Still don’t understand voltage…

[icrude]

So I tried hooking up my voltmeter to the battery (2 - 6 volts) and put the mode to 10 amps, and hooked the positive voltmeter wire to the negative battery wire (wire disconnected) and the positive volt meter wire to the negative battery terminal. It didn’t move at all, nothing on the voltmeter. Am I missing something here? If the trailer is closed does the breaker box get disconnected or something?

[Bill]

The thing you are calling a voltmeter is actually a multimeter (voltage-current-resistance) unit. It can measure any of the three. The 10-amp range measures current, not voltage, and in most multimeters, it has a separate set of inputs where you plug the probes into it. I think you have a minor typo in your description of where you hooked the probes into the battery circuit, but assuming you got the probes in the correct holes in the meter, and are trying to put the meter in series with the battery to see if any current is flowing, and you are seeing none, there are several things to consider.
1. What is the battery voltage? A zero current reading would mean the battery is completely flat, so I don't think that is the issue.
2. Is the 30-amp main fuse in the positive battery wire blown? If so, no current will flow.
3. If everything in the TM is turned off, there may still be a small current flowing (we have spoken of parasitic loads), but it is so small that it doesn't show on the 10-amp range.
4. Some multimeters will measure only AC current, but not DC current. Does your meter label say "10A DC"?
5. The negative terminal of the battery usually has two wires connected to it - a white one and a bare (or possibily green) wire. If you are looking to measure battery current, you can measure in the white wire (as I think you are doing), but you must disconnect the bare or green wire.
6. I think that the converter has a main 12-volt fuse somewhere inside it I don't have a schematic to be sure where it is. If this fuse is blown, the battery will not receive any charge current, or show any discharge current.

Let us know what you try next. May I ask the make/model of the meter you are using?

Bill

[Shane826]

You’re trying to read volts but you’re on the amps setting for your multimeter. That’s kinda like trying to measure velocity with a bathroom scale! I kid, I kid.

Put the multimeter to DC Volts (V with a straight line over it) setting. I’d you don’t have an auto ranging multimeter, set it to the 20 DCV range. Regarding an auto ranging meter, let me quote Camco… If you don’t have one, you should get one. Red lead to positive terminal of battery #1, black lead to negative terminal of battery #2. You should be seeing the voltage of the two batteries together in series.

[icrude]

Got it! Volt meter was bad. .28 amps drain. Not bad I’d say!

[JS Bid]

Originally Posted by icrude

So I recently bought my TM that came with 2 6 volt 225ah batteries. Who knows how old they are. I had them plugged in for at least a day. I would assume they charged up. We go dry camping and don’t use any power other than a light here and there. The fridge is on propane. The furnace does kick on every now and then at night. When I wake up the voltage is at 11.6. Now my basic question is, should 225ah batteries deplete that much over one night just because of the furnace, lp fridge, and a few lights? I know there is small draws here and there also, but 225ah batteries are pretty big, I could think maybe 75% charged in the morning, but down to 20%? That makes me think the batteries are bad.

It’s important to know the age and how the batteries were treated before you bought the trailer.
3-5 years maximum life for lead acid batteries.
Honestly save yourself the trouble and start new either with lead acid or AGM.
AGM will cost twice as much but lasts twice as long.
Get new batteries you’ll rest easy knowing you have reliable, dependable power.

[Shane826]

If you are gonna buy 2 AGM batteries that cost double the price of 2 lead acid batteries you’re entering the price range to just switch to a single lithium (LiFePO4) battery and get better performance, faster charge capability, and 10x the life expectancy.

[larsdennert]

Also the furnace chews up power as well as using half a tank of propane over night for us.