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Old 05-13-2020, 05:46 AM   #1
Larry&Becky
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Current draw when parked

Just purchased a 2002 Cougar 279, very large current draw when parked. The only thing that I see on is the propane leak detector. I have 2, group 24 batteries newly installed, check the morning and batteries are at 85%.. What is drawing so much wattage. Thank you for any help.
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Old 05-13-2020, 06:10 AM   #2
CedarCreekWoody
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Pull 12 volt fuses one at a time until you find the one drawing the excess amperage.
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Old 05-13-2020, 06:47 AM   #3
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Parasitic load typically includes the CO/LP detector, radio memory, and perhaps a remote control or TouchPad. The parasitic loads will be present even if the "factory disconnect" for the battery is in the "off" position. The only way to isolate all parasitic loads from the battery is to either install a disconnect switch or remove the battery cable from the battery post.

If you search the forum for parasitic or battery switch you'll find several posts on the subject.
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Old 05-13-2020, 07:38 AM   #4
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How long has it been parked? If it was one day I would say that was excessive but if it was a couple of weeks or a month that sounds about right.
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Old 05-13-2020, 08:03 AM   #5
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Batteries install 14 hours ago.
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Old 05-13-2020, 08:11 AM   #6
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"Newly installed" doesn't equal "fully charged". T

he only way to check the load on the batteries is an amp meter or watt meter installed via a shunt. Measuring a "starting and ending voltage" can give you a rough idea with some calculations.
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Old 05-13-2020, 09:31 AM   #7
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If you have a pair of batteries, are the trailer leads on opposite batteries? When troubleshoot this type of issue we use a clamp on DC amp gauge on the positive trailer lead. Then start pulling fuses.
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Old 05-13-2020, 05:42 PM   #8
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You didn't pull the breakaway pin as a parking brake did you? Unlikely but it's been done.
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Old 05-13-2020, 06:47 PM   #9
Larry&Becky
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No, the brake cable is intact, I know the propane gas detector is on all the time, just wondering what else is drawing power. Know all about phantom electrical loads, we have lived totally off the grid for years, a big concern when you live off the grid. Thank you
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Old 05-14-2020, 03:01 AM   #10
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i don't see how many days you were just on batteries. like stated above, if one day, yeah, that's a lot. If several days or weeks that would be typical.
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Old 05-14-2020, 07:11 AM   #11
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I parked my camper in the cul-de-sac for about 6 weeks while my sis & bro-in-law visited in their camper and used our pad/hookups. I had everything off and while the fridge door was open, had taped the light switch so the light wouldn't come on. Had a new and fully charged marine battery in the camper and went in after a week and found the propane alarm was singing. Put the battery on charger after pulling the fuse for the propane alarm and subsequently ran a 15A power cord down to the trailer and hooked that up after the alarm fuse was replaced and battery tender removed and the alarm stopped buzzing. Can't say how long a propane alarm would run without draining a new and fully charged battery but less than a week. I also failed to pull the fuse for the entertainment stuff so the radio had power (never turned on) and it was a draw as well.
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Old 05-28-2020, 08:37 AM   #12
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My trailer used between 12 and 24 watts per hour parked with nothing on. I discovered this when my 2 amp float charger could not keep up with the usage. This could easily explain your usage. I ended up adding 230 watts of solar. Otherwise a battery shut off switch might be a good idea.
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Old 05-28-2020, 08:40 AM   #13
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CO detector, LP detector, Smoke detector, microwave clock,
Any LED Indicator or switch lights, inverters and inverter fans, and converter fans, fridge fans, TV/Radio display lights as well as a USB charger or device left plugged in..
An RV is full of parasitic dc power draws. Just sitting idle in your yard with no further charge, some RV’s can be drawn dead in a week or less. Usually the two dealer Installed batteries.
If you move to solar you will really learn the meaning of budgeting your total power use when off the grid.
You learn about all those minuscule power pennies and how they total up to be the hole in your power bank.
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Old 05-28-2020, 10:02 AM   #14
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Curious as to what the actual current draw is? Like chuckster said, put a DC clamp over the main positive wire to get this reading. To tag off flybouy's comment, keep in mind that new batteries are never 100% charged. I would highly recommend installing a main disconnect switch on the negative side of your two batteries. Turn this switch off between trips to keep your batteries fresh and they will last longer also.
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:00 PM   #15
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I just got my used Hideout and within a couple of days the battery, only came with one, was not totally dead but definitely drained.
After checking it out, I had left the lights on the the storage area.
I wrote it off as "operator error"!!
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Old 06-17-2020, 03:32 AM   #16
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Anything... microwave or tv clocks, standby circuit lights, detecters, inverter left on produce phantom draws that will kill a battery in a week, unless you have a trickle charge on it.
If you are near a 15A outlet, get the dogbone adapter and plug in. This will keep converter on that converts AC to DC that gives 12V to lights but most important keeps battery charged.
Dealers should be mandatory to provide 2 batteries. But be warned the one or two batteries a dealer throws on are not even good boat trolling motors and are rated in CCA. If a battery doesn’t have the AH and only CCA it isn’t good for RV.
CCA cold cranking amps is a vehicle starting term and not related to AH amp hour rating needed for RV ‘s.
Use what you have till you're tired of it and upgrade.

With my two I could put slides out and then back in and be in low 12’s If I camped I wouldn’t be left with enough to bring in slides and raise jacks, without connection to generator or shore power.
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Old 06-17-2020, 04:44 AM   #17
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Interesting reading this thread and how everyone keeps mentioning 12v parasitic load on 120v appliances with no 12v connection. Am I missing something here?

I understand it is a real issue, but when was the last time your car battery was dead after a week because of the clock on the radio? Let’s talk reality and what IS drawing power; the gas leak detector (smoke and CO are not hardwired and have their own batteries), a light left on somewhere, the power panel for the fridge (the primary circuit is 12v), USB ports (if you have them), We have like a dozen of them and they are powered on 12v all the time, and finally the converter “might” be part of the problem.

The easy fix? Disconnect the battery cable, and if there is still battery drain, the issue is with your battery.
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Old 06-17-2020, 05:14 AM   #18
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RV and car parasitic load can be considered two different animals.
You have DC running to things that are AC. Gas HW and LP/Electric Refrigerators require 12V to fire the igniters. You CO/Smoke/LP detectors alway draw some DC. When you are on battery any little light or indicator glowing is pulling DC amps. Some microwaves, some tv’s, radios are usually DC so radio left on or display or clock lights. All together will bring a battery bank down if there isn’t anything recharging them... ie: shore power, stand alone battery charger, generator or Solar system. If you have stand alone USB charging ports built in and have a switch turn them off. If it’s just a charging port don’t leave your adapter plugged in when not charging.
Many folks that don’t use a dogbone adapter to connect to a 15A receptacle in the house to keep the converter charger going will disconnect the battery cables or connect a separate battery charger to bank. Still best to disconnect cables here also.
Just switching off the battery disconnect doesn’t always cut all the parasitic draw. Some rigs have the CO/LP/Smoke detectors hard wired. They may have their own batteries internally, but some Are part of your DC system. When you replace one you will find out if they are powered.
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Old 06-17-2020, 07:07 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bbells View Post
My trailer used between 12 and 24 watts per hour parked with nothing on. I discovered this when my 2 amp float charger could not keep up with the usage. This could easily explain your usage. I ended up adding 230 watts of solar. Otherwise a battery shut off switch might be a good idea.
I’m using 3 amp charger will not keep up phantom draw on my impact . I flip the disconnect switch to off and it will stay level at 12.7 my batteries are three years old I’m thinking 75% is good for three years on AGM 12 volt batteries.
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Old 06-17-2020, 07:19 AM   #20
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Thanks for the actual numbers, I believe this helps demonstrate that a measly 12 - 24watts doesn't seem like much, but constantly drawing without recharge and the batteries go dead.
Doesn’t take very long for 100AH to go dead, especially since you only have 50AH to actually use.
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