High amp battery drain - Dutchmen Owners
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Old 02-22-2019, 10:19 PM   #1
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High amp battery drain

Hello, this is my first post on this forum. I purchased a 2018 voltage 4005 in July. Long story short, I've been having some battery problems since I bought it and I'm out of ideas of what the problem could be.

After a few trips and my battery bank, 4 6v golf cart batteries, kept dying, I found the converter was not charging the batteries. I eventually found the converter was simply not plugged in from the factory. Now it charges the battery bank.

At this same time, I installed 2 100 w solar panels in series, connected to a 20a mppt epever charger. Even with the solar, the battery bank would die in a day in storage, mostly at night when there was no solar pv. This is with the battery disconnect switch in the off position.

Thinking the problem was an issue with the solar, i disconnected the charger from the battery bank. Nothing changed. I disconnected every fuse and shut off every breaker and tested the amp draw on the batteries with the disconnect switch in the off position. Using my multimeters negative post to the negative post on the battery and the positive from the multimeter on ground post, I'm getting 2.7 to 3 amp draw! What can be causing this high of a draw with everything disconnected? I also pulled the fuse for the leveling system since it's direct wired to the bus bar from the batteries.

I'm charging the battery bank up with a portable smart charger and will repeat the test when the batteries charged.
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Old 02-22-2019, 11:31 PM   #2
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bad cell?
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Old 02-23-2019, 12:17 AM   #3
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It could be. I'll check with my hydrometer when the batteries charge but I've warranted 2 other sets that were brand new.
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Old 02-23-2019, 10:12 AM   #4
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It could be. I'll check with my hydrometer when the batteries charge but I've warranted 2 other sets that were brand new.
it may be your charging circuit is overcharging the batteries... any boil over?
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Old 02-23-2019, 11:25 AM   #5
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Charge each one of the batteries individually then let them rest for 24 hours, check. Sure sounds like a bad battery.

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Old 02-23-2019, 11:44 AM   #6
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I figured it out. I have the 7pin wiring harness wired wrong in the junction box where it connects to the trailer wiring... I had an oopsie daisy accident there. Since most of the wiring doesn't match up color wise and every diagram I look at seems to be different, I mixed up a wire. Probably a ground. Would anyone have an actual Dutchmen 7pin harness to trailer wiring diagram or know which wire colors match up in the junction box?
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Old 02-23-2019, 07:22 PM   #7
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I figured it out. I have the 7pin wiring harness wired wrong in the junction box where it connects to the trailer wiring... I had an oopsie daisy accident there. Since most of the wiring doesn't match up color wise and every diagram I look at seems to be different, I mixed up a wire. Probably a ground. Would anyone have an actual Dutchmen 7pin harness to trailer wiring diagram or know which wire colors match up in the junction box?
A google search should show a picture of pin assignments.

Was the tow vehicle connected when you measured the 2 to 3 amp power drain? If not, it may not be the problem. Only two pins would affect your issue: the ground center pin and the 12 volt supply pin. The 12 volt pin is upper right when facing the plug end. Don't trust my memory, put a meter on the tow vehicle socket and find it. All the other pins in the plug should be dead when plug is disconnected. They operate exterior signal lights.

My 1000 watt inverter draws 2 amps when idling. Maybe you have an inverter wired directly to the battery circuit some where.

The only other device that draws in that current range is my furnace. Do you have a 12 volt refrigerator?
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Old 02-23-2019, 07:27 PM   #8
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I be bad! Here is the diagram...


7-way - 7 pole RV Travel Trailer Connector Wiring Color Code
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Old 02-23-2019, 07:36 PM   #9
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I got it all wired right but can anyone tell me if the 12v power wire from the trailer is supposed to power the emergency brake or the power from the truck/7pin? Right now I have the power from the trailer connected to the E-brake. Im getting trickle charging to the battery now too.
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Old 02-23-2019, 08:39 PM   #10
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I got it all wired right but can anyone tell me if the 12v power wire from the trailer is supposed to power the emergency brake or the power from the truck/7pin? Right now I have the power from the trailer connected to the E-brake. Im getting trickle charging to the battery now too.
TT Battery
....... I
...….. I
Self Reset Circuit Breaker
…… I …………… I
…… I ………….. I
7 Pin …... Emergency Brk
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Old 03-02-2019, 08:47 PM   #11
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You need to identify if/how many bad batteries you have at this point. Several times going down to 0 volts is going to kill them. They might not be any good anymore. I'd pull them and do equalization charges on each one.
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