Canadian_Rainbi
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Re: Alternator discharging!
Bikeboy57 wrote: If you are running the generator and charging the house batteries and IF the house batteries and the engine batteries are electrically tied then the ammeter will show up h engine batteries to appear to be discharging. This happens because the alternator regulator is set around 13.7 volts and most battery chargers run around 14 v in the bulk mode. I don't see how that can be all of a sudden. We have had this rig since 1008 and the Trimetric monitor for the last three and have not seen this until this spring. As I mentioned in my first post I have a Xantrex Echo Charger. It charges the chassis batteries from the house batteries if needed AND the chassis batteries are at 13.V or higher. AND it's mot just meter reading. When I first noticed this I left the house with the chassis batteries reading 12.2V, half way to the shop the battery warning light came on and I arrived at the shop with 11.8 volts at the chassis battery. The tech said the alternator chechked out. He has been away on holidays, just waiting to get back in.583Views0likes0CommentsAlternator discharging!
2002 Itasca Horizon DP 5.9 Cummins. 420 Watts Solar Magnum 2 KW pure sinewave inverter/charger SC 230 30 A Solar controller Trimetric TM 2030 Monitor 500A shunt 4 GC House Batteries 2 Group 31 "Marine Deep Cycle" Chassis batteries Xantrex Echo Charger (Charges Chassis batteries from house batteries) All DC in and out through the shunt. Suddenly, after being in storage for the winter, the house batteries died after not being checked: the shore power plug had been disconnected probably by passing deer. The solar was not working as I had disconnected it because the battery voltage hit 15VDC every sunny morning. Now batteries charge fine from solar and/or shore power but DISCHARGE when engine is running according to the battery monitor. First noted when driving the rig with dead house batteries to the shop for new house batteries. Noted that the chassis batteries had discharged during the 30 kilometer trip to the shop. Batteries were replaced, alternator checked OK. Need to run generator to keep the batteries from discharging (15-20 Amps according to the monitor) Three hour highway trip to a rally and the same back, same problem. No observable over heating, no smoke, no fire. I would suspect that such a current draw would result in something noticable if it was due to a short. My mechanic and RV tech is away at the moment on holidays. Anyone have any ideas? We need this rig in three weeks.2.1KViews0likes14CommentsRe: ISB Sola Basic advice?
pianotuna wrote: Hi, The Sola Basic comes with a #10 input wire. Everything else is up to you. Be aware that it is 4000 VA not 4000 watts. If offers three levels of boost at 110, 100, and 90 volts and one level of buck at 135 volts. I added a 30 amp female outlet. I added a 15 amp outlet to the input side to monitor input voltage and a 15 amp outlet to the output side to monitor output voltage. I plug a surge protector into the input of the Sola. I added a handle to make it easier to move around. It is not light weight. There is a unit that does maintain voltage better (possibly using a switched power supply) mentioned in a thread on rvnet, but I don't remember the name. If you can find the one that keeps voltage constant, I'd go with it. The reason I did not is because I did not know it existed. You are probably talking about the other one I have. I'll try to remember to look tomorrow and post back here what it is called. It only guards against over voltage though. It won't raise a low voltage. but otherwise it's regulation is excellent.298Views0likes0CommentsRe: ISB Sola Basic advice?
snarley wrote: Three of us bought these in Mazatlan and spliced them into our 30 amp extension cords. We also learned that here is a small single turn pot on the circuit board so we could adjust the switching points as ours seemed to switch about 108 rather than 110v. Otherwise , I can confirrn that when you add a heavy load at 115 v, the voltage drops for an instant and then boosts to 120. Highly recommend this for Mexican electrical systems. It is GREAT to find out about this! Ours would not switch enough or fast enough to allow our heat pump (AC) to start. The voltage dropped too much so that the inverter kicked in to allow the compressor to start then reverted to the line voltage. This hard use eventually killed the inverter (Xantrex prosine 2.0) We're not in Mexico this season but I'll try that in the fall.298Views0likes0Comments
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