2021 Outlaw 21S Power Drain

[Hummelr]

Does anyone know what may causing coach battery drain.


RV is parked at home.


Last night the batteries were in the high 12.8s


This morning at 12.2


2 brand new deep cycle batteries. I though the old ones were bad.


I also installed Solar a couple of days ago.


Everything is off EXCEPT the Winegard stuff. No switch. I have ordered a switch.


The inverter is off.


Just for kicks, I did check the water level on the new batteries. The level is fine.


I unplugged the radio in the garage.


I unplugged the sound power thing in the exterior TV compartment that was always on.


Any ideas?


Rick

[DavidEM]

I have done an extensive job of measuring parasitic (that which you can't turn off) DC load on my new Axis 24.1. This is what I have found:

With the battery switch off there is a parasitic draw of about 0.1 amp or 2.4 amp hours daily. Probably CO/Propane monitors.

With the battery switch on and no other devices or systems on the parasitic draw is 0.7 amp or 17 amp hours daily. That is mostly from the Rapid Camp BM Pro system. If I pull the lower two 30 amp fuses on the converter (can't remember which one does it) that serve the Rapid Camp system, it drops dramatically. The other small loads are the Winegard system and the Girard water heater among others I haven't identified. The latter can be turned off by using the external switch.

But 0.7 amps should not run your batteries down by that much overnight.

I would get a clamp on DC ammeter and measure the current you are drawing with everything off by clamping around the battery ground connection. Pull each fuse at the converter panel and see which is drawing the most. Then try to track it down.

David

[Hummelr]

Wow. Thanks. I will try these suggestions out.


I think tonight I will turn the power switch off and see what happens.


If the battery drops again, it must be something that is a direct connect to the battery.


If it does not drop, it must be inside the coach some where.


I have a 100 amp circuit breaker attached to the battery for the leveling system.


I also have a 70 amp circuit breaker attached to the battery for the inside the coach stuff.


Both of these breakers are under the coach.


Rick

[DavidEM]

Hmm, maybe the leveling system has a significant continuous current draw for some reason. Turn that breaker off and see what happens.

My Axis has 4 connections to the battery:

The solar power controller circuit that is protected by a 15A fuse.

The generator starter which is protected by a 100A circuit breaker next to the battery

The main DC converter circuit which is protected by a 50A circuit breaker next to the battery. Maybe yours is a larger system so it needs a 70A breaker.

A connection to the BIM in the engine compartment that is not protected near the battery.

The only circuit on my coach that sees a parasitic draw is the one to the converter.

Good luck with your DC system.

David

[Hummelr]

I am at a total loss.


I received my amp meter yesterday and with the cut off switch turned off, I am showing less that 1 amp.


With the cut off switch on, I am showing just over 1 amp.


I went to bed last night at 12.6 amps.


This morning I am at 12.2 amps.


I guess I will need to start pulling fuses at night and see what happens.


Rick

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Hummelr

I am at a total loss.


I received my amp meter yesterday and with the cut off switch turned off, I am showing less that 1 amp.


With the cut off switch on, I am showing just over 1 amp.


I went to bed last night at 12.6 amps.


This morning I am at 12.2 amps.


I guess I will need to start pulling fuses at night and see what happens.


Rick

Do you mean "Volts"?

Which ammeter and how is it installed?

[Hummelr]

Yes. I meant volts. I used one of the clamp around meters and hooked it around the negative.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Hummelr

Yes. I meant volts. I used one of the clamp around meters and hooked it around the negative.

I assume 2 batteries in parallel? If so, is there only one cable from the combined negatives to the chassis ground connection? And is that the one you are measuring?

As your batteries are new they should have full capacity and not be down to 12.2 volts from 12.8 volts overnight with only a 1 amp draw.

How/When are you measuring battery voltage at the start? 12.8 VDC is above a fully charged FLA battery voltage some it represents a small surface charge. To accurately represent the state of charge of the battery they need to have been disconnected from a charging source for 2 hours or more per this chart:

[Hummelr]

Thanks. I learn something new every day.

I measured the negative that went from battery to battery.

This evening, I will go out and get a new measurement from the cable that goes directly to the chassis.

Last night I did disconnect the solar before the measurement. I will disconnect it again today a couple hours before I take the measurement.


Thanks again

Rick

[Hummelr]

Here is the story from last night.


2 hours after disconnecting the solar and checking the amps on the negative that goes directly to the chassis:


I was showing 1.7amps with the power switch on.


Here is the voltage report:



12.42V at 4:20 PM
12.39V at 5:30 PM
12.18V at 8:10 AM


I did discover while playing around that if I turn on my gray tank warmer it uses about 4 amps.


If I turn on my black tank warmer there is no change in the amps. Therefore, the blank tank warmer must not be working.


Maybe there is something with the black tank wiring that is causing the amp drain. I do not know. I will look into that later today after the battery charges back up.


I will also check the black tank warmer tomorrow again as it is supposed to be in the 30s. It could just be the temperature sensor is off a bit.



Rick

[16ACE27]

So, let's do the math:

1.7 Amps over 16 hours means 27 AHs used.

You started at 80% capacity, you finished at 60% capacity, so 20% capacity used.

So your battery bank has a calculated 140 AH capacity at the 2 amp rate.

You didn't say which new deep cycle batteries you bought, but a standard group 24 FLA deep cycle marine/RV battery has between 70 - 85 AH capacity.

I assume you have an Outlaw 29S as there is no 21S so the batteries are probably group 24 under the steps?

[Hummelr]

It is an Outlaw 29S and the batteries are under the steps.



I bought 2 NAPA 8301 batteries.


90 AH. 175 reserve minutes.


Series 27.


The old batteries that came with the RV had no labels but the dimensions the same.


So. It looks like the new batteries are working correctly.


80% of 190AH is 144 AH, which should be my starting Amp Hours remaining.


If I used 20% of the 144 AMP hours, then I should have used 28.8 AH.


I used 27AH.


So, am I correct is stating the the batteries are working as advertised?


I need to get out there tomorrow and figure out what is using the 1.7 AH.


Thank you so much for your help



Rick

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Hummelr

It is an Outlaw 29S and the batteries are under the steps.



I bought 2 NAPA 8301 batteries.


90 AH. 175 reserve minutes.


Series 27.


The old batteries that came with the RV had no labels but the dimensions the same.


So. It looks like the new batteries are working correctly.


80% of 190AH is 144 AH, which should be my starting Amp Hours remaining.


If I used 20% of the 144 AMP hours, then I should have used 28.8 AH.


I used 27AH.


So, am I correct is stating the the batteries are working as advertised?


I need to get out there tomorrow and figure out what is using the 1.7 AH.


Thank you so much for your help



Rick

Yeah, I agree with your assessment and also agree in hunting down the amp draw.

[Hummelr]

I have 2 offending circuits:


1. The audio/visual is using .55 amps. I bought a switch to turn off the Winegard Wifi Extender. I will install that and see if it helps. Unfortunately, the Winegard is also the TV antenna (I think) so I cannot just disconnect it.


2. The water heater (Girard tankless model GSWH-2) is using .22 amps. If I turn the switch off outside, it using nothing. When I ensure that the interior on/off panel is off, it uses the .22 amps. I will call the Monday on this.


Rick