AMP Draw Issues

[bankerae]

Good morning Folks! I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction...

We have a 2005 Keystone Outback 26RS travel trailer and did our first dry camping last week. When the heat quit about 1:00am I knew something was not right 🙂

I just did an amp draw test and here is what I came up with:

Using a VOM meter set on the 10amp setting

with the power cord unlplugged and testing through the negative battery cable with everything turned on I was getting a .65 amp draw reading... after taking each fuse out one at a time here is what I found:

The 15amp fuse tied to the LP leak detector (may be powering other items too?) was pulling .08 amp

The 15amp fuse for the fridge (the fridge was turned off, however when I would put the fuse back in it would let out a loud beep) was drawing .54

When I tookt he fuse out for the fridge and the LP leak detector I was left with .03 amp draw

So there's the data, just not sure what it all means!

Thank you in advance for your help!

[red31]

to answer a rhetorical question. OP's batt life sucked and eventually had it load tested = bad, replaced. The question was to be pointed the correct way!!!!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Jeez what wuz the question?

🙂

[harold1946]

Sam Spade wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

Go to batteryuniversity.com and study some more.

It should read 12.24. at 100 percent charge.

And then things just get worse.

Would you care to correct that number so that I don't have to look like the bad guy again ???

[COLOR=]Don't get your panties in a twist.
It was a typo, that's all. As a matter of fact I did it twice.
As for making you look like the bad guy, you do not need my help, you do a fine job by yourself.

[Sam_Spade]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Does any one know where to buy those sacrificial probes ?

Never heard such a term.

On the old style batteries all you needed to test individual cell voltage was a SHARP probe to stab through the insulation that covered the raised inter-cell connecting straps.

With modern design, I'm not sure how you would do it.

[Sam_Spade]

harold1946 wrote:

As you stated it depends on the chemistry and construction.

I think you need your glasses checked.

Your first post said 12.24.
That is twelve point TWO FOUR.

I'm sure that is a simple typo but it is simply wrong.

But once again you would rather throw rocks at me than be helpful to others.

[theoldwizard1]

Almost 50 years ago, I worked installing/testing batteries at Sears. At that time, they were the largest retail seller of automotive batteries. They did offer free testing, but a lot of folks just bought a new battery the first cold day when the engine did not start. We rarely used a hydrometer, but the test we did quickly sorted out bad cells.

The battery was removed from the car. Terminals were cleaned and it was placed on a high current charger for about 5 minutes (I don't recall the charge rate, but liquid was boiling after 5 minutes !). Then a simple volt meter with sacrificial probes (not sure what the were made of) was used to test the voltage between each cell. Dead/weak cells were easily detected, by having >10% cell-to-cell difference. A "good" battery would have 2.1V-2.2V per cell.

Cleaning the terminals and post when installing/re-installing a battery made a big difference.



Does any one know where to buy those sacrificial probes ?

[azrving]

harold1946 wrote:

rjxj wrote:
12.24 is time to recharge. What are we missing here?

My mistake 😮 Should have been 12.73, depending upon which manufacturer one wants to quote.

Got it and you aren't alone. It's a whirlwind of info at times. 🙂

[harold1946]

rjxj wrote:
12.24 is time to recharge. What are we missing here?

My mistake 😮 Should have been 12.73, depending upon which manufacturer one wants to quote.

[azrving]

12.24 is time to recharge. What are we missing here?

[mike-s]

harold1946 wrote:
Also Trojan does not state when the battery reading was taken. If not after a minimum of 6 hours, preferably 12 hours, the SOC is not regarded as accurate.

For accurate voltage readings, batteries must remain idle (no charging, no discharging) for at least 6 hrs, preferably 24 hrs.

-Trojan (and it's for their flooded deep cycle batteries)

Where did your number come from?

[harold1946]

mike-s wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
A fully charged 12 volt battery/battery bank should meter at 12.73 volts when at 100 percent SOC, after 12 hours of rest with no load.

It's not clear where you got that number. Trojan says 12.73 V @ 100 percent SOC. Even the source you cited, Battery University, says 12.65 V. Of course, it will vary a bit depending on the chemistry and construction.

As you stated it depends on the chemistry and construction. Also Trojan does not state when the battery reading was taken. If not after a minimum of 6 hours, preferably 12 hours, the SOC is not regarded as accurate.

[mike-s]

harold1946 wrote:
A fully charged 12 volt battery/battery bank should meter at 12.24 volts when at 100 percent SOC, after 12 hours of rest with no load.

It's not clear where you got that number. Trojan says 12.73 V @ 100 percent SOC. Even the source you cited, Battery University, says 12.65 V. Of course, it will vary a bit depending on the chemistry and construction.

[harold1946]

Sam Spade wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

Go to batteryuniversity.com and study some more.

It should read 12.24. at 100 percent charge.

And then things just get worse.

Would you care to correct that number so that I don't have to look like the bad guy again ???

Nothing to correct. A fully charged 12 volt battery/battery bank should meter at 12.73 volts when at 100 percent SOC, after 12 hours of rest with no load.
If one looks like a, "bad guy" it more than likely because they are making incorrect statements.
If that reading is not obtained the battery/bank is not fully charged and needs attention.

[Sam_Spade]

harold1946 wrote:

Go to batteryuniversity.com and study some more.

It should read 12.24. at 100 percent charge.

And then things just get worse.

Would you care to correct that number so that I don't have to look like the bad guy again ???