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Old 08-19-2014, 06:10 PM   #1
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Battery disconnect??

Looking for some advise for a newer guy on the board. We just picked up a 292 TQB toy hauler and when I park it at my BIL house I don't have normal shore power so the battery just drains to zero. Does anyone use a battery disconnect or use a battery tender????? Whats your method??
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Old 08-19-2014, 07:42 PM   #2
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I installed a 30 amp plugin at my home.
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Old 08-19-2014, 09:16 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Trackdad View Post
Looking for some advise for a newer guy on the board. We just picked up a 292 TQB toy hauler and when I park it at my BIL house I don't have normal shore power so the battery just drains to zero. Does anyone use a battery disconnect or use a battery tender????? Whats your method??
You could install a disconnect easy enough. Or you could add a small solar charger to the battery if it's just sitting to maintain a charge.
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Old 08-20-2014, 12:38 AM   #4
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I have several 30 amp hookups at my home, plus a few 20 amp. I also use a battery disconnect. If you cannot hook up to minimal power the battery disconnect is the way to go.

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Old 08-20-2014, 03:59 AM   #5
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The original poster said it was at his BIL house. I assume he means his Brother-In-Law's home. Assuming that, he's not going to rewire the house. His choices then, are: A) Plug into a 20 amp outlet using an adapter, just to keep the converter running, B) Disconnect the battery, either by a wired switch, or just disconnecting it the old-fashioned way, at the terminals, or C) reduce his 12 volt load while visiting his "BIL", by evaluating light usage, water pump usage, TV/stereo usage, etc.
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Old 08-20-2014, 02:55 PM   #6
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Thanks for the responses! We happen to store our toy Hauler at my brother-in-laws place and I really do not like asking to pull in the unit in any fashion. He's been kind enough to allow us storage for free, except for a 6 pack or so! Since this is our first rv I found out that the radio, TV and refrige draw power when stored so the battery drains. Kodiak does not come with a battery disconnect so I did not know if that might be the right way to save battery. Currently I'm looking at some solar units!!! Thanks for that advise!!
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Old 08-20-2014, 07:19 PM   #7
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When on shore power while parked, at home or at camp site, can the battery be disconnected and still have power to opperate slide out or
awning so that battery doesn't tend to boil?
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Old 08-20-2014, 08:28 PM   #8
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When on shore power while parked, at home or at camp site, can the battery be disconnected and still have power to opperate slide out or
awning so that battery doesn't tend to boil?
No the converter needs 12V to operate. As long as your converter is working correctly you shouldn't boil the batteries
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Old 08-20-2014, 09:20 PM   #9
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TY, so (assuming) if everything is operating ok but found a small
amount of fluid in the battery box I could just take it as venting
while traveling? Unit is a 2013 Coleman 249RBS that we use one
week a month and travel in Florida only. Would it be possible that
our heat here in FL would cause a certain amount of expansion
of fluid in the battery, hence a bit of seepage? This has only been
noticed in the last two months and has been pretty warm in these
parts.
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Old 08-21-2014, 01:03 AM   #10
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I would check the levels in the battery. I got water in my battery box (not acid, I tested it with ph strips). In my case it probably blew in while I was traveling in heavy rain.

I am of the school of thought that a battery disconnect switch should be standard safety equipment. If it doesn't come from the factory I am going to add one. A battery will discharge while in storage, but not nearly as fast if there is no load on it.

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Old 08-21-2014, 01:44 AM   #11
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the battery drains to zero because the LP detector and co2 are both running probably other things I dont know about like the main converter box. Anyway I had the same problem even after turning off the factory battery disconnect. I fixed the problem by adding an additional battery disconnect next to the battery in bay where the battery is located. There I turn the disconnect to off and by golly a month or two later the battery still has juice.
That would be my recommendation to keep the battery from going dead.
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