Plugged in but draining battery. In the dark! Help!

Just an update.

It was a fuse.

$1

All your advice was still very much appreciated! It has been absorbed, studied, and will be referenced in the future.

We knew our old camper inside and out. Learning this one is a priority now.

Again THANK YOU!

Spouse works nights (he's a Coke dealer. As in Coca-Cola). You know I'm being extra patient in not banging around, making noise, and trying to wake him so we can solve this mystery.

We knew buying used would require a learning curve and some upgrades. Just knowing where to start is a huge help. Thank you! He dropped and ran yesterday. Today is Salem 101.

With everything 'ON' like you indicated it may have tripped the house breaker feeding the trailer.

We got very use to using a multimeter when we first got our RV. It tells all once you figure out what and where to measure things...

You mentioned you never used a battery on your old RV - Guess you didn't make any trips in it as a battery is required by US DOT if you are pulling your trailer over public roads. This is what engages the electric brakes in the event the trailer becomes disconnected from the truck.

We are always conscious of our battery state of charge. If the battery is fully charged it should read 12.6-7VDC across the battery terminals just sitting there without being plugged into shore power or generator. When you plug into shore power or generator then the DC VOLTAGE at the battery terminals should jump up to 13.6VDC or whatever mode your smart mode converter/charger is doing at the time. This tells you your battery is being charged by being plugged into shore power or on the generator.

If you don't see the increase in DC VOLTAGE at the battery terminals then you have to start looking where it stops starting with the DC OUTPUT of the converter/charger unit.

Since this is all new I suspect the possibility the battery cables may have got installed in REVERSE. That is another possibility that may have blown some DC fuses. My trick there is to find the word NEG or the symbol - on the battery case and make sure this is the battery cable that goes directly to frame ground real close to the battery.

New trailers area always fun until you figure out where everything is how it all works haha...

The worse thing is when you totally discharge a battery like this it starts the internal self destruction of the battery which results in not getting full performance again from it. Hopefully yours will return with full performance when you get it recharged again. Ods are against it however...

Roy Ken

I agree with the above, start with the house plug. There's a good change you blew the fuse for the outlet if you tried running everything at once. Powering a whole trailer on one little outlet is way too much, especially if you tested the microwave, fridge, or a/c.

Start where the TT is plugged into the house. Is the outlet working? Plug in a lamp and ensure you are getting electricity, then go to the TT and plug it in. Again see that you have power. Always start with the easy stuff.

Thanks all! We have literally had it in our possession for less than 24 hours so all input is appreciated!

Now that it's daylight and not storming we will start poking around and see what's up.

All the above advice about checking a fuse or breaker near the battery is incorrect in this situation. The OP is operating from the battery which indicates everything between the battery and converter is good.

For some reason, the converter is not putting power out. Switch all breakers in the power center off and back on again. The converter could be supplied by a GFCI receptacle, check all of them and be sure they are working.

Test all fuses in the converter/power center.

Supply the brand and model of converter for further assistance.

when it stops raining.. follow the positive (red or white) cable from battery .. find the fuse or circuit breaker.. mine is behind the front frame... one for trailer and one for power slide-in. then to fuse box..

power converter also has input fuses that are NOT in the fuse panel.

There is also a fuse or a circuit breaker close to the battery, sometimes located on the frame or tongue of the trailer. If that is open there will be no charge to the battery and no power to any 12V devices, like lights.

Make sure the emergency brake cable on the tongue of the trailer didn't get pulled out, that will drain your batteries right now.
Good luck, Bill