Parasitic Drain

[kuba122]

All I saw was voltage measurements in your description. Measuring current draw is the key (amps)

Here is a video explanation. I have spent my life in electronics and electricity.

When the fuse is out, measure current between left and right fuse terminals. I’ll measure my trailer current this weekend, if tou want me to.

https://youtu.be/x2NLYydxbo4

[tezblount]

Thanks for the reply kuba122. I have done that, that's how I know there are issues with 5,7 and 11. 7 is the radio and it also powers the CO detector. I disconnected the CO detector and left 7 plugged in. Will see what is is in the morning. I still left 5 and 11 out as well.

[kuba122]

Use an ammeter where the fuses are pulled. One of those circuits is pulling power. Once you figure out which circuit is pulling the power, leave that fuse out and disconnect everything that is connected to that circuit. Hook up / connect each device until you figure out which one is the big offender. It could be a smoke or co detector

[tezblount]

Hello folks, I hope someone will be able to shed some light (no pun intended) on an electrical issue I am having. We have a 2015 Starcraft Travel Star 285FB. We purchased it used from the first owner while we were stationed in Virginia. While we were in Virginia, I kept it plugged in to an RV outlet I had installed at my house. This insured we could keep it ready to go whenever we wanted to hit the road. When we PCS'd to Kansas we did not have room at our residence to keep it so we had to put it in an RV storage lot. I went to check it a few days after and the battery was completely dead. I would take the battery out and take it home to charge it then a few days later it would be dead again.

I figured we had a small parasitic drain and tried a little 5-watt solar charger but again the battery would be dead the following day. I went ahead and purchased a 200-watt solar kit and installed it. Again, the battery was dead the following day.

The solar charge controller will not work if it has less than 12 volts, so I took the battery home and recharged it. The following day I only hooked the battery to the solar charge controller and the following day we were setting at 13.4 volts. I then turned all 120-volt breakers off and pulled all fuses from the RV power box. I hooked up the trailer to the battery and we held the voltage. I then replaced the fuses and immediately noticed .5 volt drop. Not wanting to drop the battery below the 12-volt needed for the solar charge controller I pulled the fuses again and started checking.

What I found is fuses (12 volt) 5, 7 and 11 have voltage where the others do not. As soon as I plug in any of these three you can see the voltage drop.

Thinking this may be the Power Center Converter/Charger (Progressive Dynamic PD4045SCV) I disconnected it to check and still have close to battery voltage to these three terminals. Fuse number 2 is a 20 amp auto that says it runs the wireless & slide out control (slide outs, jacks, awning & exterior lights). Number 5 reads 13.23 volts of 13.58 battery voltage at time of reading and it says it powers the Furnace and Refrigerator. Number 7 reads 13.58 volts of the 13.58 battery voltage at the time of reading and powers the TV, Radio LP/CO detector. Number 11 reads 13.58 volts of the 13.58 battery voltage at the time of reading and says it runs the Power Awning (but fuse 2 says power awning). With these pulled the power awning does not have power. The slide out works fine though.

I pulled the box and traced the wires out the back. I believe 7 & 11 are connected as I checked continuity between them.

I hear that no one has schematics for travel trailers and find that troubling.

I am going out again this morning to make sure what does and doesn't work. Need to check the electric tongue jack and the levelers as well as the lights.

I am open to any troubleshooting suggestions. Sorry for the long drawn out story but I wanted everyone to know what I have done so I don't get suggestions that I have done already.

Thank you for your time and effort,
Terry