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  • 12 volt power question

    Are the lights and some other items suppose to work off the battery when not hooked to shore power? I thought I had done this before by operating the slide. The panel shows the battery to be fully charged and the disconnect is inserted and turned to the on position. Battery cells were full when I looked a week ago. Thanks for any help.
    Bill & Cindy
    2021 Transcend Xplor 221RB
    2021 Nissan Titan Pro4X
    SE Texas

  • #2
    Lights should work off the 12v. You can test battery voltage, make sure the disconnect is connected properly, I've had it be "on" but not work, make sure the battery leads are tight, check DC fuses... those are the things I would check off the top of my head.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post
      Are the lights and some other items suppose to work off the battery when not hooked to shore power? I thought I had done this before by operating the slide. The panel shows the battery to be fully charged and the disconnect is inserted and turned to the on position. Battery cells were full when I looked a week ago. Thanks for any help.
      Do you have a multimeter so you can read the actual voltage on the battery?

      I know what the Convenience Center is showing you, but I don't trust anything that the panel indicates other than when the hot water heater being on (switch lit). Every other indicator is assumed to be incorrect and is ignored.
      Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

      2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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      • #4
        No, I don't have a multimeter. I suppose I need to get one and learn the basics on it. I thought I had run the lights on it before. I have the TST Tire monitoring system repeater attached to the battery also. It may be draining it.
        Bill & Cindy
        2021 Transcend Xplor 221RB
        2021 Nissan Titan Pro4X
        SE Texas

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        • #5
          Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post
          No, I don't have a multimeter. I suppose I need to get one and learn the basics on it. I thought I had run the lights on it before. I have the TST Tire monitoring system repeater attached to the battery also. It may be draining it.
          The sooner you can recharge the battery the better--leaving it in a depleted state can cause long-term damage. If the internal LED lights in the trailer won't even come on the battery is really low.

          Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

          2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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          • #6
            Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post
            No, I don't have a multimeter. I suppose I need to get one and learn the basics on it. I thought I had run the lights on it before. I have the TST Tire monitoring system repeater attached to the battery also. It may be draining it.
            Probably dead then. I always disconnect mine when in storage because it will drain the battery.

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            • #7
              With the battery disconnect in the "off" position there are some items that always have power. Some lights , radio , propane detector , power jack to name a few. These items can deplete a battery in a week or 2. Disconnecting the battery leads for long term storage will help conserve battery power in between trips.

              Brian
              Brian & Michelle
              2018 Reflection 29RS
              2022 Chevy 3500HD

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              • #8
                Thanks, everyone. I powered the RV and have power. I also pulled the fuse holder for the repeater out of the battery case so I can pull the fuse when not traveling. Maybe figure out some type of on/off switch. This is the first time it has run down on me. We were in the rig 2 weeks ago and will be back in it next week. How long do you guys consider stored?
                Bill & Cindy
                2021 Transcend Xplor 221RB
                2021 Nissan Titan Pro4X
                SE Texas

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post
                  Thanks, everyone. I powered the RV and have power. I also pulled the fuse holder for the repeater out of the battery case so I can pull the fuse when not traveling. Maybe figure out some type of on/off switch. This is the first time it has run down on me. We were in the rig 2 weeks ago and will be back in it next week. How long do you guys consider stored?
                  The issue is battery capacity vs power drain and keeping track of that usage. Super low drain with a fully charged battery = long storage time. "Large" parasitic drain with a weak battery=really short storage time before the battery is flat.

                  What's the solution (besides in storage where the answer is always disconnecting the battery)? As I've said before, I'm an "Victron FanBoy" so highly recommend getting either a BMV-712 or the new SmartShunt. Being able to quickly see the status on your phone is an awesome feature IMHO.

                  Below is Garret from AMSolar explaining more about the device.

                  Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                  2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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                  • #10
                    howson

                    Not to seem like an ad, but what the smartshunt? (Haven't heard that come up before)
                    Mike
                    2017 Imagine 2800BH pushing a 2019 Ford F150 Platinum

                    Formerly: 2002 Rockwood Popup
                    Location: Massachusetts

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by mpking View Post
                      howson

                      Not to seem like an ad, but what the smartshunt? (Haven't heard that come up before)
                      It's the BMV-712 minus the display. I only use the bluetooth connection to monitor my battery bank via the phone app, so if I was putting together a system today I'd go with the SmartShunt. (~$131 vs $207)

                      This is a screenshot from my phone just moments ago. Tells me everything I need to know in one view. (Note the positive current flow--solar panels are charging the battery bank.)


                      Click image for larger version

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                      Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                      2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post
                        Thanks, everyone. I powered the RV and have power. I also pulled the fuse holder for the repeater out of the battery case so I can pull the fuse when not traveling. Maybe figure out some type of on/off switch. This is the first time it has run down on me. We were in the rig 2 weeks ago and will be back in it next week. How long do you guys consider stored?
                        There are a few factors to the " how long in storage" one major one is the last time out did you have shore power , if not then you are relying on the tow vehicle to charge the battery which may add some charge but probably will not full charge the battery. Another is distance from camping with shore power and storage. If this is a long distance and again relying on the tow vehicle to charge the battery it may not be full charged when placed in storage. Before I added a true battery disconnect ours would last about 2 weeks , only if I did not run the slides during that time with out shore power. Getting a full charge on the battery and then disconnecting , even for 1 week , will help keep the battery in good shape. If leaving the RV in storage over the winter or more than a month or so I would pull the battery and keep it on a trickle charge.

                        Brian
                        Brian & Michelle
                        2018 Reflection 29RS
                        2022 Chevy 3500HD

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Country Campers View Post

                          There are a few factors to the " how long in storage" one major one is the last time out did you have shore power , if not then you are relying on the tow vehicle to charge the battery which may add some charge but probably will not full charge the battery. Another is distance from camping with shore power and storage. If this is a long distance and again relying on the tow vehicle to charge the battery it may not be full charged when placed in storage. Before I added a true battery disconnect ours would last about 2 weeks , only if I did not run the slides during that time with out shore power. Getting a full charge on the battery and then disconnecting , even for 1 week , will help keep the battery in good shape. If leaving the RV in storage over the winter or more than a month or so I would pull the battery and keep it on a trickle charge.

                          Brian
                          Thanks, Brian. We camp with shore power. I don't ever see us camping without it honestly. When at home where we store I also will normally have it connected. I plan to run power next to the cover it sits under.

                          Bill & Cindy
                          2021 Transcend Xplor 221RB
                          2021 Nissan Titan Pro4X
                          SE Texas

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by BillinTexas View Post

                            Thanks, Brian. We camp with shore power. I don't ever see us camping without it honestly. When at home where we store I also will normally have it connected. I plan to run power next to the cover it sits under.
                            It was probably already mentioned but keeping on shore power will keep the battery charged and thru this will also deplete some of the internal battery fluid, this will need to be checked periodically.

                            Brian
                            Brian & Michelle
                            2018 Reflection 29RS
                            2022 Chevy 3500HD

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by howson View Post

                              It's the BMV-712 minus the display. I only use the bluetooth connection to monitor my battery bank via the phone app, so if I was putting together a system today I'd go with the SmartShunt. (~$131 vs $207)

                              This is a screenshot from my phone just moments ago. Tells me everything I need to know in one view. (Note the positive current flow--solar panels are charging the battery bank.)

                              I just made the opposite decision for a couple of reasons. I was going to get the smartshunt but decided that a feature important to me would be missing. The display incorporates a physical alarm that can be triggered by multiple settings. It seems like every time I have an electrical problem of some sort, it is in the middle of the night during a wind or rain or thunderstorm. I want to be alerted of issues and the phone app wasn’t clear in documentation how it would wake me up. I like to have the phone app for managing the device for sure but don’t want to totally rely on it. One other comment from a review stated that the bluetooth signal on the smartshunt was weak. Don’t have any idea if it is true but the location of the display head is much more central in my RV than the battery compartment in the front compartment. Note that I have not received or installed the unit yet so this is just my decision from the docs. $70 to sleep better seemed worth it.
                              2018 Reflection 303rls
                              MORryde IS, FlexArmor roof
                              Blue Ox Super Ride hitch
                              2017 Ford F350 CCSB SRW

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