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Post by capemayal on Jul 5, 2017 12:27:52 GMT -5
2018 DG 380FLF - problem with battery going dead. I use the battery disconnect switch. I don't hear any noise when I go from on/off and off/on - should I?
When in the off position it will still be dead after a few days.
Is there something that isn't disconnected when using the switch? I'm at a lost.
So far I've had to charge the battery a few times, when not plugged into shore power.
I do not have a ability to have the coach plugged in all the time.
Al
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Post by Chuck on Jul 5, 2017 14:04:05 GMT -5
capemayal
Once you turn the battery switch to off there should not be any power going to the trailer at all ...
Batteries can go dead if left sitting for a number of months even from non use but it takes awhile
sometimes a year or two ...
Some people when storing their trailer for the winter do the above, disconnect the batteries an remove
them, other if power is available put a trickle charger on them thus keeping the batteries up ...
The only thing else I can say is if in fact is if your batteries are going dead after your power is turned
off is you have a short someplace drawing power... Then the only way to make sure that you have a charged
battery when going camping again in your trailer is to disconnect the batteries after use ...
Make sure when you turn the battery switch off it is in fact off, When I turn ours off I pull the key
out thus at least in my mind it is defiantly shut off. I also check to see if the radio LED display
is on above the TV in out trailer, if on power not off, if off power is off ...
To detect if in fact you have a short after the battery switch is off is to put a volt/ohm meter connected
to the batteries. There should not be any current draw on you battery or batteries with the switch off,
if there is any then you have a short someplace ...
I would say then you become a detective, the easy part, pulling all the fuse's ( make sure you remember
which fuse goes where per amperage), then if still having amperage draw staring with disconnecting all your
appliances and seeing if the draw goes away ...
Good luck
Safe travels
Chuck
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Post by johnr on Jul 5, 2017 15:56:50 GMT -5
Hi. Chuck, that's not quite true. The battery disconnect removes MOST of the lines from the battery feed, but not all. There are system lines for running lights and brakes as well as landing jacks for 5ers and electric tongue for TTs that will all work with the standard battery disconnect switch.
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Post by lynnmor on Jul 5, 2017 16:35:37 GMT -5
Hi. Chuck, that's not quite true. The battery disconnect removes MOST of the lines from the battery feed, but not all. There are system lines for running lights and brakes as well as landing jacks for 5ers and electric tongue for TTs that will all work with the standard battery disconnect switch. The running lights and brakes are separate and are not connected to the battery except in the one case where a breakaway switch might be pulled. Some battery switches are wired as a salesman switch and do not disconnect all parasitic loads. The tongue jack is not parasitic in that it draws nothing when not in use. The cheap red key type battery switches are pure junk and can fail after almost no use. You need to check if the battery is completely disconnected by removing one cable and checking for voltage between the disconnected cable and the battery post where the cable was removed. |
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Post by Chuck on Jul 6, 2017 1:43:26 GMT -5
I can tell you when I turn off my battery disconnect switch in our 384 nothing works sitting there disconnected from my truck ... No marker lights, no leveling jacks nothing till I turn the battery switch to on. With the Durango Gold 5th wheels you have to have the LCI operations LED screen up an running to lower any of the landing gear or leveling jacks, I have tested this to see if such would work. I have also for gotten to turn the battery switch was off when setting up, same thing, no power. Now you can manually open or close the slides with a socket and racket or wrench but your going to work up a sweat for sure Ugh  You can in some of the newer Durango Gold's turn off the hydraulics to one slide or another if needed with values located next to the battery shut off switch ... If I hook the truck up then the brakes and the markers lights of course work along with turn signals etc work ... My frig turns over to propane automatically when i turn power off so I have to be careful to make sure I either have enough propane or turn propane and frig off .... What I have found out is that my frig will keep stuff frozen and cool for about 3 to 5 hours, it states 8 hours but I have not tested such since most trips right now range from 2 to 3 hours and a max of 4... This will change when we head back east do to the fact we may be on the road from 5 or 6 hours possibly with stops for fuel and lunch but I hope no longer ... I have to say that I am not one to run the frig on propane while traveling, when pulling in for fuel even thought I am using diesel there is always the chance of gas fumes hanging around, thus it's better safe than sorry  Safe travels Chuck & Hildi |
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Post by johnr on Jul 6, 2017 6:34:07 GMT -5
That's confusing. In my 2013, the LCI box functions with the battery switch off and so does the breakaway emergency brake.
Chuck, if your battery switch is off, do your brakes engage if you pull the breakaway out?
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Post by Chuck on Jul 6, 2017 12:18:39 GMT -5
johnr I will check again but after trying it to see if I could rise and lower landing gear with switch off and also forgetting to turn it on when setting up nothing worked till I turned the battery switch on ... I thought this was strange as well do the fact if I had a problem what would I do without power, major problem ... Again I have been wrong, at least per my wife on a number of things LOL I will double check today some time, it may be that I did not hold the LCI button long enough to turn it on, I don't know, but again I will try and report back ... BTW this is a different screen altogether than what you have I believe, maybe not, se link below www.lci1.com/onecontrolChuck |
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Post by johnr on Jul 6, 2017 12:56:05 GMT -5
Yes, that is a different screen than I have. My Lippert just controls my landing gear and leveling jacks.
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Post by Chuck on Jul 6, 2017 16:54:42 GMT -5
johnr I will check again but after trying it to see if I could rise and lower landing gear with switch off and also forgetting to turn it on when setting up nothing worked till I turned the battery switch on ... I thought this was strange as well do the fact if I had a problem what would I do without power, major problem ... Again I have been wrong, at least per my wife on a number of things LOL I will double check today some time, it may be that I did not hold the LCI button long enough to turn it on, I don't know, but again I will try and report back ... BTW this is a different screen altogether than what you have I believe, maybe not, se link below www.lci1.com/onecontrolChuck Well johnR You are correct Ugh LOL I was not holding down the button to turn the LCI screen on, things really work as they would with power on but in this case the power switch was off ... Thus my large 18ft awning, leveling jacks and slides all work from either panel inside or out with the power switch set to off, I did not try the APP from my phone but looking at the WIFI controller the green was in fact on .... So saying all this it makes me wonder how long the trailer can sit without being hook to shore power... Ours is always hook to shore power when sitting in the driveway, the DW's golden rule is we do not dry camp we Glamp LOL. Thus unless there is no other way and even then we Glamp not camp using a 6.5 ISU Honda generator which I put in the back of the truck at tractor shows Thank you for teaching me the hard way another function of our Kz 5th wheel, lesson well learned Safe travels Chuck & Hildi |
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Post by johnr on Jul 7, 2017 7:02:27 GMT -5
If you're WIFI controller is on, I would think that would be a bit of a parasitic load on your battery, always on, always listening. I bet it's not a huge draw.
You could always leave it off shore power, with the battery in disconnect mode for a few days to a week and see what your battery is reading before and after.
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Post by Chuck on Jul 7, 2017 9:55:12 GMT -5
I agree that why I check to see if it is off or on, batteries are not cheap any more. If they were to go dead a number of times they go bad ... It's funny I can leave some of my old tracks (6 volt) connected all winter long and they turn over an start up, others the battery is weak, thus I know someplace I am having a draw, most times it's in the starter for some reason ... Rebuild the started an the problem goes away ... In capemayal problem as someone stated take negative lead off the battery, but a volt meter to see if there is a large draw, if so then as I said the detective work begins Safe Travels Chuck & Hildi |
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Post by capemayal on Jul 10, 2017 9:05:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I will surely check everything out.
I'm not sure if my battery disconnect is working, though.
When I turn it to off I don't hear anything. In all my other coaches, since 1997, there has been some kind of audible sound.
Should there be a sound?
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Post by Chuck on Jul 10, 2017 9:57:07 GMT -5
I have no sound when turning mine off, like I said I check my audio setup LED light, if on the power is still
on, if off the power is off...In my old 5th wheel I would check my surge protect mounted on my slide panel
next to the door, if on power was on, if off the power was off ...
Safe Travels
Chuck & Hildi
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jd
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 9 
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Post by jd on Jul 12, 2017 19:21:45 GMT -5
I am having a similar issue. When plugged into shore power, I only get a reading of about 11 amps. I've had to camp with my trickle charger connected to the batteries...otherwise, I'm completely dead in about 6 hours (while connected to power). I'm guessing that my charger isn't working? We have an appointment with the dealer in a couple of weeks.
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Post by lynnmor on Jul 12, 2017 20:44:19 GMT -5
I am having a similar issue. When plugged into shore power, I only get a reading of about 11 amps. I've had to camp with my trickle charger connected to the batteries...otherwise, I'm completely dead in about 6 hours (while connected to power). I'm guessing that my charger isn't working? We have an appointment with the dealer in a couple of weeks. I believe you mean 11 volts. That points to the converter/charger not working. Check the fuses, there may reverse battery protection fuses blown. If you ever even make contact with the battery cables the wrong way those fuses will blow. |
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You can in some of the newer Durango Gold's turn off the hydraulics to one slide