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[GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #301954] Fri, 10 June 2016 09:52 Go to next message
glwgmc is currently offline  glwgmc   United States
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Registered: June 2004
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Senior Member
Wellllllll, I think I found the culprit and, as Pogo would say, it is me!

A short time ago I posted about a strange parasitic draw that would take the chassis battery down over night. I checked everything I could think of and found nothing amiss. Finally yesterday I think I found the cause.

Our Royale has a large U shaped rear lounge that makes into a larger than king size bed. Two of the back rest cushions fit into the center of the U to make the bed. The other cushions store up front between the seats for the night. We also store the Winegard Pathfinder satellite dish on the floor between the seats while we travel. Normally that satellite dish is set up outside at night but in AK we are too far north to get anything so it just stays in place between the seats all the time.

With that unit in place I noticed that as I tossed the rest of the cushions up there one of them pushed against the seat adjustment controls on the power seat. Another cushion landed on that one pushing the adjustment switch enough to cause the seat to run to a limit so it sat there all night drawing power to the point that it ran down the chassis battery!

It would only happen when the cushions happened to drop in just the wrong way so the issue appeared to be intermittent. I have not fully tested this hypothesis yet, but it sure seems like the culprit. How bizarre is that!

Jerry Work
The Dovetail Joint
Fine furniture designed & hand crafted
in the 1907 former Masonic Temple building
in historic Kerby, OR
http://jerrywork.com


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Jerry & Sharon Work
78 Royale
Kerby, OR
Re: [GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #301962 is a reply to message #301954] Fri, 10 June 2016 11:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
roy1 is currently offline  roy1   United States
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Gee Jerry that is the first thing I would have checked. Or maybe never.

Roy Keen Minden,NV 76 X Glenbrook
Re: [GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #301988 is a reply to message #301954] Fri, 10 June 2016 21:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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I'm thinking when the seat goes to the limit position, a limit switch should open to shut off power to the motor in that direction. Otherwise the current flow in the stall position would quickly overheat the windings and smoke would soon fill the air.



Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
Re: [GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #302009 is a reply to message #301954] Sat, 11 June 2016 11:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
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Location: Woodstock, IL
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Maybe the limit swicth interrupts power to the motor but the UP RELAY is still clamped?

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: [GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #302010 is a reply to message #302009] Sat, 11 June 2016 12:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
thesmith is currently offline  thesmith   United States
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Location: Cary, NC
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Could (indeed should) have a slip clutch.......Easy to test, does motor keep running at the end of the seats travel?


Pete


Cary, NC 1978 Center Kitchen Royale.
Re: [GMCnet] Parasitic draw from somewhere [message #302011 is a reply to message #301954] Sat, 11 June 2016 12:55 Go to previous message
RF_Burns is currently offline  RF_Burns   Canada
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Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
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Senior Member
Could indeed be a relay or 2. Cube relays I use draw about 75mA coil current, enough to eventually kill a starting battery.

If there was some type of clutch, I'm sure you would hear the motor running.


Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
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