Battery Draining...

[kfp673]

Trying to figure out if my 1 year old camper just came with a **** battery or if something else is going on. We purchased our new trailer (Outback 325BH) last July. I noticed that if it sits for more than a week or so the battery is dead forcing me to connect to the truck before I can get the power jack to work. At first I noticed that I was leaving the TV amplifier on so I blamed that but it still happens when I shut it off. This camper has the in command system for lights, tanks, slides with a screen on the wall, so my next suspicion is when you hit power off it's only the screen that goes off (Similar to an iPad) so I now hold off and actually power down the system but it still seems to drain. Turned on the fridge the night before our last trip just to find it warm in the morning because the voltage dropped too low for the ignition over night.

Any thoughts on how I can tell if something is draining the battery vs just having a crappy battery? I would think it was new with the camper but who knows.

Thanks!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Personal Opinion

If my vehicle sat a lot and couldn't withstand a full month without running the battery down, a maintenance charger would be added OR, the battery would have be disconnected 100% during storage (if not catastrophic to resuming normal operation). Cycling a standard car battery ruins it in short order.

[drsteve]

Dick_B wrote:
Just slightly off topic but my 2011 Suburban will run down the battery after a weekend of non-use. I now carry a Noco Genius Boost model GB40 which is a starter not a battery charger. My battery charge indicator was down to 10 volts recently after a couple of days and the car would not start. The Noco started it up right away.
BTW there are other such devices on the market. I'm not promoting mine.

Sounds like your battery is shot.

[Gjac]

A good battery should not go dead in a week of non use unless your parasitic amp draw is too high. I would check that first by disconnecting the neg battery cable and setting your free HF multi meter to 10 amps and record the reading between the neg cable and neg post. If it is an amp or more something is probably left on and should be tracked down and turned off. An amp of less is probably normal parasitic draw. Mine is .4 amps and will not draw the battery down that quickly. I would then fully charge the batteries then disconnect the neg cable, with a good battery it will last at least a month with no charge. If it goes dead in a week your battery is bad and needs replacement or equalizing to see if it can be brought back first before replacing.

[Groover]

I have one of these and find it very useful when trying to track down where my energy is going. It is one of very few that can read DC amps. I also keep my camper plugged in with a 10 amp battery maintainer at home.

Clamp on DC ampmeter

[Sandia_Man]

One thing for sure, your battery has seen better days and needs replacing. We all got the crappy batteries from our dealers when purchasing new, first trip out I noticed the new dealer battery having difficulty holding up with demand.

Whether you have an underlying issue or this is expected operation, a dual battery set up will pay dividends by letting you use all the latest technology on your new RV for longer periods, particularly if you choose golfcart batteries.

Use a voltmeter to determine proper function of your electrical system, ensure the converter is indeed applying the proper charging voltage to your battery, hopefully you will notice that it changes as it goes through various charging stages.

[Jim2007]

My disconnect switch turns off all power to the trailer.. I turn the switch off when I put it in storage between trips..Some times it sits for several weeks.. When I hook up there is enough power to move the front Jacks on my 5th wheel.Jim2007

[rhagfo]

kfp673 wrote:
I do have a disconnect switch. I use it if it won't be used for many weeks, but my old travel trailer would easily make it 1-2 weeks without disconnect. This one is just dead after about 3-4 days. Ill push the rest of the season out of it and consider a new one next spring I guess.

Make sure it disconnects every thing! Many factory switches don’t I always disconnect no matter a day or a month!

[Dick_B]

Just slightly off topic but my 2011 Suburban will run down the battery after a weekend of non-use. I now carry a Noco Genius Boost model GB40 which is a starter not a battery charger. My battery charge indicator was down to 10 volts recently after a couple of days and the car would not start. The Noco started it up right away.
BTW there are other such devices on the market. I'm not promoting mine.

[punomatic]

How about taking the battery to a battery shop for a load test. That should help you know whether the battery still has life in it.

[drsteve]

Battery disconnects typically leave the propane/CO detector powered up. But, a good battery should not run down in 3-4 days of powering a CO detector. If the battery has been discharged past 50% multiple times, it is probably damaged.

[Lynnmor]

kfp673 wrote:
I do have a disconnect switch. I use it if it won't be used for many weeks, but my old travel trailer would easily make it 1-2 weeks without disconnect. This one is just dead after about 3-4 days. Ill push the rest of the season out of it and consider a new one next spring I guess.

Many trailers that have factory "disconnect" switches do not turn off everything. Wire it correctly.


You turn off the disconnect switch immediately after you disconnect from the tow vehicle or shore power, unless you are using the trailer.

[MrWizard]

last July 2018 ?

or Past July 2019 ?

either way, sounds like this Battery is just so much 'lead toast' .. Now

[garym114]

Multimeters can measure amps. Get one and see what the battery draw is

[Lwiddis]

You realize that repeatedly fully draining your battery ruined that battery? Some RV battery basic electrical training should be on the top of your reading list...before you buy a new battery.