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Something killing the battery everything appears

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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=13670
Printed Date: 15 May 2024 at 4:42am
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Topic: Something killing the battery everything appears
Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Subject: Something killing the battery everything appears
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 1:40pm
Hi I have 2016 r pod. I have replaced 3 batteries because something is killing each battery with just the rpod sitting in my driveway with everything off. No lights kn. Fridge off. Everything is off. Just sitting and battery is completely dead the next day. Can someone help?



Replies:
Posted By: Woodmiester
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 1:53pm
A couple of things to look at:  There are a few things that draw electricity.  Your gas and smoke detectors, Radio inadvertently left on, water pump and water heater switch.  I cant imagine any of these things draining your battery overnight though.

The electric switch on your actual water heater is 110 only, so that should not be a factor.

My first thought is that you have a short somewhere in the system between your battery and the converter.

I am sure someone with more knowledge of the systems will jump on here soon,


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Swampfox


Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 1:56pm
Yeah all of those things are off.


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 1:57pm
How about the pin for the breakaway brake system, it might have got pulled out?

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: Colt
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:00pm
Actually, everything is not off.  The radio/clock, CO/propane detector and the 'fridge controls are always on.  I have a battery disconnect switch and that is enough to protect the battery from full discharge.  I also have a 25 watt solar panel and charge controller to prevent the battery from self-discharging. 

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1162-Charger-Controller/dp/B004Q820UK

https://www.amazon.com/ECO-WORTHY-Solar-Panel-Module-Charging/dp/B01IFJ73X4

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-6-Terminal-Disconnect/dp/B000NCOKZQ

I suspect the panel is enough to keep the battery up with all of the dark current on, but I haven't tested it. 


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John
'16 R-Pod 180


Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:01pm
Hello and welcome!

Two things are happening. First is that lead-acid batteries self-discharge even if nothing is drawing power. That would take some time though since you say it seems to be happening quickly.

Second is that there are always power draws. This can't be helped. First is that there is the CO/LP detector. It is hard-wired in so it can't be disconnected. That is a safety thing. Have you checked the booster for the TV antenna? Make sure that is switched off as it will draw power when turned on. The thermostat and refrigerator panel also draw a small amount of current, even when turned off. There are probably others I have not mentioned. Since yours is a 2016 (same as mine), I know it did not come with USB outlets unless you installed them. You already said your refrigerator was turned completely off. It is hard to imagine anything with sufficient power drain that would kill a good battery overnight if everything possible is truely shut off.

You could leave the RPod plugged in to an outlet. 15A will do if all you want to do is let the converter keep the battery charged. If that is not possible, then you either need to disconnect the negative terminal on the battery or install a battery cut-off switch so that the battery can be completely disconnected. Other steps you can take are to go to the DC side of your converter (charge the battery first). Pull the DC fuses. Check to see if pulling the fuses eliminates any power drains. It helps to have a clamp-on DC ammeter. One at a time, replace fuses in their original locations. If you see the meter jump to a higher power use when you do so, you will narrow down places/items to check.

I hope you can figure this out. It must be frustrating, not to mention expensive to have to replace batteries. If you have been letting the RPod sit with the battery connected for any length of time and the battery did run down, you may charge it but it may not be holding a charge. A very deep discharge can damage a battery. Any time it will be sitting unattended and without being plugged in, the battery needs to be disconnected, either with a cut-off switch or by removing the negative terminal (for safety and to avoid possibly making huge sparks.


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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: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:03pm
Where is that at?


Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:06pm
Where is that?


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:06pm
There breakaway is the cable that you hook to the tow vehicle. On the trailer end it is connected to a pin in a little box. If the pin is pulled out your battery will energize your trailer brakes until the batter goes dead  or you put the pin back. 

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:12pm
Its on the tongue

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 17 Jun 2020 at 2:36pm
I should have thought of the breakaway switch also. Confirm it is on the tongue. The cable that connects to your hitch along with the chains has a black plastic pin attached to one end. This needs to be all the way inserted into the little box on the driver's side of the A frame. When it is pulled out, the brakes are applied full power. That will drain the battery for sure!

-------------
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: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2020 at 12:11am
It was pulled out.


Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2020 at 12:23am
It was pulled out. Im trying to get it back in but im having a hard time.


Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2020 at 1:25am
I feel so stupid right now because i think i may have driven back from a camping trip with that pin out; meaning the breaks in the rpod were activated right? I got the pin back in but i dont know if its safe to hook up the battery now. I totally have scared myself.


Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2020 at 5:07am
No worries, nothing terrible or unrecoverable has happened. Everyone makes mistakes to start out with, there are lots of new systems to learn. 

There is no reason at this point to think that you haven't fixed your battery discharge problem. Go ahead and reconnect your battery and recharge it fully, then disconnect from shore power. Do that early in the day and monitor its status over the course of the day, just to be sure that you haven't missed anything. And do disconnect it or leave it on shore power while stored, as others have said there are some "phantom" loads you can't otherwise get rid of that will discharge your battery over time.

On to the brakes. Yes, there is quite possibly damage there if you drove very far with them engaged. As trailer brakes are a critical safety system it needs to be checked out before any more travel. Are there signs of overheating? Burned paint on the drums? Smoke or smell while you were driving home? If yes then pull the drums, do a brake inspection and bearing repack. 

If there's nothing obvious then reconnect the trailer and brake controller and go to an empty parking lot. Test the trailer brakes by rolling through the lot at about 5 mph and engaging the manual slide of the brake controller so that you're stopping your rig with trailer brakes only. Does the rig stop smoothly? No grabbing or strange noises? If that checks out then find an empty roadway where you can drive at around 30-40 mph and do the same manual stop a couple of times. Then pull off and see if both brake drums are hot (they should be hot from stopping the rig but not smoking hot) to the touch. 

If that checks out you're probably OK for the moment, but I would still be pulling the drums, doing a full brake inspection, and repacking wheel bearings before making any longer trips. 


-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold


Posted By: Erinschmidt_44
Date Posted: 18 Jun 2020 at 11:36am
Ok thanks so much!



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