Dead batteries

[hikerjohn7]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

All,

I have a correction to the correction.

I am on vacation today in the RV and thought I would call Winnebago to get the details.

Per Winnebago (one phone rep anyway), I was right about my assumptions or noted experience with Switch being foolproof if you connect Shore power.

1. It is NOT possible to turn off the charging to the House batteries of my 29VE when Shorepower is connected.
2. With Shorepower; 110vAC goes to the entire coach and no switch will stop or turn off.
3. The converter when it has 110vAC input power works in 3 stages and sends amperage to the House batteries based on voltage at the batteries.
4. They state the voltage measurements may look erratic at times due to this staging and delta of voltage at the battery versus voltage from the battery. But if the shorepower is connected the charging is on.

With that said, Winnebago says if you plan to leave RV unattended for anything longer than 2 weeks. You should...
1. Disconnect Shore power
2. Turn Disconnect Switch to Off
(This scenario is only time I would bother with switch)

There are no relevant parasitic drains to be concerned with on this coach unless coach is wired improperly, or aftermarket add on direct to the battery. This also eliminates Sulfate concerns.

I've always thought it was not good to leave an RV stored for long periods with shore power on. Of course, your disconnect switch should totally disconnect the batteries from the coach. I suspect the batteries will last quite a while like that. Just turning off the master switch in the coach won't do.

[dkoldman]

[QUOTE=hikerjohn7;235253]I've always thought it was not good to leave an RV stored for long periods with shore power on.

You are correct and confirmed by Winnebago

Winnebago says if you plan to leave RV unattended for anything longer than 2 weeks. You should...
1. Disconnect Shore power
2. Turn Disconnect Switch to Off

Of course, your disconnect switch should totally disconnect the batteries from the coach. I suspect the batteries will last quite a while like that. Just turning off the master switch in the coach won't do.

For my coach a 29VE Winnebago, for what you are calling the Master switch inside the coach.... it fully disconnects from the coaches house batteries, as long as there is No Shorepower. My coach is wired such that a true Disconnect Switch directly on the House batteries is not needed. If my Coach's Master On/Off switch is OFF and No shorepower then that switch being off is all that is needed. There is no parasitic drain unless someone has wired aftermarket device, or coach not wired properly from factory. i.e in my coach, when disconnect is Off the gas detector is also off. In fact everything is off

With that said, I did add an aftermarket disconnect switch for the Engine (Chassis) battery. I have never used it, but if I wanted to stop it from parasitic drains I could. /QUOTE]

[Bob Denman]

Are you looking for something like this?

https://www.galco.com/buy/Bates-(Mar...BoCw34QAvD_BwE

[hikerjohn7]

[QUOTE=dkoldman;235258]

Originally Posted by hikerjohn7

I've always thought it was not good to leave an RV stored for long periods with shore power on.

You are correct and confirmed by Winnebago

Winnebago says if you plan to leave RV unattended for anything longer than 2 weeks. You should...
1. Disconnect Shore power
2. Turn Disconnect Switch to Off

Of course, your disconnect switch should totally disconnect the batteries from the coach. I suspect the batteries will last quite a while like that. Just turning off the master switch in the coach won't do.

For my coach a 29VE Winnebago, for what you are calling the Master switch inside the coach.... it fully disconnects from the coaches house batteries, as long as there is No Shorepower. My coach is wired such that a true Disconnect Switch directly on the House batteries is not needed. If my Coach's Master On/Off switch is OFF and No shorepower then that switch being off is all that is needed. There is no parasitic drain unless someone has wired aftermarket device, or coach not wired properly from factory. i.e in my coach, when disconnect is Off the gas detector is also off. In fact everything is off

With that said, I did add an aftermarket disconnect switch for the Engine (Chassis) battery. I have never used it, but if I wanted to stop it from parasitic drains I could. /QUOTE]

That's a smart feature. As I said, I had to learn the hard way that my master switch on my relatively new Class A RV did not totally disconnect the batteries and after a few weeks of storage my batteries were dead. I had to go to the trouble of installing a marine type cut-off switch in the main line from my battery. However, since then, my batteries have been staying fresh and full of power even after weeks. Whether they could go six months like that, I can't tell you.

[dkoldman]

[QUOTE=hikerjohn7;235264]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

That's a smart feature. As I said, I had to learn the hard way that my master switch on my relatively new Class A RV did not totally disconnect the batteries and after a few weeks of storage my batteries were dead. I had to go to the trouble of installing a marine type cut-off switch in the main line from my battery. However, since then, my batteries have been staying fresh and full of power even after weeks. Whether they could go six months like that, I can't tell you.

Bingo you got it, a smart feature it is!!!!!

The genesis of my angle is before I bought a coach I was 90% sure it was going to be a Thor. So confident, and based on leanings from this forum I pre-bought 2 of the marine type cut of switches. One for House and one Chassis. I have those Marine switches on my Boat and they work flawlessly. But as fate would go; I bought a 29VE Winnebago. But I found I could not drain my batteries with shore power on. So I went ahead and had the Dealer install one of the Marine Switches on Chassis battery. But the built in Standard Switch for House batteries works as it is intended (or no parasitic draw). When I disconnect shorepower and turned that switch off, there is NOTHING on. Nothing. AGS controller, gas detector, inverter etc are all off.

With that said I have an extra Marine Switch No need to put 2 disconnect switches on the House batteries in my case.

[hikerjohn7]

[QUOTE=dkoldman;235268]

Originally Posted by hikerjohn7

Bingo you got it, a smart feature it is!!!!!

The genesis of my angle is before I bought a coach I was 90% sure it was going to be a Thor. So confident, and based on leanings from this forum I pre-bought 2 of the marine type cut of switches. One for House and one Chassis. I have those Marine switches on my Boat and they work flawlessly. But as fate would go; I bought a 29VE Winnebago. But I found I could not drain my batteries with shore power on. So I went ahead and had the Dealer install one of the Marine Switches on Chassis battery. But the built in Standard Switch for House batteries works as it is intended (or no parasitic draw). When I disconnect shorepower and turned that switch off, there is NOTHING on. Nothing. AGS controller, gas detector, inverter etc are all off.

With that said I have an extra Marine Switch No need to put 2 disconnect switches on the House batteries in my case.

Interesting that they may have finally saw the light in their engineering of their RVs. Maybe they do read these posts.

[dkoldman]

[QUOTE=hikerjohn7;235292]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Interesting that they may have finally saw the light in their engineering of their RVs. Maybe they do read these posts.

Remember Disclaimer. I am speaking of Winnebago; not Thor. I doubt Winnebago reads the Thor Forums, but I do. Smart people here. I learn 5:1 from Thor Owners to what I learn from Winnebago Owners. But I love the coach we bought. Worth every penny.

But back to Thor reading the forum, that was the intent of my first question on this thread. Out of everything I have read, I don't know why Thor wires their coaches to allow parasitic drains? If RV owners wishes to shut everything down, then it all should be shut down and no devices to draw any current from House no matter how small.

My other suggestion if I were talking to Thor was to ensure that if Shorepower is available, there should always be at least a slow .2 amp maintainer charge. No RV owner should ever return to their RV to find dead House battery while they were plugged into good shorepower.