Another Battery question from New Owner - Page 2

**rickst29** · 05-20-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larsdennert

Your battery will go dead pretty quick from the CO/Propane sensor and the radio. You need to pull the main fuse at the battery while in storage. Leaving the TM plugged in to shore power will cook the water out of the battery(ies) and overcharge them so that's not an option either.

If he's got a 120v plug in available for a NEW model TM, then he should definitely just plug it in and fuggitaboutit-- since 2006, Trailmanors have come with 3-stage converters, they do a great job of "trickle charging" with no intervention at all. (A BETTER job than you or I could do by just making a "reasonable guess" at how often to plug in non-sensing Trickle Charger, and how long to leave it connected.)

I've left my 2619 plugged in continuously since I got it, a bit over 2 years ago, and my batteries seem to be in nearly "like-new" condition. (I see that PopB already explained the bathroom door switch shutting off the CO/Propane Sensor, along with the interior ceiling lamps). But you're 100% right about the parasitic load from big stereo head units, and about cooking batteries to death in older model years by leaving them plugged in. I have such an after-market stereo, and my TM OEM batteries probably wouldn't stay charged for more than about a month without being plugged in-- and dragging those batteries down to a low state of charge isn't good for them, even if the voltage is only slightly reduced.

**rickst29** · 05-20-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agesilaus

The dealer's RV Tech told me that the lp detector does not shut off and will drain the battery eventually.

My model year is 2006, and unless TM has done a really stupid change since then (to eat up batteries), that RV Tech is absolutely wrong-- the detector *is* wired through the bathroom door switch.

05-20-2008, 05:45 PM

Well I have a 2004, is there a difference?

BK

**ShrimpBurrito** · 05-20-2008, 06:44 PM

I have a 2000, and my LP detector shuts off when I fold down the bathroom. I hear a beep when it goes off.

Dave

05-20-2008, 07:19 PM

OK I guess the RV Tech was wrong...LOL

**rickst29** · 05-20-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agesilaus

Well I have a 2004, is there a difference?

Yes, a huge difference-- do not leave yours plugged in all the time, it WILL over-charge and kill the battery. Sorry my PM was confused, your signature is very clear and I don't know how I missed it. RV tech was definitely wrong on the CO/Propane detector, but almost any "car radio" which keeps station presets does it by consuming a bit of power. Cheaper to build that way, and they're designed for for frequently driven cars (not stored-all-winter RVs). Definitely an occasional night or few hours of trickle-charge for you....

05-21-2008, 06:57 AM

We're only plugging it in a day or two before we travel. And I have a battery switch for that matter.

Thanks for the info.

BK

roned2 · 05-22-2008, 01:06 AM

Thanks to everyone for their help and an interesting discussion. One final question. How long can I expect the battery to retain a charge if only the radio faceplate is lit? A few days or a few weeks. Still trying to determine if my battery is working properly.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 05-22-2008, 09:45 AM

If the radio (turned off, no sound) is the only thing consuming power, a fully charged battery should last at least weeks. It would probably be months (like 2 or 3) until it was more than 50% discharged.

Dave

**Bill** · 05-29-2008, 08:03 PM

Maybe not, Dave. My Jensen radio draws about 1/4 amp with the removable faceplate removed. Who knows what it does with all that current, but there it is. So anyway, if it draws a quarter amp of current, that is 6 amp-hours of energy per day. If the battery is rated 75 amp hours, and you don't want to draw it down more than 50%, then it will be done in 6 days.

Your radio may be different, of course.

Bill