Dead Battery Question

[jwilli22]

We picked our Sprinter about 3 weeks ago from the dealer. We took it to storage and I checked and doubled checked that the battery disconnect was off. I stopped by yesterday and the battery was dead. My question(s) are...

1. Is this normal for a battery to drain in a matter of a couple of weeks with the Batt disconnect off.

2. Should I consider replacing the battery?

Thanks

[Javi]

Originally Posted by jwilli22

We picked our Sprinter about 3 weeks ago from the dealer. We took it to storage and I checked and doubled checked that the battery disconnect was off. I stopped by yesterday and the battery was dead. My question(s) are...

1. Is this normal for a battery to drain in a matter of a couple of weeks with the Batt disconnect off.

2. Should I consider replacing the battery?

Thanks

The battery "cutoff " really isn't a DISCONNECT, there are safety items and hardwired items that are never disconnected until the battery cables are removed.

So, yes it is normal

Javi

[jwilli22]

Funny, I was told by several salesman that the Battery Disconnect was to prevent "phantom drain" on the battery.

One day, I will learn not to believe everything I hear.

[Javi]

They are partially correct, without the disconnect the battery will die in 2 to 3 days. With the disconnect a week or so.

Before I had power to leave mine plugged in at the storage facility, I simply removed the ground on my battery. When I returned and was ready to use the trailer I simply hooked it back up.

It really isn't that difficult to put a real disconnect in the battery cable, after doing so it will completely disconnect the drain on the battery.

Javi

[jwilli22]

Thanks Javi

[ctbruce]

^^ What Javi said. Do a search on the forum and you will find a plethora of reading material.

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[ctbruce]

Originally Posted by jwilli22

Funny, I was told by several salesman that the Battery Disconnect was to prevent "phantom drain" on the battery.

One day, I will learn not to believe everything I hear.

They're salesmen. 'Nuff said.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[travelin texans]

Salesman, rv, truck, car, furniture, were their lips moving?

[chuckster57]

Funny true story: guy buys a $350,000.00 motorhome. salesman (years of experience) comes to say hi after we did some warranty work on it. Next thing I know he's in my bay asking if I could explain some lights on the auto level panel. I go out to the coach and look, In this particular system the lights on the panel will tell you which side is low...Explained to the customer and the salesman says " I never knew that"...

[Freeheel4life]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Funny true story: guy buys a $350,000.00 motorhome. salesman (years of experience) comes to say hi after we did some warranty work on it. Next thing I know he's in my bay asking if I could explain some lights on the auto level panel. I go out to the coach and look, In this particular system the lights on the panel will tell you which side is low...Explained to the customer and the salesman says " I never knew that"...

This is why I keep pushing for techs to also walk customer thru their new boats at our dealership. We regularly have customers bring their boat back in because feature aren't working right only to find it's operator error, and the common gripe is their salesman never showed them. Had one customer get upset about the upcharge to winterize his transom shower on his new boat this fall. Wasn't mad about the charge, was mad because he didn't even know he had a shower!!

Jwill, I have one of these(Not exactly this one) on my ground leg from battery to frame. Flip the switch and it's all disconnected. There are lots out there that are lockable so you need a key to turn it on, or like mine does, you pull the entire red switch off and I put it in with all wheel chocks and leveling plastics.
https://www.ebay.com/i/252928985773?...D1426774897049

[jwilli22]

Originally Posted by Freeheel4life

This is why I keep pushing for techs to also walk customer thru their new boats at our dealership. We regularly have customers bring their boat back in because feature aren't working right only to find it's operator error, and the common gripe is their salesman never showed them. Had one customer get upset about the upcharge to winterize his transom shower on his new boat this fall. Wasn't mad about the charge, was mad because he didn't even know he had a shower!!

Yeah, our walk-thru was a complete joke. To every question that we would ask we got a standard answer from the kid, who looked liked he was still in high school, contact the manufacturer or look in your owner's manual. At one point when showing us the Sound Bar features, he said "This model doesn't come with AM/FM. To which my wife responded, "So what happens if you push the AM/FM button on the sound bar." His answer... that must be new for 2018.

[Wagnfixr]

I did this inexpensive and easy kill switch install on the negative side of my battery. Works great.

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[notanlines]

Another true story. Our neighbor in Clewiston RV Park has a 2013 model Montana. We were discussing black tank rinses and how often to use it. He mentioned how he would like to have one and I said that one could be easily installed for about $60.00. His face lit up and he said "Let's go with it!" I walked him around to his water service panel and pointed out the black tank rinse connection and held my hand out, palm up. Nope, no $60.00 has greased my palm yet, but he has taken a good ribbing for awhile now.

[captcolour]

Added this shut-off to the battery:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[fourfourto]

I got this one from harbor freight,
have one under the fender of my 442 also.

[jwilli22]

Thanks again for everyone's input. I am already looking into adding one of the solutions suggested.

[xrated]

Originally Posted by jwilli22

Thanks again for everyone's input. I am already looking into adding one of the solutions suggested.

There's a lot to learn about camping trailers, I know first hand, as I was a Noobie about a year ago. This is a great forum though, with an abundance of knowledgeable and experienced folks, so don't hesitate to ask away. So many on here have helped me tremendously over the last year or so.

[66joej]

We used to use these on show cars back in the day.
Cheap and simple to install.
https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-...ery+disconnect

[fourfourto]

Originally Posted by 66joej

We used to use these on show cars back in the day.
Cheap and simple to install.
https://www.amazon.com/Post-Battery-...ery+disconnect

these work good for many years THE GREEN KNOB yours wasn't green
its a pain to open battery cover on RV and to have to pop the hood on a car every time you shut it off and on.

harbor freight one I had for 8 years on the trailer and 442 always works.

[IRV2]

Lots to learn indeed!! I recently had a dead battery issue. Apparently you can't pull the electric brake cable to act as a added measure of protection against rolling when parked on an incline for ANY amount of time And I did have the battery disconnect turned off.