98/99 Seaview Battery Drain Issue

[jreising326]

Hello,

My RV House Batteries have a 1 Amp drain/load even when disconnected using the disconnect switch. Nothing in the RV like lights electronics could be drawing that current, but I noticed the Slide is still "Hot" even after using the disconnect switch. Also, I pulled all the connectors off the 12 V distribution panel, and I'm still seeing this current draw. I'm wondering what items/appliances could be "HOT" and not routed through the 12V panel?

Also, if I leave the manual switch on the Starting Battery, it will also drain, and I was expecting that to be isolated from the House Batteries unless the Start Boost switch on the dash is being held on. When I close that switch, the Starting Battery shares the load with the House Batteries.

I tried searching the forums and didn't come across this problem, although maybe I'm searching for the wrong words.

My batteries do charge when I plug into shore power, but once I disconnect they drain down due to the 1 Amp load within a few days. Batteries are brand new as I replaced them thinking the old ones were bad. I've charged the old ones with my charger and they seem to be fine (I needed a replacement trolling motor battery anyway, so now I guess I have 2)...

Could one of my solenoids be bad? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[BFlinn181]

Monitor amps at the battery as you pull fuses, one by one. If all fuses are pulled and the same 1 amp draw, then start measuring what else is still active until you track it down. For storage, I have a knife switch mounted on the battery post to make sure no phantom draws. Often it's CO or LP gas monitor, radio memory, etc. that can drain a battery during storage.

[jreising326]

Thanks, I actually started doing that, but decided to disconnect each connector to the 12V Distribution Board after looking at the schematics. This "should" be like pulling all the fuses associated with each connector at once. My hands are big and I was hoping to avoid pulling each fuse independently.

However, it would be rude for me to ask for advise and not follow it (particularly if I was wrong in my assumption), so I did pull each fuse and still the same result, 1 Amp draw. So I concluded the current isn't being drawn through that board, so I went into the coach, checked the smoke alarm and CO2, both are off and isolated. They must be fed by the Chassis battery, which I have isolated with a knife switch.

I then decided to flip the dash switches, AUX1, AUX2, MAP, and Start Boost. The Start Boost switch appears to be at least part of the problem, it is a bit loose and didn't spring back like it should. I went back to my current meter thinking maybe I found the problem, but alas, it was still drawing 1 Amp. As I stood there staring at the 1 Amp draw trying to figure out what to do next, I heard "clunk", and it dropped down to a more reasonable 0.1 A.

Now the step won't go in. I figure I better document all this here in case some poor SOB runs into this. Its looking like maybe there is some solenoid sticking, either with the step (if it has a solenoid?), or maybe the Start Boost Solenoid was stuck on for a long time, due to a bad Start Boost Switch. I'll document what I ultimately find, but at least it seems I'm getting close!

Thanks!

Joe