Possible Surge

[Tony2]

We have a 2007 Monaco Cayman, it has the Magnum MS2012 Charger / Inverter.

Last year we were camping, plugged into 50 AMP power, a storm had hit and caused power flickering on and off a couple if times. Anyhow this year we are getting motorhome ready for a trip and I am running into some issues, thinking it was all the result of a power surge or something.

While we were camping last year during the power flickering our front Air Conditioner died, didn’t notice until later as both units were running at the time, fan etc still worked on the front one. I didn’t think anything of it at the time thinking it was just coincidental and had it repaired this year, which consisted of replacing a capacitor and the starter.

Then the gremlins (Or my imagination) start, I just put new batteries in this year (X4 Interstate 6V 2 banks in series then parallel) and according to the Magnum Charger remote panel the charger stays in absorb charge mode, the batteries get to where they are at a slight bubble / boiling, so I manually can put the charger into standby mode on the remote panel and that works fine. However I did use the disconnect in the battery compartment and read the batteries with a meter and they are sitting at 14.37V so definitely being overcharged!

Last night was moving the motorhome a up on some wooden blocks to level 1 side, left it plugged into 30AMP, with the charger on when starting the motor and running for a min or two the alternator light came on along with a buzzer, when I turn charger off it went away, so assuming the light buzzer are also confirming me of overcharging.

Then I went as far as disconnecting the batteries from he motorhome and used a small trickle charger, set the batteries up in 2 6V in series and after a while the bubbling sound / boiling comes back. Does this on both sets of 2, so this has me baffled!

Also when its plugged into 30 AMP at home no issues (except battery charge issue), however when I plug into 15 AMP remote panel shows it as still plugged into 30 AMP (Even if I manually select 15/20 AMP on the Magnum Charger remote panel, after a few hours or sometimes a day it cuts out and acts as if its not plugged in at all.

None of this was noticed until after I recently changed the batteries but I don’t believe I caused any issues by changing them nor that the batteries could cause these symptoms? Have any of you seen anything like this or any thoughts? In light of some of the issues and signs above I am not sure where to start at the transfer switch, the charger / inverter, or??

Thanks, Tony

[flynnwalter]

Tony2
Did you have a Progressive Industries Surge Protector? If so, what type of error did it display?

[Tony2]

No, been playing with fire and running without one all these years :(


Tony

[bborc]

I get the same thing when plugged in and starting the engine it will over charge and the batt light will come on. Wont do it every time.

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Tony2

No, been playing with fire and running without one all these years :(


Tony

You should get one.. In the last 7 days power here has gone off and back on twice.. My A/C's shut down.. So did my neighbors.. When power came on my Surge Guard (tm) started iot's countdown I think it is 174 seconds. Then there a a clunk and a few seconds later the A/C comes back on,, (total off time minimum 3 minutes).

Neighbor's tried to restart after only a few seconds.. Failed, overheated reset and then started.

That's how it works

And during that first few seconds as allmost all the compressors in the park try to re-start, fail, and then finaly succeed on the 2nd or 3rd try (Suffering damage on the earlier try(s). Voltages are spiking and dipping like a rollarcoaster.. And not a bit of it getting to my RV.

GET A SURGE PROTECTOR.. i suggest a Progressive Industries HW X0C (x is either a 3 or 5 depending on your RV) that way you won't be forgetting it when you plug in.