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Old 03-31-2021, 05:02 PM   #211
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Originally Posted by C.Martin View Post
Dang it..

If the ME-ARC came with a new cable...
Noop... not long enough anyway.

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I’m clueless on your configuration.
That makes two of us...

Quote:
Our Half-bath equipped 4037 has a lot of wiring overhead...and also thru the basement. The half-bath is a stationary point..not in a slideout...so the have a lot of the wiring routed in and around it.
Yeah, I'm thinking our bath (between bedroom and kitchen slideouts) would be the best place if I mount the ARC in a new location--for just that reason (not part of a slideout).

Quote:
It doesn’t make sense really that the unit worked before the upgrades and suddenly it won’t talk...unless the remote relies on fewer wires (channels) for communication.
That's my guess--the RC must only rely on the two middle wires and the ARC is able to replicate the same features as the RC on that cable (which is why I never suspected the cable to be the problem in the first place). But, apparently, the ARC must use those two outer wires for the AGS and BMK functions because it doesn't see either of these unless I plug in directly to the inverter on a known good cable.

Quote:
There must be some connection point..lithe reuse it would be hard to know why the network cable starts off one type of wire bundle and ends a different type. Maybe they didn’t have a long enough cable and added an extension.
I'm hopeful that your guess, like mine, is the correct one because that means I wouldn't be unknowingly disconnecting some other component in the system.

Quote:
It would be satisfying to see if mounting it near the inverter gets all the magnum components up and running. That would cement the fact the network cable is entirely responsible for the miscommunication events when getting all plugged in together.
It does! That's why I was so excited in reply #203 (wow!)... because we isolated the problem to the cable! At least I'm pretty sure. I have not taken the time to configure all the BMK and AGS settings while connected directly to the inverter in the inverter bay because I didn't think the ARC would remain there... but it does recognize both components and let's me configure them! =) This is why I'm pretty sure the ARC needs those outer two wires (or at least one of them) to recognize the AGS and BMK.

Quote:
The Victron wireless information does a decent job of monitoring.,,but I do occasionally like to adjust my parameters...AGS, LBCO, etc...
I have to admit that I'm still not up-to-speed on the Victron app on my phone. I haven't had much chance to dig into it, yet, but when I first got it connected, I couldn't seem to figure out how to get enough information out of it (or to always interpret what I'm looking at). Although I'm thinking I wouldn't make changes very often to the ARC (maybe to set AC input when on 110 vs 50A?) so that could work (with the ARC permanently mounted in the inverter bay). But I mentioned before that my phone won't connect to my Victron shunt when I'm in the driver's seat so I would need to get a bluetooth repeater to get the signal up front and study the Victron app before I could rely on that for monitoring the state of my DC power instead of checking the ARC.

We'll see... busy day today but will play more tonight/tomorrow.

Thanks, as always, for your help, Charlie! It helps a lot just talking through the issues again (and again). For example, I would probably be planning a trip or shipment to get my inverter to a service center 500 miles away right now if I hadn't talked through this issue a third time with the ME tech and finally thought to test the cable!
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Old 03-31-2021, 05:46 PM   #212
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Boondocking

Another option to consider, i boondock at Nascar tracks for up to a week at a time. So i carry a 2000k inverter quiet generator that runs for 12 hours on a gal of gas. It provides battery charge and "typical 110 usage" such as running the smoker all day and you can barely hear it running. I only use my on board gen it i have heavy usage.
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Old 03-31-2021, 06:38 PM   #213
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Another option to consider, i boondock at Nascar tracks for up to a week at a time. So i carry a 2000k inverter quiet generator that runs for 12 hours on a gal of gas. It provides battery charge and "typical 110 usage" such as running the smoker all day and you can barely hear it running. I only use my on board gen it i have heavy usage.
Oh, those are GREAT ideas, DJC! I would LOVE to park alongside a racetrack for a NASCAR weekend (trials and race) and the extra portable generator is a great way to prevent offending neighbors, too. In fact, I just saw an ad for a solar 1800W generator this morning. I'll have to look into this before we do our first non-electric hookup.

(I'd love to join the RV group for the tripleheader at Indianapolis this Summer but I think that will be too soon for us. Maybe next year! )
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Old 04-01-2021, 06:51 AM   #214
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Are you able to Ohm test the Phone cable pin to pin for continuity I know it is a long way but you could confirm cable failure or integrity.

Is is possible the two outer wires are swapped in one of the cables?

Ted.
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Old 04-01-2021, 10:07 AM   #215
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Are you able to Ohm test the Phone cable pin to pin for continuity I know it is a long way but you could confirm cable failure or integrity.

Is is possible the two outer wires are swapped in one of the cables?

Ted.
I wish it were that easy, Ted. I did run a length of wire from the inverter to the front of the coach to "extend" my meter and test each wire from front end to back end and was--unfortunately--able to confirm that the outer two wires do not make it through from one end to the other. I checked all 4 pins at one end when connected to each pin on the other end and the only connections that make it all the way through are the two middle wires (reversed).

I couldn't make it back out to the RV yesterday to try anything else, yet, but I'm hoping I can do that today.

RVs are certainly more complex than I'd even imagined they would be. But we'll get there!
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Old 04-03-2021, 07:49 AM   #216
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I wish it were that easy, Ted. I did run a length of wire from the inverter to the front of the coach to "extend" my meter and test each wire from front end to back end and was--unfortunately--able to confirm that the outer two wires do not make it through from one end to the other. I checked all 4 pins at one end when connected to each pin on the other end and the only connections that make it all the way through are the two middle wires (reversed).

I couldn't make it back out to the RV yesterday to try anything else, yet, but I'm hoping I can do that today.

RVs are certainly more complex than I'd even imagined they would be. But we'll get there!
I was just wondering if the 2 outer wires were swapped?
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Old 04-03-2021, 10:02 AM   #217
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I was just wondering if the 2 outer wires were swapped?
Like I said--I wish it were that easy. I connected an "external" wire to the first outer wire on the inverter end of the cable and then checked all four pins on the coach/ARC end of the cable--it does not terminate on any of the 4 pins inside the coach. Then I did the same for the other outer wire and same result--I do not know where these two wires terminate but it is apparently somewhere inside the coach between the inverter bay and the front instrument control panel. And I have no idea how to locate let alone access the cables in the wall/floor/ceiling so that I can test and locate the bad connection/cut or run a new cable.

BTW, Charlie--I did find the new (plenty-long-enough) network cable that came with my new ARC unit; it was in one of the boxes that I had stored away thinking I would not need it because one is already installed... still not sure how I can replace the existing cable, though, so I will look for an alternate place to mount the ARC this weekend.

I wonder... maybe I can connect two remotes (the old ME-RC where it was in the control panel and the new ME-ARC where I am able to control/configure the AGS and BMK as needed)... And, if so, if using a daisy chain approach will work or if I need to add a splitter at the inverter to connect them both at that end... I'll have to play around with this idea when I can make time to play around a bit more.
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Old 04-03-2021, 11:39 AM   #218
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I would run that past Magnum..

It is possible two remotes would play nice, as they are serial communication devices. But, they may induce a conflict that can’t be resolved..in which case it may fail more often than not. They may know... If they will...most likely you would need two that use the same command set... two ARC’s or two RC’s...

I have removed screws from the A-pilled trim. You may be able to identify wires there that are running down vs overheat thru the roof.

Taking the trim piece down from the fantastic vents...may let you scope the attic for wire runs. If you can fish them control condo...to kitchen fan area...and the from there back to the bathroom fan...then down to the basement...you may be able to get that new cable pulled.
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Old 04-09-2021, 11:49 PM   #219
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Good ideas, Charlie. I'll see if I can manage to see wires in the ceiling to run the new cable. But I haven't come back to this, yet, after talking to Magnum Support team. They told me that you "cannot" use two remotes--that "it won't work." He wouldn't say what would happen if I tried it (fry one or both units, cancel each other out, or other?). He did say there is a way to run two remotes, though--the main one has to be an ARTR (advanced router) control unit and then I could keep the second one in the front of the coach. I guess these are meant for configurations with two or more networked inverters (like in a home and other locations that typically include solar power, also).

I'm tempted to buy one but that's *another* $400 and I'm feeling pretty fleeced at the moment; I'd like to at least start taking some trips before I spend much more than I have to... for example, we've got a flat tire, now, which will cost us anywhere from $200 (to plug a screw hole in the tread) to $500 if we have to replace the tire tomorrow. It's always something...

On the bright side, I *THINK* I've got the tow/toad installation done! I'll test it on the way to the tire shop tomorrow morning. There were a few challenges along the way, such as a very odd shaped twisting brake pedal bracket that made it very hard to securely attach and "square up" the actuator. AND--I found out (according to Demco) that you cannot purchase just any ol' DOT 1/4" air line for their actuator; if it's not U.S. made, it likely will not stay put and will continually blow itself out of the connector when you brake hard. And, apparently, most anything we buy from Amazon is "offshore" material that won't stay put. My mechanic had some tubing laying around from an air shock installation so he bailed me out this morning. And I found odds and ends and duct taped them into a crazily-shaped "block" that allowed me to secure the actuator in a perpendicular angle to the floorboard. So far so good!

Now if my tow test goes well tomorrow morning, I'll be a happy camper. If I can just figure out how to stop my Acadia from setting off the Check Engine light and sometimes not starting at all after I switch back on the 50A fuse after testing the tow mode... I'm a bit worried that we'll end up stuck somewhere but, so far, I've eventually been able to get it to start and then it's fine again (the light eventually goes out, too).

So many things to learn (and overcome!). But getting REALLY close, now!
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Old 07-29-2021, 02:46 PM   #220
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Like may others - I'd like to pass along my appreciation to all who have shared comments within this post.

Bill - for your tenacity. It's been an incredible experience - binge-reading 3 months worth of communication. You have served so many of us "novice RVers" by tugging such valuable information from those in the know. I haven't seen any updates since April. I hope you're on the road with everything working as you'd like.

Charlie, Ted and others - for the time, effort and desire to share your knowledge. Bill did such a fine job of asking all of the correct questions. The exchange couldn't have been better scripted if were a made-for-tv show.

I started with the info regarding batteries, charging and inverter and ended with the temp-controlled ags. Looking forward to putting all of this great info to use.

Thanks again to all. Happy Trails!

Ken
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Old 07-29-2021, 02:50 PM   #221
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It was definitely fun participating.
My pleasure

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Old 07-29-2021, 10:31 PM   #222
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Like may others - I'd like to pass along my appreciation to all who have shared comments within this post.

Bill - for your tenacity. It's been an incredible experience - binge-reading 3 months worth of communication. You have served so many of us "novice RVers" by tugging such valuable information from those in the know. I haven't seen any updates since April. I hope you're on the road with everything working as you'd like.

Charlie, Ted and others - for the time, effort and desire to share your knowledge. Bill did such a fine job of asking all of the correct questions. The exchange couldn't have been better scripted if were a made-for-tv show.

I started with the info regarding batteries, charging and inverter and ended with the temp-controlled ags. Looking forward to putting all of this great info to use.

Thanks again to all. Happy Trails!

Ken
Thanks for the kind words, Ken! I, like you, am very grateful to those who shared their knowledge with me--we would not be on the road today without them! And, yes--we are on the road and batteries have not been an issue since working my way through these various steps and upgrades ::knocking on wood::. That said, the ARC is still mounted in the inverter bay in the basement so I cannot view it as often/regularly as I would like but I do check it now and then. I don't see a solution for this unless/until we have a need to open walls or roof and come across that cable somewhere down the road.

And there is no shortage of new problems to solve; so far, with the help of folks here and elsewhere, I've managed to tackle them all on my own but it seems like we come home for two weeks and I have two or three things to fix before our next trip; I get them fixed and then we come up with two or three more things to fix on the next trip! It's a vicious cycle! But it's more than worth the tradeoff of the freedom and lifestyle that we are learning to love in our RV!

[ASIDE]I just saw a message on the ARC a couple of days ago that is reminding me to do an EQ cycle--does anyone know if this is something we should do on a regular basis (if so, how often)? Or is this warning occurring due to some signals it is sensing from my battery bank and suggesting I need to address a problem?[/ASIDE]
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Old 07-30-2021, 05:19 AM   #223
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Equalization is a higher voltage charge designed to get stubborn sulphate to redisolve and give you back some lost storage capacity. As the sulphates build up…they reduce effective plate area. It is a good idea to check with the battery mfg. for recommendations.

In deciding…there are trade offs. If you over do conditioning or equalizing charges…you can actually wear the plates down. On the other hand…if not enough, you loose effectiveness due to sulphate buildup.

Sulphate buildup isn’t a fixed target. If you are off grid…on solar…and cannot get the batteries back to a full charge each day…then sulphates are allowed to sit longer on the plates and become less agreeable to redissolve. If you are mostly plugged in…and your charger is keeping the batteries topped up…sulphate accumulation will be very low. So, you have to guesstimate how often to do it based on this. For flooded lead acid..I have heard anything from once a month…to every six months. But I think I would temper the decision based on your actual use.

Generally, AGMs are not allowed to be equalized. The AGM is designed to try to keep the water inside the battery with little to no venting. By using the higher equalization voltage you can induce unwanted venting. As you know..there is no way to add water. Lifelines do permit it…but honestly, those are the only ones I have seen that do. I wouldn’t do it, unless I had been doing some extensive off grid use.

When you do equalize…know that the electrolyte will basically boil a little. It’s advisable to loosen the caps, make sure the bay is well ventilated to dissipate the hydrogen gasses expelled, and when your done…top up the water level. If you haven’t added a mineral oil, or stuff Ike “battery demister”…the splatter will corrode terminals if not cleaned well…and sprayed with a protective coating. Battery acid splatter loves to wreck clean terminals.

If you decide to not use the reminder…you can selectively turn that off.

Yep…there are always things to do to keep these things running smoothly. Hope you’re having a blast!!!
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Old 07-30-2021, 10:19 AM   #224
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Thanks for the quick response, Charlie! I think I knew most of what you cited here based on your earlier input/advice on this thread but still a welcome summary and review! That said, I did not realize that there is a "reminder service" in the ARC. Good to know I can kill the reminder but--due to the state my batteries were in when I took over this coach (and killed them myself shortly thereafter), I think I will keep it and just be conservative about using the EQ charge. (I did three of those to help recover my batteries back when I started this thread and it did the trick but we don't have solar, yet, and are typicall plugged in wherever we're going so far; we'll work on boondocking after we get more comfortable with how to RV ).

Although I've been noticing that the batteries are hovering around 12.8-12.9 lately (instead of 13.1-13.2 that I was seeing after the last EQ charge 6+ months ago) so maybe it's time. I'll keep an eye on that and maybe run an EQ charge later this month and will probably limit it to every 6-9 months (or longer) if there are no issues.

These are flooded batteries and I'm hoping they will hang on for a few more years for us--we'll see. If they don't, I'll have to decide then whether to replace with the same or jump to the Lifelines--pretty big decision that I hope I don't need to make, yet. :-)

Thanks again for your sage advice, Charlie! I hope you're enjoying the RV live this Summer--we sure are! In fact, we'll be attending our first rally in September (the NorCal Golden Bears Newmar rally in Jackson, CA)--we're excited! Looking forward to meeting fellow RVers (and other Newmar RVers!) and maybe even some folks who have helped me out on this and other threads on iRV2.
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