Excessive current draw on battery power

[Dandaman]

I have a 2008 Rockwood 8240SS that has a constant 5 amp draw on the batteries, measured by inserting my digital VOM in line with the power lead. I have removed all of the fuses from converter and still have the 5 amp draw. Needless to say my battery power lasts less than a full 24 hrs. Anybody else experience this ?

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Dandaman

I have a 2008 Rockwood 8240SS that has a constant 5 amp draw on the batteries, measured by inserting my digital VOM in line with the power lead. I have removed all of the fuses from converter and still have the 5 amp draw. Needless to say my battery power lasts less than a full 24 hrs. Anybody else experience this ?

Do you have an Inverter onboard? If you have an Inverter it would most likely be supplying the fridge. That would explain the 5 amp draw. If you have an inverter, turn it off and read the amps again.

[Dandaman]

Thanks for the reply, I have the built in converter on board. I am pretty sure I pulled the 15 amp refrigerator fuse when I was troubleshooting but I will double check again. I run the fridge off of gas when camping, thanks again..

[Mr. Dan]

It is unlikely that a 2008 Rockwood has an inverter nor a residential refrigerator.


Keep in mind that not all 12v draws go through the fuses in your fuse panel. Tongue jacks on TTs and landing jacks on 5th wheels are examples plus many slide motors. You may have a stuck switch or other problem with an electric jack.

[TitanMike]

Look for a light or two in a closet. I have one that is totally invisible to me when it's door is closed Switch is on the wall in the bathroom and it's easy to get left on as it doesn't control anything out in the bathroom. Also make sure the light on the tongue jack is not on (it's a puny light and easy to overlook during daylight). Then there is the propane/CO detector, refrigerator control board (even if on propane). Lots of little things can add up. Don't overlook stereo and antenna amplifier.

[WY Husker Fan]

Same thing happened to me when the break away switch got accidentally pulled when I unhooked at a campsite. My Victron was showing about 5 amps draw. I knew everything else was off - checked and found the breakaway cable and plunger on the ground. It had caught on the tongue jack when unhooking.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by WY Husker Fan

Same thing happened to me when the break away switch got accidentally pulled when I unhooked at a campsite. My Victron was showing about 5 amps draw. I knew everything else was off - checked and found the breakaway cable and plunger on the ground. It had caught on the tongue jack when unhooking.

that will do it.

[strgrazr]

Check your TV ampifer first to be sure it is not on, they will stay in the on position even if power is removed. Because it is a switch not pushbotton, it remains on, and the led is often hidden by TV, current draw is usually about
4 amps , add the detector about 1 amp =5amp.

Another area to look is the detectors propane, carbon monoxide and fire combined they can use 1.5amps and an old style light 2.5amp(non-led)

If the source of the current draw still is not found, You sound handy with a VOM pull out the convertor(approx 4 screws) & check each DC curcuit to ground.(ohms) should be high, remove all power 12dc & 120ac first

Many RV's from that time period had seperate 5 amp fuses on the refrigerator control board and were wired directly to 12vdc buss at the convertor but no fused there. I have fixed several control boards for fellow RV's and boater's back then. The common thread was that the a/c power cords were plugged in with the ref. in auto, always turn off the ref. even when in gas. The current spike in the 12vdc and 120vac lines caused by the convertor and ref. powering up at the same time can damage a reed relay chip or blow the fuse.

[Dandaman]

Thank you for the hints I will troubleshoot further!

[Bushbunch]

Salem Cruise Lite 2015 model. Two batteries ago. I put a disconnect switch on the battery to keep the draw from ruining the battery. The gas refrig will only work until battery juice runs out. The fridge lights blinked like a Christmas tree when the battery died. I did EVERYTHING everybody said and the lights still dim in only a few "daze".

[Flybob]

X2 on Breakaway switch