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!

kfp673 wrote: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.You do realize if the trailer isn't plugged into shore power but you leave the battery connected that parasitic draw will easily kill your battery - right? :@

Sounds normal to me. That's why if you have an RV, you leave it connected to a maintainer charger all the time. And if no electric available, you put a solar panel on the roof of the RV or the Kool cover.

The propane/carbon monoxide detectors are common causes but there are other loads. The fridge for one if it is propane/120V. You need a battery disconnect switch.

Motorized RVs come with a battery disconnect switchAnd that still leaves a few things connectedWith a TTI suggest disconnecting the negative battery cable at the batteryThere are two m many things in modern RVs, that stay connected and slowly drain the battery when in storage

and check the battery water every month.

Battery Draining... | Good Sam Community

SoundGuy
Explorer
Aug 06, 2019
kfp673 wrote:
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.

You do realize if the trailer isn't plugged into shore power but you leave the battery connected that parasitic draw will easily kill your battery - right? :@
RJsfishin
Explorer
Aug 06, 2019
Sounds normal to me. That's why if you have an RV, you leave it connected to a maintainer charger all the time. And if no electric available, you put a solar panel on the roof of the RV or the Kool cover.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 07, 2019
The propane/carbon monoxide detectors are common causes but there are other loads. The fridge for one if it is propane/120V. You need a battery disconnect switch.
MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 07, 2019
Motorized RVs come with a battery disconnect switch
And that still leaves a few things connected

With a TT
I suggest disconnecting the negative battery cable at the battery
There are two m many things in modern RVs, that stay connected and slowly drain the battery when in storage
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Aug 07, 2019
and check the battery water every month.
MFL
Nomad II
Aug 07, 2019
Yes, like others mentioned, there are several drains that will cause the low battery. The bad news is, if you have continually run your battery below 50 percent of charge, over the past year, it may need replacing now.

Jerry
agesilaus
Explorer III
Aug 07, 2019
MrWizard wrote:
Motorized RVs come with a battery disconnect switch
And that still leaves a few things connected

With a TT
I suggest disconnecting the negative battery cable at the battery
There are two m many things in modern RVs, that stay connected and slowly drain the battery when in storage

Many TT and fivers also have disconnect switches. My last fiver followed by our current TT both had one. And they are easy to install if yours does not. Amazon
kfp673
Explorer II
Aug 07, 2019
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.
Boon_Docker
Explorer III
Aug 07, 2019
Sounds like the battery needs replacing, should not die that soon.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 07, 2019
Nevertheless, all drainage should be disappeared. 0.00 milliamps. A lonely CO detector will not impress the canned peas if it should go off with no one around. Refrigerator flexing its brain while the unit is shut off is similarly brain dead.

People who have never left the comforts of their city apartment design these things. They talk a good line but it's hollow.

It's not hard to install a chassis negative cutoff switch a couple of feet from the battery. All these dead-brain-tissue problems disappear.