Identifying Power Draws - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Identifying Power Draws (/showthread.php?tid=4474)

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Identifying Power Draws - bikestuff - 09-06-2018

Gurus,

So I am camped out at a dog show for four days.  My plan was to run the generator during the day and run off battery at night.  As soon as I turned off the generator (and started running the inverter)....I noticed a huge power draw.  Even with mostly everything turned off, I was still drawing 50 amps!  My batteries are near the end of their life, but with draws like these, I won't last an hour!

The Aquahot was not running, nor was the fridge.  So I am off to try and identify what is drawing all that power.

While I was looking, the 120V compressor kicked on.  It was pulling 30amps.  (The inverter said the draw was 13 amps before it turned on and 43 amps after it turned on).  How can that be?  I looked up the Thomas air compressor and the specs call for something like 5 amps.

So...Does anyone have insight into looking at the power pulls in their coach?   My first thought is to get my clamp on ammeter and try to read the wires in the breaker box next to the inverter.

Thanks,
bill

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - Fulltiming - 09-06-2018

A quick way to narrow it down if you don't have a clamp on ammeter is to switch the breakers off one by one and find which circuit the huge current draw is on. Then you can just focus on whatever that circuit feeds.

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - Richard - 09-06-2018

When dry camping i turn off both the 120v water pump and the 120v compressor. The water pump is an energy hog.

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - folivier - 09-06-2018

The 120vac compressor pulling 30 amps, is that 30 amps of 12vdc? That sounds about right, 5 amps at 120vac would be about 30 amps at 12vdc.
But why do you need the 120vac compressor running, won't the 12vdc compressor provide enough air for the slide seals, toilet, etc?
Also if you do use the fridge then turn off the ice maker.
Lithium Baby!!

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - cexposito - 09-07-2018

Is the front batteries that start the Perkins diesel for generator charged by the rear engine alternator?

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - Richard - 09-07-2018

I have had two newells. One started the gen off house batteries anf the other started off chassis batteries

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - Fulltiming - 09-07-2018

My 92 starts off the house batteries.

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - afrench - 04-04-2022

Bill, what did you find out was the culprit? My coach is doing the same thing. I’ve got brand new batteries though…
On my silverleaf panel when the fridge kicks on it shows it’s pulling almost 50 amps. With the fridge and water pump is shoots up to 134A. That will kick my battery voltage down below 12 and trigger an alarm. Not sure where to begin.

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - bikestuff - 04-04-2022

I dont remember what the source of the draw was but what Richard said was correct. If you are running on battery, use the 12V air pump* and the 12V water pump. Be mindful of the high current draws like the fridge, and heaters.

To sort out the draws….get a DC clamp on ammeter and go to the fuse boards and start measuring each circuit.

* 653 had a weird thing where the front two seals would not be inflated by the 12V air pump. This was probably corrected in a later vintage.

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RE: Identifying Power Draws - Richard - 04-04-2022

Remember, that a 5 amp AC draw on the inverter translates roughly into a 50 amp DC draw on the batteries. Your DC draw for the fridge and water pump are not out of line

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