Community Forums

jimbo2013 · 04-13-2017, 01:11 PM

I have the ags in my remote panel, I set it to enable, it comes back with "no comm"

I can I see if it's actually installed?

C.Martin · 04-13-2017, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

I have the ags in my remote panel, I set it to enable, it comes back with "no comm"

I can I see if it's actually installed?

Yes...try this...

Push TECH, roll dial to Revision, push, then roll dial to a AGS. If it says 0... you're not getting comm...if it has a revision number...5.?... the. That means the remote is accessing it.

jimbo2013 · 04-13-2017, 05:07 PM

ok, I'll try it tomorrow, thanks

is there a way to update what ever revision I have?

C.Martin · 04-14-2017, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

ok, I'll try it tomorrow, thanks

is there a way to update what ever revision I have?

I know Precision Circuits will update firmware...but it requires pulling the entire load distribution center out of your bus and sending it to them. I'm not sure if Sensata (Magnum Energy) provides this service or not. They may have some type of Upgrade program, where you send them your old AGS, and they send you a new one for a slightly discounted price. But I'm not sure if they do or not.

If your AGS was talking before you hooked up the BMK, and now it's not...there may be a network comm cord wiring problem. I used a short 6" extension to split the network port on my Inverter for the AGS and BMK. The plug on the end was reversed of what I needed. So everytime I hooked it up...neither the AGS or the BMK would work. As soon as I figured it out, and replaced the little plug on the end with the correct orientation...everything was talking again, happily.

jimbo2013 · 04-14-2017, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Martin

I know Precision Circuits will update firmware...but it requires pulling the entire load distribution center out of your bus and sending it to them. I'm not sure if Sensata (Magnum Energy) provides this service or not. They may have some type of Upgrade program, where you send them your old AGS, and they send you a new one for a slightly discounted price. But I'm not sure if they do or not.

If your AGS was talking before you hooked up the BMK, and now it's not...there may be a network comm cord wiring problem. I used a short 6" extension to split the network port on my Inverter for the AGS and BMK. The plug on the end was reversed of what I needed. So everytime I hooked it up...neither the AGS or the BMK would work. As soon as I figured it out, and replaced the little plug on the end with the correct orientation...everything was talking again, happily.

where is the inverter located I can't see it?

there's nothing behind the battery tray cables just goes behind stuff

I have no idea if it was working before since I just bought this coach

C.Martin · 04-14-2017, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

where is the inverter located I can't see it?
there's nothing behind the battery tray cables just goes behind stuff

I have no idea if it was working before since I just bought this coach

On my coach the inverter is mounted on top of a tray that it located between the frame rails. It's in the middle of the pass thru bay...

If that doesn't work...just look for the big honkin' fuse mounted near the battery tray...like 300A or 350A...and follow that wire thru the bulkhead...it should take you directly to the Inverter.

I can only tell you where I found the stuff on my coach...but Newmar tends to be pretty standardized, at least within a line of coaches.

My AGS is mounted to the aft bulkhead in the bay just forward of the pegboard bay. The Dometic control box is there...an AGS control module...and the PT-2 connector to join the two. Now there are at least two different types of AGS's that Magnum makes. The ME-AGS-N or the ME-AGS-S. The N is the Network version...the S is the Stand Alone Version. The N has a green Network port on the bottom...and a purple Remote port. If you have the Network version...the Remote port is probably wired to the PT-2 module which has two wires that connect to the Dometic Control Box. The Network port has a Network cable that goes to the Network port on the Inverter. The BMK is either wired to the Inverter's network port...or can alternatively be daisy chained with a splitter on the AGS network port. If you have the stand alone ags...I'm at a loss...I've never downloaded the manual for that one to look over.

Hope this helps narrow things down for your detective work...

jimbo2013 · 04-14-2017, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Martin

Yes...try this...

Push TECH, roll dial to Revision, push, then roll dial to a AGS. If it says 0... you're not getting comm...if it has a revision number...5.?... the. That means the remote is accessing it.

it's 2.9

I guess I need to call magnum on upgrade the software and Newmar on the ags to see if they installed it.

C.Martin · 04-14-2017, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

it's 2.9

I guess I need to call magnum on upgrade the software and Newmar on the ags to see if they installed it.

As you scroll...you can see the revision for each installed component. If it says 2.9 next to AGS...then it's installed. You can jot down the revision of your Inverter, Remote, AGS, and BMK if installled...

jimbo2013 · 04-15-2017, 10:28 AM

ok, Inverter 3.6
remote 2.6
ags 0.0
bmk 0
router 0

C.Martin · 04-15-2017, 01:15 PM

Ahhh...either not installed or not communicating.

Best way to find out is to find the inverter...and see if anything is connected to the Network Port. There are two other ports not to be confused by. A temperature remote sensor port...and the Remote port than connects to the ME-RC remote.

jimbo2013 · 04-17-2017, 03:00 PM

called Newmar the inverter is in the 3rd bay up between the main rails.

just two wires a battery temp sensor which I never say in the battery bay and I did a complete R&R of that. So It's missing.

The other wire is the remote next two slots empty.

I put a call into Magnum, but they had a bunch waiting on hold so asked to have call back.

So do I add a network? what does that do for me? Isn't that just for Internet monitoring?

I can but two different AGS' same price one is stand alone the other network??

.

C.Martin · 04-17-2017, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

called Newmar the inverter is in the 3rd bay up between the main rails.

just two wires a battery temp sensor which I never say in the battery bay and I did a complete R&R of that. So It's missing.

The other wire is the remote next two slots empty.

I put a call into Magnum, but they had a bunch waiting on hold so asked to have call back.

So do I add a network? what does that do for me? Isn't that just for Internet monitoring?

I can but two different AGS' same price one is stand alone the other network??

.

The network doesn't do anything for the internet...although the wire they use does look like a computer network cord.

The thing that it gives you is the ability to communicate from one central location. The remote can control and share information between your Inverter, your battery monitor, your generator start, and you can add other network items like some type of load control relay??? and a PT-100 solar charge controller if you wanted to.

The network is also used in large systems where you have multiple Inverters...it keeps them all working together.

The best way to decide is to look at the BMK manual and the ME-AGS-N manual and see the features/menus you get to choose from when used with each type of network remote.

It gives you some pretty neat features...but then again...most people won't use a fraction of them.

One thing I'm studying is the BMK and ME-ARC working together. I have FLA batteries with a max charge amperage of 1/10th of my AH. I do not know what Trojan's recommendations are. My MS2812 has a 125A charger in it. With Solar I could be adding another 60A of charging. I have to regulate how to divide the 92.8 amp limit of my battery bank between them. Or with the ME-ARC and ME-BMK...I can set my MS2812 to follow a constant current CC/CV profile and it will read the BMK and figure out exactly what it needs to add to the solar charge controller to hit my target each and every time. Saving me a lot of time switching settings between the two chargers.

jimbo2013 · 04-17-2017, 04:47 PM

Charlie, I have my 1000 watts of solar doing all the battery functions with the Outback, to date working great.

So I don't see any advantage for networking the system

I guess I look for the manual AGS hope is not hard to wire up.

I did it in my last coach it wasn't simple

C.Martin · 04-18-2017, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo2013

Charlie, I have my 1000 watts of solar doing all the battery functions with the Outback, to date working great.

So I don't see any advantage for networking the system

I guess I look for the manual AGS hope is not hard to wire up.

I did it in my last coach it wasn't simple

If you have 8 Trojan T-105 RE batteries...that's 900 Ah of storage.

Trojan recommends a bulk rate of 10 - 13% of that...so in the high end...13% would give you 117amp charge rate limit.

Let's say you go to a campground with 50amp shore power and plug-in...

In my case the MS2812 can put out 125A of charge, which I have dialed back to 70% right now. I don't know how many amps to expect from my 6x180 amp panels yet (which look pretty good so far)... but I do have to figure out how to keep from sending more than 92.8 amps to the Interstate batteries, in my case.

You can pick and choose what you want to put on the network...but a BMK and ME-ARC would be useful for managing your charge rates in case you ever hook up to shore power.

If all you want to do is charge with solar...It's easy to turn off the the Magnum charger. With the RC remote, they just tell you to set up the charge rate to an amperage that the combined charge rate won't exceed your battery mfg. recommendations. So if your panels can kick out 55A+ of charge...you'd have to regulate how much of that you want your Outback to provide...how many amps you want your Inverter/Charger to provide when connected to shore power or running the generator.

The ME-ARC with a BMK can regulate that, so you can leave your Outback controller set wide open...and not have to fiddle with settings every time you plug-in or unplug.

Those with AGMs don't have to worry because they can handle C*5 charge rats... which an RV would be incapable of exceeding.

It's just a tool.