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Crash Course in Setting Up & Using a Magnum MS-2012 Inverter/Charger Plus AGS


Dr4Film

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15 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

How important is it to have a working Battery Temp Monitor because when I installed the new set of House Batteries, I did not find an extra cable that would attach to a battery post that looked anything resembling the Battery Temp Monitor. However, there is one plugged into the port at the Inverter.

I don’t think you have this setup but for anyone who has a battery temp sensor port on there inverter I once read this piece of advice. Never attach the end of the BTS cable directly to the battery as it can destroy an inverter in an instant. Rather attach it in some other spot in the battery bay. Don’t have a really good recollection of that post. Maybe someone else has some knowledge of this.

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Check the inverter to see if there is a cable plugged in or hanging loose for the temp probe. The Magnum probe is electrically isolated and designed to attach to the negative battery post. Others may vary. 

The best battery charging is dependent upon the battery temperature. The probe allows the charger to adjust the charging based on the temperature. However most RV chargers don't have a probe...

 

BTW My solar charger also has a temperature probe.

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On 5/7/2022 at 5:31 PM, Dr4Film said:

Just went into the storage bay to look at what ME-AGS-S I have, it does have two ports, one labeled Network and one labeled Remote so I am good to go.

How important is it to have a working Battery Temp Monitor because when I installed the new set of House Batteries, I did not find an extra cable that would attach to a battery post that looked anything resembling the Battery Temp Monitor. However, there is one plugged into the port at the Inverter.

I guess i would need to trace that wire to see where it is in the Battery Bay Compartment.

There is one cable way in the back of the Battery Compartment laying on the floor but when I looked at it doesn't look anything like the Magnum BTS pictured on the Internet.

After looking closer at the diagram, you had posted above, the one port labeled Remote has a four wire Interior Temp Sensor on the inside end.

Where would that be located inside my coach?

I thought I had discovered where everything was and what it was for, but I am still discovering new stuff every day.

Richard,                
I have the MS2812.  As far as I know the only difference is 1 is 2000 watts and the other is 2800 watts.  I’ve attached few photos of the different components.  The inside temp sensor is in the photo with the remote.  It’s the device that looks like a hockey mask.  You should be able to see the temperature change on your display if you blow some warm/hot air on the sensor.  
                      
The BTS may be connected to the chassis batteries.  If so, you’ll want to move it to the house batteries.  Also, the remote should be sensing the house batteries, not the chassis batteries.  They are what will trigger the AGS if they drop  the voltage too low.

Something else I learned the hard way.  I’ve owned this coach for over 4 years and had never used the AGS.  I hit the test button and it worked fine.  Then I started to mess around with the settings and tried the temp start feature.  I breathed on the sensor and the temp came up and the generator started as it was supposed to.  Then I unplugged from shore power and then went back in the morning and the voltage was down a little, so I fired up the toaster and microwave and a hair dryer and watched the voltage drop and the generator did not start.  I opened up the AGS N module and didn’t see anything wrong.  I called Magnum and they said I needed a new board.  Well I remembered seeing 3 miniature relays on that board.  It got me wondering if there was a relay for test, temperature and voltage.  I have seen this type of relay stick in other applications, so I tapped on each one with a screwdriver handle.  That did the trick.  The generator now starts on temp and voltage.  The moral of the story is don’t rely completely on the test function.  Try temp and voltage and make sure it starts.

Hope this helps.

Dan

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Thanks Dan! That helps a lot.

I have ordered a ME-ARC Control Panel from eBay ($220) and a ME-AGS-N from Amazon ($207). They are being shipped to our summer address as we were supposed to leave today for the north but just had our house AC system repaired after the condenser coils on the Air Handler developed a leak last week and had to be replaced. It set us back about a week.

I have only found one of those round looking grills so far. There is one in the toilet/shower room which I believe is for the Middle AC and its remote temp sensor.

I will keep looking for another one.

No luck in finding any Battery Temp Sensor either. I did find some strange wires laying on the floor of the battery compartment nothing that look like the sensor but when I have time I will try and trace them to see where they go. One is a fairly large gauge wire with a ring eye on the end and the other is a very small gauge wire with nothing on the end. 

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Richard,          
Does the BTS port on the inverter have an RJ-11 plug in it (see attached photo - it’s upside down because that’s the way the inverter is mounted in my coach.  It’s the Yellow port.)?  As far as the temp sensor, what you might want to do is locate the other room sensors in the coach and see what shape they are.  If the one in the bathroom is different, then you’ll know it’s the Magnum temp sensor. The Magnum temp sensor looks completely different on my coach.  Look at the photo I sent the other day.  The smaller sensor, to the right and below the Remote panel is the room sensor.  I have 4 in the coach and they are all at the same height (54 inches.) from the deck.  
                            
For what it’s worth, I’d get the BTS and temp sensor issues figured out before you install the new remote and AGS-N.  That way if you have a problem, you’ll know it worked before the new parts were installed.  I’m not sure how important the BTS is.  I’m sure if you ask Magnum, they’ll say you have to have it.  I would think that it just makes sure the batteries don’t get too hot, which is probably a good thing.

Dan

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One more thing….

Here’s a copy of the page from the remote manual.  Under tech menu, you can view battery temp and AGS temp.  If you don’t get readings then it means nothing is connected or it’s broke.  I don’t know if your remote has these features.  
Dan

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Dan,

Yes, the BTS port on the Inverter does have an RJ11 connector in it but nothing that I can see in the battery bay. I had to replace the engine batteries right after picking up the coach in March in Salt Lake City. I replaced the house batteries once I got back home to Florida.

No Magnum Battery Temp Sensor seen at the time of replacing any of those batteries.

I will search more once I am parked for the summer in New Hampshire.

I haven't found any inside temp sensors either. If anyone who owns a 2006 Dynasty Countess III would chime in as to where they are located in their coach that would help me narrow down my search.

The new ME-ARC Remote and ME-AGS-N are waiting for me in New Hampshire as they were delivered this week. They will be installed this summer while we are there for the season.

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Richard,            
Since it’s raining today, I decided to do a little research.  Your coach HVAC layout is different than mine.  
Here’s what I think I’ve figured out.  If you have the Comfortaire system, you should have 2 thermostats.  The thermostats have small temperature sensors on the bottom.  The front Comfortair controls the front AC.  The bedroom Comfortair controls the mid and rear AC units.   So, the temperature sensor you found in the amidships bathroom is probably for the AGS.  
Good luck.             
Dan

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On 5/13/2022 at 4:17 AM, Dr4Film said:

 

I haven't found any inside temp sensors either. If anyone who owns a 2006 Dynasty Countess III would chime in as to where they are located in their coach that would help me narrow down my search.

The new ME-ARC Remote and ME-AGS-N are waiting for me in New Hampshire as they were delivered this week. They will be installed this summer while we are there for the season.

The temperature sensors on my 2007; one in the bedroom on the TV cabinet controls the rear A/C, one in the middle bath under the vanity cabinet controls the middle A/C which makes no sense, one inside the galley thermostat controls the front A/C but the middle A/C vent blows directly on that thermostat which always turns the front A/C off.  We close that vent.

I think you will like the ME-ARC and ME-AGS-N.  Everything is adjusted and controlled from inside.

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18 hours ago, dandick66 said:

Richard,            
Since it’s raining today, I decided to do a little research.  Your coach HVAC layout is different than mine.  
Here’s what I think I’ve figured out.  If you have the Comfortaire system, you should have 2 thermostats.  The thermostats have small temperature sensors on the bottom.  The front Comfortair controls the front AC.  The bedroom Comfortair controls the mid and rear AC units.   So, the temperature sensor you found in the amidships bathroom is probably for the AGS.  
Good luck.             
Dan

Dan, how would I verify that the sensor in the Shower/Toilet Room is in fact for the AGS and not for the middle AC/HP?

Seems like a screwed-up system for controlling the middle AC. It would make more sense to have it on the front CCC Thermostat where the AC/HP is located in the ceiling versus on the bedroom thermostat.

The two front AC's are older versions of the Penguin whereas the rear bedroom AC is a new Penguin II but using a 5-Button CCC to control it. Luckily they kept the control board that works with the 10 Button CCC-2.

When I go to replace the two older Penguin's I may look at how to separate the three and have them all on their own thermostat control or at the least move the middle to the front control where it belongs.

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Richard,    
I found info on the Executive and it looks like maybe that sensor in your shower/toilet room, may be for the middle AC, which would be zone 2 on your bedroom thermostat.  
You could set the zone 2 temp to a few degrees above ambient and then go to the sensor and breathe real heavy on it, or use a hair dryer on low setting.  That will raise the temp and if the middle AC kicks on, then you know that’s the right sensor.
 As far as the AGS, there has to be a sensor somewhere.  Have you tried testing it? Try setting the start temp to the lowest setting and see if it starts the generator.  

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7 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

Dan, how would I verify that the sensor in the Shower/Toilet Room is in fact for the AGS and not for the middle AC/HP?

Seems like a screwed-up system for controlling the middle AC. It would make more sense to have it on the front CCC Thermostat where the AC/HP is located in the ceiling versus on the bedroom thermostat.

Right?  I’m not sure what the thought process was, but that temp sensor is for the middle AC. 

As soon as I get around to installing my new middle AC I’ll move it to the front CCC2. I’ve already got a phone cable pulled alongside the duct from the front unit to the middle unit. The data cable to daisy-chain from front to middle should be all that’s needed to move from an old penguin on rear ccc to a new penguin II on my new front ccc2.

Of course the temp sensor will still be in the bathroom… no easy way around that unfortunately.

Whenever I get a replacement unit for the bedroom, I’ll probably make ithe bedroom zone3 on the front ccc2 and replace the bedroom ccc with a remote temp sensor. 
cheers

Walter

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  • 1 month later...

I just finished installing the Magnum ME-ARC Remote and the Magnum ME-AGS-N Auto Gen Start module in place of what had come in the coach which was the Magnum ME-RC Remote and the Magnum ME- AGSS Auto Gen Start module.

I plan to advertise the two original units as a package on eBay to see what I can get for them.

Has anyone put together a list of SPECIFIC parameter settings for the ME-ARC Remote that they would share with me?

This would be settings for a 4 - 6VDC Flooded Wet Cell House Battery Bank wired in series/parallel to include settings for auto-generator start when the batteries get to 12 .1 VDC and auto-generator stop at Float SOC.

It would save me tons of time going through each and every menu item trying to figure out each one and which ones I need.

I had put together a parameter list for the Trace/Xantrex RV-2012 Inverter with the RC7-GS Remote which I have posted here many times. That combination was in my Windsor which is now being enjoyed by its new owner.

Edited by Dr4Film
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I'd give you my settings... but 1) any assumption that I know what I'm doing is shaky at best, 2) there's no way I could remember what all I changed and 3) you wouldn't like my lithium settings anyway!

Edited by wamcneil
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17 hours ago, wamcneil said:

I'd give you my settings... but 1) any assumption that I know what I'm doing is shaky at best, 2) there's no way I could remember what all I changed and 3) you wouldn't like my lithium settings anyway!

Thanks for the offer, Walter. You're correct, I would not like the Lithium Battery settings. Looking for Flooded Wet Cell settings.

11 hours ago, dandick66 said:

Richard,

Here are the settings from my wiring diagrams and also the Magnum Remote.  
Hope this helps.

 

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Dan, I appreciate your post and thought, however, the information above is for the ME-RC Remote which I removed. I now have the ME-ARC Remote installed.

Plus, I have the list of Inverter/Charger Menu Maps for the ME-ARC which are in the User Manual for the ME-ARC, however, I was looking for someone with the same ME-ARC Remote and the same ME-AGS-N that had written down their specific parameter settings so I could just go into mine and replicate them versus having to go through each and every menu item to figure out what I need.

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31 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Thanks for the offer, Walter. You're correct, I would not like the Lithium Battery settings. Looking for Flooded Wet Cell settings.

Dan, I appreciate your post and thought, however, the information above is for the ME-RC Remote which I removed. I now have the ME-ARC Remote installed.

Plus, I have the list of Inverter/Charger Menu Maps for the ME-ARC which are in the User Manual for the ME-ARC, however, I was looking for someone with the same ME-ARC Remote and the same ME-AGS-N that had written down their specific parameter settings so I could just go into mine and replicate them versus having to go through each and every menu item to figure out what I need.

Richard,

Sorry about that.  I didn’t catch the RC vs ARC.  FWIW, the only default settings I changed on mine was the AGS start voltage.  For some reason they have it at 11.0 volts.  The generator will not start at that voltage, and the Aquahot cuts out if voltage drops below 12.0 volts.  Not a big deal in the summer, but overnighting in a parking lot in the winter is another story.  Good luck. 

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