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Old 01-13-2019, 02:05 PM   #43
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If you find that you need custom cables for your BMK installation I found a source that will make the cables. They have an online matrix that allows to pick the gauge, end types, color, heat shrink, etc. my cables took less than a week to have them made and delivered.
www.bestboatwire.com
I knew you had posted this once before, but couldn't find it to quote here. Glad you did.
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Old 01-13-2019, 08:37 PM   #44
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Thanks for the extra info everyone!
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Old 01-13-2019, 09:37 PM   #45
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I knew you had posted this once before, but couldn't find it to quote here. Glad you did.
What type of end is required type and size? Thanks
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Old 01-14-2019, 06:23 PM   #46
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Amazon actually has quite a selection of 3/0 and 4/0 cables from 9" to 48" with double lugs, at a decent price. I have a pair of 9" 4/0 cables coming. I'll upgrade mine after Quartzsite. Will probably install the ME-ARC next month. Shot this month's budget on the BMK, new bedroom mattress and a new coach water pump.
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Old 01-14-2019, 07:33 PM   #47
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Amazon actually has quite a selection of 3/0 and 4/0 cables from 9" to 48" with double lugs, at a decent price. I have a pair of 9" 4/0 cables coming. I'll upgrade mine after Quartzsite. Will probably install the ME-ARC next month. Shot this month's budget on the BMK, new bedroom mattress and a new coach water pump.

Don,

What size are the lugs holes?

What bedroom mattress did you purchase and how was it? Did you have the stock mattress originally?

A new water pump? Which one and did you change the controller?

Thanks for all your ideas and MOD’s
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Old 01-15-2019, 12:32 AM   #48
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The cables are 5/16".

We bought our coach with the stock innerspring, which was like sleeping on a rock. I'm a side sleeper and have been waking up with sore shoulders and back. We bought another innerspring with a pillow top. Hard to find anything in a 72 x 80 size that is under 11" in height. Our local mattress store had one. We had bought a similar mattress for our previous DS and really liked it. Will give it a test this weekend in Q.

I'm a fan of variable speed pumps. FloJet makes a 40 psi model that produces 5 gpm. I've changed out the pump to this FloJet model in my last three coaches. I've never changed the controller and never had an issue.
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Old 01-15-2019, 06:46 AM   #49
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The cables are 5/16".

We bought our coach with the stock innerspring, which was like sleeping on a rock. I'm a side sleeper and have been waking up with sore shoulders and back. We bought another innerspring with a pillow top. Hard to find anything in a 72 x 80 size that is under 11" in height. Our local mattress store had one. We had bought a similar mattress for our previous DS and really liked it. Will give it a test this weekend in Q.

I'm a fan of variable speed pumps. FloJet makes a 40 psi model that produces 5 gpm. I've changed out the pump to this FloJet model in my last three coaches. I've never changed the controller and never had an issue.
Thanks
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Old 01-16-2019, 07:27 AM   #50
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Ok that’s an answer. Sold! It is now on the must do list!
Agreed.

Looking at a picture of it and from the detailed description above, the ME-ARC is going to be a simple few screws out, swap the cable, screw in the new type change over?

What about the ME-BMK, which sounds like something I want. I know you have to install something at the battery, but do you have to run a new, dedicated cable to the ME-ARC or is there an existing cable that runs from the battery bank to the ME-ARC?

I have no problem swapping the remote out in the overhead console, and would have no problem making a few connections at the battery bank, but running a cable from the battery bank to overhead console doesn't seem trivial to me.
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Old 01-16-2019, 07:41 AM   #51
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Agreed.

Looking at a picture of it and from the detailed description above, the ME-ARC is going to be a simple few screws out, swap the cable, screw in the new type change over?

What about the ME-BMK, which sounds like something I want. I know you have to install something at the battery, but do you have to run a new, dedicated cable to the ME-ARC or is there an existing cable that runs from the battery bank to the ME-ARC?

I have no problem swapping the remote out in the overhead console, and would have no problem making a few connections at the battery bank, but running a cable from the battery bank to overhead console doesn't seem trivial to me.
I’m no expert, only knowing what I have read and looked at the electrical drawing of the BMK. Need a cable going to the inverter and sounds like may need a phone cable looking splitter.

Now to hear from the experts!
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Old 01-16-2019, 08:08 AM   #52
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The only cable that needs a difficult run is the one from the door side rear most bay (in front of pegboard bay) to the front bay, driver side, behind the batteries.

This cable is a phone type cable and is included.

The remaining connections are all done near the batteries. You are only changing the ground cables, connecting the existing cables to the shunt, and adding additional cables from shunt to the battery.

The bmk does require connection to the shunt, and ac power. I installed this inside the heated bay and drilled a small hole to pass the cables thru to battery bay. I chose to connect the bmk directly to the house batteries so that when tripping the salesman switch I would not lose the soc learned value.
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Old 01-16-2019, 08:20 AM   #53
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The only cable that needs a difficult run is the one from the door side rear most bay (in front of pegboard bay) to the front bay, driver side, behind the batteries.

This cable is a phone type cable and is included.

The remaining connections are all done near the batteries. You are only changing the ground cables, connecting the existing cables to the shunt, and adding additional cables from shunt to the battery.

The bmk does require connection to the shunt, and ac power. I installed this inside the heated bay and drilled a small hole to pass the cables thru to battery bay. I chose to connect the bmk directly to the house batteries so that when tripping the salesman switch I would not lose the soc learned value.
Red,

Did you post a picture of the BMK and shunt setup? So much information for a rookie! Thanks
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Old 01-16-2019, 09:44 AM   #54
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This thread covers lots of ground. Including coverage of Don's added BMK Meter and some of the Magnum settings available via the usage of the BMK Meter.

I too have the combo of the MS2812, ME-ARC Remote, BMK-Meter, Smart Battery Combiner, Temp Sensor and AGS modules. And I also have solar, fed down thru a MidNight Classic 150 Controller, with WhzBngJr module added to the BMK-Meter to feed the Classic 150 SOC and AH info.

Working with both Lifeline and Magnum, I found last year that I had inadvertently 'walked my battery bank down', and this resulted in sulfate build up and an early demise of the bank. I had about 5 1/2 year old bank of X's 4 L16's Lifelines, for 800AH's. This was sized at about double my then battery bank needs, so that I could live on the top 25% of the SOC, and reduce the non infinite number of DOD cycles. It was because my bank was oversized some for our actual average nightly needs while boon docking, that I did not realize I had a problem earlier, and had been gradually losing overall bank capacity 'Walking Down' the bank via constant under charging.

While in storage next door, with a 20A feed to the Magnum. And also while traveling from Shore Power to Shore Power, I had turned our MidNight Classic 150 controller Off, and let the Magnum manage the maintenance of the battery bank. I left the Magnum Final Charge set to Multi.

What I did not know, is something that 757Driver helped me with, and later tech support from Magnum confirmed - that when set to Multi the Magnum does waits until the Voltage drops to 12.6V, then goes into Float mode, and runs for only 4hr, and shuts down. Well for AGM's, 12.6V is too low to start back up charging (And, it is not a custom set parameter, so it is what it is.). And for a larger bank, like the 800AH's I have, and the slightly larger bank of AH's that Don has - well, 4hr's of Float is not going to get the bank back up to 100% SOC. And thus, the gradual 'walk down' of the bank. (Please note that I put in the 4 hr value of float, vs Don's below post to me said 1hr. I asked this of the Magnum Tech twice, and the second time she put me on hold to go check with another Magnum Associate, and came back to confirm it goes into Float Mode for 4 hours.)

I'm fortunate as the Lifeline Bank can handle as much AH's as the combination of our 1250W of Solar Panel, via the Classic 150 - and the Magnum Charger in Bulk - can toss at it. A smaller bank, and or if another brand of AGM's have 'Max AH's' that are not as robust - could require more finite settings between various charge sources.

So I'm now leaving the Solar feed on at all times, even when on Shore Power. I'm still set to Multi for the Magnum's Final Charge. And, I have added a once every 4-6 weeks timeframe 3 1/2 hours run of the Magnum's Equalization (Conditioning for Lifelines) - but set down to the 14.4V Bulk Level (Vs 15.4V Lifeline Conditioning Value). I do this 4-6 week 3 1/2 hour 14.4V bulk exercise - to help keep the Lifelines from Sulfation build up. I reviewed this plan with the Lifeline Tech that had helped me when I was trying to understand what had happened to my first bank of Lifeline's. And he felt that was a good strategy to keep the battery bank in good shape, but also not 'over cook' the battery/mats.

I'll wrap up by also sharing CMartin's desire for Magnum to modify some of their logic to allow SOC, vs Voltage, to be the deciding factor/trigger of some events. (AGS Auto Start, LBCO, when to trigger charge back on again, etc.).

======

I share all of the above, and below the post to me from 757Driver (Don) - as it may help some of you on your Magnum settings too. As does thread's like this that former Diplomat Don started also continues to help me. So many variables come into play on the care and feeding of our batteries!

Best to all, be safe, have fun,
Smitty

----- Start if 757Driver's input (Note the 1hr should be 4hr, for Float)-----

Smitty,

Do you have solar panels and are they active?

What is your final charge set to? If final charge is set to Multi then your charger will go into sleep mode, show full charge on the display and not turn back on until the voltage drops to 12.6v or less. Once the charger comes back on it will only come on in Float mode at a trickle charge and only for 1 hour. With most AGM batteries the 1 hour is not long enough to bring your battery bank back up to full charge because of the higher voltage AGM batteries sit at. If you do not have a significant solar array I would switch final charge to float.

-------- End of 757Driver's input -----
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Old 01-16-2019, 10:11 AM   #55
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Red,

Did you post a picture of the BMK and shunt setup? So much information for a rookie! Thanks
Here is the photo of my shunt.Click image for larger version

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Old 01-16-2019, 10:49 AM   #56
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Thanks

What does it mean to connect the BMK directly to the batteries? What is the other choice? Wire diagram sketch? Thanks again and again!
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