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11-21-2019, 03:51 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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Inverter/Charger settings for storage
I have a new 2020 Isata 5 30FW. Unfortunately, many items were unanswered after our dealer walk-through. When I close up everything for the winter I will have 20A power to the coach. I would like to keep a charge on the batteries. Do I leave the inverter on or off? Will there be an automatic charge to the coach batteries? How about the chassis batteries? Any need to leave the diesel engine plugged in? How often would I need to start the truck and generator? Sorry about all the questions but I wasn't able to find any answers in the owner's manuals. Thanks
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11-21-2019, 03:58 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 189
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On my rig the inverter will turn off when plugged in. It should keep both sets of batteries charged.
No need to leave the engine plugged in unless you are getting ready to start and it is cold. You may want to warm it up for a couple of hours before starting.
I have heard it recommended that you start the truck and generator about once a month. Make sure you load the generator and not just let it idle.
Hope this helps.
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2017 Dynaquest 37RB
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11-21-2019, 04:24 PM
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#3
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Multi-Slacker
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SoCal
Posts: 2,279
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My son is the service manager for a company that sells small diesel generators to the boating industry. He is adamant that such units need to run, under load, for at least an hour per month.
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Safe Travels
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11-22-2019, 07:12 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 918
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THe key here is "under load" .
The coach engine should not be started till you will be operating the coach.
Same for the gen set , load it after starting it.
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11-22-2019, 09:50 AM
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#5
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thehillguy
I have a new 2020 Isata 5 30FW. Unfortunately, many items were unanswered after our dealer walk-through. When I close up everything for the winter I will have 20A power to the coach. I would like to keep a charge on the batteries. Do I leave the inverter on or off? Will there be an automatic charge to the coach batteries? How about the chassis batteries? Any need to leave the diesel engine plugged in? How often would I need to start the truck and generator? Sorry about all the questions but I wasn't able to find any answers in the owner's manuals. Thanks
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The inverter is pass through and so it should turn off when plugged in. The charger and the inverter are two separate on/off buttons on the Magnum Inverter panel. Normally when we are at a show and plugged into 20Amp outlet...that is normally enough to keep everything in shape. (at least inside of a building not running heat or air)
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11-22-2019, 02:01 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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That’s interesting to hear. Twice, while on shore power, the charger wasn’t on and the coach batteries were very low. Thoughts?
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11-22-2019, 02:06 PM
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#7
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thehillguy
That’s interesting to hear. Twice, while on shore power, the charger wasn’t on and the coach batteries were very low. Thoughts?
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You answered your own question.
If the charger wasn't on, it will not charge the batteries.
As Brian mentioned, make sure the charger is on. It can be turned on/off separately.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=86
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11-22-2019, 02:11 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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At the time, it wouldn’t turn on at the display when I pushed the button. I couldn’t get the charger light to show‘on’.
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11-22-2019, 02:21 PM
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#9
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thehillguy
At the time, it wouldn’t turn on at the display when I pushed the button. I couldn’t get the charger light to show‘on’.
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Aahhh... that's different then...
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=86
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11-22-2019, 03:28 PM
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#10
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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You also have to adjust for the incoming power. So if you don’t have it set at 20amp then it might cause issues. When that has happened at shows, 99% of the time the cord was loose and we did not actually have power.
Assuming you have 20amp, that means you are using some adaptors. I’d check there first.
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11-22-2019, 03:53 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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Thank you Brian for your replies. Could you direct me to know where in the owner’s manuals I can find that information?
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11-25-2019, 10:50 AM
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#12
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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There is a selection of videos. https://dynamaxcorp.com/videos
At the bottom is how to set the AGS. I think we go through all the settings there...but gives you an idea on how it works.
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11-26-2019, 09:58 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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Thanks Brian, many good videos there but, unfortunately, nothing on the inverter/charger. Too bad there aren’t model specific owners manuals to help us fully understand the systems on the RVs we own.
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11-26-2019, 10:05 AM
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#14
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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But there are appliance specific manuals. All you need to do is look at the manual for the inverter/charger. That will give you the info you are looking for. Our owners manual can't come close to giving you all the info you need.
For example...I was JUST discussing this with Firefly. I spent the last week with lithium and a Victron BM. In my mind, I would like the Victron incorporated with the Firefly app so I only have to open up ONE app, keep it simple. But in hindsight...you are only going to get the basic information, there is NO way to cover everything that the Victron does on a single tab in the Firefly app. What if I want to dig in deeper...then I would rather have a more robust stand-alone app.
Its sort of the same way with an owners manual. There is NO way for us to cover everything in detail with any sort of accuracy. Solar, Gen, Inverter, Chassis,. So we have to rely on the specific appliance manuals.
If it was just us...we would say, plug into 50 amp power. That is what it is designed for.
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11-26-2019, 10:25 AM
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#15
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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What you might be missing is the Remote Manual. In the setup menu there is a charge rate setting. On the main screen it should tell you what type of power you have incoming.
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11-26-2019, 10:38 AM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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Outstanding, didn’t have that manual. Thanks for sending this!
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11-26-2019, 11:38 AM
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#17
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Commercial Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,905
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Well....I can admit when I am an idiot. I went to go look for it in our owners manual folder and while the Inverter was on there, the remote was NOT. So...that's my bad. I will add it to the flash drive and also it will get uploaded into the online owners manual. So you were correct...it would be nice to have manuals that explain how to use all this stuff.
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11-26-2019, 12:50 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 21
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👍. Have a great Thanksgiving
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12-04-2019, 03:22 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 137
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I had the same question Thehillguy. Looking at the manual now. I'm using a standard 120v electrical outlet and extension cord with the Camco 50amp to 15amp conversion plugs. Per the manual:
"5.3.2 Charger Mode Status Messages
When AC power (utility or generator) is connected to the inverter/charger,
it begins to monitor the AC input for acceptable voltage. Once the AC input
is accepted, the AC transfer relay (inside the inverter) closes and Charger
mode begins. There are several Charger mode messages. View the top line of
the LCD display and the corresponding message in this section to determine
the particular Charger mode.
Info: The AC input becomes acceptable after a minimum 10 second delay and when the v"
A few seconds after I plug in the shore power, I hear the inverter/charger flip on. I'm not sure if the ME-RC goes on though. I have been turning the charger on via the on/off button and have a few settings to decide on as well(per the manual). I'm a bit unclear too however if I need to keep the charger on (green light on) during a shore connection or turn if off. It reads to me like the charger goes on when the shore is plugged in and will stay on and in the correct mode to keep the batts charged. So maybe we don't need to do anything at all. My 2019 Winnie Navion was that way. All I did was plug in shore power and it did everything else...
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12-04-2019, 04:23 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 137
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Just got off the phone with Magnum. So long as the current is correct via the 50, 30, 15amp plugs, the Magnum charger/control will turn on and charge/maintain the batts. There is no need to manually turn it on or off.
If your using LifeBlue batts, attached is the required settings within the controller.
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