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10-10-2017, 03:02 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: dartmouth
Posts: 15
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batteries not lasting the week
Good Morning...I recently purchased 2 brand new deep cycle batteries (105Ah each) for my 5th wheel that I use on the weekend and I am curious as to while the battery indicator would show full charge on Sunday PM and low by Friday causing my gas powered fridge to shut down. As far as I can tell the only DC used in the trailer would be the fridge controller , the CO2 detector and the smoke detector. Everything else(water pump, lights, radio ect) is shut off for the week. I also have a 40W solar panel hooked to the batteries. Is this performance typical and if not what else will be drawing power? Thx
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10-10-2017, 03:30 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,353
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Your radio has an internal memory that draws power. 40W of solar isn't very much. When you hook up your batteries, are you connecting the trailer to one of them and then hooking the batteries together? If so then you need to change that.
Hook the batteries together + to + and - to - and then hook the trailer leads to separate batteries. Put the trailer + to one and the trailer- to the other battery.
__________________
![](image.php?s=2d925c06dd8dfb73bf6af7cc98699617&u=14512&type=sigpic&dateline=1418489574)
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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10-10-2017, 04:43 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Northville NY in the Adirondacks
Posts: 2,128
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Quote:
Originally Posted by raybo
Good Morning...I recently purchased 2 brand new deep cycle batteries (105Ah each) for my 5th wheel that I use on the weekend and I am curious as to while the battery indicator would show full charge on Sunday PM and low by Friday causing my gas powered fridge to shut down. As far as I can tell the only DC used in the trailer would be the fridge controller , the CO2 detector and the smoke detector. Everything else(water pump, lights, radio ect) is shut off for the week. I also have a 40W solar panel hooked to the batteries. Is this performance typical and if not what else will be drawing power? Thx
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The propane detector draws quite a bit of current 24/7. If you are afraid to disconnect it while occupying the trailer, consider putting a switch on it to shut it off when it's not in use.
The radio unit in the entertainment center draws constantly, even when turned off. On mine, I installed a switch on the hot line by the entertainment center, and only turn it on when we want to listen to something.
For many 12vdc items, simply turning them off is not enough to stop current draw. The only way to be sure is a switch on the 12vdc feed which will completely shut down the item.
Do you have an inverter on the system? It may draw even when off.
We're getting into cooler weather. If the thermostat is accidentally left in the Heat position when you store the trailer for the week, it's more likely to come when over night temps dip. Just a few cycles of the furnace running will out strip your solar charger right away.
Most of our camping is currently boondocking or dry camping. We've learned how to be very conservative with 12vdc usage, and not just when we're camping. How the trailer is stored when not in use is just as important.
Use the search function and look back over the many years this forum has been running. Your issue is a very common one and there are many details about battery conservation to be found.
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'11 Cougar 326MKS loaded with mods
'12 Ford F250 SuperCab 6.7 PowerStroke Diesel
Amateur Radio: KD2IAT (146.520) GMRS: WQPG808 (462.675 TPL 141.3)
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10-10-2017, 04:57 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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A 3 amp draw would only give you 70 hours of continuous use... 210/3= 70
70/24 = 2.91 days..
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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10-10-2017, 05:18 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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Don't forget the amplifier/booster in the TV antenna. That little device uses as much as the CO detector and the LPG detector. Fortunately, the smoke detector is most likely not connected to the trailer battery (most CO detectors are) and it's a "stand alone" device.
Even if you drop Javi's 3 amp draw to 2 amps by turning off the antenna, with your battery bank, if it's fully charged when you park, they will only last 4.3 days. 210/2=105 105/24=4.3.
Now, something to think about: If your battery bank is being "completely discharged" to a charge level below what the refrigerator won't turn on, they are being discharged well below the 40% state. That will shorten their life expectancy by a significant amount. Most battery manufacturers recommend never discharging deep cycle batteries below about 60% before recharging (for maximum life). You might want to "solve your problem" by installing a battery cutoff switch that completely isolates the batteries from the trailer. The one that is OEM will not turn everything off, so it's essentially "of no use" when your trailer is in storage.
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John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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10-10-2017, 05:50 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Downey, Ca.
Posts: 344
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi
210/3= 70
70/24 = 2.91 days..
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210 is equal to what? Or is it just a numeral that works?
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10-10-2017, 05:52 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny's Journey
210 is equal to what? Or is it just a numeral that works?
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"Good Morning...I recently purchased 2 brand new deep cycle batteries (105Ah each)"
2 x 105
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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10-10-2017, 05:53 AM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Johnny's Journey
210 is equal to what? Or is it just a numeral that works?
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Read the first line of the OP's original post: "I recently purchased 2 brand new deep cycle batteries (105Ah each)..."
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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10-10-2017, 05:59 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Downey, Ca.
Posts: 344
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRTJH
2 batteries
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Thank you for explaining.
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10-10-2017, 06:46 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: HENDERSON
Posts: 10
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2 brand new batteries at 105Ahr each = 210 Ahr.
Oops, way to slow...
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10-10-2017, 08:44 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Denver
Posts: 89
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I do not have a 5th wheel but battery going flat in a week with only ref on, does not seem right to me and with a 40 watt solar panel the battery should be full at the end of the week with a sunny week.
I agree 2 and 3 amp will drain the battery in a week, but there should not be more then a 1/2 amp draw and that seem way to big. Yes all the thing list above draw current but all combine should be less then 1/2 amp.
Time to go out and get a amp meter and see how much current is be used and what is using it. Let use know what you find.
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10-10-2017, 09:18 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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A 40 watt solar panel has an output of 2.4 amps of DC power during peak solar hours, giving from 9 to 17 amps or more in a day. so no a 40 watt solar panel will not keep a battery at full charge with 2 - 3 amp constant draw..
I used 3 amps because with my 5th wheel which has the fridge in the slide also uses a 12V cooling fan... The average draw I see when I happen to look at my gauge is right a 3 amps when I'm in storage with no lights on but the fridge running on propane... This is the reason I pay $10 extra a month for electric... so I can turn off the propane and still run the fridge... in that mode (110) the amp draw is still 3 amps with the fan running and 2 with out the fan..
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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10-10-2017, 05:36 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: South Jordan, Utah
Posts: 2,228
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Is it possible to replace the 40w solar panel with a 100w? I think ZAMP or Renogy has a single 100w panel. 100w should provide a 7 amp charge on a sunny day and keep things topped off nicely.
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2017 Cougar 279RKSWE
2007.5 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 Cummins
Retirement Training Completed
I think the little voices in my head have started a chat group.
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10-11-2017, 04:39 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Kamloops, BC
Posts: 385
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are the deep cycle 6v or 12v, if there 12 v you have 210 ah of which 80% roughly is usable, if there 6V you only have 105ah which isn't very much.
Steve
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10-11-2017, 04:54 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,353
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stircrazy
are the deep cycle 6v or 12v, if there 12 v you have 210 ah of which 80% roughly is usable, if there 6V you only have 105ah which isn't very much.
Steve
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FIRST post said 2 new batteries at 105Ah each.
__________________
![](image.php?s=2d925c06dd8dfb73bf6af7cc98699617&u=14512&type=sigpic&dateline=1418489574)
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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10-11-2017, 05:52 AM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: dartmouth
Posts: 15
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They are 12V
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10-11-2017, 01:26 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,090
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stircrazy
are the deep cycle 6v or 12v, if there 12 v you have 210 ah of which 80% roughly is usable, if there 6V you only have 105ah which isn't very much.
Steve
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My 6V GC2 are 230 AH?
-Brian
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2014 Bullet Premier 22RBPR - let the camping commence!
2013 F150 Platinum - 5.0 - 3.55 ELD + towing package
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10-11-2017, 01:28 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: dartmouth
Posts: 15
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Thanks for all the input guys...I am going to check the current draw with a clamp on ammeter this weekend and see what is up
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10-12-2017, 09:17 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 221
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Just a "heads up." You're not going to read DC current draw with a clamp-on ammeter. Those work only on AC current.
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Merlin B.
U.S. Army Aviator, Retired
2016 Cougar XLite 28SGS
2007.5 Ram 3500 DRW
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10-12-2017, 09:36 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,457
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MerlinB
Just a "heads up." You're not going to read DC current draw with a clamp-on ammeter. Those work only on AC current.
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Just a note:...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Extech-In...FUGqaQod6kkHCQ
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2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
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