High amp battery drain

[Ctate]

Hello, this is my first post on this forum. I purchased a 2018 voltage 4005 in July. Long story short, I've been having some battery problems since I bought it and I'm out of ideas of what the problem could be.

After a few trips and my battery bank, 4 6v golf cart batteries, kept dying, I found the converter was not charging the batteries. I eventually found the converter was simply not plugged in from the factory. Now it charges the battery bank.

At this same time, I installed 2 100 w solar panels in series, connected to a 20a mppt epever charger. Even with the solar, the battery bank would die in a day in storage, mostly at night when there was no solar pv. This is with the battery disconnect switch in the off position.

Thinking the problem was an issue with the solar, i disconnected the charger from the battery bank. Nothing changed. I disconnected every fuse and shut off every breaker and tested the amp draw on the batteries with the disconnect switch in the off position. Using my multimeters negative post to the negative post on the battery and the positive from the multimeter on ground post, I'm getting 2.7 to 3 amp draw! What can be causing this high of a draw with everything disconnected? I also pulled the fuse for the leveling system since it's direct wired to the bus bar from the batteries.

I'm charging the battery bank up with a portable smart charger and will repeat the test when the batteries charged

 

[Lou Schneider]

Welcome to The RV Forum, Ctate!

First things I'd check are the closets and storage compartments, maybe one has an interior light someone left on?  Other than that, try disconnecting the wires one at a time from the battery's positive post or distribution buss and see which one has the current draw.

 

[grashley]

Welcome to the Forum!

Sounds like you are 12V power literate!  You have already done the first few suggestions.  You have correctly checked true amp draw.  Now it is just finding what the draw is from.

The battery disconnect off should disconnect the entire fuse panel.  Breakers in the panel are usually all 120V.  The draw MUST be from one of the direct connections to the battery.

As Lou said, either disconnect the wires one at a time and recheck, or pull all wires and recheck, then reconnect one at a time and recheck.  This should identify the source go the draw.

 

[Rene T]

You don't by chance have a INverter maybe powering the fridge?

 

[Gizmo100]

You don't by chance have a INverter maybe powering the fridge?

The inverter is a good thought ours will draw about 4 amps with the fridge running on the 120 volts.

 

[Gizmo100]

And welcome to the RV Forum Ctate

 

[AStravelers]

If you have a inverter in the 2000 watt range, and the inverter is turned on, but not powering any 120V devices it will still draw 1.5-3amps depending on the inverter.  The inverter is probably connected directly to the battery and not through the disconnect solenoid.  If you don't have a remote panel for the inverter, there should be a button on the inverter to turn it off and on.

 

[Rene T]

If you have a inverter in the 2000 watt range, and the inverter is turned on, but not powering any 120V devices it will still draw 1.5-3amps depending on the inverter.  The inverter is probably connected directly to the battery and not through the disconnect solenoid.  If you don't have a remote panel for the inverter, there should be a button on the inverter to turn it off and on.

The Op hasn't responded as to whether they have a invertor

 

[cavie]

5th wheels don't usually have an Inverter and a resi fridge. He posted on a 5th wheel forum.

 

[Rene T]

5th wheels don't usually have an Inverter and a resi fridge. He posted on a 5th wheel forum.

I have both.

 

[kdbgoat]

5th wheels don't usually have an Inverter and a resi fridge. He posted on a 5th wheel forum.

That's probably a lot more than you think.

 

[QZ]

It seems like it would be more than 3 amp draw but did you somehow pull the emergency brake tether?

 

[rbrdriver]

5th wheels don't usually have an Inverter and a resi fridge. He posted on a 5th wheel forum.

  I've seen several newer fifth wheels with resi fridges nowadays.