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What is a normal parasitic load on a fifth wheel

buylow12
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2004 Gulfstream Yellowstone fifth wheel and I'm wondering what is a normal parasitic load. I know there is the propane alarm, fridge controller, and furnace controller, etc. What is normal? Or at least an approximation.

Secondly what should my RM2652 be pulling in propane mode. Right now it's 3 amps, which I know is too high. AND YES THE CLIMATE CONTROL IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN OFF. Thanks for your help, again, as always.
Tim Czarkowski
TotalTravelers.com
8 REPLIES 8

buylow12
Explorer
Explorer
Yes but they're not on and don't draw that many amps. There is one fan That might draw a half amp.
Tim Czarkowski
TotalTravelers.com

buylow12
Explorer
Explorer
I actually asked about the fridge in particular because I'm having problems with it. So thanks for reading the post, person who answered my quarrying ๐Ÿ˜‰ Right now the fridge is on propane and I disconnected everything and it's still at 2.5 amps.

Actually just went out there and tested it again to see what the different stuff pulled and was at 0.1 amps and everything seems normal 0.5 with the fridge on. I feel like I'm crazy it was 10 amps last night at first then afte messing around for hours five, then two and half apparently this morning, and now normal. There has to be something giggling around or something. Could the solar panels be screwing up my reading? I am just disconnecting the ground and putting my multimeter in between.
Tim Czarkowski
TotalTravelers.com

red31
Explorer
Explorer
buylow12 wrote:
I have a 2004 Gulfstream Yellowstone fifth wheel and I'm wondering what is a normal parasitic load. I know there is the propane alarm, fridge controller, and furnace controller, etc. What is normal? Or at least an approximation.

Secondly what should my RM2652 be pulling in propane mode. Right now it's 3 amps, which I know is too high. AND YES THE CLIMATE CONTROL IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN OFF. Thanks for your help, again, as always.


Looks like BFL's info may be helpful to you. Any 12v fans on the fridge/exhaust?

SoundGuy
Explorer
Explorer
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Anything that tries to think with 12-volts is going to consume power. You need to audit individual circuits to find out what is consuming how much power...


Exactly.
2012 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
2014 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2003 Fleetwood Yuma * 2008 K-Z Spree 240BH-LX
2007 TrailCruiser C21RBH * 2000 Fleetwood Santa Fe
1998 Jayco 10UD * 1969 Coleman CT380

SoundGuy
Explorer
Explorer
BFL13 wrote:
Mine is 0.3 amps with the usual small things plus fridge on propane but no burner and another 0.5 when the burner comes on for a total of 0.8 amps. (As seen on the Trimetric)


Those are not parasitic loads but rather standby and operating loads. Seems to me the OP and you are confusing the two.
2012 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
2014 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2003 Fleetwood Yuma * 2008 K-Z Spree 240BH-LX
2007 TrailCruiser C21RBH * 2000 Fleetwood Santa Fe
1998 Jayco 10UD * 1969 Coleman CT380

SoundGuy
Explorer
Explorer
Parasitic load refers to those loads that can't be turned off, not those loads required for normal operation of any device. For example, the fridge has no parasitic load because when it's turned off it's not drawing any power at all. Those loads that typically represent parasitic loads are the propane / CO detector which runs 24/7 unless the battery is totally disconnected, a radio memory circuit, and I suppose you might even include the television wall plate if you're in the habit of forgetting to turn it off. To eliminate those parasitic loads the solution is to install kill switches in these circuits, just as I've done, in my case also including the Winegard SignalPro which does otherwise draw power constantly unlike the standard passive Winegard wallplate which does not, as long as it's switched off.

2012 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
2014 Coachmen Freedom Express 192RBS
2003 Fleetwood Yuma * 2008 K-Z Spree 240BH-LX
2007 TrailCruiser C21RBH * 2000 Fleetwood Santa Fe
1998 Jayco 10UD * 1969 Coleman CT380

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
This is utterly a question of what you personally can tolerate.

A focused question like "Can I lessen parasitic draw to less than an ampere?" may get more specific results. Because my meters are switched LCD I can reduce quiescent draw in Quicksilver to <20 ma. But then my refrigerators are not gas and are not allowed to consume power when not actually running.

Thermostats
CO Detectors
Radios
Stereos
Clocks
Anything that tries to think with 12-volts is going to consume power. You need to audit individual circuits to find out what is consuming how much power...

Help could come from forum members who could declare "XXX is too much power for an xxx device"

It's worth a shot...

BFL13
Explorer II
Explorer II
Mine is 0.3 amps with the usual small things plus fridge on propane but no burner and another 0.5 when the burner comes on for a total of 0.8 amps. (As seen on the Trimetric)

3 amps = one light left on. Or perhaps an inverter on standby with a small load like the TV "off" but actually alive on its own standby. Maybe antenna booster on too.

Fridge light stays on when door closed is another goodie.
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on Ford E350-460-7.5 Gas EFI
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2. 1991 Bighorn 9.5ft Truck Camper on 2003 Chev 2500HD 6.0 Gas
See Profile for Electronic set-ups for 1. and 2.