New batteries not lasting past one day

[fritzeee]

I have a 2015 Wildwood 27 ft. A fully loaded battery won't last more than one day. I have been camping for over 40 years attending the same event 2x per year and 3 previous campers batteries have lasted 4 days. All camping is self contained and energy use is used sparingly. We burn candles at night when not in the camper (safely). Two showers daily. Get wet, shut off, turn on to rinse and get out. Wash minimal dishes. Use paper plates, cups etc. Refrig. is on gas and is only two way anyhow. Dealer found nothing wrong. Two new deep cycle batteries that don't last. Any ideas?

[f5moab]

What brand, what series (size) batteries?
Can check to see if you have some type of parasitic load. Get a shunt and a miltimeter and you can test to see what the drain is with everything off.

[TURBS]

What size batteries?
What's the ah?

Do you have an amp meter?

Need to put one on see how many amps your pulling then start pulling fuses till you find the high draw circuit.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "6 nights"

[Ashley]

Not sure if your refrigerator has the Climate Condensation Feature or whatever it is called, but here is some information about power draws from it. Dometic used to put a switch on the unit where you could turn it off. My understanding now is they are on all the time and you have to disconnect or break the circuit manually to disable it so it doesn't draw power.

I have been going to do the Mod on mine, but dry camp rarely so it hasn't mattered yet.

Anyway, here is the link: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...rol-43475.html

Maybe it helps, it may not be your issue, but it was my first though on a new camper, that is different from any of your old units.
Like Turbs was saying though, getting an amp meter on it and looking at actual draw readings will be the best way to isolate it.

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by fritzeee

I have a 2015 Wildwood 27 ft. A fully loaded battery won't last more than one day. I have been camping for over 40 years attending the same event 2x per year and 3 previous campers batteries have lasted 4 days. All camping is self contained and energy use is used sparingly. We burn candles at night when not in the camper (safely). Two showers daily. Get wet, shut off, turn on to rinse and get out. Wash minimal dishes. Use paper plates, cups etc. Refrig. is on gas and is only two way anyhow. Dealer found nothing wrong. Two new deep cycle batteries that don't last. Any ideas?

Unfortunately, every time you took your batt below 50% you shortened its life. I have two group 27's that are 3 yrs old, and are still good for a day and a half using various loads, TV, fridge pizo igniter, LED lights at night. I'm guessing this camping year will probably use them up.

Like the other posters suggested, sounds like a significant drain taking em down.

[dan-nickie]

Are you running the furnace at night?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

Are you running the furnace at night?

Good question and a big power hog.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "6 nights"

[dan-nickie]

Originally Posted by TURBS

Good question and a big power hog.

No need to start name calling now.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

No need to start name calling now.

[emoji109] [emoji6]

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "6 nights"

[rana]

What method are you using to check SOC. (state of charge) Something is amiss...

I guess I should ask too.. what are you using to charge your batteries?

Brand and model # of equipment used, type of battery and AH capacity, do you have an inverter onboard, etc.. The more detailed information you can provide will help "us" to help you.

[fritzeee]

I'll try to answer all.
No furnace at night. I know what a draw they are.
Inverter on board.
Battery was charged up at home for weeks before I left on a Tues. for a 6 day trip from Jersey to Va. Hitched up with electric jack while still plugged into home. Arrived Va. unhitched, put slide out and electric awning down. Thursday woke up out of power. Charged every day after that with brand new gen-set for half a day. Went through about 3 gals. of gas total. Used only one of my batteries since I had the gen-set and didn't see much use in switching batteries.
The battery I used 550 CCA @0 F
685 CA @ 32 F
23 amp AVE 140 min.

My other battery is rated as follows:
690 CA
92 AH @ 1 A

That is all of the info on the batteries.

Last night I unplugged from house power after two days of charging. Trailer panel said 3/4 full charge.
Will monitor battery charge every day without any use whatsoever. All systems off except gas monitor.

What was that about a power hog? I'm burning candles at night and GI showers. Hope he knows what a GI shower is and better yet has experienced one as I have many.

Thanks guys for all your replies and remember to thank a vet and all our service men and women this Memorial Day weekend.

[cj06]

There has to be a source that is draining them !
Are they connected the right way ?
Were they fully charged ?
Batteries can be bad from the start !

[cj06]

Could be one cell in the battery is dead !

[Blackhat6mike]

Originally Posted by cj06

Could be one cell in the battery is dead !

2x I agree with cj06. One dead cell will disable an entire battery bank of good batteries. A load test on each bat is the only way to know for sure. It's a pain, but the only way.
I just discovered today that my electrical door lock is a constant power draw. Houda thunk it? Even with the bat disconnects turn off.

[SuicideSaints]

Originally Posted by Ashley

Not sure if your refrigerator has the Climate Condensation Feature or whatever it is called, but here is some information about power draws from it. Dometic used to put a switch on the unit where you could turn it off. My understanding now is they are on all the time and you have to disconnect or break the circuit manually to disable it so it doesn't draw power.

I have been going to do the Mod on mine, but dry camp rarely so it hasn't mattered yet.

Anyway, here is the link: http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...rol-43475.html

Maybe it helps, it may not be your issue, but it was my first though on a new camper, that is different from any of your old units.
Like Turbs was saying though, getting an amp meter on it and looking at actual draw readings will be the best way to isolate it.

I would seriously look into this. I came from a previous TT that had a refrigerator from the 70s/80s and I was running through batteries every 2 days (dual setup) and I am pretty conservative when boondocking. I learned that the newer Dometics do not have a switch to turn the condensation heaters off and they draw constant 12v from a battery. I did the fridge light mod.

[wa5tku]

The fridge in my Surveyor 264 is a two way but when on gas the controller still draws 2.25 amps. The gas detector draws 0.70 amps and the Radio/DVD player draws 0.30 amps even when off. Add this to your water usage will run a battery down pretty quickly. The original battery was pretty small. After 3 years it gave up the ghost. I replaced it with a larger, type 27, battery rated at 125 amp/hr. Also, I use a 150 watt solar panel to charge the battery when I dry camp.

[Doll House Two]

After yesterday's post regarding battery power and now today's; I checked mine on 2015 R Pod 179. Mine was VERY low. Found that I had not unplugged the microwave, the lights must be draining power. All else was off, save for the
carbon monoxide detector. I have plugged it in to shore power to recharge.

[SuicideSaints]

Originally Posted by Doll House Two

After yesterday's post regarding battery power and now today's; I checked mine on 2015 R Pod 179. Mine was VERY low. Found that I had not unplugged the microwave, the lights must be draining power. All else was off, save for the
carbon monoxide detector. I have plugged it in to shore power to recharge.

The microwave on my EVO doesnt even light up when I am on battery. My draw was the condensation heaters on the fridge.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Doll House Two

After yesterday's post regarding battery power and now today's; I checked mine on 2015 R Pod 179. Mine was VERY low. Found that I had not unplugged the microwave, the lights must be draining power. All else was off, save for the
carbon monoxide detector. I have plugged it in to shore power to recharge.

The microwave shouldn't draw any 12 volt DC power. It's a 120 volt AC appliance. This is why you have to be plugged into a form of 120 volts AC power for it to work.

Mark Polk Has some good articles on this which helps explain the differences and what powers what.:

Basic RV Electricity - RV Information (RV Maintenance)

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by fritzeee

.....Last night I unplugged from house power after two days of charging. Trailer panel said 3/4 full charge.

Huh? Right there something sounds wrong. After 2 days of charging it should be 100% unless you were also running a bunch of stuff, which I doubt. Have your batteries tested. Then with a known good battery on the trailer test your charging voltage with a meter. Should be 13.5 or so. If you were to check your charging voltage now with a possible bad battery you wouldn't get an accurate test. Of course if you check it now with a questionable battery and it tests 13.5 then you can be pretty sure the charger is OK.