Still can not isolate the fridge.

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JTQ

May 7, 2005
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Was just chatting to father in law and saying i would add one of these. We don't use the radio but if we came to sell the van, would like it there still so this seems like the best option!
Not all radios "suffer" from this out of intended use issue; if your drain goes away with the radio isolated, then like our Pioneer your probably does.

The "memory retention" in our Pioneer [2007] only takes one or two mA, so that element is no issue at all.
The "dormant" radio was a whopping 600mA on its power feed, that was our issue that pulled the battery down. It is also a DVD reader, not just a basic radio. Not all radio aerials are "passive" some are powered, another potential drain if the installation was not well executed.

Edit: probably best not to place too high a possibility it is the radio, however it is very simply isolated by extracting it and pulling its power feed plug(s) from the rear.
 
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Remember the radio facial panel draws power, and also the Aerial amplifier, the caravan Sargent security alarm also draws power to recharge it battery. Lots of "Hidden" parasitic draws.
 
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Jul 23, 2020
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This hints to me that the underlying issue might well be the radio?
If the type used in cars, these can "Hoover up" power even when ostensibly "off" if the installer did not also fit a switch in the configuration that replicates how a car's ignition switch handles the radio.
These normally have two feeds one a maintained feed of trivial consumption just enough to keep the radio's tuner selections "alive", and one that the car's ignition switches that powers the radio when it is "on". By design car radio don't have to be remotely power frugal so often are not, as there is a great big alternator to power it whilst in intended use, you are driving.
Sloopy caravan electrical equipment installers some even claiming to be professional simply supply one feed a maintained one that they split at the radio to power both, without that needed switch in the high power one. You will guess how I know they do.

You need to check if the battery dies on its own, totally unconnected for a week, if it drops below 12.5Volts its a long time past being useful in our off grid use context, IMO. Still a good garage door stop though.
Ok so have isolated teh stereo for now and the amps dropped to 0.09 so I think this could be the issue! Have plugged it all back in and going later today, hoping the battery will still have charge this item around.,
 

Sam Vimes

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For what its worth my previous Motorhome had a radio in the cab part. Unlike normal use in a car or van this was wired so that it could be used when the ignition was off. That is permanently on. One day after reading the manual I discovered that it had a clock function which I thought could be useful to have so I enabled it. Two days later the engine battery was flat and I had to call the AA for a Home Start. Disabled the clock and all was well again.
 
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The fridge always has 12v on for controls Gas, Battery(when driving) 240v .
Your caravan should have a board to control 12v and 240v circuitry. If you cut the main 12v switch (sometimes called system power) you will cut 12v to all. But you probably cannot then charge
 
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The fridge always has 12v on for controls Gas, Battery(when driving) 240v .
Your caravan should have a board to control 12v and 240v circuitry. If you cut the main 12v switch (sometimes called system power) you will cut 12v to all. But you probably cannot then charge
I have tried turning all of the fuse board jumper switches off but the fridge stayed on, will have another lok over the wk end while away.
 

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