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Battery Draining...

kfp673
Explorer II
Explorer II
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!
24 REPLIES 24

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
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
Explorer
Explorer
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.
2006 Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab 2WD 6.0L 3.73 8600 GVWR
2018 Coachmen Catalina Legacy Edition 223RBS
1991 Palomino Filly PUP

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
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
Explorer II
Explorer II
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
Explorer II
Explorer II
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
Explorer
Explorer
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
TV: 2016 Dodge 2500 Diesel
Rig: 2013 Heartland, Sundance, 5th wheel

rhagfo
Explorer III
Explorer III
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 donโ€™t I always disconnect no matter a day or a month!
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

Dick_B
Explorer
Explorer
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.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two electric bikes (both Currie Tech Path+ models)

punomatic
Explorer
Explorer
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.
DW and Me
2016 Riverside White Water Retro 195
2014 Nissan Titan SL Crew Cab
Formerly, I used to work for the department of redundancy department.


Life in Black and Blue

drsteve
Explorer
Explorer
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.
2006 Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab 2WD 6.0L 3.73 8600 GVWR
2018 Coachmen Catalina Legacy Edition 223RBS
1991 Palomino Filly PUP

Lynnmor
Explorer
Explorer
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
Moderator
Moderator
last July 2018 ?

or Past July 2019 ?

either way, sounds like this Battery is just so much 'lead toast' .. Now
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

Connected using T-Mobile Home internet and Visible Phone service
1997 F53 Bounder 36s

garym114
Explorer II
Explorer II
Multimeters can measure amps. Get one and see what the battery draw is
2000 Sea Breeze F53 V10 - CR-V Toad
Some RV batteries live a long and useful life, some are murdered.
Get a Digital Multimeter and Learn How to Use It

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
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.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad