Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters

[davidbrady]

(04-18-2019 20:10)Jerry_94110 Wrote:  This is great information and a big learning curve on my part.

In the last year with the BB, we have only been plugged into power once or twice. The BB is stored where no power is available and we normally dry camp. I am religious about keeping the batteries topped off. Once a week I run the generator between 1 and 1.5 hours to charge up the batteries and when we dry camp I only use the inverter (which is a trace 2000w) for the TV, lights, charging phones and laptops. Any heavy draw items such as the coffee maker or microwave, I fire up the generator, even though the inverter can handle these task. My BB's house and chassis batteries are combined, so I have always been cautious. I also got into a habit of running the generator at the end of each trip to top off the batteries before storing the coach.

It sounds like with the 1998 Vantare, everything goes through the inverters? Any incoming power whether it is from a power post at an RV park or your generator is only charging your batteries?

Hi Jerry,

The Trace SW4024 has a built-in transfer switch. When you're on shore or generator power you are directly connected to the available 120VAC power via the Trace's internal transfer switch. Concurrently with this, the inverter is monitoring the source power and is either using it for battery charging or using the battery power to augment source power if increasing loads cause voltages to dip.

Yes, the inverters are wired to power everything. When connected to shore or genny this isn't a problem. Load management is required when there is no shore or genny power and you're on inverter power. In this case you can't run everything at once. I call this condition "oversubscribed". This isn't usually an issue, but it can be one if you're on shore/genny and you lose power. In this case the inverter will step in to resume powering your loads but your loads may exceed 35A per inverter in which case you'll trip an inverter circuit breaker do to an overcurrent condition. So, if you leave your coach while powered by shore or genny be sure to turn off an AC or other loads so the inverter CB doesn't trip if you lose power.

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(04-19-2019 08:26)cubeman Wrote:  Would this be while charging or after she is charged ? We are on a 2 week dry camp so the only power available would be Genny. I guess I'm asking should I wait till they are no longer charging and in the float mode for these values ?

Al, whenever you see the condition that you're describing, be it on outside power with charging or on inverter power.