1 AMP draw on house battery

[J.P.]

With EVERYTHING turned off I still see a 1 amp draw on my house batteries that will eventually run them down if not on constant trickle charge. Any ideas as to how to find what device is drawing current.

I suspect it's the Winegard WF2-35B WiFi Exterder, but there is no On /Off switch that I can see. It sits on top of my Class A, but no power switch inside the RV.

Any ideas?

Thank you very much

[Trkyte@msn.com]

Are you sure it’s 1 amp and not .1 amp?

The gas and smoke detectors are still in the circuit and the keep alive power for the radios are also there.

[Grumpy Grampa]

Even in storage mode, you drawing one amp. ?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by J.P.

With EVERYTHING turned off I still see a 1 amp draw on my house batteries that will eventually run them down if not on constant trickle charge. Any ideas as to how to find what device is drawing current.

I suspect it's the Winegard WF2-35B WiFi Exterder, but there is no On /Off switch that I can see. It sits on top of my Class A, but no power switch inside the RV.

Any ideas?

Thank you very much

Define "with everything off". Is that with the house batteries disconnected? Or just by turning everything off in the RV?

If the latter, there are multiple things that still draw current even if off:
You mentioned the Winegard appliance as one and of course the safety detectors. Is the OTA antenna amplifier turned off? I suspect the water heater, furnace and fridge controllers draw a minute amount at all times. Others have measured at least .5 amp minimum draw with the house batteries connected.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

J.P. The 100Watt Solar Panel does a great job of keeping the batteries fully charged.

Chasing a 1 amp draw. It would be easier to purchase a boat battery on /off switch and install. This would be the equivalent of disconnecting the neg cable on your battery terminal...

I was thinking of installing, but the cons out weighed the pro's.

My 2 cents. I know ACE 16 will disagree....

[DavidEM]

My 2021 Axis draws 0.7 amp with most everything off except that the battery disconnect switch is on. The Girrard tankless water heater draws 0.2 amps of that which can be cut to zero if you turn it's outside switch off. So, 0.5 amp is the minimum with the disconnect switch on.

When I turn the disconnect switch off, it drops to 0.07 amps.

David

[Metalman]

I had the same problem with my batteries loosing charge when stored for less than a month with the use/store switch in the store position. I cured the problem by installing a knife switch on the ground side of the batteries.

[Chateau_Nomad]

My Winegard has no switch... it's hardwired like many are. But turning the battery disconnect switch to OFF also turns off the Winegard. There is a small power indicator on the roof unit.

[sportcoupe]

The dash radio is wired to house and chassis batteries. It also draws power when off.

[ChiefBob]

I had to disconnect various battery cables to get access to the battery caps for the house batteries so I could check the water levels. I turned off the main switch for the house batteries and unplugged the shore cable. Chassis batteries were also isolated, just to be sure. When I removed or replaced the main ground cable there was a significant spark. I don't have an amp probe to determine draw but I am curious what is still connected.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by ChiefBob

I had to disconnect various battery cables to get access to the battery caps for the house batteries so I could check the water levels. I turned off the main switch for the house batteries and unplugged the shore cable. Chassis batteries were also isolated, just to be sure. When I removed or replaced the main ground cable there was a significant spark. I don't have an amp probe to determine draw but I am curious what is still connected.

Inverter?

[ChiefBob]

I turned off the inverter before I turned off the disconnect switch. There is no output from the inverter, too. I’m not saying it’s not the inverter but I tried to isolate it.

[Metalman]

Originally Posted by ChiefBob

... I don't have an amp probe to determine draw but I am curious what is still connected.

You can check the amperage with a mulitmeter. Start at the 20 amp setting and work down if you are looking for the most accurate reading.

I agree with sportcoup, the only way I can cut power to my dash radio is to disconnect the grounds from the coach batteries.

[Jimbo56]

Pull the negative terminal off the house battery. Do same for chassis battery.

[mcr1010]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Pull the negative terminal off the house battery. Do same for chassis battery.

I 2nd that. A couple of knife switches saves a lot of searching-aggravation and you know there is nothing connected to draw your batteries down.

[DavidEM]

Originally Posted by mcr1010

I 2nd that. A couple of knife switches saves a lot of searching-aggravation and you know there is nothing connected to draw your batteries down.

Please use a simple 250A rotary switch like this one- https://www.amazon.com/Disconnect-Ve...0&sr=8-18&th=1

Knife switches are dangerous, IMO.

David

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by DavidEM

Please use a simple 250A rotary switch like this one- https://www.amazon.com/Disconnect-Ve...0&sr=8-18&th=1

Knife switches are dangerous, IMO.

David

Why is that?

[mcr1010]

Depends on how you use the knife switches. Most are located on the neg. post.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Why is that?

Exposed metal to contact maybe?

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

Exposed metal to contact maybe?

Like you already have on all battery posts anyway?

And as MCR1010 said/implied; knife switches usually go on the negative/ground post.

You will notice the part that moves is not connected to the battery side: