Have a 2006 Alpenlite 5th Wheel w/6 new 6v bats, solar and inverter and I think a converter. Without shore power Batteries run down overnight with very little load. I have tried all my ideas. Anybody experienced similar issues? When I hook up shore power after only a couple of hours off it the inverter shows high level of recharge. Many amps - Inverter does work to power 120 stuff. Only obvious load is detectors.
Need Help - Batteries deplete overnight
- Thread starter pghassing
- Start date
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I had a similar issue ...
i biught this meter from sears http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482369000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=31-35312855-2
this does DC amps via clamp - most only do AC amps at this price.
Then I shut everything off and then clamped every meter until I found the draw. I found a circuit that was always on and always drawing 5A - fixed this and all was good.
Stephen
i biught this meter from sears http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482369000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&srccode=cii_17588969&cpncode=31-35312855-2
this does DC amps via clamp - most only do AC amps at this price.
Then I shut everything off and then clamped every meter until I found the draw. I found a circuit that was always on and always drawing 5A - fixed this and all was good.
Stephen
Mopar1973Man
Well-known member
Double check your trailer break away switch for the brakes you might find that pin is either pulled out, missing, or switch is damaged.
But it would be smart to check all circuits with a amp meter to find your draw.
But it would be smart to check all circuits with a amp meter to find your draw.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Without some measurements of DC and AC power draw, it is difficult to guess where your power is going. You should have a voltmeter and ammeter on the battery bank itself to monitor power draw, and a portable unit to measure the load on individual circuits for diagnostic purposes.
One other thought: when is the last time you checked the water in the battery cells? If low on electrolyte, the batteries will have very limited capacity. Are these 6x v golf cart batteries? How old?
One other thought: when is the last time you checked the water in the battery cells? If low on electrolyte, the batteries will have very limited capacity. Are these 6x v golf cart batteries? How old?
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Six Six volt (Assuming GC2) is a LOT of power. that's 690 amp hours, I mean I could Microwave for an hour on that much battery and not kill it if it's fully charged .(Roughly 3KWH of usable power). There has to be a "phantom load" on that.
Else that or the batteries are not as good as you think they are.
Else that or the batteries are not as good as you think they are.
Ernie n Tara
Well-known member
Or they're not getting fully charged! A couple of hours is awfully fast for any charger to even touch that much battery.
JM2C,
Ernie
JM2C,
Ernie
Lou Schneider
Site Team
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2005
- Posts
- 13,305
Most trailers come stock from the factory with a converter, to convert 120 VAC to 12 VDC to run the lights and charge the batteries.
If you have a whole house inverter-charger, it was likely installed after-market.
Make sure the installer disconnected the stock converter. If it's still in-circuit, it's likely it's likely plugged into an AC outlet or connected to a circuit that's on the inverter and you've set up a feedback loop. DC power runs from the battery to the inverter, then AC goes to the converter, which turns it back into DC to feed to the battery. Since each conversion is less than 100% efficient, the converter goes to full output trying to makeup for the current being drawn by the inverter and the conversion losses will drain even the largest of battery banks.
If you have a whole house inverter-charger, it was likely installed after-market.
Make sure the installer disconnected the stock converter. If it's still in-circuit, it's likely it's likely plugged into an AC outlet or connected to a circuit that's on the inverter and you've set up a feedback loop. DC power runs from the battery to the inverter, then AC goes to the converter, which turns it back into DC to feed to the battery. Since each conversion is less than 100% efficient, the converter goes to full output trying to makeup for the current being drawn by the inverter and the conversion losses will drain even the largest of battery banks.
