Replacing House Batteries

[kingwood390bh]

On my 2010 390bh, I have had issues with my house batteries for at least 2 years. It has 4 six volt Lifeline AGM batteries. They are about the most expensive batteries and I thought they would be the best. My technician is assessing the best replacement. One question, when changing battery types, jell to water, is there a way to program the Magnum MM1212 with the RC remote, to accomodate different type of batteries. The default setting is for liquid lead acid. The more advanced RE remote, offers a setting for each type. My tech believes that when my AGM batteries were installed, the setting must have been adjusted. Otherwise, it may explain their poor performance.

[dan-nickie]

Factory Default Settings
Your MM Series inverter uses default settings that are adequate for
most installations. However, if you determine that some of your operating
parameters need to be changed, the optional ME-RC50 remote
allows you to control the operation and to customize the programming
parameters of the inverter and/or charger.
Table 5, Inverter Default Settings
To help you determine if you need the ME-RC50 remote*, information
on the settings that can be changed is provided below.

Function Default Settings
Search Watts NA (MM612),
5W (MM1212)
LowBatCutOut 10.0 VDC
Battery AmpHrs 400 AmpHrs
(Absorb Time = 120 minutes)
Battery Type
Flooded - Liquid Lead Acid
(Bulk = 14.6 VDC,
Float = 13.4 VDC)
Charge Rate 100%
VAC dropout 80VAC


The settings
once programmed are saved in non-volatile memory and will be preserved
until changed – even if DC power to the inverter is lost (the
ME-RC50 must always be connected).

Search Watts: This setting allows you to enable the power-saving
Search Mode circuitry and to adjust the power level at which the
inverter will “wake up” and start inverting. This function is not
available on the MM612 model and is adjusted to

5W (“wakes up” and
inverts if loads exceed 5 watts) on the MM1212.

LBCO: This setting determines when the inverter will turn off based
on low battery voltage (inverter turns off automatically after battery
voltage has been below this setting for more than one minute). This
protects the batteries from over-discharge and the AC loads from
unregulated power (brown-outs).

Battery AmpHrs: This setting allows the user to input the battery
bank size in amp hours, which provides information to the charger on
how long to charge the batteries in the Absorb Charging stage.

Battery Type: Sets the type of batteries being used in the system
which provides information to the charger to determine what voltage
level to charge the batteries.

Charge Rate: This setting uses a percentage of the charger’s max.
output to determine the output charge rate. This setting can be used
to limit the amount of current that the charger can use (leaving more
current available to power loads); or, to ensure small battery banks
are not overheated because of a charge rate that is too high.

VAC Dropout: Sets the min. AC voltage that can be present on the
AC input before the unit transfers from Transfer Mode to Invert Mode.
This protects the AC loads from utility outages and brown-outs.

* Visit our website (Home - Magnum Energy, Inc.) for more information.

[kingwood390bh]

Dan
I don't have the RE remote. It is $183 on Amazon. Is the benefit of added functions worth the cost?

[dan-nickie]

kingwood, I'm afraid I can't say if the benefit is worth it.
I was just looking up the info on what appeared to be needed to be able to set the battery type.

[klucas]

Originally Posted by kingwood390bh

Dan
I don't have the RE remote. It is $183 on Amazon. Is the benefit of added functions worth the cost?

I changed mine because the original remote charges at 100% charge rate. This boils the batteries and causes the excessive corrosion. Once I changed the remote I was able to lower the charge rate and the corrosion stopped. It does have the function to change battery type ect but I haven't needed those setting changed yet.


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[Witch Doctor]

Not any of my buisness, but I would say the remote would be worth it. 183.00 is lot cheaper then replacing them batteries.....

[kingwood390bh]

I think with the improved functionality it is worth it. Do you know if the upgrade is as simple as replacing the box or might I have to pull wires into the coach?
Thanks
Will

[klucas]

Originally Posted by kingwood390bh

I think with the improved functionality it is worth it. Do you know if the upgrade is as simple as replacing the box or might I have to pull wires into the coach?
Thanks
Will

Just replacing box. I had to trim a little bit of wood. Other than that it's plug and play. Very easy.


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[kingwood390bh]

I'm buying one today. Thanks for all the help.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by kingwood390bh

I'm buying one today. Thanks for all the help.

Let us know how it works out for you and it will do what you need it to do...Thanks....

[klucas]

When you cut the new hole for the remote. Becarful as it is just mdf board with a wood sticker on it. Tape it all off well to prevent damage. It also creates a lot of dust. If you put a towel down on top of the DVD player below the TV it will save you a good bit of cleanup in that cabinet. I wish I did that. The plug in back is a phone line, just plug and play. It is quick and easy to do. First thing is to get the remote parameters correct. Charge rate, type of battery ect. Took me about 30 min total. I put charge rate to 40%. Not sure if that is to low, but for me it completely stopped the corrosion issue. Good luck, let us know how it goes.


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[kingwood390bh]

Thanks a bunch for the info
Will

[camaraderie]

I'm thinking that the charger and lack of remote had nothing to do with the failure of the batteries prematurely as the charging parameters by default are fine for Lifelines.

That leaves "care and feeding" as the likely culprits...AGM's are particulary sensitive to:
1. Being always FULLY recharged to 100% when recharged
2. Not being discharged past 40% state of charge
3. Not being left full time on the charger in storage or non use mode.

If you boondock a lot ...you should have a REAL $160 battery monitor so you know EXACTLY when you need to recharge and EXACTLY when you are 100% charged...it takes a LOT longer than most people think.
If you store the coach for extended periods you should simply physically disconnnect the batts after fully charging. One of the great benefits of AGM's is that they only self discharge at 1% per month or so...don't keep them on the charger if they don't need it!

Personally, if I were gonna get AGM's...I'd go with the Trojans...but if you are getting a warranty adjustment from Lifeline...no problem. Good luck with the new ones.

EDIT...BTW...the remote looks quite useful in other ways...but does not give you the in use info you need if you boondock.

[kingwood390bh]

Having the remote will make me wiser in optimizing my batteries. I thought I was taking good care but probably wasn't. Interestingly, my tech said the Trojans wouldn't fit in my battery bay( I think because of height).
Thanks
Will

[outloud]

Water is the way to go call me old but I like the check my battery's and all my fluids level myself.

[boowho]

Originally Posted by klucas

When you cut the new hole for the remote. Becarful as it is just mdf board with a wood sticker on it. Tape it all off well to prevent damage. It also creates a lot of dust. If you put a towel down on top of the DVD player below the TV it will save you a good bit of cleanup in that cabinet. I wish I did that. The plug in back is a phone line, just plug and play. It is quick and easy to do. First thing is to get the remote parameters correct. Charge rate, type of battery ect. Took me about 30 min total. I put charge rate to 40%. Not sure if that is to low, but for me it completely stopped the corrosion issue. Good luck, let us know how it goes.


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If you are having to cut the CR to only 40% to prevent out-gassing and corrosion, then your batteries are probably "cooked". I did the same thing, and as soon as I replaced the whole stack, I was able to charge at 100% and didn't lose any liquid at all. Previously losing about 2 quarts a week.

Second thing..... Magnum makes a battery monitoring kit (BMK) that complements the upgraded remote monitoring panel.

It basically contains a shunt that ALL the current passes thru and gives a TON more info than what the remote by itself does. It will give a state of charge (SOC in %) readout on your panel so you know the exactly when it's time to quit drawing power and start charging.

It will even tell you how many amp-hours you've used since the thing was installed (or maybe since the batts were last physically disconnected); this will give a rough idea as to how many more years your batteries have left in them.

Highly suggest the BMK from Magnum; it's plug and play compatible with the remote. You just have to connect the shunt into the MAIN black wire from the stack to the inverter.

Someone mentioned that charging seemed to take a very long time. I have noticed that the charger "tapers" it's charging rate as the battery gets closer to being full. For example, you can go from 50 to 80 % in just a couple of hours; the last 20% may take an additional 10 hours.

In reality, I think ALL batteries need to be charged like that regardless of chemistry.

My $.02 worth.... YMMV.

Boowho??