House battery drain

raskul · 08-12-2007, 05:03 PM

Just got my new (2006) Adventurer back from initial PDI work. They replaced the Paralax converter because it went out while we were plugged into shore power on the shake-down. They replaced both 12V Interstate deep-cycle house batteries.

After a week in storage, checked house battery level and it was over 12.

We turned the Norcold (4-door model 120x)fridge on LP yesterday to cool it down (icemaker was OFF). Aux battery switch was left 'on'. Nothing controllable was left on (lights, etc...).
Today while loading the 'fridge, the "Low DC" alert came on the 'fridge. House batteries were at 10. Started engine/generator, finished loading, now in Oceanside w/30 amp shore power and all is well.

Is it possible the refrigerator uses so much house battery that it discharged it in 24 hours? It doesn't seem that it should, how could we possibly dry camp?

raskul · 08-12-2007, 05:03 PM

Just got my new (2006) Adventurer back from initial PDI work. They replaced the Paralax converter because it went out while we were plugged into shore power on the shake-down. They replaced both 12V Interstate deep-cycle house batteries.

After a week in storage, checked house battery level and it was over 12.

We turned the Norcold (4-door model 120x)fridge on LP yesterday to cool it down (icemaker was OFF). Aux battery switch was left 'on'. Nothing controllable was left on (lights, etc...).
Today while loading the 'fridge, the "Low DC" alert came on the 'fridge. House batteries were at 10. Started engine/generator, finished loading, now in Oceanside w/30 amp shore power and all is well.

Is it possible the refrigerator uses so much house battery that it discharged it in 24 hours? It doesn't seem that it should, how could we possibly dry camp?

Mooneypaul · 08-12-2007, 05:15 PM

I you were running the fridge on LP, there should be zerodrain on the house batts. Seems like something else was on to drian the batts.

Mooneypaul · 08-12-2007, 05:24 PM

If you were running the fridge on LP, there should be zero drain on the house batts. Seems like something else was on to drain the batts.

SCVJeff · 08-12-2007, 05:28 PM

Actually that fridge pulls on the order of 2+A (intermittently) on gas. It has a heater/ defroster on the little flapper between the doors, and it has 2 flue fans. It all adds up.

TXiceman · 08-12-2007, 05:28 PM

To run the frig on propane, you have to have a 12 volt source to power the igniter for the burner as well as the control board. So there is a power draw on the house batteries when the fig is on propane.

You also probably have a propane and CO momitor operating to drain the battery.

Ken

"007" · 08-12-2007, 05:28 PM

12V to refer is required to operate the control board also if its been hot where you are the cooling fans at top of cooling coils would have been coming off and on or on steady to keep the coils cool. If your fans were not working as they should your box temp would be in the high 40's but your freezer would be ok.
Even when refer is off not used there is a slite drain of 12v unless you hit the battery cut switch.

Roscat · 08-12-2007, 05:32 PM

Raskul--We had a similar problem with the house batteries not long after we took delivery of our Journey when new in '05. Apparently, they had sulfated by just sitting before being installed by
Winnebago. All three had to be replaced with fresh batteries. Also, I don't know if your coach has a
solar panel but even if it does, it won't keep the
batteries up for more than several days. I added a trickle charger to solve the problem since I can keep the coach close by and hooked to a 30 amp line. I understand that Winnebago now installs a battery disconnet on the new ones.

W8RLM · 08-12-2007, 06:13 PM

This past weekend, I was running on a 30 amp service. The motorhome was drawing 29 amps, so I decided to switch the refrigerator (4 door Norcold) to LP. The amp draw dropped to 26 amps. I've also been dry camping and had the refrigerator on AC. The inverter ran the house batteries down to 10 volts where the inverter cuts out before morning. I'm not surprised that your batteries discharged.

W8RLM - Bob

skigramp · 08-12-2007, 06:14 PM

raskal ..

Either you batteries are deficient ... or something significant was left on ...

I just got done dry camping ... I use a CPAP machine when I sleep ... I ran my genset until I went to bed ... then I turned on the inverter ... my batteries ran the refrigerator on LP, hot water heater on LP, and my CPAP machine for 7 hours ... the batteries were still at 12.1 volts after 7 hours ...

My batteries are about 9 months old

raskul · 08-12-2007, 07:17 PM

Thanks to all - Bob, it sounds like the fridge probably uses quite a bit of battery even on LP. Not a good scenario, but better to know than not!

SargeW · 08-12-2007, 07:21 PM

The batteries in a new coach are often beat up by the time that the delivery is made to the owner. Salesmen and lot employees think nothing of leaving several 12 volt appliances running for extended periods. They have done it to my coach when it was in for service! Add to that the myriad of parasitic loads on the batteries, and they will get hit hard.

I replaced all three of my house batteries after one year of ownership. It made a huge difference in the storage capacity and usable power when dry camping.