Battery drain even when disconnect switch is set to OFF

[Mstanlake]

Coach is a 2019 Forrester Motor Home.


I have a drain on my coach batteries even when I set the disconnect switch to OFF.

When I manually disconnect the batteries by removing the negative terminal there is a spark if I touch it back on. Almost simultaneous with the spark there is a "click" of a solenoid emanating from under the bed where all the electronics are located.

With the battery disconnect switch set to OFF there should be no connection at all to the batteries but there must be one system that bypasses that switch. Nothing else in the coach has power.

I have measured the current draw and when the negative cable is reconnected, the draw is 0.5amp for about a second, then there is a "click", then the draw drops to 0.15amps.

Does anyone have any idea what system would still be connected after the battery disconnect switch is turned OFF.

Thanks.

[Flybob]

There are several things that can be connected around the disconnect switch. The co/propane detector is the usual one. If you detector has an associated solenoid to cut the propane during an alarm. The click you hear is likely the propane solenoid. There could potentially be other things connected. Adding the disconnect switch to the negative site cuts the connection to the frame and opens all circuits.

[Inlineskater67]

I was just on the Phone with McKee RV where I bought our new MH last Oct. I have been having a problem trying to keep my 4 - 6V batteries up during the winter. The tech told me that there is about 1.5 amps in my MH all the time even if I turn off both battery bank compartments. He said that there are alarms, and electronics that keep the memory of all the settings. I lost power from the batteries and when I plugged it in on Wed all my settings were back to default from the manufacture. The tech helped me set everything back to what they recommend. He suggested that I need to keep the MH plugged in while stored and have the charger on. Turn off everything including the inverter inside the rig.

Between cold weather here in Minnesota and the 1.5 amp draw it killed my 6 volts. They wont hold a charge now.

[flyflotrtim]

Originally Posted by Flybob

There are several things that can be connected around the disconnect switch. The co/propane detector is the usual one. If you detector has an associated solenoid to cut the propane during an alarm. The click you hear is likely the propane solenoid. There could potentially be other things connected. Adding the disconnect switch to the negative site cuts the connection to the frame and opens all circuits.

Yup, always a small draw depending on the RV unit.

[Chuck_S]

Propane detector is wired directly to the battery by "code." Things like the station setting memory in the radio are also siphoning power constantly. A true battery disconnect is easy to wire -- just put a switch on the ground wire from the battery to the frame. "Blue Sea" (brand) marine switch can be externally mounted and it weather proof.

-- Chuck

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Mstanlake

Coach is a 2019 Forrester Motor Home.
When I manually disconnect the batteries by removing the negative terminal there is a spark if I touch it back on. Almost simultaneous with the spark there is a "click" of a solenoid emanating from under the bed where all the electronics are located.
Does anyone have any idea what system would still be connected after the battery disconnect switch is turned OFF.

Thanks.

I could be wrong, but I think the coach battery and the chassis battery are linked. You can 'jump start' the chassis battery from the coach battery using a switch somewhere near the dash.

You might have to disconnect the negative on both the chassis and coach battery.

But then again... I could be wrong.

[camaraderie]

You will always have parasitic loads that will kill batteries that remain wired in to the chassis...
Fully charge to 100% your bank before storage. Then disconnect your negative battery wire so no circuit can be made. Wait three months and measure your batteries again to see if they need recharging. A battery at 60% state of charge will not freeze above minus 20 degrees. The colder the weather the LESS a battery will self discharge. 10% a month in summer... 1% a month in winter in moderate climate.

[tomkatb]

1.5 amps per hour is too much. Something is wired goofy. 36 amps a day will wipe out 4 batteries in two weeks.

My four loose about 8-10% per month. or 32-40 amps. A fifth wheel however.

When the disconnect is off only my front hydraulics work.

[TGO Bill]

I store my 5er in the winter and I take out my 2 batteries and put the on a trickle charger in my garage. When I take it out of storage, I just hook them back up and no problem. When I store it in the storage lot in the summer , using it once in a while, I just unhook the batteries and leave the in place and hook the cables back up when going to use. Keep in mind that I have a jump Box with me just in case of the batteries going dead just sitting there unhooked. Has been working so far.

[rockfordroo]

Based on reports from others on this forum, some battery disconnects will disconnect EVERYTHING, while others do not.

The only way to know which way yours is powered and what's disconnected or not disconnected is to carefully inspect the wiring from the battery to the disconnect switch. If anything is hooked to the battery between these two, then something is still being powered. Then you'll need to figure out what that is.