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Old 08-16-2021, 10:34 AM   #1
shannonann
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Default Radio Antenna?

I’m assuming this black thing is the radio antenna? How do I turn it off? The red light is on. Last time we packed up the camper it stayed on and I think it drained our battery.



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Old 08-16-2021, 03:12 PM   #2
Shane826
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You don’t turn it off. Same with the radio. Maybe wire a switch to shut them both off?

Ironically the schematic I have shows it wired to the bathroom wall cutoff switch but mine was the same way… Always on. I’ll have to check the new roofs and see if it’s wired differently now.
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Old 08-16-2021, 07:54 PM   #3
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Last time we packed up the camper it stayed on and I think it drained our battery.
Turning it off will help, but it won't solve the problem. Any RV, including a TM, contains a number of what are called "phantom loads" or "parasitic loads". These are small consumers of electricity which continue to draw current even when you think everything is off. The radio antenna is one, as you have found. The radio itself is another, since it uses a bit of current to keep the memory for the station buttons alive. The water heater has an electrical controller that I think consumes a bit of current. The refrigerator also has one. I have a TPMS set that has a signal booster, and you guessed it, the booster is always on.

Because the phantom loads are small, they may take several days to deplete your battery - but it will happen. It is not really practical to identify every phantom load, and add a switch to turn each one off. Instead, if you plan to store your camper for more than a few days, you should either disconnect the battery, or add a "battery maintainer" - basically a very small battery charger. Neither is very complicated. By using the Search function on this Forum, you can uncover a lot of information about both.

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Old 08-16-2021, 07:56 PM   #4
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Ahh this makes sense. This is all brand new to us. Thank you!!


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Old 08-17-2021, 11:15 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill View Post
Turning it off will help, but it won't solve the problem. Any RV, including a TM, contains a number of what are called "phantom loads" or "parasitic loads". These are small consumers of electricity which continue to draw current even when you think everything is off. The radio antenna is one, as you have found. The radio itself is another, since it uses a bit of current to keep the memory for the station buttons alive. The water heater has an electrical controller that I think consumes a bit of current. The refrigerator also has one. I have a TPMS set that has a signal booster, and - you guessed it - the booster is always on.

Because the phantom loads are small, they may take several days to deplete your battery - but it will happen. It is not really practical to identify every phantom load, and add a switch to turn each one off. Instead, if you plan to store your camper for more than a few days, you should either disconnect the battery, or add a "battery maintainer" - basically a very small battery charger. Neither is very complicated. By using the Search function on this Forum, you can uncover a lot of information about both.

Bill

When we are storing it in our garage, would there be any harm in leaving it plugged into the house all the time?


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Old 08-17-2021, 02:02 PM   #6
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Sadly, not a great idea. The chargers in most of today's RVs tend to overcharge your battery after a while. I often think of the charger as an ox. It can do a LOT of work when needed, and it can back off and do less stringent tasks when needed. But because it is basically an ox, it is not very good at something delicate like stroking a bird's feather.

One way to handle the issue is plug the TM into the house for a few hours, once a week or so. Some of our members do that, and apparently it works. Of course you run the risk of either forgetting to plug it on, or forgetting to unplug it.

An easier way is to buy a "battery maintainer" such as a Battery Tender (https://www.batterytender.com/battery-chargers). You just plug it in, leave it, and it does the job. I've used their smallest one (750 ma) for years with no issues. Some folks like to go slightly larger, and that is fine. There are several other brands that other member use, and they are good, too. The important thing is get a true battery maintainer, not a cheap "trickle charger".

Again, you can find a lot of info by using the Forum's search tool on a term like "maintainer".

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Old 08-17-2021, 02:46 PM   #7
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To add on to what Bill said make sure you get a battery maintainer (or Battery Tender), not a trickle charger. One charges constantly, the other monitors charge levels and charges as needed.
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Old 08-17-2021, 03:00 PM   #8
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I think that's what I said.

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Old 08-17-2021, 05:58 PM   #9
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You did.
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Old 08-18-2021, 07:24 AM   #10
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Yep you did. My bad.
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