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Thanks for your input..I can use all help. Didn't know about the self discharge (or if I ever knew I didn't remember ) I think I've gotten a bit complacent with the battery tenders in place. Troubleshooting the problem is still on my project list however.

Thanks to all for the help and useful info...certainly gives me a direction to go in.

Just an update on all of this. 1st you were all most helpful especially spelling everything out for me. Being out of my depth a friend offered to pull the alternator to have it checked; it came back as good. Not sure if that answers the alternator leaking current question or not . Over the winter I "solved' the problem by putting battery tenders on the truck and coach batteries. Depending on time and ambition I may try to troubleshoot the problem further or just live with it for now.

I'm back to getting my 1992 dolphin into shape. I was looking for the tire jack and can't find one. Am I looking in all the wrong places? If I have to buy a new one...I can't find anywhere that says what the weight of the dolphin is so that I get an appropriate size jack. I've looked in the owners manual and I'm not sure what I'm looking at when it gives front and rear weights. Thanks for any help.

Nice trip to Brookings. The winding roads thru the Redwoods etc. is a bit daunting to me. As you know I'm still not confident in driving with the 22' turtle on my back. lol Well maybe the closet light isn't is as important to have as an LED yet since it's used occasionally, i.e. something you don't keep lit all the time.

OK. Do I I have it wrong about when the test light is lit? I guess I was thinking that if, when I pulled the fuses, one by one and the test light lit, then all was OK. I assumed it was the same with the alternator. Or am I not understanding this corrrectly :? What would you recommend in terms of too many people 'spoon feeding' as you say? I know everyone is trying to help, which I really appreciate, and I've learned a lot, so I'm not sure how to address your thought on this. I do admit sometimes it gets a bit confusing and overwhelming. I do have access to a multi-meter though I'm not confident in how to use one..which is in part why I was using the test light. As for the battery, as I said in another post I ended up buying.

Thanks for this organized version of possible problem areas. I did some of the testing already with a test light; pulling each fuse one by one. The only ones under the hood I didn't check are the ones that say "head" and "EFI" on them; there isn't a fuse or anything in the spot that says "CMH". When I checked with the test light and fuses, they all seemed OK, each time the light lit up when pulling each fuse. Sine the alternator wire connected to the alternator was close to impossible for me to get to I had help pulling the wire. Again with the test light in series (alligator clip to neg battery connector and test probe to the neg post) the test light lit up. I thought this meant it was OK as when it lit up when pulling the fuses.

Thanks for the info on the batteries. A guy who has done some metal fabrication among other things for me, came by for an entirely different reason. He has experience with auto and RV work. He took a look at the battery and said it was starting to bulge. He recommended that if the RV was going to sit for another 2 years to just leave it. I made the decision to replace it based on the current condition, the idea that I plan to use it more once the problem areas get fixed, it's age and the number of times it's been completely dead and recharged. It may have been the wrong decision, in part, since I didn't know if the 1st one was really a problem. But it's done now. Ok, and it didn't hurt that I got it at cost.

A quick question. What type of batteries are used as the truck battery and the coach battery? I'm seeing mentions of #27 deep cell in the coach. Is the truck battery just a regular car battery?

Well I'd say the gremlins certainly are creating mischief and hiding well. Apparently no one before we got it was able to find the problem..though I don't know who tried or how hard they tried to find the problem. So does starting with a new battery sound like a plan to begin with before proceeding on with something else?

No I haven't had it tested. It was having this problem (battery dying within a few of weeks of sitting) before I changed the battery and after. Though I just did look at the install date and was back in '09. The battery has been dead and recharged a number of times so, if I now understand it, that kind of ruins the battery. So maybe it is time for a new battery to start with a known good one; the battery I have now seems to charge ok....but

OK. The short version is the test for draw from the alternator was negative for draw i.e. there was no draw; the test light lit up. Actually I'm somewhat disappointed, lol, I was hoping it was the culprit so the search could stop there. any other thoughts?

That makes sense, thanks.

Definitely a nice and useful upgrade. That's an LED light isn't it?

Thanks for the pic link. Verified what it looks like. I'm definitely a visual learner.

OK. I think this is finally beginning to sink in. It's the exact same test light setup as checking the fuses except instead of pulling fuses you're pulling the alternator wire. When the wire is disconnected is there any issue I need to be aware of ,like don't touch the end of the wire to any metal part kind of thing? I'm thinking of something like getting zapped or blowing something up.

When you say in series, where exactly does the alligator clip go and what do I touch the test probe to? I may be getting ahead of myself here since I can't seem to find the correct wire. Of course it dawns on me now, am I really looking at the alternator? It's the round ball like thing with slits in the housing and copper wires wrapped on the inside isn't it? I really am very much the novice with all this.

I looked pretty carefully and couldn't find a white wire connected to the alternator. I see 2 wires, one looks like a spark plug wire with the hood like cap on the end. And the other I can't get a very good look at, tho it's not white. Is there another wire I'm not seeing? It's pretty cramped quarters in there. What's at the other end of the white wire? Maybe I can follow it back to the alternator.

Well no wonder! I'd say the bolt is doing it's job. I'm afraid to ask where the wire is and how to remove it? Isn't there any other way to see if the fuse is good or bad?

Addendum: The broken fuse housing was only small piece off the side of the housing. The cover snapped back into place. Still can' get the fuse out.

OK. I initially touched the point end on the (-) post (with the clip on the cable terminal/connector. ) It lit up, so if I understand it there's a draw from some place. I pulled all the fuses basic fuses under the hood and in the cab and they all lit up. Which I think means none of those are the draw culprit. I went back under the hood and pulled the bigger fuses and was trying to get the 80 a one to the alternator out and it's stuck in there. I tried everything to get it out and of course in the process the top/cover piece of plastic where it says the 80 amp broke off. Any suggestions on how to get it out of there? If not just to test it but to replace it since the top cover is missing?

Simple is more my speed. The guy at the auto zone wasn't overly helpful probably because he didn't know. Since I don't know what it means....does it matter if the test light is designed for power off or power on?

OK I finally got to the store for a test light. There are some different kinds. Basically my choices are alligator clamp on 1 side and test probe on the other. 1 kind is for "power on" and another kind is for "power off." some come with batteries one has a red and a black large clamp plus a test probe and a connection that can be powered by the cig. lighter. #1: So the 1st question is, which one? #2: Are there any fuses, like under the dash, on the inside of the truck? I can only find the ones under the hood. OK let me start there. I have more questions but I'll start with these.

Very cute 'kids'. I love that they only ate the crust! lol

OK I'm confused. Is this checking the coach battery or the truck battery? When you say to remove the cable from the coach battery I assume you mean the hot cable, yes?