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08-02-2015, 08:35 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 26
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house batteries going dead after a couple of weeks
I have a Georgetown 36T and after a couple of weeks of sitting around, the house batteries are dead. When I open the door the stairs will not work. I have to charge the batteries by starting the engine and let it run.
When I am locking up I close the screen and the stairs retract. Then I reach in and shut the main switch off, then close the outside door. Is this happening to anyone else. The engine battery never goes dead.
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08-03-2015, 07:11 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 498
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There are numerous small drains on a battery even with the switch set to off. For long term storage disconnect the negative terminal. If you are parked near a power source just plug into a typical 110v outet using an adapter on your power cord.
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08-03-2015, 07:46 AM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 49
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In your post you wrote
Quote:
When I am locking up I close the screen and the stairs retract. Then I reach in and shut the main switch off, then close the outside door.
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If you do that because, otherwise, with the power already switched off your steps stay extended after you exit and close up the coach, that means your steps are still powered when the battery disconnect is off. When you are fooling the step control by turning the battery disconnect off with the door closed, the steps are just sitting there powered and at the ready to extend to enable this "last man out" feature when you open the door to exit. What I ended up doing is having my service provider put a dedicated switch between the steps and the battery to shut the power off completely to the steps, so I no longer have a drain on the battery due to this "last man out" feature. I only use this switch when I put the MH into storage, otherwise it is always on for safety reasons when the MH is active. I haven't had any battery issues since.
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08-03-2015, 08:00 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Napa Valley, CA
Posts: 513
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The house batteries will slowly drain due to small but steady demands from things like radio memory, CO or propane detectors, TV antenna amplifiers, etc. Adding a battery disconnect switch or removing the battery cable is one way to prevent this drain, or you can trickle charge the battery with a small solar panel, or you can plug in your shore power cord and let your converter keep your batteries charged.
__________________
2015 Rockwood A128S
2010 Rockwood 2604
2014 Ford F-250 CC SB 2WD
2008 Toyota Sequoia 2WD
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08-03-2015, 12:45 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 102
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I had this happen to me, my disconnect switch was not working, had to replace the solenoid inside the control box, cheap part but high labor. Cost was 480.00. But now all works fine. My coach batteries will stay charged for Months. The stairs stay down on the georgetown. Make sure all your lights i n your compartments are off. Good luck
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08-03-2015, 05:17 PM
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#6
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Tim & Lisa Trempert
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 458
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Quote:
Originally Posted by campingPhil
I have a Georgetown 36T and after a couple of weeks of sitting around, the house batteries are dead. When I open the door the stairs will not work. I have to charge the batteries by starting the engine and let it run.
When I am locking up I close the screen and the stairs retract. Then I reach in and shut the main switch off, then close the outside door. Is this happening to anyone else. The engine battery never goes dead.
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I had the exact same issue. The batteries had an internal short. New batteries solved the problem and they hold a charge for 4+ weeks without a problem provided that I use the battery disconnect switch. I'd go get your batteries tested. They will read full voltage and seem fully charged, which I guess they are, but they will discharge in just a couple days on their own with nothing at all connected to them.
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
Tim & Lisa
2011 Georgetown 350
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08-03-2015, 08:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bronston, KY
Posts: 734
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If you have access to 120 volt shore power I would use a battery tender. Mine will keep batteries fully charged for months. You do need to have batteries tested though.
Bill
__________________
Life is a journey, not a destination.
2005 Georgetown 359ts
Bill & Virginia, Kentucky
Nights camped in 2011...78 , 2012...73,
Nights camped in 2013...123, 2014 ...101
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08-03-2015, 08:46 PM
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#8
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Retired Ford Tech
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Full-Timer
Posts: 155
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Battery Drain
Did you look at the obvious things, like is there water in the batteries or maybe one or both have a bad cell. a battery hydrometer is a cheap investment and it gives a definitive condition of each battery. Also, how old are the batteries?
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08-03-2015, 09:27 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 45
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If you have a LP sniffer/sensor, it may have a switch to turn it off. On my 2008 Georgetown, it is located on the floor near the heater and mine does have a separate switch. If I forget to shut it off, it does have a small draw on the batteries and can drain the over time (although I think it would take longer than a couple of weeks on my 1.5 year old batteries).
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08-05-2015, 03:28 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Cumming GA
Posts: 75
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Get a solar battery tender from Northern Tool. If you have only one house battery a single solar 2.5 watt tender for $19.99. If you have two batteries then get a 7 watt charger for $44.99 from the same place. They will keep your batteries charged and prevent overcharging.
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08-06-2015, 04:01 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Rockland, Ontario
Posts: 57
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Happened to me last year on my 2007 378. House and coach batteries decided to all go bad at the same time and would discharge within a week or two. Replaced them all and hasn't been an issue since.
__________________
2007 Georgetown 378
2011 Cadillac SRX toad
Only downside to travelling is missing the grandkids!
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08-06-2015, 08:34 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 514
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Sounds Like you might need some new House Batteries. How old are the ones that are currently on the coach?
__________________
2014 Georgetown XL 352QS
2013-2019 Days Camped-502
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