Use/Store Switch Problem

[carpenwa]

AS newbie: stored our AS Globetrotter 2020 after the first trip a month ago. Everything was turned off as far as we know. It has standard pre-installed batteries and a single solar panel. Went today to get it ready for next trip and couldn’t get the Use/Store switch to turn back on, or any of the electric to work off the batteries. I’m sure I’m probably doing something wrong. Anyone know what I might be missing? I searched the forums but could not find any relevant threads. Thanks!

[GMFL]

Batteries are DEAD

[wave man]

It’s often brought up that there is still a low level vampiric drain on the batteries when switched to store(detectors/fridge or other electronics)... Implying to me, that it’s good for short term storing in this mode.

Solution seems to be to remove them and hook to a battery tender, or, plug in to shore power to achieve the same effect I believe.

Other- wiser Folks may chime in to verify.

Best of luck!

[LilPeanut]

I connect mine to a battery tender when in storage (inside storage so solar doesn't help). When I have it outside (in front of the house) the solar keeps it well charged depending on 1) what I am doing with it and 2) cloud cover. If it is sunny, I am almost certainly good. If it is cloudy, I almost certainly am not after about 2-3 days of no real use.

If I were to leave it without a charger I would use a battery disconnect at the battery terminal - like they use on boats. Typically they are short 'double' posts that connect to the battery terminal on one end and the battery cable to the trailer connects to the other end (all the cables if there are more than one). THere is a knob in the middle. When you remove the knob, it interrupts the current and the batteries are disconnected without all the removing, etc. Most marine places sell them and I don't think there are brand names they are so common.

The good news is once you get your batteries charged (that is a different issue, but it needs to be done), they are OK. Even though they were discharged to zero and you will hear that they are forever dead, your trailer is new and hopefully your batteries are new. You can call Lifeline and talk to them but one discharge at the beginning of their life will not kill them. It doesn't help them but they are still OK. Ask me how I know!

[stevejones]

Is your trailer stored out in the open or under cover of some sort? If your trailer was in STORE mode, the only parasitic draw on the battery should have been the LP detector which for some reason is always on (makes no sense to me, if it goes off who is there to hear it if your trailer is stored??).

Don't know about the 2020, but on our 2019 Globetrotter the solar panels continue to charge the battery even when in STORE mode as our trailer is stored where it gets full sunlight. So unless you are storing your trailer in a dark place I'm surprised the batteries are dead. Our panels easily kept the battery charged 100% when stored.

When you were using the trailer before you stored it, did battery charge/discharge performance seem normal? Or were you always plugged into shore power?

Steve

[Ted S.]

I know exactly what your problem is. You blew a fuse. There is a small 5 amp fuse in the line to the Use/Store switch. The challenge will be locating it. Mine was in near the battery and inverter under the front bed.

This happened to me as well.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

As noted above, lots of possibilities.

1) How long was it stored?

2) Was it stored indoors or out in the sun?

3) What does the readout on the solar monitor say about voltage? Is it dead?

4) How well charged was the battery when you put things away?

The parasitic drains in the trailer take weeks to drain a fully charged battery. Leave on a light somewhere and that goes to days. Some stuff is on the use/store switch, other stuff is not.

Out in the sun, the solar should keep things going pretty much forever and ever. If you store outdoors and the battery is dead, your solar likely has a problem.

Some newer trailers have a full battery disconnect switch. Did that get thrown when you put things away? ...

Lots of possibilities

Bob

[carpenwa]

Thanks everyone for the replies! Really nice to know you’re all out there and willing to help.

Trailer is stored outside in SoCal. We’ve had some rainy days recently but plenty of sun too so I doubt the LP detector could have caused this unless solar isn’t hooked up correctly. We have only ever used the rig on shore power, but everything worked fine then. I will check the fuse and try to determine battery status.
-W

Originally Posted by stevejones

Is your trailer stored out in the open or under cover of some sort? If your trailer was in STORE mode, the only parasitic draw on the battery should have been the LP detector which for some reason is always on (makes no sense to me, if it goes off who is there to hear it if your trailer is stored??).

Don't know about the 2020, but on our 2019 Globetrotter the solar panels continue to charge the battery even when in STORE mode as our trailer is stored where it gets full sunlight. So unless you are storing your trailer in a dark place I'm surprised the batteries are dead. Our panels easily kept the battery charged 100% when stored.

When you were using the trailer before you stored it, did battery charge/discharge performance seem normal? Or were you always plugged into shore power?

Steve

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi


The parasitic drains in the trailer take weeks to drain a fully charged battery. Leave on a light somewhere and that goes to days. Some stuff is on the use/store switch, other stuff is not.


Bob

Not on our 2015 27ft FC. The original Interstate group 24 batteries drained to dead in ten days with the switch on store mode. Other potential parasitic draws include the inverter, sub-woofer, TVs, intertainment center. It all depends on how it was wired at the factory, on the day everything was connected.

I do agree that your solar should have been able to keep up with the discharge, seems like there might be a issue there.

Ultimately, to keep your batteries from discharging either physically disconnect the terminals, or install a true battery disconnect switch and use it.

Mike

[Fair_Enough]

This kind of thing is why I ditched the use/store switch and rewired; adding a battery cutoff switch. A dead battery in a few days to a few weeks while in store mode because of any parasitic load, including CO detector, means it really isn't in storage mode, is nonsense.

[BayouBiker]

Good comments in this thread. Since you mentioned you were new here is a suggested path to take:

1. Check the battery, as several mentioned it is likely dead, but maybe not. If you have multi meter, read the voltage across the posts. If you don't have a meter, try the power jack or jack light, it should be directly connected to the battery. Or check the solar display as others have suggested. The solar panel should also be connected directly to the battery bus bars.

2. If the battery has reasonable voltage (anything above 12 volts) then I would next look at the Use/Store Solenoid. They have two fuses that should not but can blow and the solenoid can sometimes fail.

After that thinks get a bit more complicated and more along the lines of miss wiring. So let's look at these other two possibilities first.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

Not on our 2015 27ft FC. The original Interstate group 24 batteries drained to dead in ten days with the switch on store mode. Other potential parasitic draws include the inverter, sub-woofer, TVs, intertainment center. It all depends on how it was wired at the factory, on the day everything was connected.

I do agree that your solar should have been able to keep up with the discharge, seems like there might be a issue there.

Ultimately, to keep your batteries from discharging either physically disconnect the terminals, or install a true battery disconnect switch and use it.

Mike

Hi

Well, a factory solar setup should have a pair of group 27 AGM's on it. They give you 100AH to the 50% point.

A normal trailer will have a parasitic drain < 200 ma. (you can check that with a dirt cheap meter ...). That gets you 4.8 AH per day. In 10 days you have run through 50AH. You still have another 10 days to get to the 50% point, let alone "dead".

If your batteries die in 10 days, then either they were not charged fully when you put the trailer away, you left something major turned on, or your batteries are shot.

Bob

[carpenwa]

The good news - I know you’ll all be relieved - is we did nothing wrong. Newbie cleared of all charges. Turns out the batteries were disconnected from the rig. Not sure if that was from the factory or something they did at the dealership. A simple reconnection and all seems to be working fine. Thanks everyone for your helpful comments and thoughtful insights.

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Well, a factory solar setup should have a pair of group 27 AGM's on it. They give you 100AH to the 50% point.

A normal trailer will have a parasitic drain < 200 ma. (you can check that with a dirt cheap meter ...). That gets you 4.8 AH per day. In 10 days you have run through 50AH. You still have another 10 days to get to the 50% point, let alone "dead".

If your batteries die in 10 days, then either they were not charged fully when you put the trailer away, you left something major turned on, or your batteries are shot.

Bob

They were group 24s, no solar, and nothing was left on. The original interstates died completely after 13 months, one month out of warranty. I believed they were not maintained on the dealers lot. Replaced with Trojan wet cells also group 24, but a three year warranty. Also replaced the charger converter with a PD multi stage unit, and started physically disconnecting the batteries at the posts while in storage. Have had no problems since doing that.

Mike