[Dash D]

For some reason my battery won't stay charged? When it has a full charge and I disconnect power, it works for a day or so, but then it goes dead. Nothing is on or plugged in using the juice that I can tell, and I cannot figure out whats draining it.

 

[grace]

Is it an old battery? Maybe you should replace it with a new one. The new ones stay charged. You can make sure you don't use the battery charge up. Keep the light switches off. At night be sure everything is shut off.

 

[antigua]

The LP detector, if equipped, will drain the battery but not that quick. It stays on all the time and runs off the battery when not plugged into the shore line.

 

[Dash D]

The LP detector, if equipped, will drain the battery

ahh, I bet that is what it is. I checked though, there is no way to turn it off or unlpug it that I can see. What do you do about it, just let it drain it?

 

[ctfortner]

I would bet that is what it is. Mine does the same thing I noticed before, and I just usually unhook my battery when I am parked without electricity. I am not sure what you could do if you wanted to run off the battery for a while, because it is using juice all the time.

 

[antigua]

You could always pull the fuse. Just leave the fuse panel door open to remind you to put it back in. That might do the trick too.

 

[mailfire99]

According to my LP detector manual, it draws less current than one lamp in the camper. It stated that if left on for a period of months, it would drain the battery, but not in a few days. So, maybe something else is pulling power, or its possible that your battery is just not 100%.

I guess you could shutdown everything with your breaker and see how long it lasts, or test your battery.

I looked up testing a 12 volt battery, and here is how you could do it.
http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm


Does your battery hold a good charge when not connected to the camper?

 

[l2l]

ahh, I bet that is what it is. I checked though, there is no way to turn it off or unlpug it that I can see. What do you do about it, just let it drain it?

The person who owned my trailer before me wired in an On/Off switch for the LP Detector.

Turn it on when camping and OFF when the trailer is stored, so far this has worked real well for me. The other thing you may want to concider is a solar charger.

 

[grace]

The battery advice is good. Keep the switch Off when you don't need it. We have a calculator that has solar power and battery power. It uses both and we really like it. Then you have another way to power it.

 

[outbackshack]

I have also forgot to turn off my antenna booster, although I don't know how much power it draws.

The Interstate battery that came with our trailer never held a good charge from day one. I replaced it with a Trojan brand battery & that thing holds a charge forever.

 

[Dash D]

Thanks for the info everyone, great to have help for this stuff when you need it. I will check the antenna booster, but we dont usually use it so it shouldnt be on, but who knows. I am really thinking it may be time for a new battery. It sounds like it should last more than a day or two regardles...

 

[wasy]

Bought a new battery for the same problem, took it back 10 days later as it was going dead also, got it replaced with no problem. The replacement went dead in under 2 weeks. Nothing was turned on except the propane detector. Pulled the fuse for it, charged up the battery and have not had a problem since. Confirmed with RV dealer that this device does suck the juice. Just remember to replace the fuse when your using the unit, although it is a problem when boondocking.

 

[mikey]

How long your battery lasts depends on how much energy is stored in the battery and how well you conserve it. There is no definite answer. Some campers claim that one 12 volt battery will last them up to 48 hours if they don't run the furnace, and carefully use the lights and the water pump, and basically conserve power. It is also a good idea to check the water levels in your batteries at least once a month.