If you have a passenger seat in the back and she wants to sit there - belted in that is fine too. But sit, not stand or walk. And if she is sitting what could she possibly be doing that will drain electricity from the battery?

As to draining the battery, I am not sure how your Pleasureway is wired but in my Roadtrek I have my battery switch on while traveling all of the time. I run my fridge on battery while driving and have not had any problems. I do have a Inverter/converter/charger that keeps the coach batteries charging while driving. I can also run my generator while driving if there was a reason to have some heavy electric load running while driving. Some run their coach A/C to cool off the back on very hot days and some have plugged in a crockpot - put into the sink to keep it in one place - to cook dinner while on the road. Depending on how the Pleasureway is wired and what electric system equipment it has you should be able to do the same.

I may be newer than you but I'll try to help. Do you have a 2 way or a 3 way frig? If it's a 2 way like mine it only runs on propane or shore power. A 3 way would add battery to your choices. To my knowledge propane is the way to go while your moving, I think you drain your batteries quickly otherwise. But mine is a MH. TT may be different.

Newbie question regarding this topic: We are taking our TT out for the first time next weekend. I know we were told this at the walkthru over 3 weeks ago but forgot - while driving to our destination, do we open proprane and run refrig off this or do we run it off battery? I am sure that is a dumb question but thanks for being patient with all us newbies.

Shari

There should be a relay or isolator that is wired in line with the connection to the tow vehicle's battery and should be in the engine compartment. It's function is to prevent the house electrical devices from drawing down the starter battery in the tow vehicle.

I would not count on the person who installed the trailer receptacle having installed the isolator relay. Good idea to check.

I once had a 70's VW microbus. Driving it home from a long weekend camping, the engine's generator died and I didn't know it. It kept going, pulling power from the battery to power the spark plugs and everything else. I managed to crawl into town to a friend's house on that side of town.

The only situation where I can see a heavy draw is if the fridge switches over to DC mode which can happen. This is the only DC load that is going to draw enough to make a difference while you are driving.

rvit wrote:
Ok, more specific then. It's a 2014 Pleasure way Pursuit with modern features like LED lighting. I would hope that it has good wiring(considering the astronomical price).

It is our first RV and my wife is going to sit in the back and play house while I drive. She doesn't have a "conservation" bone in her body so how much trouble am I in?

If she's just back there with some LEDs, TV, and other typical RV 12 volt loads on I can't see any problem presuming everything is working normally.

Are you going from hookup RV park to hookup RV park? If so I can't see where you would have any problem.

If you've drained batteries heavily between boondocking sites you may have to watch it a bit to get as much recharge as possible.

Loose or dirty connection, broken wire, need a heavier duty alternator. In warmer weather we run the generator and use roof air instead of dash air (sometimes use both when it is over 90). The converter/inverter will run 12v things plus keep the batteries charged. The RV Doctor recommended this as he thinks generators use less fuel than running dash air and roof air cools entire unit not just cockpit area. Sorry if this post got a little off topic.

On my coach the alternator charges the two house batteries and the chassis battery. My absorption fridge is not on the inverter circuit. Unless the generator is running or we are plugged into shore tie the fridge stays on the 12v from the house batteries.

I was at Yellowstone and broke my alternator belt. I was able to start my generator, run the inverter charger to keep the battery charged while driving to town and buy a new belt.

So yes it is possible to run down your battery while driving.

It is also possible to run the generator to keep the battery full if you have a alternator problem.

Fred.