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Dirkpitt · 09-10-2021, 10:18 AM

Hey guys, running the coach for the last month and noticed a 17ah draw every night with main off. My radio is on 24/7, have not installed kill switch. That draw is only 8ah over night where is the other 9ah and has anyone installed a battery disconnect, like the Blue Sea remote disconnect?

Pahaska · 09-10-2021, 10:28 AM

Do you have the propane switch on? That is a battery killer. I installed an inside series propane switch as many of us have done.

Dirkpitt · 09-10-2021, 10:53 AM

No. I did and that put draw around 24ah. Turned off and 17ah.

Boxster1971 · 09-10-2021, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirkpitt

Hey guys, running the coach for the last month and noticed a 17ah draw every night with main off. My radio is on 24/7, have not installed kill switch. That draw is only 8ah over night where is the other 9ah and has anyone installed a battery disconnect, like the Blue Sea remote disconnect?

I assume you are talking about a current draw from your Airstream installed house batteries.

Have you modified your electrical system? If not how do you know it is drawing 17ah. Are you really talking about 17 amp-hours or about 2 amps on an overnight of 8 hours?

Do you leave the inverter turned on?

Need more details to understand what is happening in your Interstate.

uncle_bob · 09-10-2021, 05:56 PM

Hi

Another guess would be a light here or there that is on but should not be.

Roughly speaking this should be a bit under an amp of draw. First step might be to grab a *good* clamp amp meter and start looking at the wires out of the fuse panel.

Bob

Dirkpitt · 09-10-2021, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

I assume you are talking about a current draw from your Airstream installed house batteries.

Have you modified your electrical system? If not how do you know it is drawing 17ah. Are you really talking about 17 amp-hours or about 2 amps on an overnight of 8 hours?

Do you leave the inverter turned on?

Need more details to understand what is happening in your Interstate.

Yes, installed Victron smartshunt. It tells me I have 17ah draw overnight before solar charging through a victron solar charger 75/15.
Inverter is not on or main batteries the draw is from something connected directly to batteries. I did not connect anything before disconnect.

uncle_bob · 09-10-2021, 07:30 PM

Hi

If you turn everything off and disconnect from shore power, what does the 712 show for discharge current? If you have 17AH over a 8 to 10 hour "night" then you are closer to 2A than 1A. That should be very obvious on the 712.

If you don't see something around 2A, then your "gizmo" is probably pulling a lot more current, but doing it every so often.Simple answer there is to watch the AH reading and see how long it takes to suddenly "hop up".

Depending on which situation you have ( about 2A all the time or a sudden spike) the troubleshoot steps will be a bit different.

Bob

Al and Missy · 09-10-2021, 07:57 PM

I don't have an Interstate, but weren't there some problems with the battery isolator leaking current from the house to the vehicle side?

uncle_bob · 09-11-2021, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

I don't have an Interstate, but weren't there some problems with the battery isolator leaking current from the house to the vehicle side?

Hi

If the batteries are lithium ( if so, that has not been mentioned yet) you could get a "leak". With lead acid's and both at roughly the same voltage ... it seems unlikely. Who knows .... time to get out the meter and see what it says.

Bob

Boxster1971 · 09-11-2021, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

I don't have an Interstate, but weren't there some problems with the battery isolator leaking current from the house to the vehicle side?

I think this might be the answer since we are talking about a battery drain measured overnight.

The 2015 Interstates have the same battery isolator as my 2013. Called a Battery Separator in wiring diagrams from 2015 Interstate owners manual. This device is built by Precision Circuits Inc. and they call it a Battery Isolation Manager (BIM). I'm attaching a document that explains how it works.

Basically it has an electronic module that continually monitors voltage of both chassis and house batteries. As the chassis battery voltage drops it will connect the batteries and recharge the chassis battery from the house batteries if there is any charging source putting energy into the house batteries. It draws a continual 4 watts and if there is any sunshine in late afternoon and early morning it will connect batteries and charge the chassis battery from the house batteries.

Dirkpitt · 09-12-2021, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

I think this might be the answer since we are talking about a battery drain measured overnight.

The 2015 Interstates have the same battery isolator as my 2013. Called a Battery Separator in wiring diagrams from 2015 Interstate owners manual. This device is built by Precision Circuits Inc. and they call it a Battery Isolation Manager (BIM). I'm attaching a document that explains how it works.

Basically it has an electronic module that continually monitors voltage of both chassis and house batteries. As the chassis battery voltage drops it will connect the batteries and recharge the chassis battery from the house batteries if there is any charging source putting energy into the house batteries. It draws a continual 4 watts and if there is any sunshine in late afternoon and early morning it will connect batteries and charge the chassis battery from the house batteries.

I do indeed have PCI BIM. I guess it’s time for a BS ACR?

Pahaska · 09-12-2021, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirkpitt

I do indeed have PCI BIM. I guess it’s time for a BS ACR?

I have installed the Blue Sea ACR on both my former 2014.5 and my current 2018 GT. The Blue Sea ACR is what Airstream should install on new products.

Goldenslacks · 09-19-2021, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

I don't have an Interstate, but weren't there some problems with the battery isolator leaking current from the house to the vehicle side?

Hello I’m wondering if my problem is somehow relating to yours hopefully I can find some answers here I’ve only owned my interstate airstream a few days. Last night was the first night I did not sleep in it with the generator running all night I was in a hotel I left the I NV light on so that the fridge raider would stay going and when I got in there in the morning the refrigerator was off and everything was defrosted. What am I doing wrong?

Oh I did forget to mention that the radio was not switched off all night ( it has to manually be shut off in this model��)

uncle_bob · 09-19-2021, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldenslacks

Hello I’m wondering if my problem is somehow relating to yours hopefully I can find some answers here I’ve only owned my interstate airstream a few days. Last night was the first night I did not sleep in it with the generator running all night I was in a hotel I left the I NV light on so that the fridge raider would stay going and when I got in there in the morning the refrigerator was off and everything was defrosted. What am I doing wrong?

Oh I did forget to mention that the radio was not switched off all night ( it has to manually be shut off in this model��)

Hi

It probably would be a good idea to update your member info to reflect which year and model Interstate van you have.

Running the inverter on any RV is going to gobble batteries quickly. It's not surprising to kill them doing this overnight.

Not quite sure what the "fridge raider" is so I'm guessing it's the refrigerator. There should be no need to run the inverter to keep the fridge going on most vans. Again, knowing which one you have would help ....

Bob

Pahaska · 09-19-2021, 10:02 AM

First of all, the inverter has absolutely nothing to do with the refrigerator. It charges the batteries when AC power is present and it powers the TVs and DVD player when there is no AC power. Best to leave it off to reduce phantom power usage when not watching TV with no AC power.

The refrigerator runs off 12v from the batteries. With 4 batteries in newer coaches, the refrigerator should have run all night, just. With 2 batteries in older coaches, no. That is why I carry a Goal Zero 1000 in case I need to overnight without power.

Pahaska · 09-19-2021, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Running the inverter on any RV is going to gobble batteries quickly. It's not surprising to kill them doing this overnight.
Bob

The inverter being on is actually a very small load unless a TV or DVD player is on or some power draw thing is plugged into the TV outlets. If there is no load on the bus, the inverter uses a very small amount of power polling the bus. If a load is detected, then the inverter turns on and does use more power.

Goldenslacks · 09-19-2021, 10:54 AM

Thank you guys so much yes I will update the make and model it just didn’t have mine in the drop-down when I created my profile
I can’t imagine why the sales person at the RV dealership told me I must have the I NV on when the car is off before I leave for the refrigerator to stay cool!

I will get the other battery that was suggested Thanks. I had no other power pulling in fact my outlets don’t even work that’s another issue that when the AC is running (from generator ) the breaker
This is a whole other issue for another forum
it’s a 2018 I’m thinking I just need to replace the breakers for the plugs. I was also told to go ahead and give the generator a good service.
I will replace one battery or all four batteries with the one suggested in the thread
thank you for that
I will not push the INV before leaving the vehicle at night
And hopefully this will solve the problem

Goldenslacks · 09-19-2021, 11:04 AM

I just realized that the battery Pahaska recommended was a portable battery source upon looking it up.
I think I should replace the batteries in this vehicle since it is a 2018 just to be safe but by not pushing the IMV button on for the evening the fridge should stay on correct? Just on the airstreams own batteries?

Pahaska · 09-19-2021, 11:08 AM

Most RV salespeople have no idea how the Interstate works. The techs that service them are a bit better, but you can't believe everything they say, either. I was fed some incorrect info by the tech who did my walkthrough. Fortunately, I had pretty much memorized the owner's manual in advance and could straighten him out.

Pahaska · 09-19-2021, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goldenslacks

I just realized that the battery Pahaska recommended was a portable battery source upon looking it up.
I think I should replace the batteries in this vehicle since it is a 2018 just to be safe but by not pushing the IMV button on for the evening the fridge should stay on correct? Just on the airstreams own batteries?

You are correct. I have 2018 GT since new.