Essex: House battery loads when battery is disconnected

[Coral]

My house batteries appears to have a few active circuits still on after I push battery disconnect switch above the driver seat and the RED LED is out. Silverleaf screen is on and steps are still on and functioning. What else is on?

The problem: My house batteries may be at end of life due to dealership abuse. They had the coach since March on their lot and must on repeatedly run the batteries down by not shutting off the battery disconnect or leaving it on. I bought the coach not knowing this and not that they would of done anything about it.

The house batteries will not make it through the night running only the inverter for frig or if I turn the inverter off and have essentially nothing running they last a day.

The 8 house batteries are Discovery 6 volt and were put in service May 2015. Does this sound like I need a new set of batteries?

If I had new batteries and I push battery disconnect switch above the driver seat and the RED LED is out during periods of storage with Silverleaf and other things still running is that going to drain the batteries down to the point of doing damage?

I have been disconnecting all the grounds from the house batteries to save them from going dead, is this okay to do until I get my new batteries?

[BBelanger]

Sounds like you'll be getting new batteries anyway so I wouldn't be concerned about saving what you've got. I'd get them sooner rather than later to end your grief, then troubleshoot.
My 2

["007"]

Have you tried to charge them to full charge with a battery charger and see if they hold charge?
Water levels good?
Only need to disconnect one ground cable to chassis frame and can install switch on the ground lug.
All kinds of battery info in link below in my signature TECH INFORMATION.

[BBelanger]

Originally Posted by "007"

Have you tried to charge them to full charge with a battery charger and see if they hold charge?
Water levels good?
Only need to disconnect one ground cable to chassis frame and can install switch on the ground lug.

Isn't there a switch on those batteries anyway?

[ghaynes754]

House batteries still have a draw for things like the CO detector, radio memory and sound like your SilverLeaf system. So even new batteries, given enough time, will draw down (likely several months). Unlike the coach batteries, which typically have one or two Circuit Breaker on/off switches the house batteries, unless one is added, can't be totally disconnected without pulling the either the positive or negative side.

Common way to do this is to remove the negative side. But there are setups where the Magnum BK has been installed on a coach using Magnum where you need to do the positive side otherwise bad karma may happen to your Magnum. So make sure you understand which side can be pulled on your specific coach with any aftermarket stuff that has been added.

[FLCPA]

Since you have an Essex with Discovery batteries. They are probable AGM type batteries which are sealed and maintenance free. There has been a lot of comments (complaints) on this forum about the Discovery AGM batteries not lasting. AGM type batteries should last 7 years or so.

Do a search on this forum for Discovery batteries.

[Coral]

Originally Posted by FLCPA

Since you have an Essex with Discovery batteries. They are probable AGM type batteries which are sealed and maintenance free. There has been a lot of comments (complaints) on this forum about the Discovery AGM batteries not lasting. AGM type batteries should last 7 years or so.

Do a search on this forum for Discovery batteries.

Thanks for feedback All.

My battery bank actually has 3 separate ground wires one of which is the frame ground, the middle one I have no ideas were it goes and the third I think goes to the inverter. No physical battery disconnect switch.

Shame the Discovery appear to junk, I have been looking at Lifeline batteries, they appear to have a good reputation. Looking for a sources now for quotes.