Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Battery Drain

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Battery Drain

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=15506
Printed Date: 18 Jun 2025 at 10:43pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Battery Drain

Posted By: mikeyg2347
Subject: Battery Drain
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2022 at 11:46am

Winterizing my 171 I thought I'd top off the batteries by plugging into shore power before putting them in storage. The trailer isn't parked near the house so I used a 50' 14 gauge extension cord to reach the trailer. I've done this before when the batteries were in storage and I needed power to the trailer so I thought it would be no big deal. When I checked the voltage meter a couple of hours later I was shocked to discover that the batteries were drained down to 5.85 volts. I immediately unplugged from shore power, put the batteries on a charger, then stored them in the garage when they were full. Batteries are two brand new 6 volt wired in series, but it seems that shouldn't make any difference since it is then a 12 volt battery.

The converter breaker wasn't off and nothing was turned on in the trailer. I'm at a loss as to what the cause of the drainage was, but I'm guessing there's someone here who will have an answer or educated guess. Thanks in advance.

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Mike

Replies:

Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2022 at 3:30pm

Check the heavy power draw possibilities such as a pulled emergency disconnect cable or the TV antenna booster turned on. If you have a clamp-on meter that can measure DC amperage, that will be handy to help trace anything using more than trivial (e.g. light) power.

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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

Posted By: mikeyg2347
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2022 at 7:04pm

I don't have a clamp-on meter, but as far as I can tell everything is normal. I was camping with it all last week and winterized it over the last couple of days. The tv, microwave and air conditioner were all removed long ago. My batteries were charged to 12.6 volts just prior to plugging in to shore power. After it was plugged in for a couple of hours I unplugged it, checked the battery voltage and it was 5.85.

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Mike

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 4:16am

I would agree with StephenH above that only something with a big draw capability could draw down your batteries that low in that short of a time frame. Your setup is like mine, no A/C, microwave/convection oven or entertainment system. That leaves only two potentials for power draw in both our r-pods, either (as StephenH stated) your emergency brake cable got accidentally pulled or your fridge is running on battery mode.

Maybe the converter isn't functioning? Did you hear the fan running when it was plugged in? With a power draw of that magnitude the fan should have been running and would shut off once you unplugged from shore power.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: mikeyg2347
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 8:32am

The emergency brake cable hasn't been pulled. The old 3-way fridge was swapped out this summer for a compressor model which was turned off. That leaves the converter and I didn't hear a fan running. If it is the converter it seems kinda weird that it would go out since I am never plugged in to shore power. I wish now that I'd left the batteries in place until this mystery was resolved, but at 65 lbs each I'm reluctant to drag them out of storage to conduct any experiments. This may have to wait until spring.

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Mike

Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 12:28pm

I had a weird thing happen a month ago while we were in Colorado near Pikes Peak. Went to Mueller State Park and had electricity for a change. I went to check the charge on my batteries and noted that they were not fully charged, only reading about 12.55 volts instead of the normal 12.72 showing a full charge. As I unplugged from shore power the fridge beeped as in no power so I went to turn it on propane, nothing. And down the line everything was dead, even the slide wouldn't function, no lights, it was strange. Had a brother help me trouble shoot and ended up figuring the circuit in the converter failed so ended up taking the big red wire feed and moving it to another 'leg' on the converter, using the circuit that usually feeds the A/C. Moved it to that line and everything 'magically' worked again. Can't explain why it suddenly quit, but it did. Glad I have yet one more circuit/line to work with (microwave/convection oven) in case this ever happens again.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: mikeyg2347
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 7:24pm

Interesting. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

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Mike

Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2022 at 7:33pm

https://wfcoelectronics.com/trouble-shooting-charts/ - https://wfcoelectronics.com/trouble-shooting-charts/

Look for the proper one for your converter. That should help.

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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