How to manage power for short down time

[Ella]

Hi folks. I am new to all this as a new owner of a RoadTrek E-trek. Please don't laugh at me - I am learning quickly that I don't know what I don't know. My maiden trip was 14 days across the South. All went well as I learn the joys and challenges of RVing. I am home in FL for a week before I head north for another couple of weeks. I am parked in an open parking lot at my condo with no shore power. Should I shut the batteries down and let her sit? If I keep the batteries on, should the inverter be in the on or off position? I can't find this in any manual. Help appreciated.

[ks@yvr]

No need to turn the batteries off but the inverter should be turned off when you are not using it as it will have some parasitic power draw even when not being used. Also no harm in turning off all the batteries if you feel like it but remember anything that you are running like fridge would also be shut down.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by ks@yvr

No need to turn the batteries off but the inverter should be turned off when you are not using it as it will have some parasitic power draw even when not being used. Also no harm in turning off all the batteries if you feel like it but remember anything that you are running like fridge would also be shut down.

The propane detector Will be on. In my B the tv broadcast antenna amplifier was always on, added a switch later.

Bud

[mkguitar]

Welcome to the Forums


I turn off (w/ disconnect switch) my batteries when not in use- to prevent an accidental or parasitic discharge


I have a different model and different technology than you
mike

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by Ella

Hi folks. I am new to all this as a new owner of a RoadTrek E-trek. Please don't laugh at me - I am learning quickly that I don't know what I don't know. My maiden trip was 14 days across the South. All went well as I learn the joys and challenges of RVing. I am home in FL for a week before I head north for another couple of weeks. I am parked in an open parking lot at my condo with no shore power. Should I shut the batteries down and let her sit? If I keep the batteries on, should the inverter be in the on or off position? I can't find this in any manual. Help appreciated.

Welcome aboard from a fellow Floridiot. I live in Lake County, nw of Orlando. I'm leaving out Tuesday for sw VA.

Have fun learning.

[booster]

If it is an AGM battery etrek, leaving the batteries on is fine.



If it is an etrek with lithium batteries and mulitple switches to turn them on and off, turn them off unless you need run something as they can have a large parasitic discharge even with the inverter off. Depending on which revision level of batteries they are it could dead in a couple of days even with everything else turned off except the battery switches.

[Yoshimura]

Inverter should be off unless you need to run 120V appliances. Otherwise, the inverter will drain your battery. When connected to shore power, inverter should be on so it can recharge your battery.

[Davydd]

I leave my inverter on all the time and it uses 2-3 amps per hour standing by as my guess because I don't know what all the other draws are such as the idiot lights, my 5" touch screen Silverleaf control monitor, Trik-L-Start, WiFi Ranger, etc. I leave it on because our electric articulating beds which I use at all hours are AC 120v and as a collateral convenience the microwave keeps correct time without resetting every time the inverter is turned on.

I have 800ah of lithium ion batteries so it is no burden to leave it on. In storage I have shore power.

[booster]

Originally Posted by mloganusda

I see no one has answered your question about propane valve replacement. Are you asking about the main valve that turns on the propane? You can go to a propane dealer and ask them if they can replace the valve for you. If so, they have to empty the tank to replace the valve.

MLogan
Smyrna, TN

Would be good to have the mods move the question to a new thread or start a thread for it, I think to keep this on on topic.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by booster

Would be good to have the mods move the question to a new thread or start a thread for it, I think to keep this on on topic.

Done:

https://www.classbforum.com/forums/f...ent-11096.html

[engnrsrule]

Turn batteries off when not in use. Collective small drains from smoke/CO detectors, tank level sensors, etc. will pull them down. Keep inverter off unless you need 110v AC.

[PleasantonMac]

... and this leads to a follow-up question. What happens if I have drained my batteries down to zero 'cuz I left something on or whatever? Can I simply start driving and let the engine start charging them until all is well? Or am I going to have actual problems?

[engnrsrule]

Batteries are not likely to actually be zero, as low voltage cutouts will or should prevent it. Whether they are recoverable depends on their type, age and condition. When mine were at 54% after a week boondocking they were around 10.5 volts, and the system said they would last another 2 days. When we left they were at 100% after about 5 hours on the road.

[JohnnyCLE]

It would be helpful to know the year of your E-Trek and if it uses 8 AGM batteries or Lithium batteries so that responses can be more focused.

If the reason behind your question was to understand if the solar panel will charge your batteries with the battery switch off and the inverter off, the answer is yes for the 8 AGM configuration. I would expect that it would be similar for the Lithium configuration, but someone who has one would need to answer that question.

[JohnnyCLE]

Originally Posted by PleasantonMac

... and this leads to a follow-up question. What happens if I have drained my batteries down to zero 'cuz I left something on or whatever? Can I simply start driving and let the engine start charging them until all is well? Or am I going to have actual problems?

As someone who drained their batteries down to zero, you will be looking at replacing all of your batteries before you drive anywhere. Many units do not have a 12v low voltage cutoff and, if you are not around to hear your CO monitor start beeping, your batteries can drain to zero. They will be buckled and not a pretty sight.

If you drive any distance with batteries in this state nasty things will start to happen as your charging systems attempt to revive them. Fortunately I was prudent enough not to try this.

[Ella]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCLE

It would be helpful to know the year of your E-Trek and if it uses 8 AGM batteries or Lithium batteries so that responses can be more focused.

If the reason behind your question was to understand if the solar panel will charge your batteries with the battery switch off and the inverter off, the answer is yes for the 8 AGM configuration. I would expect that it would be similar for the Lithium configuration, but someone who has one would need to answer that question.

Thank you, JohnnyCLE: My E-Trek is a 2018 and it has lithium batteries. And you are correct, my next line of questions was if the solar panel charges when the inverter is off. I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that the batteries would not charge with the battery switch off.

Ella

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Ella

Thank you, JohnnyCLE: My E-Trek is a 2018 and it has lithium batteries. And you are correct, my next line of questions was if the solar panel charges when the inverter is off. I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that the batteries would not charge with the battery switch off.

Ella

Solar generally charges even if batteries are off. You should be able to tell this by watching battery levels.

[Road Toad]

Does turning off the battery disconnect switch in the Monitor panel actually disconnect all batteries?
And if that switch is turned on "prior to connecting shore line" (as directed) does that connect the chassis and the coach batteries, or only coach?

Originally Posted by booster

If it is an AGM battery etrek, leaving the batteries on is fine.

If it is an etrek with lithium batteries and mulitple switches to turn them on and off, turn them off unless you need run something as they can have a large parasitic discharge even with the inverter off. Depending on which revision level of batteries they are it could dead in a couple of days even with everything else turned off except the battery switches.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by RoadToad@live.com

Does turning off the battery disconnect switch in the Monitor panel actually disconnect all batteries?
And if that switch is turned on "prior to connecting shore line" (as directed) does that connect the chassis and the coach batteries, or only coach?

Unless somebody has changed the wiring, the coach and chassis batteries will not connect with that switch. The only connection is through the diode separator when the engine is running and that is only in one direction.

I replaced my diode isolator with a Blue Sea automatic charging relay. It lets power go either way and disconnects when the engine starter engages or the battery voltage drops a bit. Very low current draw, unlike many of the simple solenoid separators. This unit lets my solar panels keep the chassis battery full as well as the coach battery.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B000OT...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Road Toad]

Originally Posted by SteveJ

Unless somebody has changed the wiring, the coach and chassis batteries will not connect with that switch. The only connection is through the diode separator when the engine is running and that is only in one direction.

I replaced my diode isolator with a Blue Sea automatic charging relay. It lets power go either way and disconnects when the engine starter engages or the battery voltage drops a bit. Very low current draw, unlike many of the simple solenoid separators. This unit lets my solar panels keep the chassis battery full as well as the coach battery.

https://amazon.com/gp/product/B000OT...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So exactly what is the strategy of that switch in the Monitor panel?
What does it accomplih to facilitate shore connection?