My batteries discharge within 3 days

[RitaB]

I also have the same TT and have 2 batteries also. Until I had the dealer put in a battery disconnect. I would remove one of the battery cables when I left it parked on my parking pad for any length of time. Also, you should never let the usual deep cycle batteries to go "dead". The one supplied by dealers will be damaged by going completely dead, Check the batteries with a multimeter. When I'm boondocking, my batteries will usually last for 3-4 days, if I'm very careful with electrical use. I turn off the electric for the water heater (that's outside on the WH tank., also only use propane for WH when I need it. A number of other things also to reduce battery use. I got a portable solar kit to help recharge batteries when camping, but you have to have at least a day of really good sun.

[2015 Flagstaff 21DS]

Turning the breakers off won’t help. They only control 120 VAC circuits. Make sure tv antenna booster is off. Pull the fuse for the radio. My CO/gas detector runs off a fuse, also, so I pull that fuse as well.

[babock]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Do you leave your solar controller connected to the batteries and let solar continue to charge or disconnect "solar" too?

The solar is on the input side of the battery switch but I typically turn it off when I store since I keep my lithium batteries slightly discharged. I don't want solar on the load side of the switch since I don't want the solar panels powering up the trailer with the battery disconnected.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by njfishing

When you say you it's dead after 3 days, I assume you mean when the RV is not being used...

If that's the case, next time you aren't going to use if for a while, make sure batteries are fully charged, disconnect the negative terminal from the RV going to your battery let it sit 3 days and reconnect...

If it's not dead then you have some sort of parasitic load drain which you'll need to find and or install a battery kill switch.

If it's dead then you have bad batteries and need to be replaced.

You posted precisely what I was going to say before I said it.

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by alhauer

I have a relatively new Surveyor 201RBS, and the dual deep-cycle batteries discharge completely in 3 days, if not connected to shore power or generator. I believe I have EVERYTHING turned off that can be turned off. I even switched all the breakers to off. Is this normal? How can I determine what is draining the batteries? I was told that the CO detector is hardwired, and it seems the sound bar also is in standby all the time.

Are you running off 2 Batterys ???

[jonshonda]

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

Are you running off 2 Batterys ???

Literally in the first sentence!!! haha

My SOP after camping (mostly for peace of mind and to extend battery life) is to plug the camper in for at least 2 days to let the batteries recharge (3 105ah AGM's). Once charged I disconnect shore power and turn the disconnect switch off, cutting power to the entire camper. That way I KNOW the next time I use it the batteries will be AOK!

One less thing to have to worry about is worth the cost of a disconnect in my book!!

[rockfordroo]

Check the wiring diagram on the back of your fridge. If it's a Dometic, it will look something like this:



See if your fridge uses a door heater. It's circled on the pic below.



The door heater pulls about 0.5 amps. That's about 36 amp-hrs in 72 hours.

A battery disconnect that kills EVERYTHING is your best bet.

[2015 Flagstaff 21DS]

The fridge door heater and interior light are on the same circuit so turning the fridge off kills the heater as well. But I cut off the door heater at the light switch to cut that battery drain during off-grid camping.

[LeoS]

i reported this issue on my last travel travel trailer that had an LCI electric tongue jack:

I went out to my trailer to check on it in storage and several times found that the electric tongue jack courtesy light was on, even though the switch was in the off position.

Upon further investigation, I found moisture inside the jack's courtesy light switch assy. for the jack, that was shorting the circuit and turning the light on. It seems that LCI didn't think that rainwater would come in around the unprotected switch.

Anyway, I didn't have a battery cutoff switch at the time, so for test purposes I put a kitchen trash bag upside down over the head of the tongue jack as a test, and voila!...no more light on, and no more unusual battery drain.

Hope that helps.

Stay safe and happy camping everyone!

[Tacky]

Make sure your TV antenna amplifier is turned off, easy to overlook. And if you have a sound bar on standby, figure out how to shut it off.

[abco]

If you have a CO detector for your propane it can be wired direct to your batteries, and your battery will die in a few days. Turn off all you electric and if you have a master disconnect turn it to “off” your detector should have no lights on.

[CaptnJohn]

A $20 battery cut off will take care of the problem. My 5er sits June thru August with little battery loss every year.

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by LeoS

i reported this issue on my last travel travel trailer that had an LCI electric tongue jack:

I went out to my trailer to check on it in storage and several times found that the electric tongue jack courtesy light was on, even though the switch was in the off position.

Upon further investigation, I found moisture inside the jack's courtesy light switch assy. for the jack, that was shorting the circuit and turning the light on. It seems that LCI didn't think that rainwater would come in around the unprotected switch.

Anyway, I didn't have a battery cutoff switch at the time, so for test purposes I put a kitchen trash bag upside down over the head of the tongue jack as a test, and voila!...no more light on, and no more unusual battery drain.

Hope that helps.

Stay safe and happy camping everyone!

I always keep mine covered with a Zip Lock bag !!!

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Tacky

Make sure your TV antenna amplifier is turned off, easy to overlook. And if you have a sound bar on standby, figure out how to shut it off.

Your winter tank heater switch should also be checked.

[Egalt]

Originally Posted by CaptnJohn

A $20 battery cut off will take care of the problem. My 5er sits June thru August with little battery loss every year.

By the cut off switch and call it a day.

[EyeGuy]

Despite have a manufacturer installed cutoff switch, my batteries still had a draw from some unknown circuit. I solved the problem with a knife-switch on the negative battery pole.

[Sfgoble]

I have a residential type fridge and when not plugged in it runs off an inverter which drains my battery after about 24 hours . I didn’t know it had the inverter when I bought the camper and parked it and didn’t plug it up I figured without it plugged up the fridge was just off , when I went back to hook up jack wouldn’t work . I called the dealer to see about a new battery and was told about the inverter they had forgot to tell me in the walk thru . It really intended for keeping stuff cold going down the road so I either plug up or turn off the fridge when in storage . Just a possibility but if you have a residential fridge check it out because if you trip the 120 breaker it may automatically switch to inverter

[Tundra 2014]

Check your emergency brake switch. I accidentally pulled it when disconnecting. It will do exactly what you experienced.