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11-03-2013, 11:55 PM
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#1
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Kernersville
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #13857
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Battery Drain
We've had our new montana home for about a week and a half. As far as I know, nothing is on but the detectors. The battery has gradually gone down and is now nearly dead. I'm going to get a Battery Tender this week for it, but i wondered if this is normal. Campers I've had in the past have lasted longer than this just sitting. thanks...
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11-03-2013, 11:57 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,372
M.O.C. #8728
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Is the rig plugged into power?
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11-04-2013, 12:49 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Paola
Posts: 5,739
M.O.C. #4961
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If you are not plugged into ac power it will go down. My unit draws about 1 amp with everything turned off. If I turn off the battery disconnect switch I still have about .4 amps drawing and that is from the level-up system which hooks up before the disconnect switch. If you are hooked up to ac disconnect the negative lead to the battery and see if the 12 volt lights work in your unit. If not then your converter maybe be bad or a fuse.
__________________
Dennis & Linda Ward
Paola, Kansas
Montana 3735MK Legacy Edition
1200 watts of Solar
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11-04-2013, 02:17 AM
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#4
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Kernersville
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #13857
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OK, thanks. It works all the lights fine, but now it is pretty dead so they won't burn. I am going to get a battery tender this week, I know it is not good for the battery to continually go dead. Gonna try the unit out 1st time this weekend. Really excited after all we went thru with the Forest River piece of junk....
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11-04-2013, 02:44 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Winfield
Posts: 7,327
M.O.C. #6846
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If you even have a 15 or 20 amp receptacle handy, it can be used to keep the battery charged. A couple of adapters to a 30 amp shore cord or even a 50 amp cord and the rig can be maintained using your household electric. Other than that, a simple battery disconnect at the battery itself will completely isolate it. We have an isolator and I have never had to remove the batteries even during winter storage.
Bingo
__________________
Bingo and Cathy - Our adventures begin in the hills of WV. We are blessed by our 2014 3850FL Big Sky (previous 2011 3750FL and 2007 3400RL) that we pull with a 2007 Chevy Silverado Classic DRW CC dually.
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11-04-2013, 04:21 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 1,520
M.O.C. #12935
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I would assume you had a new battery installed in your new unit, either way I would disconnect the battery and fully charge it. While you are purchasing a battery tender I would also purchase a Hydrometer and check each cell individually for specific gravity. If you have one bad cell it will cause the battery to loose it's charge more quickly.
A Hydrometer is an inexpensive but important way to check the condition of your batteries.
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11-04-2013, 04:46 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arroyo City
Posts: 3,110
M.O.C. #13395
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Brand new wet cell batteries will occasionally go bad if allowed to completely discharge.
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11-04-2013, 11:40 AM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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The problem with our rigs is that many things are pulling small amounts of current. Even the 12v TV is not really turned off when it's off as witnessed by the little glowing light to show you where to turn it on at.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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11-04-2013, 02:55 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Madison
Posts: 1,239
M.O.C. #5906
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I had a similar problem with a single battery. Run out the slideouts and turn on a couple lights and within a very few minutes the battery was dead. We found out that the battery wasn't suppose to power the unit, just give enough juice to start the generator. We had room in the well, so we installed two additional batteries. Now with three we can run a longer time before they drain.
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11-04-2013, 03:51 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 1,520
M.O.C. #12935
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Here is a link to a post I made some time ago with respect to the factory installed battery disconnect switch on my 3402RL, what is connected and what is not connected.
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ad.php?t=54889
On my unit contrary to popular belief there was only the one item that drew current from my batteries when the disconnect was OFF. That was the Lippert remote receiver. While the other items may have been connected there was no current draw on them.
It is not difficult to determine what is and is not connected when the disconnect is OFF, it just takes a bit of time and following wires.
If you put a disconnect on your battery to eliminate "all" sources of connection to the battery, you must remember in the OFF position while traveling you have disabled your emergency breakaway switch, and the minimal charge the batteries receive from the TV while traveling, something you do not want to do.
farmall130 my guess is you have an issue with the battery itself, and would certainly be better off to add a second battery. If you currently have only one 12V and it needs replacing, consider replacing with 2 good 6V batteries in series, giving you the 12V you need. Batteries should be replaced in pairs as a poor cell in one battery will draw down the whole system.
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11-05-2013, 08:25 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Redding
Posts: 1,421
M.O.C. #12339
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Do propane and fire protectors still powered when battery disconnect is turned to off? The electric industry calls these drains "Vampires"! I was kind of shocked the level up system still worked, after disconnect was activated.
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11-05-2013, 08:39 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Winfield
Posts: 7,327
M.O.C. #6846
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Evidently, the phantom drains may be different on the newer rigs. I guess the easy way to find out (which I will be testing this weekend) is to see if the detectors work when the battery disconnect is engaged. I think the propane detector has a green light on it which would be lit up, not sure about the smoke detector, but I guess the test button would tell.
Bingo
__________________
Bingo and Cathy - Our adventures begin in the hills of WV. We are blessed by our 2014 3850FL Big Sky (previous 2011 3750FL and 2007 3400RL) that we pull with a 2007 Chevy Silverado Classic DRW CC dually.
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11-05-2013, 09:05 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 1,520
M.O.C. #12935
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Artemus Gordon
Do propane and fire protectors still powered when battery disconnect is turned to off? The electric industry calls these drains "Vampires"! I was kind of shocked the level up system still worked, after disconnect was activated.
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On my 3402RL the propane detector is "not" powered when the disconnect is activated, it however will receive power from the converter if you are plugged into shore power. To confirm operation on yours, if you are plugged in just turn off the two main breakers and the battery disconnect.
My smoke detectors are powered by 9V batteries, I would suggest you open the two detectors up and confirm what you have and that batteries are indeed in the detectors, you can then push the test button to confirm operation.
Have no idea why the remote receiver is powered at all times.
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11-05-2013, 09:46 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Redding
Posts: 1,421
M.O.C. #12339
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Irlpguy
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Artemus Gordon
Do propane and fire protectors still powered when battery disconnect is turned to off? The electric industry calls these drains "Vampires"! I was kind of shocked the level up system still worked, after disconnect was activated.
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On my 3402RL the propane detector is "not" powered when the disconnect is activated, it however will receive power from the converter if you are plugged into shore power. To confirm operation on yours, if you are plugged in just turn off the two main breakers and the battery disconnect.
My smoke detectors are powered by 9V batteries, I would suggest you open the two detectors up and confirm what you have and that batteries are indeed in the detectors, you can then push the test button to confirm operation.
Have no idea why the remote receiver is powered at all times.
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Thank you!
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