Battery Disconect
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2012
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Battery Disconect
Using the disconnect that comes with the 5th wheel. The landing gear and misc items are still draining the battery. Was thinking of adding an additional switch in the front compartment breaking the hot wire to completely disconnect the battery.
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,458
Likes: 722
From: Calgary Canada
A true 100% disconnect makes a lot of sense for most of us. I wouldn't bother with the tender connection though, because of you have shore power to plug into, why worry about being 100% disconnected?
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
Using the disconnect that comes with the 5th wheel. The landing gear and misc items are still draining the battery. Was thinking of adding an additional switch in the front compartment breaking the hot wire to completely disconnect the battery.
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
How is the landing gear putting a load on the battery unless it is operated? What else is running a separate 12-volt lead off the battery that is drawing amperage unless in use?
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Senior User
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I've got no idea. But with the factory switch off, the battery is dead in a week. I don't know if the landing gear auto leveling crap draws something or not.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,681
Likes: 12,803
From: Wyoming
Using the disconnect that comes with the 5th wheel. The landing gear and misc items are still draining the battery. Was thinking of adding an additional switch in the front compartment breaking the hot wire to completely disconnect the battery.
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
Pros/Cons???
In doing this, could I add a battery tender to the battery to keep it charged up?
I would be tracking down the draw. Keeping a battery tender on it just masks the problem and makes for a short amount of time you can use the battery when camping.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,787
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From: Northern Illinois
seems like you have an excessive draw or bad battery.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,681
Likes: 12,803
From: Wyoming
On one of the other truck forums I'm on the answer to electrical issues is, "It's always the battery". I would indeed start at the battery. Does it have enough fluid? I check mine monthly. Get the battery tested, it may be bad. A hygrometer will point out a bad cell, which is what happened with my dual 12v batteries. One cell in each battery was weak.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
Likes: 491
From: Bristol, TN.
If that is the case there have to be other circuits in your camper that are dead on the 15 amp plug as it must only be feeding one leg of the fifty amp breaker box, but then the same thing should happen with the 30-50 amp adapter as that adapter works the same way in terms of feeding both legs of the fifty amp box.. Something is not right here. Not saying your observation is wrong, but that is not the way these things work. If the 15 amp circuit can not handle it, the circuit breaker feeding it should be tripping. My first thought would be a bad adapter.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,060
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From: Bristol, TN.
Those things should not be drawing any power, but the real way to help sort out what is going on is with a good meter measuring amp draw from the battery. A weak battery will die in a week easily. I have had brand new batteries that are bad from the git-go. I also had a charging system one time that went into float way too soon and the battery was never topped off. Had to demonstrate it with two meters to get a new one from the manufacturer, but they were convinced once they saw it.
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