Electrical/ Battery Drain Issues

[AllenAyres]

Hello,

After searching through the last year or so of posts in this (and the electrical) forum I didn't really see something directly related so...

I have 2017 Georgetown 364, live in SE Texas and have driven the family to both NE and NW coasts in the last 10 months or so since purchase. We've had the same minor issues with electrical it seems most have until we figure out that we can't run everything unless plugged into 50 amp shore power, but...

Over the last few months that we didn't drive as much I've begun getting dead batteries when parked any length (2 weeks+) of time. I brought it to the dealer, he changed out a battery that he said was bad. The dead battery issue continued - I'd jump start, they'd seem to charge up nicely while going down the road but when stopped a couple of weeks or more, nada.

I brought it back to the dealer and he had it almost a month looking, saying it was a dashboard drain problem, replacing a part then testing testing testing...

I finally got it back, it seemed to be ok for a few weeks, ran it for about 30min (engine and generator) 10 days ago but when I got in it yesterday it was dead again - no power to anything (no lights, beeps, stairs, etc.).

I turn the power off to the back when parked and on while running to recharge the batteries. I ordered one of the Victron Smart Battery Monitors to see if it can give me a clue about what's going on.

I guess I'm venting and seeing if anyone else has seen this issue and maybe had a direction to look. It could be the batteries are all poop but I wouldn't think they'd charge up (according to the gauge lights) so well then go to zero so quickly.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by AllenAyres

Hello,

After searching through the last year or so of posts in this (and the electrical) forum I didn't really see something directly related so...

I have 2017 Georgetown 364, live in SE Texas and have driven the family to both NE and NW coasts in the last 10 months or so since purchase. We've had the same minor issues with electrical it seems most have until we figure out that we can't run everything unless plugged into 50 amp shore power, but...

Over the last few months that we didn't drive as much I've begun getting dead batteries when parked any length (2 weeks+) of time. I brought it to the dealer, he changed out a battery that he said was bad. The dead battery issue continued - I'd jump start, they'd seem to charge up nicely while going down the road but when stopped a couple of weeks or more, nada.

I brought it back to the dealer and he had it almost a month looking, saying it was a dashboard drain problem, replacing a part then testing testing testing...

I finally got it back, it seemed to be ok for a few weeks, ran it for about 30min (engine and generator) 10 days ago but when I got in it yesterday it was dead again - no power to anything (no lights, beeps, stairs, etc.).

I turn the power off to the back when parked and on while running to recharge the batteries. I ordered one of the Victron Smart Battery Monitors to see if it can give me a clue about what's going on.

I guess I'm venting and seeing if anyone else has seen this issue and maybe had a direction to look. It could be the batteries are all poop but I wouldn't think they'd charge up (according to the gauge lights) so well then go to zero so quickly.

How many coach/house batteries do you have? Don't count the battery for the motor. Do you disconnect the batteries from ground when parked? Do you run the generator to ensure your battery is charged at least every three to 4 weeks? I'm assuming you don't have a shore power hookup when parked in storage? Do you check your battery voltage often?

[Iggy]

Plain and simple. You have something on when you are parked and not hooked up to any shore power.

Do you have a switch that turns off your house batteries when not plugged into shore power?
Do you know where this switch is located?

Are you sure you don't have any lights on in the lower storage areas that you don't know about?

Do you leave the propane detector on?
It also leave the propane solenoid on also at your propane tank.


Do you have a residential refrigerator? Is it left on and you didn't turn off invertor?

My battery isolation switch looks like this as you enter the rig.
When it is lit the batteries are hooked up.
My switch is the one far left.


Now you also know you have a few fuses that come off the batteries themselves and bypasses this isolation switch.
They are for the


steps is a 20A.
awning is a 15A


and maybe power for your TV DC antenna amp. (May be left on by mistake and not know it.)


Bottom line the batteries do not die by sitting for a short period unless you have something left on and don't know it.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by Iggy

Plain and simple. You have something on when you are parked and not hooked up to any shore power.

Do you have a switch that turns off your house batteries when not plugged into shore power?
Do you know where this switch is located?

Are you sure you don't have any lights on in the lower storage areas that you don't know about?

Do you leave the propane detector on?
It also leave the propane solenoid on also at your propane tank.


Do you have a residential refrigerator? Is it left on and you didn't turn off invertor?

My battery isolation switch looks like this as you enter the rig.
When it is lit the batteries are hooked up.
My switch is the one far left.


Now you also know you have a few fuses that come off the batteries themselves and bypasses this isolation switch.
They are for the


steps is a 20A.
awning is a 15A


and maybe power for your TV DC antenna amp. (May be left on by mistake and not know it.)


Bottom line the batteries do not die by sitting for a short period unless you have something left on and don't know it.

Regardless, if he has that switch in your pic off, it still doesn't do anything for the things in the coach that have a parasitic drain on the batteries. He needs to either disconnect the ground cable, or get a disconnect switch, that green thing on my left battery. He probably also needs to replenish his distilled water on his batteries like you see in that pic-- like those yellow things. With the clear hoses all around.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by AllenAyres

Hello,

After searching through the last year or so of posts in this (and the electrical) forum I didn't really see something directly related so...

I have 2017 Georgetown 364, live in SE Texas and have driven the family to both NE and NW coasts in the last 10 months or so since purchase. We've had the same minor issues with electrical it seems most have until we figure out that we can't run everything unless plugged into 50 amp shore power, but...

Over the last few months that we didn't drive as much I've begun getting dead batteries when parked any length (2 weeks+) of time. I brought it to the dealer, he changed out a battery that he said was bad. The dead battery issue continued - I'd jump start, they'd seem to charge up nicely while going down the road but when stopped a couple of weeks or more, nada.

I brought it back to the dealer and he had it almost a month looking, saying it was a dashboard drain problem, replacing a part then testing testing testing...

I finally got it back, it seemed to be ok for a few weeks, ran it for about 30min (engine and generator) 10 days ago but when I got in it yesterday it was dead again - no power to anything (no lights, beeps, stairs, etc.).

I turn the power off to the back when parked and on while running to recharge the batteries. I ordered one of the Victron Smart Battery Monitors to see if it can give me a clue about what's going on.

I guess I'm venting and seeing if anyone else has seen this issue and maybe had a direction to look. It could be the batteries are all poop but I wouldn't think they'd charge up (according to the gauge lights) so well then go to zero so quickly.

Load test all you're batteries. individually.

[McCormickJim]

Following this . . . .

[garbonz]

The Victron will tell all. Hook it up, and see what you are drawing, and the take all your 12 volt fuses out one be one and you will see what circuit is drawing power.

Please report back to us so we can learn too.

[PenJoe]

As the dealer mentioned it being a dashboard problem, I will chime in. Granted, there is always parasitic draw on most new devices. We bought a 2013 Silverado new and had an in-dash head unit installed for GPS and backup camera. Things went well for about two years. Then the dead battery issue. We took it to the Chevy dealer and everything tested out. We were told it must be the head unit. We took it to the head unit installer, he checked it out. Nope, must be the truck. He did show us that he had completely disconnected the head unit and was still showing a draw. So, we took it to another Chevy dealer and they did the diagnostics. Parasitic draw, but nothing unusual, must be the head unit. Felt like I was on a yoyo.

It came to be that I had to start the truck daily to assure it was going to start. Then, several weeks later, I was not in a position to start the truck for several days. Trying it, it started fine. What the h___? After thinking about what had changed, I recalled that I had turned off the dome light so that it didn't come on with the door opened. The dome light is designed to come on when the door is open and when the door is closed, the dome light would stay on, then slowly fade out. That is the way it is supposed to work. But something in that circuit is still draining the battery after the dome light fades off.

So, we feel your frustration. It may not be a dome light, but it could well be something in the dash. When I did the research, Chevy was having parasitic draw issues that neither dealer mentioned. But is was a mystery to dealers and frustrated owners. I just stumbled on the fix by accident. Haven't had a problem since.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Schvarak

How many coach/house batteries do you have? Don't count the battery for the motor. Do you disconnect the batteries from ground when parked? Do you run the generator to ensure your battery is charged at least every three to 4 weeks? I'm assuming you don't have a shore power hookup when parked in storage? Do you check your battery voltage often?

The OP has not answered this question. He indicated that he had to jump start the coach. That would indicate both coach and chassis batteries are dead. Don't know if the GT364 has 2 or 3 (dedicated battery for inverter/residential fridge) coach batteries but it has only 1 chassis battery and it is not tied to the coach batteries without the engine running or shore/genny power onboard. Some info seems to be missing.

[Schvarak]

Originally Posted by bubbles

The OP has not answered this question. He indicated that he had to jump start the coach. That would indicate both coach and chassis batteries are dead. Don't know if the GT364 has 2 or 3 (dedicated battery for inverter/residential fridge) coach batteries but it has only 1 chassis battery and it is not tied to the coach batteries without the engine running or shore/genny power onboard. Some info seems to be missing.

A dead chassis battery is rather unusual if you don't leave the radio and or lights drawing electricity. Shouldn't have any bearing on the coach batteries discharging in storage. It's pretty obvious to me he doesn't know what he's doing. That he doesn't answer the questions that will help us determine what he's doing wrong. It wouldn't hurt to take pics of his battery compartment etc.

[Grandma99]

We have had the same problem with the batteries going dead after sitting for a short time. The dealer did not check to find out what was causing the drain while it was under warranty. We ended up by putting in 4 new batteries and decided that the simple solution to our problem was to install battery cutoff switches so that there would be nothing drawing on the batteries. After installing the cutoff switch on the coach batteries, the tech checked to make sure everything was working correctly and discovered that when the coach batteries were disconnected, the parasitic draw was draining the chassis battery. That was why all 5 batteries were dead after sitting for such a short time. We now have cutoff switches on both the chassis and coach batteries. Hopefully, we will now have battery power when we get ready to take a trip!

[camaraderie]

I believe your house batteries are effectively dead...likely murdered. When you hook up your Victron and unplug the coach and turn everything else off...you will see your parasitic drain in amps.
Unless you have a drain of .3amps or greater...the batteries are the issue...assuming your battery charger is working which we don't know based on the info you've provided. Easiest way to check that is place a voltmeter on the battery terminals WHILE plugged in. If you don't see 13.2V or higher...that is your problem. The Victron installed will also show that if you don't have a multimeter. Note that installing your Victron....if your batteries are not in good shape...you will NOT be able to reliably use the other functions of the Victron ...(time remaining, state of charge etc.) but it will reliably measure voltage and current.

[AllenAyres]

Thank you everyone who responded - still waiting on the Victron, should have been here yesterday but Amazon's delivery schedule has pretty much went to &^$#@ over the last year or 2. I should have a few more answers once it's connected.

- I don't believe any lights have been left on,
- the power cutoff switch to the coach is always turned off (light is off) when parked. The dealer had it almost a month and I'm pretty sure he would have verified all that as well.

The engine and generator has been getting started and run every 10 days or less so that the "battery" gauge in the RV shows full/4 bars. I'm sure that's not precise but the charge isn't lasting a week right now.

I have a charger that can show me battery voltage, that would be an easy check.

[bubbles]

This is probably a moot point but the 4th light (top light) on the battery condition is just showing that a charge is taking place. 3 lights without being charged would indicate a possible fully charged battery. But maybe you know this.

[camaraderie]

I'll ditto Bubbles...if you think the battery is charged when you see 4 lights... you probably killed the batteries from undercharging. It takes at LEAST 6 hours of generator run time (sometimes more) to charge a battery. You cannot rely on "idiot lights" OR voltmeters to give you state of charge but you're getting the Victron so you'll have some answers soon. Since you ARE getting 4 bars...we at least know the converter is working. Remember when you set up your Victron...only amps and voltage reading will be anywhere close to accurate once you enter your battery parameters if the batteries are in bad shape. Example...normally if you have a 100amp hour battery and you use 10 amp hours...it will report 90% state of charge...but if the battery is actually only 20 amp hours of capacity NOW...it should be reporting 10% SOC.

[AllenAyres]

Thank you Cam and Bubbles.

[Nomore9-5]

I'll throw in my 2 cents
1 I'd do a test for parastic draw which involves putting ammeter between negative and ground ( more extensive info on set up is available on u tube etc) .
2. Your batteries maybe pooched ( I had to replace both of mine because they wouldn't charge etc)
3 Seriously look at solar charging system - one with a good charge controller. Got one last year and haven't any issues since
4 Monitor the condition of your batteries regularly water levels, connections, charge etc