Community Forums

smlranger · 09-24-2015, 06:12 AM

We had a Magnum 2000 watt PSW inverter fail and the first symptoms were the over temp fault. Magnum had us do some diagnostics over the phone and determined that it was defective (there is a way to use the tech function to see temps of the internal components). The inverter was only 2 years old and I believe it failed due to high temps in the compartment.

The inverter in our coach is in a tight area with less than optimal ventilation. When we replaced the inverter, I added two more exhaust fans to the area, one next to the inverter itself and another in the compartment door to exhaust heat. So far, this new inverter has held up. Also, I set my charge rate to 80% at the recommendation of the folks at Magnum Energy.

twinboat · 09-24-2015, 06:39 AM

With that large ( over 800 AH) battery bank, that you let run well be low 50% capacity, your charger is running at full capacity.

As others have said, it could be failing or not getting enough ventilation.

One cure is to turn down it's max charging output but that lengthens the charging time.

You may be able to monitor your batteries and charge them before the get so depleted. Then you may not be charging at max output.

Last suggestion is to install a stand alone 50 to 60 amp, 3 stage charger, to supplement the Magnum.
With that, you could run the batteries low and still charge them back up, in a timely manner.

Mutiple chargers won't hurt anything. Many of us run our generators, (that power the charger ), have solar panels doing the same and run down the road, charging with the engine.

They all play well together.

Good luck with your outcome.

KarenS144 · 09-24-2015, 07:08 AM

As one might be able to guess, we have no idea how to determine when we the batteries need to be charged. Most of the time, we do have electricity but I don't want to be limited to hookups. One of our favorite places, where we stayed on this trip had no hook ups. We do have a solar panel but we think it charges only the chassis battery. maybe.

I've looked before and haven't found (or maybe haven't understood) what I find about when to charge the batteries. Does one charge when they reach 12.4? 12.9? 12? Higher? Lower? I get a bunch of ways to calculate but one must need to have a degree in battery science as well as in calculus; neither of which we have nor really want! If this inverter is so darn smart, then it needs to ding a bell when it's time.

It seems to me that the inverter is always warm... that bay is warmer most of the time. When the fan comes on I can feel the hot air coming out of it. Does it get hotter while charging?

We'll investigate adjusting the charging rate before we dry camp again.

DAJO · 09-24-2015, 07:56 AM

From what I have read 12.2v is 50% as said earlier. The battery voltage should be read with no load on the batteries (at rest). I turn the inverter off and remove loads to check actual charge condition of batteries. After checking several times you can get a feel for how low it reads on inverter panel. Even at higher reading say 12.4 under load the voltage can drop down much more even to 11+ volts. Anyway that is the way I understand it, if just watching voltage on the inverter panel under load the reading will be lower and not necessary be down to 50%. Charging before 50% certainly won,t hurt anything.

Scottybdivin · 09-24-2015, 09:22 PM

Is it possible that the over temp alarm is due to the battery temperature monitor while charging at 100%? There was a topic a while back where some of the newer coaches with the more enclosed battery compartments, are causing the inverter to shut down, due to high battery temps.

smlranger · 09-25-2015, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenS144

As one might be able to guess, we have no idea how to determine when we the batteries need to be charged. Most of the time, we do have electricity but I don't want to be limited to hookups. One of our favorite places, where we stayed on this trip had no hook ups. We do have a solar panel but we think it charges only the chassis battery. maybe.

I've looked before and haven't found (or maybe haven't understood) what I find about when to charge the batteries. Does one charge when they reach 12.4? 12.9? 12? Higher? Lower? I get a bunch of ways to calculate but one must need to have a degree in battery science as well as in calculus; neither of which we have nor really want! If this inverter is so darn smart, then it needs to ding a bell when it's time.

It seems to me that the inverter is always warm... that bay is warmer most of the time. When the fan comes on I can feel the hot air coming out of it. Does it get hotter while charging?

We'll investigate adjusting the charging rate before we dry camp again.

Does your coach have auto generator start? If so, you can program that to monitor battery voltage. Mine is set to automatically start the generator at 12.2 volts. I have the Magnum AGS and it networks with the Magnum inverter/charger and I set the AGS parameters from the inverter panel.

The AGS is a nice feature if you have pets (we have two dogs). If we leave them inside the coach to go sightseeing, etc. and the shore power fails, the AGS monitors temp in the coach and will start the generator to run the AC units in the case of a power failure. AGS is also a good feature for boondocking, keeping your batteries charged when necessary,.

KarenS144 · 09-25-2015, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smlranger

Does your coach have auto generator start? If so, you can program that to monitor battery voltage. Mine is set to automatically start the generator at 12.2 volts. I have the Magnum AGS and it networks with the Magnum inverter/charger and I set the AGS parameters from the inverter panel.

The AGS is a nice feature if you have pets (we have two dogs). If we leave them inside the coach to go sightseeing, etc. and the shore power fails, the AGS monitors temp in the coach and will start the generator to run the AC units in the case of a power failure. AGS is also a good feature for boondocking, keeping your batteries charged when necessary,.

No, not yet. It's on the list to research.

Did you install yours? The module doesn't seem to be terribly expensive (if I'm looking at the right thing) but we wondered about installation and if it's a DYI or it'd be better to have someone do it and if so, who?

We have boxers that go with us and we usually don't leave them unless it's cool enough not to need the air on.

wa8yxm · 09-26-2015, 06:48 AM

Here is a question: Was the inverter on the sunny side of the RV?

Fact: i have a GEN-Turi and strongly others have one too if you use a generator.. Normally... After hours of operation, I can hold the black pipe in my hand comfortablly (And often do.. NOTE DO NOT TOUCH METAL PARTS.

One day the black pipe was too hot to hold.. I had to wear gloves.
THE GENERATOR WAS NOT RUNNING.. Sunlight did the dead.

Likewise I had a 30 amp extension cord that was too hot to handle even though the peak load was less than 10 amps.... Till I got to the part that was in the shade.. That was COLD to the touch. Once again SUNLIGHT did the deed.. not excessive current.

Several times I've found the fan on my converter (I have both a converter and an inverter) running, even when I'm not plugged in.. SUNLIGHT warmed the compartment, and thus the converter.

SUNLIGHT is very powerful.. MORE energy strikes the earth every hour than all the electrical generating plants, Hydro, Nuke and Fossil fueled generate in a month (And man am I being conservative when I say that) The small amount that striks your rig can overheat things.

KarenS144 · 09-26-2015, 07:58 AM

Our inverter is right in the middle of the coach in the pass through bay. Outside temps were not especially hot. I don't think sunlight hitting the coach had an affect on the inverter.

smlranger · 09-27-2015, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenS144

No, not yet. It's on the list to research.

Did you install yours? The module doesn't seem to be terribly expensive (if I'm looking at the right thing) but we wondered about installation and if it's a DYI or it'd be better to have someone do it and if so, who?

We have boxers that go with us and we usually don't leave them unless it's cool enough not to need the air on.

Onan makes a wireless AGS, model EC30W. It is fairly easy to install DIY. I installed one of those on my previous coach.

I have the Magnum Energy AGS on my current rig and I also installed that one. The ME unit is not wireless and you do have to have connect it to one of the generator start/stop switches. That one is a bit more tricky to install but not hard for someone with reasonable mechanical and electrical skill.