Killing batteries

Belgique · 08-14-2006, 12:51 PM

I posted on this awhile back but the situation has changed a lot, I think. 2001 35U.

This weekend we went to a great forest service park with no hook ups. Within 2-3 hours the batteries would be down to 10.5V with nothing that I know of on. We turned off all the lights, rectifier for the TV, no lap top, water pump off, fridge on gas. The only apparent thing on was the dash radio, clock only, on house batteries.

The batteries are about 3 months old. I know there are things like detectors etc that will run them down over time, but certainly not in 2-3 hours. I was wondering about the fridge: I checked, and it is definetly a 2 way (LP & 120V). I do note that it would flash "Dc lo" so am curious as to what it uses dc for?

Any other ideas on how to trouble shoot this because something is draining them. I was going to pull fuses but the coach has the breaker kind of fuses that you can't kill (or if you can, I don't know how).

Thanks in advance!!! Steve

Belgique · 08-14-2006, 12:51 PM

I posted on this awhile back but the situation has changed a lot, I think. 2001 35U.

This weekend we went to a great forest service park with no hook ups. Within 2-3 hours the batteries would be down to 10.5V with nothing that I know of on. We turned off all the lights, rectifier for the TV, no lap top, water pump off, fridge on gas. The only apparent thing on was the dash radio, clock only, on house batteries.

The batteries are about 3 months old. I know there are things like detectors etc that will run them down over time, but certainly not in 2-3 hours. I was wondering about the fridge: I checked, and it is definetly a 2 way (LP & 120V). I do note that it would flash "Dc lo" so am curious as to what it uses dc for?

Any other ideas on how to trouble shoot this because something is draining them. I was going to pull fuses but the coach has the breaker kind of fuses that you can't kill (or if you can, I don't know how).

Thanks in advance!!! Steve

skipsor · 08-14-2006, 05:08 PM

We have a 2004 Brave and as you come in the door on the left side, down low on the wall there are two switches, one of which will disconnect your batteries and kill all 12v power to the coach. I believe it is labeled battery disconnect.

That said, I don't think that is the answer to your problem, only a temporary fix. I am not an electrical wizard but you can shut your power off to at least slow down your drain.

mrschwarz · 08-14-2006, 06:00 PM

Disconnect the batteries as suggested. Check the batteries after a couple of hours to see if the voltage drops. If it does, the problem is with the batteries. If not, the problem lies with a device that is draining the battery.

If it was me, I would disconnected things one at a time until I found the one that was draining the battery. Another thing to do would be to get an ammeter to see if you can look at the current flow.

Good luck.

dirko · 08-15-2006, 12:26 AM

Hi Ho: The responses you have received are good. Lead acid batteries last about 5 years on average. Some last a little longer, but if the batteries are the original ones they are likely at end of life. When that happens they will appear to discharge themselves with no load attached. It would help to know how many batteries and how they are connected. However, if one is bad and they are more than 5 years old they should probably all be replaced. If the charge mechanism is correct they should measure about 13.8 volts when being charged. With no load they should measure about 12 volts when charged after the surface charge has dissipated. If the voltage continues to decrease with no load they are probably at end-of-life. Good luck

Belgique · 08-15-2006, 03:38 AM

Thanks guys, so far.

HOW do you turn on/off individual circuits? My 35U has circuit breakers that pop out when something goes wrong (and you push them back in....there is no way that I know of to pull them out to kill the circuit. I'll try the master kill switch to see what happens but this won't help me pin point the circuit.

Batteries are new...about 3 months.

Anyone know what the fridge uses 12V for (mine is definitely a 2 way (LP & 120V)

JnGOnTheGo · 08-15-2006, 03:58 AM

When the fridge switches to LP I believe that the LP system is run by 12V so while the fridge is cooling using LP the LP system is drawing 12V but I wouldn't think that it would drain the batteries in 2 or 3 hours.

dirko · 08-15-2006, 05:44 AM

HI HO: Have you tried to put something under the breakers and lift them to turn them off? Most can be turned off in that manner.

NeilV · 08-15-2006, 06:00 AM

Steve,

If your fridge is malfunctioning the 12 volt electric ignitor for the gas burner may be constantly trying to cycle. Try turning off the fridge completely and see if that solves your problem. If you can't empty it you can open the outside panel and unplug the 110 plug from the coach recepticle located there and plug it into an extension cord going to the campground power post or another RV to keep it cool.

Regards,

Tenn.Vol. · 08-15-2006, 10:56 AM

Fridge controls are powered by 12Volts.

Start with a good battery. Turn everything off thats 12V, converters, lights,ex. fans.
Now disconnect the NEG. ternimal on the battery and touch it to the Neg. post on
said battery. If something is shorted there will be a LARGE electrical ark, NOW start
pulling the breakers till the LARGE ark is reduced to a small ark. And that will be the
12V line that is causing trouble.

DANGER WIL ROBERSON, DANGER ---PUT A FAN ON OVER THE BATTERYS TO BLOW AWAY ANY BATTERY
GASSES! OR IT WILL BE AN EXPLOSIVE SITUATION.---TENN.

Belgique · 08-16-2006, 12:17 PM

Well, it keeps getting better.

Was going to try some of the things you kind folks suggested BUT...

The master house kill switch by the door doesn't kill anything (and it used to). All it does is make a clunking sound somewhere down behind the batteries. Lights etc all work fine no matter how this switch is clicked. Batteries (almost new) are wired just like the old ones were.

Hmmm.

Could this kill switch be causing the problem with draining batteries?

And, still looking for how to turn off individual circuits for fault isolation purposes given that the coach has these push button pop-out breakers for the 12V (and you cannt pull them out).

Thanks folks! Steve

tomsm · 08-16-2006, 12:43 PM

Steve - Are you hooked up to shore power now? If so, the AC powered converter will supply 12v dc to all your circuits even if the batteries are disconnected. If you're not hooked up to AC then, yes, there is something wrong with your disconnect. The clunking would be the disconnect solenoid doing it's thing and SHOULD indicate that it's working.

If you are hooked up to AC, the disconnect is not the problem. It's not unheard of for a new battery to fail. You might want to disconnect the battery cables at the batteries, measure the voltage of each battery, then measure again in a couple of hours. If one battery is much lower, you have found the problem.

RKL2 · 08-16-2006, 05:43 PM

Steve....check to see if your altenator is charging the house batteries when the motor is on...should be about 14.2 volts....Then turn the motor off and plug into ac and then check the charge rate....should be 14.2 leveling off to 13.1V....If neither is charging, check the battery solonoid...hope this helps...RKL

Tenn.Vol. · 08-16-2006, 06:12 PM

You have what I call a LATCHING RELAY, it takes a GOOD 12V,a GOOD ground, GOOD connections,
and a GOOD Latching relay, for this relay to work. For the relay to STAY LATCHED, it needs
a CONSTANT 12Volts, if not the relay will default to the relaxed position. Which I think
is what you have now. Wish I could be of more help, but I did not stay at a HOLIDAY INN
last night!!!TENN.

Belgique · 08-16-2006, 06:32 PM

Tomsm: yep I was plugged in...never thought about that.

Otheres: rig is in the shop for chassis PM. Will try all these ideas when I get it back.

Thanks! Steve