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Old 02-10-2018, 09:20 AM   #1
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AGS Settings?

I just realized my Auto Generator Start is turned off. Can someone share what they feel are reasonable settings for the AGS. We live in our Dutch Star full-time and always stay in campgrounds with full-hookups.

Thanks
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Old 02-10-2018, 10:24 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LK23 View Post
I just realized my Auto Generator Start is turned off. Can someone share what they feel are reasonable settings for the AGS. We live in our Dutch Star full-time and always stay in campgrounds with full-hookups.

Thanks
If you don’t anticipate loosing shore power for more than a day...and do not require climate control for pets...you can basically leave it off.

If you are subject to lengthy power outages...or need to keep the climate control system powered for your pets safety...then setting the AGS is dependent on the remote unit you have, the size of your battery bank, and wether or not you are tied into the Dometic Control box in the basement.

The manual for the AGS can be viewed here...

http://www.magnum-dimensions.com/sit...A-ME-AGS-N.pdf

I don’t know how many batteries you have...but a charge time is set to establish enough time on the generator run to recharge the bank somewhat. For example...the table in the instructions for my eight battery arrangement (928aH) is 3 Hours.

You can set quiet time hours...

You can select a temperature (Newmar does not install the temperature probe, so this won’t work) or select EXT. for temperature. Newmar generally uses the ME-PT2 dongle to tie the AGS to the Dometic Control box in the basement. This allows the actual Dometic Control to tell the AGS to start, so that it can power the air conditioner. We set this up whenever we are heading out for the day with our pets in the RV.

Note...the manual has step by step instructions for setup...but you need to reference the section that is specifically setup for your remote. I believe most Newmars have the ME-RC Remote... so, unless modified...the ME-ARC or ME-RTR instructions will be very misleading if you accidentally reference them.

Have questions?...ask away...
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Old 02-10-2018, 12:28 PM   #3
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If you don’t anticipate loosing shore power for more than a day...and do not require climate control for pets...you can basically leave it off.

If you are subject to lengthy power outages...or need to keep the climate control system powered for your pets safety...then setting the AGS is dependent on the remote unit you have, the size of your battery bank, and wether or not you are tied into the Dometic Control box in the basement.

The manual for the AGS can be viewed here...

http://www.magnum-dimensions.com/sit...A-ME-AGS-N.pdf

I don’t know how many batteries you have...but a charge time is set to establish enough time on the generator run to recharge the bank somewhat. For example...the table in the instructions for my eight battery arrangement (928aH) is 3 Hours.

You can set quiet time hours...

You can select a temperature (Newmar does not install the temperature probe, so this won’t work) or select EXT. for temperature. Newmar generally uses the ME-PT2 dongle to tie the AGS to the Dometic Control box in the basement. This allows the actual Dometic Control to tell the AGS to start, so that it can power the air conditioner. We set this up whenever we are heading out for the day with our pets in the RV.

Note...the manual has step by step instructions for setup...but you need to reference the section that is specifically setup for your remote. I believe most Newmars have the ME-RC Remote... so, unless modified...the ME-ARC or ME-RTR instructions will be very misleading if you accidentally reference them.

Have questions?...ask away...
Can you elaborate on the temp control please.
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Old 02-10-2018, 02:07 PM   #4
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I am not a fan of AGS. If dry camping one should learn to manage their batteries. If not dry camping not much if a need.

A good exception is to use it in combination with air conditioning thermostat for back up if pets left in the coach during extreme hit weather.
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Old 02-10-2018, 02:09 PM   #5
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Can you elaborate on the temp control please.
Sure...by arming EXT. input...the AGS is talking to the Dometic control box in the basement. If you look at this picture...The ME-AGS and the metallic box which controls the Dometic units...have a little black box with a green dot connecting them. That is the ME-PT2...and it communicates the need for power to the AGS
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Old 02-10-2018, 02:21 PM   #6
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If you set the air conditioning for 72 degrees...when the temperature rises above this...the Dometic control box trys to start the air conditioner. If there is no shore power...it signals this to the AGS. The Network will start the generator...offload the big draw items for 2 minutes to allow the generator a warm up period...the loads are reinstated, and the air conditioner comes on...after the temperature cools down to set point...the air conditioner turn off...the large loads are shed for two minutes to allow the generator to cool down...then the AGS turns the generator off. This is how the more recent revisions work. Earlier revisions, which you may have...will run the generator for the generator run time setting...at the end of this period...if air conditioning is not needed...the generator will shut down...if it is needed, the generator begins another run time cycle. Reference the manual...and the Revisions for your system viewable thru the TECH menu on the remote.
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Old 02-11-2018, 09:23 AM   #7
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The OP is looking for settings. I would like to see them as well. I prefer to know what the average rv Joe sets the AGS to.
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Old 02-11-2018, 10:06 AM   #8
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C.Martin, this is one item I am unfamiliar with on my RV. I wonder how far back the use of the Dometic for a temperature sensor goes. My OEM AGS was installed in the 1/2 bath, near the main panel, and I have not seen the metal box you have pictured. I assumed that is has it's own temperature probe somewhere.
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Old 02-11-2018, 10:14 AM   #9
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To the OP's question. Assuming that you have the RC-50 remote and no BMK, you need to set the battery voltage and/or the temperature if pets are involved. Magnum recommends the voltage be set at 11.0V Many think this is too low, and it IS, for static voltage. However, if you have loads on the batteries, such as fridge, furnace, and others, the dynamic load can easily drop below 12V temporarily, while the state of charge is still well above 50%. I have had this happen before, trying to make coffee off the inverter. When everything stabilized, i still had 68% SOC in the batteries. Now that I have added a ARC-50 and BMK, I have it set to 50% SOC.
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Old 02-11-2018, 06:05 PM   #10
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My settings:
Run time 2.5 hours
Start volts 11.5
Temp 90*

The temp thing has always confused me. I was in Florida (with pets) and set the temp at 80* and kept getting starts even though shore power was on and it was below 80 in the coach. I turned it to 90* to stop the false starts.

Can someone clarify where the temp sensor is and how this works? I originally thought the AGS kicked on only if there was a loss of shore power but now realize that is not the case. You have to keep the AGS setting above the Dometic wall thermostat setting otherwise you'll have the genny start. If the shore power goes out I don't want to wait until 90* for the generator to kick on.
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Old 02-11-2018, 06:39 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by RMD3819 View Post
My settings:
Run time 2.5 hours
Start volts 11.5
Temp 90*

The temp thing has always confused me. I was in Florida (with pets) and set the temp at 80* and kept getting starts even though shore power was on and it was below 80 in the coach. I turned it to 90* to stop the false starts.

Can someone clarify where the temp sensor is and how this works? I originally thought the AGS kicked on only if there was a loss of shore power but now realize that is not the case. You have to keep the AGS setting above the Dometic wall thermostat setting otherwise you'll have the genny start. If the shore power goes out I don't want to wait until 90* for the generator to kick on.
I cannot speak for the earlier year models...but we both have 2016 Ventanas.

You do not have a temp sensor for the AGS. It’s probably in a trash bin in Nappanee, IN...


If you look at the installation instructions...there is an option for a remote temp sensor..OR..an option to connect the AGS to your Air Conditioning Control box. We have the second option. Setting a temperature on the Magnum Control Head is worthless. You select EXT INPUT...and set your Dometic wall thermostat to the temperature you desire.

That is the picture in post #5...the AGS module, Dometic Control Box, and ME-PT2 dongle connecting the two.
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Old 02-13-2018, 06:34 PM   #12
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I cannot speak for the earlier year models...but we both have 2016 Ventanas.

You do not have a temp sensor for the AGS. It’s probably in a trash bin in Nappanee, IN...


If you look at the installation instructions...there is an option for a remote temp sensor..OR..an option to connect the AGS to your Air Conditioning Control box. We have the second option. Setting a temperature on the Magnum Control Head is worthless. You select EXT INPUT...and set your Dometic wall thermostat to the temperature you desire.

That is the picture in post #5...the AGS module, Dometic Control Box, and ME-PT2 dongle connecting the two.
This is what I don't understand....

If I set the Magnum top external input where exactly is that input? The Dometic setting?
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Old 02-14-2018, 04:57 AM   #13
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This is what I don't understand....

If I set the Magnum top external input where exactly is that input? The Dometic setting?
Yes...exactly.


While sitting in your RV...try this. It’s a confidence maneuver.

Turn your Dometic thermostat up to 80 degrees...
Make sure the air conditioner finishes it’s current cycle and shuts off...
Arm AGS...with a low voltage, so that voltage isn’t the trigger, and EXT INPUT selected in lieu of a temperature.
Go outside and trip the breaker...
You are now running off battery power...the Inverter should go into inverting...and Lights TVs all working.

Now, lower the thermostat to a couple of degrees below the current inside temperature.

If you get the chance...watch the load Management Panel...

This is what your looking for..

The Dometic thermostat will try to turn on the air conditioner..
The unit will determine there is no Shore or Generator feeding the main distribution bus.
The AGS will see this signal...
The Magnum Network will shed the 6 loads it controls.(if optioned)
The genset will start...
The generator runs unloaded for two minutes...
The load Management Center reinstates the loads
The air conditioner should start and cool the coach...

What happens after this depends on software revisions...

Newer models... Yours will have this.

Air conditioning shuts down when reaching the temp set point on Dometic Control...
Load Management dumps loads...to unload generator and let it cool down for two minutes..
Generator shuts down...

Older models... In case someone with an earlier coach is reading along.

I haven’t watched this, but I believe the generator runs for the generator run time. So, if you set 3 Hours in the generator setup...it runs for three hours. At the end of the timer, it looks to see if the air conditioning is off...and it shuts down. If the air conditioning is still on..it resets the timer for another 3 Hours, or whatever you programmed the run time to be.

Someone with the earlier revision will have to check me on that.

So...the remote temp sensor that can be used with the AGS was deleted in favor of a networking connection to Dometics brain box....down in the basement. The temp sensors that control the AGS are the same little slotted half spheres mounted on the wall that control your air conditioner.

Oh...when your done, done forget to reset the breaker outside...otherwise the generator will fire up again and startle the dogs...
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Old 02-14-2018, 06:25 AM   #14
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I have got to try this. The main reason I got the AGS was for the air conditioner plus the 8K generator in case the power went off for our Yorkie. I do have the piece with the green dot (ME-PT2).

I will need to reread this and then check my AGS setting.
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