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ramsey5,
There are a surprising number of lilttle things that can take power from the battery, including the refrigerator (even in propane mode) and the propane leak detector among others. The refrigerator has a couple of switches that reduce condensation by running a small heater in the door and keep the light on if the outside temperature is too low. Some people have just recently discovered these, to their surprise.
The best way to check your battery is to completely disconnect it from the Mountaineer after it has a full charge and check its voltage (after making sure its topped off with distilled water) to see how long it holds its charge. There is also a load tester available that puts a heavy load on the battery to see if the voltage stays within specs.
If the battery checks out OK, put an amp meter in series with the battery and measure how much current is being drawn by the Mountaineer when you think everything is off. That can be a surprise and should tell you more about the condition of the battery as well as how long you can expect a good battery to last.
I think that most of us use dual batteries, some even more, when we're boondocking, as well as generators or solar panels to keep the batteries charged. A search of the forum should provide a lot of info about batteries and maintaining them.
Bob
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