BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Richard Pulsifer on March 13, 2020, 12:27:07 AM
-
I have a 2006 Monterey coach and have been tiring to get the AGS to start the generator. The Remote shows no Com in the AGS status. I found the AGS voltage sense line was connected to the chassis battery and not the coach battery bank. I have set the start voltage at 12 volts and the inverter has reduced voltage to 11.5 volts with no generator start. I bypassed the network with a phone cord but no change noted. Any suggestions before I buy a new AGS module.
Rich
-
Richard,
Suggest you switch the sense line from chassis to house batteries. The house batteries are the ones that will need charging when on battery power. I wrote up a procedure for this in Common Problems but thought Monaco started this in 07, not 06. (Their apparent rational was to ensure one could always start the coach.
Steve
-
We may be talking about different "sense" lines but on mine the sense line went to the generator hour meter to sense when the generator was running. On the Magnum AGS module there is a test button. When you press that button it is supposed to start the generator and let it run for 30 seconds (I think) and then turn it off. Does the test work? Again we may be talking apples and oranges. Good luck.
-
Richard
I installed a new magnum inverter and the network ags in my coach last year and it worked just as you described.
Is your ags a Magnum stand alone unit or is it the magnum network unit connected with the phone style cable.
The only problem I had was that the battery voltage Sense wire is connected to the coach batteries and the generator is started from the chassis batteries so after several coach battery charge cycle's with the Gen start system the chassis batteries are depleted.
A simple smart charge solenoid control should cure that.
I would double check your wiring for the ags ( is the ags start wire connected to the proper spot to start the Gen set)
I believe the there is a troubleshooting section in the ags manual for this.
If you have the network system make sure the ags low voltage settings are set properly and that the main control is set to low voltage ags operation.
I think you'll find it is your start wire
Good luck
Eric
-
Eric,
Why didn't your chassis batteries charge when the generator was running?
Steve
-
Thank you everyone, I moved the #3 voltage sense wire from the chassis batteries to the house batteries. The AGS is original equipment, a stand alone ags with Network connectivity. The test button starts the generator for 30-60 seconds and shuts it off. I have disconnected the network cable and discharged house batteries to 11.5volts with a start voltage of 12 volts. No gen start. Did the same with the network cable connected with same results. The chassis batteries have maintained there charge due to the cross charge circuitry in the coach.
-
Steve it appears that the 7500 quiet diesel has no alternator or battery charge system to my knowledge and relies solely on the inverter to charge batteries but the inverter is charging the coach batteries not the chassis batteries which the Gen set is hooked to.sounds dumb don't it maybe I'm missing something.
Eric
-
Should Eric suspect the Echo charger (unless the chassis batteries get charged okay when on park power)? Although I guess some of that model year may not have had Echo chargers (Gerald would know better than me), but I’m just throwin’ it out there.
Some I’ve read have replaced their Echo chargers with this: https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/smart-battery-combiner
-
Joel
I have never come across an Echo charger on the coach.
It does have a small factory installed solar set with controller under the bed but no sign of any battery combining unit .
I had plans to upgrade the boost solenoid to a continuous duty unit and install a bidirectional smart controller to provide charge current from the inverter to the chassis batteries when the house bank is toped up to cure the problem.
It seems that the Onan quite diesels had an optional battery charge system but it appears mine doesn't have it.
Eric
-
my 1998 Patriot also did not come with an echo charger and my chassis batteries would go dead in a few weeks if the motorhome was not run. I added the echo charger and have had no problems since. It seems it was an option that not everyone chose. Has been well worth my investment.
-
Wiring diagrams and brochures show that the Echo Charger was introduced in the 1999 models.
Steve
-
Eric,
Carl is right in that the Echo Charger even though SMC made it standard equipment on the Marquis, for many Patriot models it was an option. However, it was a very badly needed option that should have been standard equipment.
If you are going to add an Echo Charger or the Magnum equivalent, there is another option that you might consider that gives you much more amperage capacity and operator control. When I purchased my current coach, the Echo Charger had apparently failed an it had been replaced with the Magnum unit that had also failed by the time I purchased the coach. So I chose to replace it with a Blue Sea unit, (https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Automatic-Charging-Equipment/dp/B01HJTFDKG/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=blue+sea+battery+isolator&qid=1584234837&s=amazon-devices&sr=8-10).
To get full benefit from the Blue Sea unit, you need to make a change in the engine alternator charging circuit to basically replace the battery isolator with the Blue Sea unit, and it becomes a fully automatic battery isolator/combiner with complete driver override control when needed, and with its 500 amp capacity, it can also be used as a boost switch. The Blue Sea unit functions like the Intellitec Big Boy isolator/combiner, but it gives you driver control as well as being automatic so that if you do not want to combine your batteries for charging like when you have been dry camping for the night, and you want to start driving the next morning without running the generator, your engine alternator will not have to recharge the house bank if you flip a switch at the driver's seat. Likewise, if your engine alternator fails, you can flip a switch to run with both battery banks combined unit you need to start the generator to recharge them. The Blue Sea unit also gives you the ability to replace your engine alternator with the standard less expensive alternator used on trucks instead of the Duvac alternator that SMC used.
If someone wants to know how to wire the Blue Sea unit into their coach, just call me. 713-254-4156
Gerald
-
Thanks Gerald
that looks just like what I was thinking about doing anyway I'll look into that unit.
Eric