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Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
05-13-2019, 22:38
Post: #61
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
Al,

I forgot that you and Jerry have over-the-road air. I don't, so I always drive with my generator running to power my four Cruisairs. Given this, my batteries are always topped up when I arrive. Disregard what I said if you have OTR air and you tend to travel with the genny off.

david brady,
'02 Wanderlodge LXi 'Smokey' (Sold),
'04 Prevost H3 Vantare 'SpongeBob'

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05-14-2019, 11:58
Post: #62
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
Yes David I did forget that .

Jerry , What we do after a long days drive or short for that mater is top off the battery's prior to going down for the evening . If like me and you sometimes drive and then within moments hit the sack then no need to run the genny . But if you like to pull over at 6 or so then to run then for a while till they are topped off is the way to go .

Al Perna
1998 Prevost Vantare
2000 LXI ss ( for sale)
Ormond Beach Fla
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05-19-2019, 14:22
Post: #63
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
(02-06-2019 22:31)davidbrady Wrote:  I'd check your inverter's menu 11, "AC Inputs" . The first menu item, "Set Grid Amps AC" is normally configured to 47A when connected to 50A shore power. This is one of the parameters that often gets changed. For instance, if your shore power connection only supports 30A you'll need to adjust this parameter downward to avoid tripping the shore power circuit breakers. If you forget to reset it to 47A when connected to a 50A hookup then the inverter will only draw 30A. If you have all 4 air conditioners running you'll draw more than 30A and the inverters will provide the excess from battery power. This will run down your batteries to the point where the generator starts due to the Low Battery Cutoff Setting, which are set in menu 12, "Generator Auto Start Setup". So, short answer: check your "Set Grid Amps AC" setting in menu 11. Clear as mud right! LOL!

Hi Dave, I am curious why "Set Grid Amps AC" is set to 47A and not 50A when you have 50A coming in?

Also, I went to charge up the batteries yesterday since the coach is stored with no electric. When I left it last Sunday the inverters were both in float and the batteries were at 26.6. When I arrived yesterday, the batteries were are 24.9 even though everything was shut down. It took 3 hours of generator time for both inverters to be in float and batteries read 26.8. I guess this is due to menu 10 "Set Absorption time" is set to 3:00? Since I am not using the coach and only top off the batteries would it hurt to reduce the absorption time to 2:00 hrs? I remember reading somewhere that absorption time is important.

Thanks,

Jerry Kocher
1998 Prevost 40XL Vantare
1987 PT38 (8V92) "The Wayward Bird"
San Francisco, CA
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05-19-2019, 16:10 (This post was last modified: 05-19-2019 19:52 by davidbrady.)
Post: #64
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
(05-19-2019 14:22)Jerry_94110 Wrote:  
(02-06-2019 22:31)davidbrady Wrote:  I'd check your inverter's menu 11, "AC Inputs" . The first menu item, "Set Grid Amps AC" is normally configured to 47A when connected to 50A shore power. This is one of the parameters that often gets changed. For instance, if your shore power connection only supports 30A you'll need to adjust this parameter downward to avoid tripping the shore power circuit breakers. If you forget to reset it to 47A when connected to a 50A hookup then the inverter will only draw 30A. If you have all 4 air conditioners running you'll draw more than 30A and the inverters will provide the excess from battery power. This will run down your batteries to the point where the generator starts due to the Low Battery Cutoff Setting, which are set in menu 12, "Generator Auto Start Setup". So, short answer: check your "Set Grid Amps AC" setting in menu 11. Clear as mud right! LOL!

Hi Dave, I am curious why "Set Grid Amps AC" is set to 47A and not 50A when you have 50A coming in?

Also, I went to charge up the batteries yesterday since the coach is stored with no electric. When I left it last Sunday the inverters were both in float and the batteries were at 26.6. When I arrived yesterday, the batteries were are 24.9 even though everything was shut down. It took 3 hours of generator time for both inverters to be in float and batteries read 26.8. I guess this is due to menu 10 "Set Absorption time" is set to 3:00? Since I am not using the coach and only top off the batteries would it hurt to reduce the absorption time to 2:00 hrs? I remember reading somewhere that absorption time is important.

Thanks,

Jerry,

Setting the shore cord amps AC to something less than 50A or less than 30A, depending upon shore power availability, is a time honored way to avoid tripping weak circuit breakers at the pole. Also, I think the Trace inverter uses average values instead of RMS values. Average values compute as 0.637*Peak whereas RMS computes as 0.707*Peak, this makes a 50A RMS value look like a 45A average value. It's much easier to do a running average than it is to do a running RMS calculation.

As far as the battery draining. Do you have the DC loads turned off at the big DC 12 and 24V cutoff switches? (When pulling these switches be sure to move them both at the same time). Do you have the two 250A input breakers turned off that supply voltage to your inverters?

When generator charging you can increase the charging amps in Menu 10 (Battery Charging). With my 840Ahr battery bank I often set my charging amps to 25A (AC) on both inverters to shorten the constant current charging interval. After this you still need the 3 to 4 hour Absorption time. Your batteries may have discharged more quickly because they weren't fully absorption charged. Absorption can be terminated when the battery charge current has dropped to 0.5% of it's amp-hour rating. For my 840 A-hr battery bank that's 4A DC, which looks like less than 1A AC and less than 0.5A AC per inverter. Make sure you're down to these levels using the Meters Menu to verify you're not terminating Absorption prematurely.

david brady,
'02 Wanderlodge LXi 'Smokey' (Sold),
'04 Prevost H3 Vantare 'SpongeBob'

"there is no perfect forum there are only perfect forums"
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05-20-2019, 14:32
Post: #65
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
Thanks Dave, it is now making sense why to set "Set Grid Amps AC" to 47A.

This is how I am shutting down the coach.

1. I turn off both inverters. Menu 1, toggle over to "off"
2. I switch of the DC power switch which is located at the top on the same panel as the inverter, generator gauges and holding tank level monitors.
3. I switch off both switch in the engine compartment. One is a sliding level and the other is a rotating switch.
4. I switch off both breakers (see picture)

To power back on, I reverse my steps.

Regarding item 3 above. Are these the DC switches that should be switched off at the same time?

Appreciate all your great advice.


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İmage

Jerry Kocher
1998 Prevost 40XL Vantare
1987 PT38 (8V92) "The Wayward Bird"
San Francisco, CA
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05-20-2019, 15:20
Post: #66
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
That sounds reasonable to me; although, I'm not totally familiar with all the breakers on your coach, maybe Al can provide some insight. The two switches that should be turned off and on at the same time are the 12VDC and 24VDC battery cut-off switches coming from your house battery bank. Switching these completely disconnects all loads from your battery bank. On my coach these are large blade style switches with 4" handles. (See pic below). When you switch these they should be switched at the same time to prevent Equalizer damage. I probably wouldn't play with these unless there's no other way to prevent battery draining.


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İmage

david brady,
'02 Wanderlodge LXi 'Smokey' (Sold),
'04 Prevost H3 Vantare 'SpongeBob'

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05-20-2019, 17:34
Post: #67
RE: Setting your Trace Auto Gen Start Parameters
I have not seen switches like this. This weekend I will take a look.

I will be keeping a log to better understand how much battery drain occurs in one week while systems are shut down.

Jerry Kocher
1998 Prevost 40XL Vantare
1987 PT38 (8V92) "The Wayward Bird"
San Francisco, CA
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