AGS

[Dale Malquist]

In members only this subject was address in January ‘18. However the solution was not posted.
The problem with my AGS is,apparently, that the coach was wired incorrectly. The AGS is wired to the chassis batteries instead of the House batteries. To correct this I need to abandon the current 12v feed and find a 12v source from the house batteries.
Anyone know if there is a 12v house battery in the electrical bay?

[Mike Shumack]

Usually the front electric bay is powered from the House batteries. Regrading the Generator, it's starter should be connected to the Chassis batteries.

Does this diagram look like your setup.

[Mike Humble]

On our 2008 Contessa we had the same problem and it was a simple matter of swapping two wires.  I am sure Steve Huber will have the solution when he gets on.
Mike

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dale,
Apparently most/all 07s were wired that way. In the front electrical bay there are 3 large threaded terminal studs on the right edge of the large PC board. The top terminal is tied to the house batteries. The large terminal just below it is wired to the Chassis batteries and the bottom terminal down at the bottom right corner of the PCB is Ground. All are labeled on the PCB just below the terminal. Trace the battery wire from the AGS unit (believe it is 12 awg w/red insulation). Disconnect it from where it picks up chassis battery voltage (I don't remember exactly where) and wire it to the house battery terminal.
Steve

[Lee Welbanks]

On my 06 Patriot Thunder the problem with the gen not starting was the wire for the FR box was to small a gauge and too long. The gen would not start unless the Cat motor was running.
I replaced the 6 gauge wire from the FR box to the gen with single 0 welding cable with soldered on copper ends and it is connected to the chassis batteries and it is about 5' shorter than the original routing which was just plain stupid.
Unless I'm missing something if your house batteries are run down from dry camping how are they going to start the gen in it is connected to the house batteries?

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Lee,
The geni can use the chassis batteries for starting but the sense is on the house units as those are the one you use when dry camping etc.
Steve

[Dale Malquist]

Instead of tearing apart the wire bundles to try and trace the #12 back to the chassis battery I think I will just abandon it and tape it off. the I will tap into the house battery circuit in the bay 2with a fused wire to the AGS board.

[Lee Welbanks]

Lee,
The geni can use the chassis batteries for starting but the sense is on the house units as those are the one you use when dry camping etc.
Steve

Steve, you are on spot, I miss read the post thinking it was a no start on the geni for low voltage to it which was the problem on my coach.

[Dale Malquist]

Can’t figure out how to reply to individual replies so I would like to thank everyone that took the time to help.

[Jeff Watt]

Also want to thank Steve & Lee. I’ll have to check the AGS cable as I’ve never had it work, so likely it is tied to the chassis batteries and not the house batteries.

My gen was also mis-wired as it was wired to start from the house batteries - really stupid hookup by whoever did it.

Don’t know if I’ll do what Lee did, but mine also is difficult to start unless Cat is running.

Jeff

[Lee Welbanks]

Jeff, I would bet that the cable to your geni is too small to carry the amps needed to crank the generator. I got tired of having to get up and go start the Cat just to start the generator in the mornings

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Jeff, Lee,
If you are not already, consider using the battery boost switch when starting the geni. It's a long way from the batteries if it is a front mount unit and can use all the amps it can get.
Steve

[Lee Welbanks]

Steve,  I don't have a bit of problem starting the geni now since I rewired it with the proper gauge cable, I can start and stop the generator from the switch panel next to the bed, so in the morning I can just hit the switch to start charging up the batteries.

[Jeff Watt]

Steve, Lee,

I’m not electrically savy and so trying to figure out the wire from the Magnum AGS wire, which is likely going to the chassis batteries, is a challenge. First Pi cture of my electrical bay is attached. I’m not sure if the 4 posts on the left  are what Steve is referring to. The one 10 or 12 gauge wire from one post goes up to a bar with a number of wires going off of it.

Second picture is of the right side of bay showing a bar with a number of posts and wires (at the top).

Talking to a friend who has a tiffin Phaeton, he simply opened up his battery bay and there was a nice wire with an end on it saying “Magnum” !

Couldn’t be that easy.

Jeff

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dale,
Your 07 Pat elec bay is totally different from my 07 Contessa. I'll look into it later today after I get my 87 F150 engine back together. Sorry.
Steve