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06-17-2018, 04:14 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tucson
Posts: 41
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Portable Power
Looking recommendations on a reliable portable power/ charger. We have ‘18 317rlok that is stored in a covered lot a few miles from home. After being in storage for two weeks we went to take it out and discovered the battery was drained. Could not retract front landing gear. Any suggestions on a reliable portable power uni? Also battery was drained after just 15 days in storage from the end of our last trip. I am a newbie here and am learning as I go along. But is 15 days in storage long enough to drain battery? I am 99% sure battery was disconnected by disconnect switch. Thanks
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06-17-2018, 04:25 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Missoula, Montana
Posts: 704
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That does seem fast drawdown, but you may want to have battery(batteries if two) tested. If you indeed did not use disconnect, then sure, there are a few items drawing on it.
In a couple of instances I've had weak battery and just backed the truck up to it and connected to the powercord, left truck running, to retract slides, or extend landing gear.
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2020 Outdoors RV Glacier Peak Titanium
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06-17-2018, 04:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Sparwood, BC
Posts: 2,800
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With a disconnected battery it shouldn't. You can maintain a couple of group 27's with a 30 watt solar power if there is adequate sunshine. Put the panel flat on the roof.
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Pro Series 1200 lbs. WDH with Double Sway Bar.
Champion 3100/2800 watt Inverter/Generator-Onboard Solar Power
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06-17-2018, 04:45 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tucson
Posts: 41
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Aljo that’s what I ended up doing. Found out the hard way that my ‘17 6.7 F250 needs to have rpm’ s up around 900 to charge 5er battery.
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06-17-2018, 04:48 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tucson
Posts: 41
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Sorry Aljo that reply was for cosmic debris. When using solar panels to charge should battery disconnect bo off or on.
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06-17-2018, 09:54 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Rock Island
Posts: 1,073
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291rsts. One year old, my two stock batteries only lasted a couple weeks with battery disconnect switched. Batteries test good and have no problem running furnace on and off overnight during early Spring camping. I’m sure something is drawing juice.
Added a 100 watt solar panel and that keeps them fully charged in storage, uncovered. Since you park covered, you will need to improvise.
I’ll switch to two or 4 6 volts when they get weak.
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2017 Eagle 291RSTS
2017 Chevy Silverado Duramax 2500
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06-17-2018, 09:57 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Rock Island
Posts: 1,073
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Also, I always take one of those combo jump box with Air compressor units. It works fine to get the gear up or move the slides if batteries are dead.
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2017 Eagle 291RSTS
2017 Chevy Silverado Duramax 2500
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06-18-2018, 04:19 AM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: stafford
Posts: 10
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Even if you have a battery disconnect switch from the factory some items are always on. smoke detector, propane detector, electric jacks are possible items.
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06-18-2018, 04:44 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Just south of Sarnia
Posts: 1,035
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Found out we have a hidden draw on our trailer...... The backup camera is still powered with the battery disconnect set to off. Factory installed camera. There is a switch for it in the wet bay!
Wondered why it had a switch
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06-18-2018, 06:19 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,739
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I see you note that you are in a covered storage area, so adding Solar will be out of the question.
I am not particularly familiar with your 5ver. 2-3 weeks is about how long a battery will last with parasite power draws.
A year or two ago, someone posted that their 5ver had a lot of parasite drains when the disconnect switch was thrown. I do not recall everything they found still connected when the switch was thrown, but as I recall the autolever system, the remote slideout and awning where still powered up. I do not recall if there was anything else.
I would contact Jayco with your vin number and ask for the electrical skematic.
Also note, that running the battery down below 12 volts shortens the overall batteries life. A few times will not do to much harm, but repeatedly is really bad for it. These batteries also are not maintenance free, so you will need to check the fluid level every so often.
Good Luck
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06-18-2018, 06:59 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary
Posts: 458
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A true disconnect that you install yourself AT the batteries is one solution for storage. I prefer this to the various methods of trickle charging the batteries in storage.
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06-19-2018, 09:07 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Tucson
Posts: 41
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Thanks for all of the input. I do have a followup question. When hooked up to campground power should the disconnect switch be on or off? I have gotten multiple answers when asking the question th coworkers. Some say leave on for an hour or so to charge battery, then turn off. Others say always off when hooked up AC. Others say leave on. Thanks.
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06-19-2018, 10:08 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary
Posts: 458
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Afrnd2all
Thanks for all of the input. I do have a followup question. When hooked up to campground power should the disconnect switch be on or off? I have gotten multiple answers when asking the question th coworkers. Some say leave on for an hour or so to charge battery, then turn off. Others say always off when hooked up AC. Others say leave on. Thanks.
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I leave mine on, although I suppose if you were camping in the same location for weeks, maybe turning it off would be better for the batteries to not be charging that whole time. Also probably depends on the charging algorithm of your trailers power converter. There's more knowledgeable people about that than me though.
Summary: I do the "full" disconnect only between trips.
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06-19-2018, 11:29 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Arizona
Posts: 2,324
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On had our Solar running 3 years. If you do disconnect batteries should cover panels! Thanks
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