Battery drain

[marinetanker504]

Good morning all I’m having a consistent issue with battery drain in my skoolie. I have done some research and insured that there is no parasitic drain as the only thing running. Is the front AC at the moment. Every time I am done driving the bus, which is typically once a week, I disconnect the negative feed to the battery so I am unsure what else this issue could be
I keep having to return these new batteries to AutoZone, which they replaced for free, but I’m looking for a long-term solution! Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[nikitis]

https://www.amazon.com/Cole-Hersee-75908-Silver-Disconnect/dp/B001FQNI9I/ref=sr_1_3_pp?crid=34RLED8MUBGYC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.b7w-JCe0CXJI0h-xE0x5mHwAkVKTf2yu1bQJljSwB-Y3FoUASjdCx2rXDtVixuCXbYXYhr0mC-vNZ7aaBohDcoIPqWL3thSxO1u3l3MjD4NkWT37jEN63DHF3Opl4jbrXRAbHQxPdLGhRvDI_LNteTCaoVyjmUMBrqQFG2KnntobFTvsWhAvr0uUuqsJHp9eCdk9MWBWdqH9s2ExvSInwwfrEmVzzel0m3Ej-pNIzLc.WLRtnFbL8YRko4Xbnw05aXLewpOZV0feCayhHGRbnBM&dib_tag=se&keywords=cole+hersee+switch&qid=1731861984&sprefix=Cole+her%2Caps%2C221&sr=8-3&ufe=INHOUSE_INSTALLMENTS%3AUS_IHI_3M_HARDLINES_AUTOMATED

Battery disconnect. Put it on the negative side.

Negative cable from battery -> battery disconnect.
From battery disconnect-> two wires, one to chassis, one to starter.


Profit.

Your ECM and maybe other items added are tied to v your positive line. ECM and those items are always on. Disconnect on negative side to prevent surging to ECM.

Buses are usually driven daily so the drain was considered acceptable enough for the alternator to keep it charged. Now it’s not driven daily, but far less. My bus did the same thing, now I can turn it off for 4 months with full charge still.

 

[marinetanker504]

Ok thank you. I am, however, having trouble understanding what you are saying though.
I don’t understand this part:
Battery disconnect. Put it on the negative side.

Negative cable from battery -> battery disconnect.
From battery disconnect-> two wires, one to chassis, one to starter.


Profit.

Your ECM and maybe other items added are tied to v your positive line. ECM and those items are always on. Disconnect on negative side to prevent surging to ECM.

 

[nikitis]

Ok thank you. I am, however, having trouble understanding what you are saying though.
I don’t understand this part:
Battery disconnect. Put it on the negative side.

So everything starts at the battery. Positive=Red wires. Negative=black wires or ground.

If your battery setup is correctly set up, you should have two or three batteries.

There should be short 2-4 AWG wiring connecting the batteries together. Don’t touch those. On one side of the batteries the positive point should have heavy gauge wires running off to other places to the bus. The red ones that run off from the battery into the bus are the positive part. That point is your main positive battery point. Equally, the other side of the battery is another point with grounds running off of that point.


These two points we want to focus on. The ground side (black) is the negative side. You’ll want to add the disconnect device between the negative point of the battery and the chassis/starter.

This will require purchasing some additional 2awg black wires to make it work.


The disconnect device will have two points on it. After installing it you’ll need one single black wire from battery ground point to one point on the disconnect, then on the second point of the disconnect will receive all of the black wires that’s were originally leaving the battery.

 

[marinetanker504]

All I have is the original battery in the engine, although new. No one has said anything about more batteries. I would have no idea where to start. The only saying I am running at this time while I am driving is the front dash AC unit. I have a shore power hook up for the additional rear AC unit that I have, but the breaker is off
So I figured that if I could disconnect the negative from the battery in the engine compartment, there would not be any parasitic drain. My family and I sort of use this for a short trip once a month type vehicle although I do like to start it up every three or four days
I am still not understanding most of what you are saying with using two or three batteries as well as where to put this piece near the starter/chassis. I am at the most beginner level.
I had someone in Gainsville do some work on it where they added a breaker box a new AC unit in the rear and short power with a 30 amp We have no way of using it at this time because we don’t have any way to power it but honestly at this point I just want the thing to crank over so I can take it out on a joyride every once in a while with my family

 

[Albatross]

All I have is the original battery in the engine, although new. No one has said anything about more batteries. I would have no idea where to start. The only saying I am running at this time while I am driving is the front dash AC unit. I have a shore power hook up for the additional rear AC unit that I have, but the breaker is off
So I figured that if I could disconnect the negative from the battery in the engine compartment, there would not be any parasitic drain. My family and I sort of use this for a short trip once a month type vehicle although I do like to start it up every three or four days
I am still not understanding most of what you are saying with using two or three batteries as well as where to put this piece near the starter/chassis. I am at the most beginner level.
I had someone in Gainsville do some work on it where they added a breaker box a new AC unit in the rear and short power with a 30 amp We have no way of using it at this time because we don’t have any way to power it but honestly at this point I just want the thing to crank over so I can take it out on a joyride every once in a while with my family

Most diesels use two batteries in parallel to start up the engine. If you only have one, then don't worry about it--unless your bus is supposed to have two, in which case, that could be part of the problem.



What they're talking about for a battery disconnect is something like this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Top-Post...for-Marine-Car-Boat-RV-ATV-Positive/140027009


It's very cheap, and you would simply mount it on the "BLACK" side of wire coming off your battery, and then hook up the black wire to the other post on it. When you want to use the bus, make the blade make contact; when you are done, remove the blade from the switch like Dr. Frankenstein.



And there are other kinds of battery disconnects, so if you go to an autoparts store and ask for one, then they should be able to show you what they have, and you are free to buy what you like.

 

[marinetanker504]

Pics of the battery and hi-amp (not sure what that does)

I took a couple of pictures because I’m not quite sure what this high amp button is when I press it it seems to reset. So maybe this is like an off button of sorts?

 

[desrtdog]

Does your bus have a wheelchair lift? That is a 120 amp breaker and looks similar to what I had on mine, and it’s coming off the positive battery terminal…

 

[marinetanker504]

No Sir. No wheelchair lift.

 

[desrtdog]

Hmm… ok. On my bus I have a positive feed from the (+) bus bar to a breaker that then went back to the w/c lift….Breaker is similar, but rated at 90 amps - so that’s why I asked. (I use that feed and breaker now as an input to my DC-DC charger off the alternator.). Also, when I first looked at the pic, I thought the (+) battery feed was coming in at the bottom…I see now it’s the top. Curious why there is a breaker there if no other auxiliary equipment….

 

[sportyrick]

Filling out your personal info would help us understand where you are coming from on amount of batteries etc.

 

[Mr P]

I sometimes find parasitic drains by using a thermal imager. Battery power is going somewhere, and that's gonna show heat. It helps when ambient temps are low.