Need clarification please!

[Toby]

Originally Posted by Pirogue

Sorry to start this thread and then go missing with out any response to all the info everyone has offered. We had a change in plans and suddenly found our schedule opened up so we made quick get away weekend camping trip. Had a ball.
So reveiwing all the reponses to my original question, I think I understand that parasite current draw ( CO detector, smoke detector, radio back light, etc.) is what drained my battery. Ok I can live with that. Disconnect should remedy that issue. Does it matter what lead I disconnect?
As far as the truck running the jacks and/or other 12V systems in the trailer, apparently some do and some don't. A bit disappointing but not a show stopper. I was told by a fellow camper this weekend that my truck will charge my trailer battery while driving but it takes a long time.
Anyway the good news is with a battery disconnect switch I should be able to avoid future problems.
Thanks everybody for the info and advice, I truly appreciate it.
And yes, it was bold jumping straight into the deep end instead of dangling my feet first. However; I have been camping all my life, I just never owned a bona-fide RV and instead of worrying about outgrowing one, we just decided to get the right one first go around.

Pirogue

That makes more sense!

I'm no electrical guru so I have no business giving advice on it but I'd think you'd want to put the switch on the positive side (where you find the inline fuse anyway)

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Toby

That makes more sense!

I'm no electrical guru so I have no business giving advice on it but I'd think you'd want to put the switch on the positive side (where you find the inline fuse anyway)

It is DC and frame grounded. It really does not matter electrically.
As long as there is no return path to the battery there is no current flow.

With no shore power connected to the camper; remove the ground wire from the negative terminal of the battery; touch a wire to the positive terminal of the battery and touch the frame. No current flow.

Now touch the negative terminal... Light show...

[fschambe]

Take a look at the fuse box in your trailer and see if there is a plunger sticking out the side. That would be a disconnect.

[TravelTracer]

I happened to see this post and found it interesting. Since I am new to RV'ing, the very same thing happened to me. Trailer was in storage for about 3 weeks...went to the trailer and found absolutly no power to anything. The battery was dead. After talking to a Prime Time service rep, (Roger Stickel), he explained that the battery should be disconnected, or to install a battery disconnect. I charged the battery and everything was okay after that. Now, I do disconnect the battery and will have a disconnect installed. Wouldn't it make sense for a battery disconnect switch to be part of delivery of an RV? Is this standard practice with all RV's? If someone would have told me prior to delivery, I would have gladly paid to have one installed..

[Pirogue]

fschambe,
No plunger that I could see in my circuit panel. That would have been very convenient though.


TravelTracer,
I am new to RV'ing also and it turns out that this minor problem is one of those picky little things that we have to learn as we go. I agree that it seems like a disconnect would be a standard feature rather than an option considering the manufacturer has to know the battery will go dead if not disconnected. However; I got a simple little disconnect for $6.00 and problem is solved.