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woodosgood · 04-29-2017, 01:50 PM

I have a 2016 all electric Ventana 4369 with AGM batteries, Magnum AGS, and the ME-RC remote. The coach is plugged into a 50 amp campground connection but yesterday we flipped the breaker at the campground post due to running AC units along with the washer and dryer. The AGS did the right thing and started the generator. I turned off one of the ACs and the dryer and brought the load back down to below 30 amps. The generator did not go off, even after several minutes. I manually turned it off, checked the amp usage on the Power Control System Monitor and the amps were still in the 20s. After a minute or two, the generator came back on, even though we had our 50 amp shore power restored.

I looked at the battery levels and the Chassis batteries read 12.6v and the House batteries were 12.9v. Turned off the AGS function overnight so the generator would not run and turned in back on this afternoon. The generator has not come back on (which is good).

Our coach had been in for service the week before and I thought maybe the inverter or the charge button may have been turned off on the ME-RC. I made sure they were both on, and checked the other settings and that is the subject of this e-mail. I received a "cheat sheet" from Newmar during factory pickup with settings for the AGS, but I want to see if those settings make sense to the IRV2 knowledgeable readers. Here is what was recommended:

In the AGS Setup mode:

1 - Search Watts - 5min
2 - LBCO - 11
3 - Absorb time - (4.5 hours based on the Magnum chart)
4 - Battery Type - AGM1
5 - Charge rate - 100%
6 - VAC Dropout - 80
7 - Power Save - 5 min
8 - Screen Set up
9 - Final Charge - Float
10 - Power Up Always - Yes

After about 24 hours of being plugged into shore power the voltage readings are the same. However, the display on the digi-level has both the numeric readout and a "progress bar", like a gas gauge. Both the chassis and coach readouts have 4 full bars, plus a partial, out of 8 (see photo).

Do these settings make sense? Should the batteries be charging faster than this on shore power? What should the max voltage be for the coach and chassis batteries?

C.Martin · 04-29-2017, 02:42 PM

Hi guys...

Normal readings...

The ME-RC will gen start for two reasons...

The DC voltage limit...

Or the A/C thermostat requesting cool...but no power to the roof units.

In SETUP menus for AGS you will have set the parameters...such as the low voltage to trigger AGS, the Temperature, set to EXT, the quiet time...and generator run time.

Depending on the revision of software...the generator will...

With AGS armed...and not in an excluded quiet time peeriod...

- for low voltage...start and run for the run time period set in AGS setup

And

- for A/C command...either
- start and run for the run time period set in AGS setup...at which time IF the a/c is OFF it will shutdown, or if the A/C is on repeat the run time cycle.

Or. - start and run until the A/C shuts off, go thru cool down..,then shutdown generator.

In your case...one A/C was still running...so the ME-PT2 sensor was still holding the generator in the run...or you may have an earlier revision, and it will run for the gen run time.

C.Martin · 04-29-2017, 03:54 PM

If your Microwave looses the time...you can set the search watts to OFF.

The bars are not an indication of charge on that panel. Just where the voltage is within a range. You will see HI amp output during Bulk charge....since you have 100% set...it could max out at 125A for the MS2812 Inverter/Charger. Then when the voltage hits absorb...it will stay there at 14. something for a set time...then kick down to Float. Your panel shows float...so it has finished charging and is just trickle charging at 13. something volts depending on battery type.

MisterT · 04-29-2017, 04:38 PM

"but yesterday we flipped the breaker at the campground post..."

I am supposing that you meant to say 'tripped', since 'flipped' sounds like you went out and 'flipped' it off yourself(?)...

while it's 'possible' that a service person may have changed some setting on your Magnum panel, but it's doubtful, since your AGS started, as it should have.... but let's look at the possibilities that could have happened:

A) Even if you are plugged into 50a Shore Power, otherwise technically 100amps of incoming power, split between the two sides of your Breaker Panel in your coach(which is why you have two 50a breakers), your usage can require more than 50amps on a single side, thereby 'tripping' one of your 50a breakers in your coach, OR the double-pole 50a breaker at the Shore Power pole.

When you are running AC units, and are also requiring power for the Washer/Dryer(probably Dryer), you can easily trip a breaker. Sometimes one of the 50a breakers at the Shore Power pole trips first(thereby tripping BOTH 50a Shore Power breakers), losing ALL power to the coach. Your INVERTER then kicks in, quickly losing voltage due to the number of amps you are still requesting from all the other items in the coach, such as lights, microwave, the washer, 120v outlets, tvs, etc...

The AGS then kicks the Generator on when it reaches a critical low voltage, and would then run for the amount of time you have set as 'Run Time' on your AGS settings.

When you turned the generator OFF, you only turned it off manually, but the AGS settings were still active, so the AGS kicked the generator back on again.

EVEN when you reset the Shore Power 50a breaker, your BATTERY levels were still low, low enough to trigger the AGS to start the generator. This would continue UNTIL the Shore Power brought the battery voltage level, via the Charger, back above your AGS Voltage setting.

2) SHORE MAX setting button: this button on your panel provides you the ability to tell the CHARGER how much amperage it can use to Charge the batteries at any time the Generator is running, OR you are on Shore Power. Interestingly, though, while most coach builders will set this default to 30a or 40amps, this could have been what caused some of your issues.

Think of it this way - if your Charger, while charging the batteries, is using 40amps in BULK Charge mode(such as when you first arrive at an rv park), and then you ALSO start your AC units AND your washer/dryer, you could have EASILY tripped the breaker by going above and beyond the 50amps on any one side of your coach's breaker box.
Since your Charger at the time was in BULK mode, it would very likely also be that your Battery Voltage level was BELOW the AGS Voltage start setting at the time the Shore Power 50a breaker tripped.
Even though the Generator started, and you changed some usage thru the coach, the AGS was still in Voltage start mode - when you manually turned off the generator, the AGS was AGAIN told to restart the Generator to bring the Battery Voltage back above the setting, EVEN THOUGH you were also again on 50a Shore Power... the AGS does NOT care if you are on Shore Power, it is designed to provide a start to the generator when any setting, Voltage or Temperature, is reached.

fun, ain't it! : /

hint: when you arrive at a rv park, and you're planning on using ACs and doing some other heavy power usage... turn the SHORE MAX button setting down to 5amps. This will limit the usage of the Charger while you are on Shore Power and not needing the fast charging of the batteries.
when you are no longer on Shore Power, turn the SHORE MAX setting back up to 40a or 50a so that when your AGS kicks on the Generator(maybe when you are drycamping).. the Charger will make good and quick use of the power to more quickly charge the batteries...

as for SEARCH WATTS: you probably don't need to have this feature on... it is simply a way for those who want to drycamp, mostly on 12v items, for the Inverter to only kick on when any power requirement exceeds this setting, such as when something is plugged into a 120v outlet. But, most of us have Residential fridges, which ALWAYS needs the inverter, so the need for Search Watts mode is normally moot.

...it's all now clear as mud, right!? : )

woodosgood · 04-29-2017, 07:01 PM

C.Martin and Mister T,

Thank you both for your responses. It is beginning to make sense, but I am by no means an expert.

woodosgood · 04-29-2017, 07:04 PM

Yes, I meant to say Tripped the breaker, not Flipped. I knew when I typed it that it did not sound right. Early stages of CRS maybe

C.Martin · 04-30-2017, 06:45 AM

Eric and Linda,

If you push TECH, scroll wheel to REVISIONS...push...scroll to AGS...and see the firmware revision. The AGS with Rev. 5.3 and later will shut down two minutes after the A/C has reached it's set temp. Earlier Revisions shut down after the completion of the set run time...or multiples of that run time if A/C is still commanded at the timer expiration.

Scottybdivin · 04-30-2017, 09:18 AM

4.5 hours for absorb charge seems a little long. I have 8 wet cells, and the recommended setting for them is 180 min. I see you are set for AGM 1. Do AGM's require that much more time?

woodosgood · 04-30-2017, 01:50 PM

I am on version 5.4.

As for the 4.5 hours on run time, the chart on page 30 (Table 8-3) of the Magnum Owners Manual Version >5.0 indicates a run time of 4.5 hours for Battery AmpHrs Capacity from 1510 to 1700. Again, that number was provided to me at Factory Pickup.

C.Martin · 04-30-2017, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodosgood

I am on version 5.4.

As for the 4.5 hours on run time, the chart on page 30 (Table 8-3) of the Magnum Owners Manual Version >5.0 indicates a run time of 4.5 hours for Battery AmpHrs Capacity from 1510 to 1700. Again, that number was provided to me at Factory Pickup.

That sounds like a KingAire number...

If you have 8 6v batteries...the 20hr AH calculation would be like this...

8 x 6v batteries at 220ah (20hr rating)

= 4 x 12v batteries at 220ah

Or 4 x 220ah = 880ah capacity @12v

8 x 220 would be true if all your batteries were 12v w/220 ah rating...but that's not what they usually use.

I have 8 6v Interstate Flooded Lead Acid 232ah Batteries...connected together to make 4 x 12v @ 232 AH...or 928AH total capacity at 12v.

Hope that makes sense. I think someone forgot a step when they told you that number...unless you have the 16 battery bank like they option for the King Aire...

woodosgood · 05-01-2017, 11:19 AM

You are right. I spoke with Newmar today and I think the tech at our Factory Pickup forgot to divide by 2. So our new value for run time is 2.5 hours.

We have 8 AGM batteries in our all-electric coach.

I think the root cause of my low battery readings was the Charger button on the Magnum remote was "off". It has been "on" now for several days while being connected to a 50amp shore connection and both the coach and chassis batteries are reading 13.1. I think we are OK now.