A real Georgetown electrical test

[kenandterry]

I’m going to try this test on my Georgetown....yours might be different.
Everything electrically is working fine, both 12v and 120v....everything.

**************************************

I’m going to disconnect my 50 amp power cord from the 50amp pedestal.
Not going to connect to generator, so no input for 120v.
Generator is off.
On my rig, I’m going to manually de-activate the propane detector using it’s own on/off switch to eliminate that as a possible parasitic draw.
I’m going to turn off the battery switch just inside the entrance door and confirm it’s de-activation by listening for the relay noise. It’s labled as the “BATTERY STORAGE CONTROL” switch.

What if anything should still work inside the rig ?

ON THE HOUSE SIDE OF THINGS......
Lippert leveller Control for jacks and slides?
12v socket for OTA television?
Any ceiling fans?
Any 12v lights?
Power awning?
Power steps?
Entrance door light?
Floor lighting?

ON THE VEHICLE SIDE OF THINGS......

Any/all exterior lighting...clearance, running, headlights?
Power mirrors?
Wipers?
HVAC fans etc?
Roof/dash fans?
Dash radio?

Have I forgotten anything that might be a parasitic draw that some people experience which may kill their house batteries when in storage?

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

On my rig, I’m going to manually de-activate the propane detector using it’s own on/off switch to eliminate that as a possible parasitic draw.

Ken, just curious on this statement above. Are you saying your propane detector has an on/off switch on it?

[cavie]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Ken, just curious on this statement above. Are you saying your propane detector has an on/off switch on it?

Damn, you beat me to it!

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

I’m going to try this test on my Georgetown....yours might be different.
Everything electrically is working fine, both 12v and 120v....everything.

**************************************

I’m going to disconnect my 50 amp power cord from the 50amp pedestal.
Not going to connect to generator, so no input for 120v.
Generator is off.
On my rig, I’m going to manually de-activate the propane detector using it’s own on/off switch to eliminate that as a possible parasitic draw.
I’m going to turn off the battery switch just inside the entrance door and confirm it’s de-activation by listening for the relay noise. It’s labled as the “BATTERY STORAGE CONTROL” switch.

What if anything should still work inside the rig ?

ON THE HOUSE SIDE OF THINGS......
Lippert leveller Control for jacks and slides?
12v socket for OTA television?
Any ceiling fans?
Any 12v lights?
Power awning?
Power steps?
Entrance door light?
Floor lighting?

ON THE VEHICLE SIDE OF THINGS......

Any/all exterior lighting...clearance, running, headlights?
Power mirrors?
Wipers?
HVAC fans etc?
Roof/dash fans?
Dash radio?

Have I forgotten anything that might be a parasitic draw that some people experience which may kill their house batteries when in storage?

Ken, you'd be a whole lot better off installing battery disconnect switch on your ground. This would ensure there would be no parasitic connections. Notice the green knob on the attached image You can get that switch at harbor freight for $5

[cavie]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

I’m going to try this test on my Georgetown....yours might be different.
Everything electrically is working fine, both 12v and 120v....everything.

**************************************

I’m going to disconnect my 50 amp power cord from the 50amp pedestal.
Not going to connect to generator, so no input for 120v.
Generator is off.
On my rig, I’m going to manually de-activate the propane detector using it’s own on/off switch to eliminate that as a possible parasitic draw.
I’m going to turn off the battery switch just inside the entrance door and confirm it’s de-activation by listening for the relay noise. It’s labled as the “BATTERY STORAGE CONTROL” switch.

What if anything should still work inside the rig ?

ON THE HOUSE SIDE OF THINGS......
Lippert leveller Control for jacks and slides?
12v socket for OTA television?
Any ceiling fans?
Any 12v lights?
Power awning?
Power steps?
Entrance door light?
Floor lighting?

ON THE VEHICLE SIDE OF THINGS......

Any/all exterior lighting...clearance, running, headlights?
Power mirrors?
Wipers?
HVAC fans etc?
Roof/dash fans?
Dash radio?

Have I forgotten anything that might be a parasitic draw that some people experience which may kill their house batteries when in storage?

Nothing on the house list should work. The battery switch should stop that.

Everything on the vehicle side should work. That battery is still hooked up.

BUT I have been wrong in the past.

[kenandterry]

Here’s the OEM propane detector in my 2010 Georgetown. Whenever I have turned off the house battery switch at the door in the past, this unit continues to pulse the green LED you see on the left. Under normal conditions, it also pulses to let you know all’s well. Turn it off, and the gas will not flow to the stove, furnace or fridge. I know it is probably fed by one of the rogue wires running directly to my house batteries with its own in-line fuse.

[kenandterry]

Here

[cavie]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Here

Guess that shuts off the gas to everything and it's only a gas detector. As long as the off switch closes a valve to the gas tank it ok to turn off. You have to turn it on to get gas. Makes sense.

[wmtire]

Thanks for the photo Ken. Now this makes me ask another question. Are you doing this test because you are having battery drain problems?

The reason I ask this, is that the manufacturer of the propane detector you have (CCI Controls) is out of business. We have had previous threads of their detectors being bad and/or draining batteries quickly.

Here is a manual on it that may help. It has a wiring diagram that shows it could be connected to the coach and engine batteries.

http://www.pawsatyourdoor.com/vehicl...asDetector.pdf

[formerFR]

is that a propane 'leak' detector, or simply a switch to turn 'on' your propane?

[kenandterry]

formerFR....

It is a detector, and if gas is detected, it turns the supply line off from the lap tank to appliances.

wmtire.....I reviewed my copy of the exact paperwork of your link. You are incredible. I discovered a very long time ago that it is hardwired to the house batteries and would continue operating even after turning off the house batteries switch. I did not know it is also wired to the chassis battery according to the wiring schematic. I may have to trace some wiring.

I’m testing to confirm if there is any other parasitic draws as I will be putting the motorhome into storage with no electrical connection available. Never been away from our rig before, so I want to make sure things won’t die when stored for a couple of months.

[mogman]

On my 2011 the electric awning is directly connected to the house battery.

[270S]

People, people, people, .... I'll make this simple, The RV industry knows NOTHING about proper systems design.

I installed a covered Bus Bar near the house () battery bank and moved all battery wires there so that when I want to do a battery disconnect, I actually have one. A partial disconnect is never correct. The only item I keep hard wired to the battery is the stairs/step which draws 0 amps unless used. Part of the KISS design system. I have posted this many times, but no one searches.

BTW, the wire in your question is 3T.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by 270S

People, people, people, .... I'll make this simple, The RV industry knows NOTHING about proper systems design.

I installed a covered Bus Bar near the house () battery bank and moved all battery wires there so that when I want to do a battery disconnect, I actually have one. A partial disconnect is never correct. The only item I keep hard wired to the battery is the stairs/step which draws 0 amps unless used. Part of the KISS design system. I have posted this many times, but no one searches.

BTW, the wire in your question is 3T.

Nice set up but to me to KISS remove that jumper to the terminal strip, attach ID tape to the strip wires and connect them directly to the battery control center NO.1 stud (battery switched). Building that strip enclosure does not KISS to me. JMO.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Ken, to stop all parasitic battery drain just do as advised earlier. Install a ground disconnect switch or remove the ground cable from the battery.

[kenandterry]

CedarCreek.....

I hear you, but after reviewing, it appears wmtire’s schematic shows a backup feed to my propane detector. When I do this test....maybe today if the weather stays crummy....I may find there’s a feed from the chassis battery even if I was to have a disconnect on the house battery post. I would just like to see what, if anything works when you close down a Georgetown using the OEM switch only as provided by Forest River.

I probably will install disconnect switches on both the chassis and house batteries.

[270S]

Originally Posted by bubbles

Nice set up but to me to KISS remove that jumper to the terminal strip, attach ID tape to the strip wires and connect them directly to the battery control center NO.1 stud (battery switched). Building that strip enclosure does not KISS to me. JMO.

Opinions are Ok, but there are industry standards for a reason. For all intentional purposes, the RV industry has none or this forum would probably be unnecessary for most.

Wires and terminals are engineered to carry a specified amount of amperage without overheating and causing problems associated with excess heat like melting of components and, in the worse case, fires. When you have studs such as shown below.

With many wires and terminals stacked up, you create a focal point for excess heat build-up. This is usually the location of highest temperature along the entire cable route. There is a reason a washer DOES NOT go between a wire and the battery post/terminal. Stacking is like adding washers. There is a debate as to how many is too many - most professionals say between 2-4. I always lean toward safety and maintenance - 2.

As you increase attached wires above 1, you increase the odds you WILL have galvanic corrosion (green stuff on battery posts). It is not just from battery acid - AGMs do not have free acid, but still have GC when wires are stacked..

Do you think is KISS? Simple does not mean in one place.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

CedarCreek.....

I hear you, but after reviewing, it appears wmtire’s schematic shows a backup feed to my propane detector. When I do this test....maybe today if the weather stays crummy....I may find there’s a feed from the chassis battery even if I was to have a disconnect on the house battery post. I would just like to see what, if anything works when you close down a Georgetown using the OEM switch only as provided by Forest River.

I probably will install disconnect switches on both the chassis and house batteries.

Ken, you sure are stubborn! I've already given you the solution. Just get that cheap disconnect switch for the ground. Everything else you've read here is pretty much irrelevant!

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by 270S

Opinions are Ok, but there are industry standards for a reason. For all intentional purposes, the RV industry has none or this forum would probably be unnecessary for most.

Wires and terminals are engineered to carry a specified amount of amperage without overheating and causing problems associated with excess heat like melting of components and, in the worse case, fires. When you have studs such as shown below.

With many wires and terminals stacked up, you create a focal point for excess heat build-up. This is usually the location of highest temperature along the entire cable route. There is a reason a washer DOES NOT go between a wire and the battery post/terminal. Stacking is like adding washers. There is a debate as to how many is too many - most professionals say between 2-4. I always lean toward safety and maintenance - 2.

As you increase attached wires above 1, you increase the odds you WILL have galvanic corrosion (green stuff on battery posts). It is not just from battery acid - AGMs do not have free acid, but still have GC when wires are stacked..

Do you think is KISS? Simple does not mean in one place.

I was referencing your specific interconnect. Even the Aircraft, including Mil Spec Military, industry allow 4 wires per lug and 4 lugs per stud. That BCC stud is not a battery post. Your wires are small gage and if the number of lugs is reduced the stack will not be an issue. Every additional crimp has the potential to be a bad one. Your jumper does nothing to change the amperage requirement at the stud. Hey, I was just offering an alternative to your elaborate work of art. Never said it was a bad idea just not what I would call a KISS modification.

[Jim G]

Just to chime in, I also put a disconnect on my batteries and just use a battery tender when parked for an extended period. If not disconnected the propane sensor is hard wired to the batteries and will drain the batteries in a few days. At your propane tank there may be a relay, feel it, if it is hot is is pulling power. When I park my unit for just a few days I installed a switch at the relay to disconnect the propane relay and there is virtually no drag from anything else.