Power Draw of Winegard 2.0 and Firefly?

[mburns884]

Installed the new lithium’s this weekend. Went with 2 Big Battery 170ah batteries. More on that project with pics later.

Have one thing nagging me though:

I installed the Victron battery meter and calibrated the settings for lithium.

When I disconnected from shore power and shut down just about everything possible, I still have a drain of 1.75 - 1.78A or 24/25 Watts

The only things that I know of running is the CO2 detector (should be minimal), the firefly system (the readings above are after the screen times out), and the Winegard 2.0 (no way I can find to turn it off)

Is that draw from the firefly and the Winegard? I looked for the expected power draw of both, with no luck.

My unit is a 2021 Thor Hurricane 29m

Things that are definitely off :
Fridge
Hot water heater
Pump
All lights (even cargo bays)
Inverter
In dash radio
Tv’s
DVD
Outdoor fridge

[Chateau_Nomad]

My Winegard is also hardwired. I simply turn the use/store switch to store. That disconnects the Winegard for me.

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by mburns884

Installed the new lithium’s this weekend. Went with 2 Big Battery 170ah batteries. More on that project with pics later.

Have one thing nagging me though:

I installed the Victron battery meter and calibrated the settings for lithium.

When I disconnected from shore power and shut down just about everything possible, I still have a drain of 1.75 - 1.78A or 24/25 Watts

The only things that I know of running is the CO2 detector (should be minimal), the firefly system (the readings above are after the screen times out), and the Winegard 2.0 (no way I can find to turn it off)

Is that draw from the firefly and the Winegard? I looked for the expected power draw of both, with no luck.

My unit is a 2021 Thor Hurricane 29m

Things that are definitely off :
Fridge
Hot water heater
Pump
All lights (even cargo bays)
Inverter
In dash radio
Tv’s
DVD
Outdoor fridge

On our 2022 Quantum the Winegard 2.0 is on the same fuse as the propane/CO2 detector. I emailed Thor and got that information. Seems strange but it is what it is.

[pneumatics]

From the installation manual for Winegard Connect 2+ the max. operating current is 1A at 9-16VDC. Recommends a 3A fuse.
Some of the wall plates that they supply have two switches one for TV/Cable the other for power, others not. I had to add a switch just next to the wall plate to cycle power, easier than pulling the fuse.

[DavidEM]

My 2021 Axis has the Winegard system. Instead of the Firefly, it has BMPro control and display. With everything off including the Gerard water heater (switch inside the outdoor panel) I get 0.5 amps parasitic drain, 0.7 with the Girard on.

I pulled each converter fuse while watching the current. Nothing changed until I pulled the 30a fuse for the BMPro, then it dropped to near zero.

Try it yourself.

David

[mburns884]

Originally Posted by Bob Nodine

On our 2022 Quantum the Winegard 2.0 is on the same fuse as the propane/CO2 detector. I emailed Thor and got that information. Seems strange but it is what it is.

This is also true on my Hurricane 29m. Both are on a single 5amp fuse together.

I’m not really I’m love with this. Obviously I’m not going to disable to co2 detector, but my goal is to make the batteries last over a long weekend without a recharge. That Winegard draw is not huge over an hour, but over 72 hours it is significant.


One thought is to pull the fuse and just find a battery powered co2 detector to augment the first one while it’s off. Second option is to put a kill switch on that Winegard somewhere.

[tuchmybuttercups]

Originally Posted by mburns884

Installed the new lithium’s this weekend. Went with 2 Big Battery 170ah batteries. More on that project with pics later.

Have one thing nagging me though:

I installed the Victron battery meter and calibrated the settings for lithium.

When I disconnected from shore power and shut down just about everything possible, I still have a drain of 1.75 - 1.78A or 24/25 Watts

The only things that I know of running is the CO2 detector (should be minimal), the firefly system (the readings above are after the screen times out), and the Winegard 2.0 (no way I can find to turn it off)

Is that draw from the firefly and the Winegard? I looked for the expected power draw of both, with no luck.

My unit is a 2021 Thor Hurricane 29m

Things that are definitely off :
Fridge
Hot water heater
Pump
All lights (even cargo bays)
Inverter
In dash radio
Tv’s
DVD
Outdoor fridge

I did the same thing (installed lithiums and a battery monitor) to find that with everything "off" my RV was still pulling ~1.5A. As a boondocker who avoids running the generator/vehicle at all costs, I wanted to reduce this as much as possible. With the Winehard not having an independent circuit, I opened up the dome on the roof and disconnected the positive lead. I also taped it to prevent incidental metal-on-metal contact. This dropped my drain from ~1.5A to ~0.5A. I don't use the TV antenna or the data package, so this was an easy decision for me.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Learned something today!! After nearly TWO YEARS with our 2020 coach... I found the Winegard power switch!

In the cabinet directly over our entry door there are two 120 volt outlets in addition to a coax connector... the Winegard switch is definitely on the coax plate... hidden from view by the maze of coax, HDMI and power cords front the over-cab TV.

I had ASSUMED that the outlet was just a basic coax connector plate. I pulled the cables back, stuck my head in there with a flashlight and BINGO! Just as described by several other posters, that little button was hiding there on the back side all this time!

[acheron800]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

Learned something today!! After nearly TWO YEARS with our 2020 coach... I found the Winegard power switch!

In the cabinet directly over our entry door there are two 120 volt outlets in addition to a coax connector... the Winegard switch is definitely on the coax plate... hidden from view by the maze of coax, HDMI and power cords front the over-cab TV.

I had ASSUMED that the outlet was just a basic coax connector plate. I pulled the cables back, stuck my head in there with a flashlight and BINGO! Just as described by several other posters, that little button was hiding there on the back side all this time!

Im pretty sure thats just the button for OTA television.

I like you have the same thing, but it doesnt turn off the winegard.

Whats even worse, my fuse for the winegard also runs the slide. What a pain in the ass.

[acheron800]

Originally Posted by tuchmybuttercups

I did the same thing (installed lithiums and a battery monitor) to find that with everything "off" my RV was still pulling ~1.5A. As a boondocker who avoids running the generator/vehicle at all costs, I wanted to reduce this as much as possible. With the Winehard not having an independent circuit, I opened up the dome on the roof and disconnected the positive lead. I also taped it to prevent incidental metal-on-metal contact. This dropped my drain from ~1.5A to ~0.5A. I don't use the TV antenna or the data package, so this was an easy decision for me.

What wire did you disconnect?

[Chateau_Nomad]

There is a (fairly bright) LED on the roof unit close to the sim card compartment. One day shortly after we got the MH my neighbor (about 200 feet away) asked me what the LED was for. I hadn't noticed it before, so I investigated.

That's when I found the button in the cabinet over the entry door. Sure enough (at least on my MH) it turned off the LED. The Winegard was then no longer broadcasting it's SSID, so I assume power was cut to the Winegard.

My rig's under a cover until April, or I would go out and verify... but if memory serves, the button on mine DOES power off the Winegard... which incidentally houses the OTA antenna.

As per a previous post, the tiny button is not easy to see - obscured by the coax cable and power cords to the over-cab TV... but it's there on the back side of the wall plate.

[acheron800]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

There is a (fairly bright) LED on the roof unit close to the sim card compartment. One day shortly after we got the MH my neighbor (about 200 feet away) asked me what the LED was for. I hadn't noticed it before, so I investigated.

That's when I found the button in the cabinet over the entry door. Sure enough (at least on my MH) it turned off the LED. The Winegard was then no longer broadcasting it's SSID, so I assume power was cut to the Winegard.

My rig's under a cover until April, or I would go out and verify... but if memory serves, the button on mine DOES power off the Winegard... which incidentally houses the OTA antenna.

As per a previous post, the tiny button is not easy to see - obscured by the coax cable and power cords to the over-cab TV... but it's there on the back side of the wall plate.

Is this the button you have? I have the same button/plate but in black.

Or do you have another button or different button?

I would love to power this thing off.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Yep that looks like it... open the cabinet door... it's mounted on the left side in the back.

[acheron800]

Button doesn't work. Unplugged the power wire from the unit. No more winegard.

[waynetaylor55]

Attachment 40521I, also, wanted to disable the Winegard 2.0 when we go boondocking. Usually not near WiFi or Cellular out there!

Customer Service sent me a 12v diagram that shows the Winegard OTA antenna booster power is taken off before going to the modem on the roof. There was no access to the modem power inside the cabinet. I could not find where it was routed.

My solution was to tap power for the CO/LP detector off of the tank heater circuit that was coming off of the converter/charger under the dinette seat. I don't have tank heaters installed, so it is an unused circuit.

Now, when we go boondocking, I'll just take out the 5a fuse!