iamjim62
California
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I left the batteries on at the control panel of my 2007 Discovery for (2) weeks. When I returned, all the batteries were dead, including the engine batteries. Is this normal?
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Hi,
Welcome to the world of parasitic loads. A typical RV may use 12 amp-hours per day. 14 x 12 = a lot of amp-hours.
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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iamjim62
California
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Any suggestions as to what might cause all the batteries to discharge?
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Artum Snowbird
Campbell River, B.C., Canada
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Joined: 05/28/2004
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pianotuna wrote:Hi,
Welcome to the world of parasitic loads. A typical RV may use 12 amp-hours per day. 14 x 12 = a lot of amp-hours.
Don, not that I doubt you at all, because I know you have done the math, but what uses up 1/2 amp hour per hour to make 12 amp hours? And especially, why would he not still have a chassis battery? Are you assuming a live fridge, which I know will take a lot, or just detectors and other loads...
thanks, Mike
Mike and Carole
2007 Snowbird 9'6" Super Slide
2005 16.6 Double Eagle
2000 F350 7.3 SC 4X4
previously 8'10" Snowbird Camper
2006 Triple E Regency 27 foot SXL SOLD!
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Hi Artum,
Smoke detector, propane detector, fridge boards (some draw power even when turned off), furnace board, air conditioner board. I'm sure there are others I've missed. 12 amp-hours per day seems to be the most often quoted figure on RVnet. I've not actually measured--so it may be less or more. He definitely left the house batteries to the "use" position rather than to the "disconnect".
The radio may be on the chassis battery side. It does seem odd for the engine battery to go dead quite that quickly.
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Crazy Ray
Monroe,La
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NORMAL, NO
RET ARMY  , DW Donna , "Tiny" (furkid)  . Class A, 2007 Fleetwood Bounder 35E, Ford Chassis, 4 SAMS 6VOLTS, YAMAHA 2400, TOW: Honda CRV. "Living Our Dream". NASCAR FAN 11,14,18,20 LOVE CO & NM
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Polishnurse
Schodack, NY
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Normal Yes and No, the coach battery Yes, the chassis battery No. I had mine only due that once where both died. It's never happened again. I ended up replacing the Chassis battery. It had a bad cell. Was it a coincidence I don't know. Bill
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YC 1
Yuba City Calif.
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Polishnurse wrote:Normal Yes and No, the coach battery Yes, the chassis battery No. I had mine only due that once where both died. It's never happened again. I ended up replacing the Chassis battery. It had a bad cell. Was it a coincidence I don't know. Bill
I agree with this assesment. The engine battery should be isolated from the chassis batteries unless modified otherwise. The chassis batteries would definitely be dead in two weeks with the switch on. Two weeks for the engine battery could be normal too depending on the setup.
For example with the isolator relay. If the engine battery was the source to keep it engaged you would have a dead battery in two weeks. Those relays draw quite a bit of current when activated. Mine gets hot and draws about 1.5 amps.
H/R Endeavor 2008
2007 Hummer H3 toad
Ranger Boat
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JTHarley
Northeast, Michigan, USA
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IMHO, yes it is normal. The parasitic drain on both sets of batteries over a two week period will kill the batteries. It happened to me once long ago and since then I turn off the chassis batteries and coach batteries in storage and it has never happened again. Lots and lots of things to drain batteries and two weeks is a long time.
Jim , MJ & Spirit of Sambuca Bear
"He's one big Newfie"
Dynamax Ultra 450UL
450 MBE
Jeep Sahara Toad
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FuzzyKnight
Santee, Ca
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This is why there is a disconnect switch. Turn it off when leaving the coach for more than a few days.
Fuzzy and Mary
2002 Allegro 31DA
1928 Model A
1953 Ford Club Coupe
1963 1/2 Falcon Ranchero Original factory V8 4 spd
1963 Fairlane SportsCoupe
1965 Honda SuperHawk
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