Amp Draw
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10497
Printed Date: 01 Jul 2025 at 7:48am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Amp Draw
Posted By: Bhfromme
Subject: Amp Draw
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 10:44am
Okay this topic has probably been beat to death but can someone tell me how many amps a 2017 Pod draws just sitting with everything turned off?
The dealer is telling me it will draw 4 to 6 amps just sitting. Can that be right? If that's the case in two days my little Group 24 battery would be just about dead. Can that be?
Bill
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Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed
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Replies:
Posted By: twodues
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 11:01am
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0.4 to 0.6 amps would be more likely. Dealer is way off!
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Posted By: Bhfromme
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 11:30am
Thank you.
I have a cheap little volt meter and it showed a full charge of 100%. Then just sitting in the driveway with everything off it was down to 60% after just 24 hours. Something's not right, correct?
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Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed
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Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 11:38am
We usually throw ours on a trifle charger during down times or disconnect the battery to avoid any draining.
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 11:39am
Trickle charger. Curse of big fingers!
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150
2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk
Previously owned
2015 Rpod 179
2010 Rpod 171
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2017 at 11:43am
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The only thing that is on in our pod
plugged in at home is the CO/LP detector 11 watts
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If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.
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Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2017 at 7:39pm
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Our 2016 179 draws.1 amp just sitting. As far as I know, the only draws are the CO/propane detector and the radio
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2017 at 9:54pm
Don't forget the thermostat and the refrigerator electronics.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 7:22am
Sailor,
.1A is pretty much solid in the average. 2-4A a day draw is why the pod can't sit for more then a week or so without damaging it's battery. Disconnect/remove the battery, or add a battery disconnect switch, if you can't stay plugged in. Our pod pulled .17A, but we had a couple mods that had a small continuous draw.
OP, if your battery is drawing down that far overnight, you have an issue. Either your battery isn't healthy, your battery isn't actually charged to 100%, or you have more draw then you should, possibly the antenna booster is on.. But, if your dealer said it draws 4-6A a DAY, then he is pretty close.
If you have a Group 24, you have around 65aH available in a good battery, so figuring to stay above 50% soc to keep the battery healthy, 32/4 means in 8 days, the battery is being hurt. If you have already done that a couple times, your battery may already be toast.
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Posted By: Bhfromme
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 2:29pm
Ah ha! The antennae booster might be the culprit. How does one turn it on and off? I've looked for a switch but haven't seen it.
But if the TV is A/C only wouldn't the antennae and the booster be A/C only as well??
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Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed
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Posted By: Pete Brayton
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 4:43pm
There should be a button on the outlet where the cable/antenna to tv connection is. I have a 172 and it is in the cabinet above the stove.
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2021 Rpod 196
2013 Ford 150 V8
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 6:22pm
Originally posted by Bhfromme
Ah ha! The antennae booster might be the culprit. How does one turn it on and off? I've looked for a switch but haven't seen it.
But if the TV is A/C only wouldn't the antennae and the booster be A/C only as well?? |
Nope. It's DC, it's located on the cover of the cable outlet, where the coax comes out headed to the TV.
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Posted By: GLBCamper
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 8:26pm
Related question. My antenna amp draw (measured at the fuse panel) is .11 whether or not the little button is pushed in or not. Why wouldn't it be more when "on"? Plus, that seemed high for it being off. Can I just pull that fuse and only put it back in when needed, which is rare?
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Old: 2014 177 HRE
2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab
New: 2016 EVO ATS 200rd
2016 F150 4x4 Sport
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 8:42pm
Just make sure nothing else that you do need is controlled by that fuse also. I would think that if it is turned off, but it is still having a power draw, then there must be something else on that circuit which is drawing the power or the switch is defective.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
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Posted By: Bhfromme
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 8:50pm
You can but it's on the same circuit as the radio and probably other things I'm not even aware of.
I'm pretty sure I have a wiring problem. My battery goes dead in like two to three days. Took battery to dealer and they say it tested fine. I fully charge it for a couple days plugged in at the house and then the battery goes down like 20% each day. I'm not sure the dealer is smart enough to figure it out. They just want me to go with two batteries saying that'll fix it. But 1 battery or 10 batteries, if there's a problem there's a problem and it needs to be fixed. I've tried pulling fuses to isolate the large amp draw but haven't been able to find it. Something is pulling serious amps while sitting. It's more than .1 amp here and .1 amp there.
Pod is under warranty and needs to be made right but the dealer won't even acknowledge that there's a problem. Forest River, if you're reading this can you please weigh in here?
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Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed
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Posted By: GLBCamper
Date Posted: 15 Aug 2017 at 9:47pm
Originally posted by Bhfromme
You can but it's on the same circuit as the radio and probably other things I'm not even aware of.
I'm pretty sure I have a wiring problem. My battery goes dead in like two to three days. Took battery to dealer and they say it tested fine. I fully charge it for a couple days plugged in at the house and then the battery goes down like 20% each day. I'm not sure the dealer is smart enough to figure it out. They just want me to go with two batteries saying that'll fix it. But 1 battery or 10 batteries, if there's a problem there's a problem and it needs to be fixed. I've tried pulling fuses to isolate the large amp draw but haven't been able to find it. Something is pulling serious amps while sitting. It's more than .1 amp here and .1 amp there.
Pod is under warranty and needs to be made right but the dealer won't even acknowledge that there's a problem. Forest River, if you're reading this can you please weigh in here?
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You might want to see my recent thread "Vampires and multimeters" I had the same issue and finally tracked it down to a kink in the supply line to the water pump. But there's lots of helpful hints in the thread on how to track down vampire draws.
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10477&title=vampires-and-multimeters
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Old: 2014 177 HRE
2015 Tacoma V6 4x4 Double Cab
New: 2016 EVO ATS 200rd
2016 F150 4x4 Sport
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