I did email AM Solar, but they’ve been pretty busy; when I tried communicating with them last summer, about the costs of going lithiums, they didn’t get back to me for weeks. And phone messages were latent also. The HPV-30D controller is as Fred notes outdated, but it works. I just need to reset the switches if I can find the things. When this impending Portland winter storm thing is past, I’ll go out and look again; indications in the main Monterey manual are that they could be far in the back of the controller where it’s doggone hard to get old eyes in the proper position for focus 🥺.
The manual’s diagrams don’t show the extensive circuit board electronics that are in the way, and it’s text talks about the HPV-45 model, rather than the one actually in the coach. Big help. And no images or documents are online, given the metamorphosis some time ago from Heliotrope Inc. to AM Solar; but you’d think there’d be some documents and more than one photo hanging around. If I hear back from AM Solar, I will run the idea of an newer controller past them, Fred, but don’t really want to get into any involved transition if it’s costly and not “plug n’ play”.
My Magnum’s Remote manual doesn’t mention more than one AGM setting, but after calling Magnum (and waiting on hold in que for 45 minutes) to make sure things were correct for my older Version 1 Remote, they had me set the program for “AGM2”. Not sure what the difference is between AGM1 and AGM2. It may have something to do with the modern Fullriver type. I’d also asked about equalizing, as I’d read that cycle should be avoided with gels and absorbed glass mats, but the Remote manual had equalizing listed in an AGM chart. Magnum said the chart in the Remote’s manual was incorrect. A couple things in that manual are ambiguous or erroneous.
After the call I ran into the amp-hour setting options, in 200ah increments. The manual isn’t clear about if it’s for each battery, an in-series set of 2, or the total for all 4. Since the Remote was already set at 400 for the 4 wet cell Interstates, which had about the same individual 220 ah rating as the new AGMs, I assumed the manual meant for a set of two in-series (12 volts) and left that setting alone.
I also noted that after getting to Float Mode the voltage on my Magnum MS2012 remote said 13.9. With wet cell batteries it would’ve been 13.4v. At that point the BIRD would’ve engaged the Big Boy to charge the chassis set. I’m just wondering how that works with these AGM’s and the higher float point. Does the inverter wait until 13.9 now before the BIRD makes the switch, or does the BIRD still start leaching to the chassis set at 13.4v? I.e., is the inverter’s charger in “charge” or is the BIRD, which has no battery type settings to change?
Joel
