Full-time battery draw

awellis3 · 09-14-2015, 01:50 PM

My Rockwood 2604WS has a battery disconnect switch next to the converter. This disconnects everything that runs through the DC side of the fuse panel. However, there is something drawing current. When I disconnect a battery wire and touch it to the post, a very tiny spark and faintly audible sparking sound occurs.
Before I commence to troubleshooting this, has anyone else with a TT similar to mine found a "mystery user"?

Teach

bruceatlam · 09-14-2015, 04:57 PM

Check your CO and propane alarms.

awellis3 · 09-14-2015, 05:10 PM

Thanks. CO is battery operated. Propane detector has a monitor light that goes out when disconnect is engaged.

Rrickim63 · 09-14-2015, 05:15 PM

Can you use a multi meter to verify current draw?

awellis3 · 09-15-2015, 08:32 AM

LOL! Don't need a meter to see the spark. I plan to start at the buss bar and see if the draw is inside the trailer or outside. If outside, it'd have to be the tongue jack or the break-away switch. I hope it isn't inside.
I was hoping someone here with a Rockwood 2000 series had a similar problem and could steer me to it without my having to track this down, but he hasn't shown up yet.

cwilliamp · 10-16-2016, 09:54 PM

I have a 2012 Wildwood and notice that although everything is turned off in the trailer the batteries would die during storage. I have inserted manual switches with all items I can not turn off, i.e. radio LCD and propane sensor. Today I extracted all the 15A fuses in power converter panel and measure with a amp-meter more than 150mA current draw.

I then extracted the 40A fuses associated with the "Reverse Polarity Protection" and noticed a spark. Using the amp-meter here I found that the connectors for the Reverse Polarity Protection is drawing current all the time.

I believe this is causing my batteries to die. I just don't know if this current draw is normal for this type of converter.

**bikendan** · 10-16-2016, 10:11 PM

Deleted

ykdave · 10-16-2016, 10:56 PM

well, if it wasnt wired by a bunch of monkeys (so chances are high), the only draw with the battery disconnect disconnected, would be to the breakaway and 7pin 12v+. by chance was it hooked up to a vehicle when you tried this?

On mine they at least seem to have everything behind the disconnect, but its possible they have a radio memory wire or something wired direct (co/propane/smoke detectors would have been my other guesses)

cwilliamp · 10-16-2016, 11:16 PM

The TT was not connected to a tow vehicle. Also, the TT does not have a "battery disconnect" switch.

awellis3 · 10-17-2016, 10:15 AM

I found the culprit. It is the wardrobe slide. The switch that activates the control module (the in-and-out switch on the control panel) is powered through the fuse/circuit breaker panel and is disconnected by the battery disconnect switch inside the trailer.
However, this slide has a power cable that is fused (30A) off the battery directly to the control module. This circuit sends power to the slide motors 24/7 and is the braking mechanism that holds the slide in while traveling.
After disconnecting the heating element in my fridge and putting a switch in the power circuit to the slide motors, my phantom draws have been eliminated.

sk734 · 10-18-2016, 07:58 PM

If you want to stop the current draw on your trailer install a battery disconnect on the negative side of the battery and your problem will be solved. Remimber to turn it back on when you go camping or pick up at the storage lot. If you do not want to install the disconnect just remove the negative wire from the battery and reconnect when ready to roll.

awellis3 · 10-19-2016, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sk734

If you want to stop the current draw on your trailer install a battery disconnect on the negative side of the battery and your problem will be solved.

I needed to track the draws down because I dry camp. I noticed my Rockwood's battery bank was losing voltage faster than my old Sunline's did.
I disconnect the negative wire between trips, but I needed to find the source of my unusually quick voltage drop while I am camping.
It was the fridge defrost and wardrobe slide.

sk734 · 10-19-2016, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awellis3

I needed to track the draws down because I dry camp. I noticed my Rockwood's battery bank was losing voltage faster than my old Sunline's did.
I disconnect the negative wire between trips, but I needed to find the source of my unusually quick voltage drop while I am camping.
It was the fridge defrost and wardrobe slide.

I understand. Glad you were able to track it down.

GOTTOYS · 10-19-2016, 11:09 AM

I always wire a battery kill switch to kill everything when I have it in storage. That includes the breakaway, levelers and so on. Trailer is a little more secure if someone trying to steal it they can't operate the jacks. I have to turn it on to hitch so then the breakaway and everything else comes on line. You could accomplish the same thing by pulling off a battery cable. Why mess with pulling fuses when you can just do this?

sk734 · 10-19-2016, 11:53 AM

Please note my 5ver had a so called battery disconnect in the UDC but it did not kill everthing. I also put a kill switch at the battery to make sure no current is flowing to anything in the rig. Or as stated before disconnect the negative battery wire. See you down the road.

stevejahr · 10-20-2016, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awellis3

I found the culprit. It is the wardrobe slide. The switch that activates the control module (the in-and-out switch on the control panel) is powered through the fuse/circuit breaker panel and is disconnected by the battery disconnect switch inside the trailer.
However, this slide has a power cable that is fused (30A) off the battery directly to the control module. This circuit sends power to the slide motors 24/7 and is the braking mechanism that holds the slide in while traveling.
After disconnecting the heating element in my fridge and putting a switch in the power circuit to the slide motors, my phantom draws have been eliminated.

Interesting. I have a later model 2015/2016 2604WS and the cutoff switch is out front under the propane tanks. In mine the cutoff switch turned off about everything but the Zamp solar connector and I think the emergency breakaway trailer brakes.

I can believe that the front slide could draw a parasitic power since it uses an electronic controller module. I updated the wiring in mine to eliminate the auxiliary inline fuses under the left front corner (one 30A for each slide) and move them to a power panel in the front storage compartment. This was part of my install of a solar controller and current measurement shunt.

I also installed a switch in my Dometic to turn off the door seal heater and eliminate that draw.

With a 100A solar panel was able to easily survive a 4 day dry camp outing in July. Warm days made the side awning very nice and cooling at night made A/C not necessary. So solar was a fantastic solution there.

MNtraveler · 10-20-2016, 10:52 AM

There are a number of items that are powered by the battery even when the battery disconnect switch is off. It's unfortunate, but true. These can be small LED lights, radio/stereo back up memory power (to save GPS routes and station settings, for example), and hidden items like you found with the motor controller. Therefore, to preserve the battery when not in use, you will need to disconnect it at the ground terminal or install a disconnect switch right on the battery. If dual batteries, you will have to install it in such a way that both batteries are taken fully out of service.

Land of 10,000 Lakes
2016 Forester MBS 2401R
Nights camped 2016: 32; RV to date: 35

awellis3 · 10-20-2016, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNtraveler

Therefore, to preserve the battery when not in use, you will need to disconnect it at the ground terminal or install a disconnect switch right on the battery. If dual batteries, you will have to install it in such a way that both batteries are taken fully out of service.

Roger.
See Post #12

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