General Boards > Technical Support

Inverter seems to be stuck in Bulk Charge mode

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Ante Peros:
So much great stuff here!!!! We have been totally flummoxed with that silly switch. We have a solar battery charger we could use to top off the batteries while storing. I just don't want to have to keep re-setting the microwave clock while the Bulk charging process goes on and on... We've debated going to the Beaver Service Shop in Bend Oregon and have the whole thing "serviced" and maybe see if they have a class Beaver 101...We have owned our "beast" for 4 years and learn something new each time we take her out. Thanks so much!!! I hope you can get up the energy to crawl back in their!! Thanks so much!  Ante and Ginny Peros

Joel Ashley:
Ante, plan on attending a BAC rally asap this year.  You’ll get tons of help and advice from experienced Beaver owners.  In person, hands-on help is invaluable.
😉

Joel

Ante Peros:
I have been trying to schedule one - I have a sister in Lake Havasu, so the Quartzsite one always is on the list. I'll keep trying. I have heard they are amazing!  Ante

Scott Shearer:
Ante,

Here are some important points regarding battery draw when storing the 2006 and newer Marquis and Patriots off-grid.

Manual battery disconnects (battery compartment):
Even when manual battery disconnect switches are set to OFF, they don’t cut off all 12-volt power. There’s still battery draw, especially on the house (domestic) batteries.

Some circuits in both the front and rear run bays remain ‘constant hot’ (always powered). This includes the CO2 detector (front run box), propane detector (front run box), Aqua Hot system (rear run box), and the inverter, which is the largest draw—all unaffected by the position of the house disconnect switch.

Solar charging is also unaffected by the battery disconnect switches.

Dash-mounted BATT CUT-OFF switch / Coach Power / Salesman Switch:
Starting in 2006, Monaco upgraded the electronic house battery disconnect system for Marquis and Patriot models. This new system is much more robust than earlier versions. The BATT CUT-OFF system is managed by the BIRD-Battery Control Center circuit board (PCB6), with two latching relays controlling power to the domestic distribution fuse box (bedroom closet) and the main domestic power supply to the front run box. The BATT CUT-OFF switch does not disconnect all house circuits. Its weakest point is the dash-mounted switch. The circuit board and relays are located in the rear run bay.

For more information, see the white paper on the BIRD-Battery Control Center system in Coach Assist under Technical > Common Problems > Support Systems > Battery Charging Systems.

Inverter/charger:
The inverter continues to operate normally regardless of whether the manual or electronic battery disconnect switches are turned off. It can invert when shore or generator power isn’t present, and it can charge when shore or generator power is connected. If the Search Watt feature is active, the inverter may begin inverting automatically, even if it has been turned off from the remote panel. Inverting draws heavily from the house battery bank.

Note that if either manual disconnect is set to OFF, the BIRD system won’t function, and only the house batteries will receive a charge.

Aqua Hot:
2005 and newer Marquis and Patriots equipped with Aqua Hot model AHE-100-04S and above, unlike the earlier versions, the wet bay heat operates as its own Aqua Hot zone, it is not piggybacked off an interior heat zone. The wet bay is controlled by an adjustable thermostat located curbside in the wet bay; it does not have an OFF setting. Whenever the wet bay temperature falls below the thermostat’s set point (typically 45 degrees), the zone activates, running the Aqua Hot circulation pump and heat exchanger fan until the thermostat is satisfied.

The problem is that the wet bay thermostat can activate the heating zone even if the Aqua Hot burner switches are turned off and regardless of whether the boiler is hot or cold. Similar to how the inverter operates, this behavior is unaffected by the position of either the manual or electronic battery disconnects. As a result, during extended periods of cold weather, the wet bay heating zone may continue running for several days.

Kongsburg CCM-equipped coaches (some 2008 and newer Marquis and Patriots):
Monaco modified the BATT CUT-OFF system and ‘constant hot’ circuits for Kongsburg CCM-equipped coaches, using just one latching relay for the domestic fuse distribution box. The CO2 and propane detector distribution circuits were moved from the front run bay to the bedroom closet fuse box.

The only way to prevent battery drain when storing your coach off-grid is to disconnect the batteries.

Since your coach is a 2008 and may have Kongsburg CCM, mentioning this in your signature could be helpful.

-Scott

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