House battery drain - very strange - 2003 Itasca

[ahobgood]

Been trying to find why I never have house power when parked with no shore power or generator.

Discovered today that the outside radio (entertainment center) comes on every time I start the RV engine and, apparently, stays on after engine is shut down.  So it drains the house batteries.

Anybody ever have this problem?

Thanks,

Allan

 

[Tony_Alberta]

I'm sure the hitchhikers are amused. 

 

[John Canfield]

This thread probably addresses your problem.

 

[Don and Gloria]

I have the outside radio (entertainment center) but never had the problem.  Thanks for the heads up though,  I will check into how it gets it's power before I do have the problem.  There's a rocker switch on the dash board that allows you to chose power to the radio from the engine battery or the house batteries but I always thought that was just for the inside radio.  Could it be that it powers both radio's from that rocker switch and you have it set on house battery?    I also usually push the house battery kill switch located by the entry steps prior to closing up the motor home when I park it between trips; I think this prevents the house batteries from draining down when your not on shore power or running the engine.   

 

[John Canfield]

There's a rocker switch on the dash board that allows you to chose power to the radio from the engine battery or the house batteries but I always thought that was just for the inside radio.  Could it be that it powers both radio's from that rocker switch and you have it set on house battery?

Not sure without looking over the wiring diagram

 

[ahobgood]

Turns out (I think) that I made a bad assumption re: my entertainment center radio pulling down the house batteries.

Turns out neither battery would take a charge...bad cells in both.

So now, with new batteries, the radio doesn't come on when the engine is started (at least it didn't the several times I tested it).  Still a mystery though...why did it come on with dead house batteries?  Not going to worry about it though...add it to the list of things I'll never understand about this RV.

The Auxiliary Battery switch works as described now that it has some voltage to switch.

Now, if I can figure out why I have no lights in the storage compartments...going to go out now and (1) make sure there is power to the switch then (2) test the switch.

Thanks for all of your help.

Allan