Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Battery drain with disconnect off (Read 568 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Battery drain with disconnect off

Yahoo Message Number: 85059
I'm new to a 1998 Country Coach Intrigue 40 ft one slide. When a cable is disconnected from the house batteries there is an arc when the main disconnect is in the off position, indicating some kind of drain. I disconnected all the smaller jumper wires but it still arcs off the large main cable. There is a large Red cable from the batteries that goes under the coach, the rest are visible. Visiting friends I found that their 20 amp ground fault would trip if I turned on the inverter breaker on the 110 panel. The Generator system and 50 amp shore work fine. Any help in diagnosing and fixing this issue would be appreciated, I'm now on the road. I have a meter and a few tools. This is my first motor home so I am still in the steep learning curve but learning fast.

Re: Battery drain with disconnect off

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85062
Ed (I think),

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your purchase of a great CC. Those were (arguably) some of CC's best coaches. This is a great place to learn some good, helpful stuff. Things that you'll not typically learn by the seat of your pants.
It would help the rest of us, and it is customary, if you would sign off with your name, coach year, model and serial number. You'll find the serial # (yours will start with 11xxx) on the back of the medicine cabinet door. That way, others who have a similar vintage and model coach (and maybe the same problem) will be better able to help.
The 20 amp breaker may be tripping simply because your coach is needing to pull more than 20 amps. You can control how much amperage the coach will draw from shore power by selecting 20 amps (or less) by way of the button panel above the entry door.
The reason that you see sparks even with the house battery disconnect off is because there are some small parasitic loads that don't go thru the disconnect. They will be serviced by 12 volt battery power unless the batts are disconnected by actually removing the battery cables from their posts.
Aside from the actual physicality of the coach you'll get to know the other systems......electrical, air, water, mechanical just by being curious. None of it is rocket science but it can be overwhelming when taken as a whole. Take the learning curve as you would if your task was to eat an elephant. Do it one piece at a time and take it slow and easy. Make it fun. After all, that's why we do it.

Dave Trotter

01 Intrigue 11215

Re: Battery drain with disconnect off

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85063
I have owned 3 RV's and they all have loads that will draw down the House batteries. The number of items is determined by the sophistication of the unit. Things like control panels for the inverter, Thermo stats, propane sniffers, TV's that are in standby, Silver leaf components, Microwaves logic sections, etc. My former 98 Allure and my current 2004 Intrigue all throw an arc when I reconnect the House battery grounds. TWI 2004 intrigue 11731

Re: Battery drain with disconnect off

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85069
All inverters whether on or not will draw a spark when connected due to rc capacitor on input to unit. I suspect you have the freedom 2000 w inverter current stops flowing once input caps charge to battery voltage.

David White. 99 allure 30349
 

Re: Battery drain with disconnect off

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 85079
Thank you, I was worried that I had a problem. Great forum and so far a great coach.