Batteries drawing after disconnect switched off

[Sagecoachdriver]

I was installing my Xantrex battery monitor system on my Forester's 2 group 27 batteries. I had the kill switch engaged. When the Battery monitoring system was installed, it showed .1 amp draw. When it was in my Winnebago, it showed 0 zero with the battery disconnect switched. Should be zero in the new Forester. That means when batteries are disconnected between trips, the draw will be 19 amps per week. Good thing I keep it in my driveway instead of a storage lot as it would be totally dead in 3 months. The monitor itself draws 18mA in power saving and 32mA normal monitoring, so I don't thing it's that.

[davel1971]

not sure how you are coming up with a "amps per week" figure. Any amp draw at all will drain battery over time of course. Why not just put in a mechanical disconnect switch instead of one that uses power to save your battery

[bob caldwell]

Lots of little draws that the factory switch doesn't deal with.

[Sagecoachdriver]

At .1 amp per hour x 24= 2.4 ah per day times 7 =19 ah per week x 4 weeks = 76 ah in 4 weeks. Not place in the under the step battery compartment for a knife switch.

[Kenny kustom]

These are common in automotive.
Easy to install and should fit.




2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[boondocking]

This is what I use for the main battery disconnect. It connects inline on the battery cable.

12V CAR Stereo Audio Current Circuit Breaker Inline Fuse Protector 100Amp 100A | eBay

[Kenny kustom]

A circuit breaker is not meant to be manually tripped on a regular basis.

Not sure how often you trip it..


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[cpd1343]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

A circuit breaker is not meant to be manually tripped on a regular basis.

Not sure how often you trip it..


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

That's funny because that is the way we all use them at the power pedestal in campgrounds.

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by cpd1343

That's funny because that is the way we all use them at the power pedestal in campgrounds.

You trip the breaker, plug in, then turn it back on?
Why..


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[Kenny kustom]

Circuit breakers are marked SWD if they are designed to be used as a switch.

SWD - switch duty. Usually used for fluorescent lighting.


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

Circuit breakers are marked SWD if they are designed to be used as a switch.

SWD - switch duty. Usually used for fluorescent lighting.


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

I can attest to that. Been using the breakers in my shop for the lights the past 25yrs and haven't changed one out yet.

[bob caldwell]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

You trip the breaker, plug in, then turn it back on?
Why..


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

To keep from arching when plugg'n in.

[cpd1343]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

To keep from arching when plugg'n in.

X2

[Nick M]

Depending on how much load the RV presents to the pedestal you are now using the male plug as a switch, hope you can get all contacts engaged at the same time and quickly.

In the past I did not turn the pedestal breaker off, just plugged in with AC and sometimes water heater ready to run. I could hear the arc as the plug male blades made contact. Since I worked professionally as an electrical engineer I knew right away this wasn't a good situation so now I turn off the breaker, insert my plug and energize the breaker and let the pedestal breaker handle the startup load of the coach.

Yep, there are many of you who have never de-energized the circuit breaker and plugged your RV in for a lot of years and never had a problem, me too! But why invite trouble? it's easier on your electrics/electronics if you allow the circuit breaker to energize your RV. Unless the breaker is defective (and it does happen) chances are extremely good that all connections will made nearly simultaneously.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by Nick M

Depending on how much load the RV presents to the pedestal you are now using the male plug as a switch, hope you can get all contacts engaged at the same time and quickly.

In the past I did not turn the pedestal breaker off, just plugged in with AC and sometimes water heater ready to run. I could hear the arc as the plug male blades made contact. Since I worked professionally as an electrical engineer I knew right away this wasn't a good situation so now I turn off the breaker, insert my plug and energize the breaker and let the pedestal breaker handle the startup load of the coach.

Yep, there are many of you who have never de-energized the circuit breaker and plugged your RV in for a lot of years and never had a problem, me too! But why invite trouble? it's easier on your electrics/electronics if you allow the circuit breaker to energize your RV. Unless the breaker is defective (and it does happen) chances are extremely good that all connections will made nearly simultaneously.

This is all correct and I did this too. Now that I have installed a Progressive power management system I don't need to, the progressive does it for me. It waits 10 seconds or so to apply power to the trailer after the plug is put in. No arcs.

[captainperry]

Put a manual disconnect switch inline on battery cable and be done with it.

[cpd1343]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

This is all correct and I did this too. Now that I have installed a Progressive power management system I don't need to, the progressive does it for me. It waits 10 seconds or so to apply power to the trailer after the plug is put in. No arcs.

I have the same, but you can get arcing when un-plugging as well.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Sagecoachdriver

At .1 amp per hour x 24= 2.4 ah per day times 7 =19 ah per week x 4 weeks = 76 ah in 4 weeks. Not place in the under the step battery compartment for a knife switch.

Use What is shown in that picture. Or just pull the cable off when you know you're not going to be using it for a while. Or there's a good old standby invest $40 in a battery tender. Or throw 200 watts of solar on your roof with a good charge controller and never think about it again. The latter was my choice.

[Kenny kustom]

I plug in without anything on.
Wouldn't that make more sense?


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

You trip the breaker, plug in, then turn it back on?
Why..


2008 F350 CCSB V10
2016 Sabre 36QBOK

Let the breaker absorb the arc. It will be smaller, quicker, and not scar my plug, I also hope it is minimizing the surge affect on Coach electronics.

Maybe not but thats how I see it and that's the way we've been doing it on the few occasions that we are on hook ups.