batteries draining

[Oregon_Camper]

Note post #1 - drain occurs with main 50 amp circuit breakers turned off. Assuming the Power Converter is getting 120V from the main breaker panel, there would be no loss of power by looping through the Power Converter.

I think his converter/inverter is wired in before the breaker. So it would still have ability to do an infinite power loop.

Shore to EMS.... EMS to Aims Converter/Inverter. Aims back to breaker panel. This allows shore to pass through or Inverter to engerize coach.

Until Gavin says otherwise, I'm still betting it is infinite loop.

 

[gslabbert5119]

What I have found so far is that the refrigerator that I thought was on a particular circuit that was off of the solar circuits is in fact on the solar circuit, so I now need to find a way to move it and still leave the coach plugs on the solar system (need this for my computer while boondocking.)

I am looking into the infinite loop, but there is something pretty serious that is wrong here, as my Inverter stopped passing shore power and tripped yesterday, so I have 0.00v input Voltage and 121v - 123v output while connected to shore power and I should be showing 120v. It is my opinion that there is something not right with the inverter.
Why do I think this...
I checked the reset switch on the stock coach breaker, and pressed it just to be certain that it has been reset. (The fact that the old converter works just fine (explained later in the text) suggests to me that there is nothing wrong with that breaker.
I checked the 50amp and volt tested it and it shows 120v
I then went to the breaker and tested the 50amp breaker and 120v is there
I then measured the 30 amp out to the sub panel and there is 120v there
I went to the 30 amp breaker that is providing 120v to the sub panel and there was 0.00 v there
I then went to the inverter and measured if it is getting the 120v from the shore power and it is.
I then went to the GFCI on the Inverter and it is providing 120v there (note this gfci is internal to the Inverter and does not pass through the sub panel)

The Inverter is inverting the power and providing 120v and draining the batteries and then shutting the system down when the battery voltage gets to 10.5v
So as an interim fix I connected up the old Converter and it charged the batteries and basically protected them from getting damaged and charged them back to 13.56v (full charge) and held them there overnight

A call is going into AimsCorp today as soon as they open.

I will say that their tech support is good once you actually reach them, getting to them or having them answer a call or email is painful at best. They say do not leave multiple messages, but that suggests that they do not respond and it is forcing folks to leave multiple messages.

Have I missed anything, and are there any suggestions and or tests that I need to run.

 

[Oregon_Camper]

Gavin....

Do you have a residential frig or a 2 way frig?

Do you have an EMS?

Which transfer switch are you using?

Finally, it will be very helpful if you could provide a electrical diagram of you new layout. Doesn't have to be fancy...even hand drawn will work. Start from shore power through all connections. I can send you mine in PowerPoint if you want something to start from. Just let me know.... I still have your email.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[gslabbert5119]

I started at the shore power and worked my way through, and yes I have an EMS.

Called AimsCorp and they ran every test that they could think of, and when they had me open the unity it was clear the the wiring had worked loose and shorted out on the input side. I sent them a picture and they responded with "It is not warranty" as my wiring shook loose... Go figure, anyway, later today the inverter portion died as well which was not surprising.

This is an expensive lesson, but I will not buy another AimsCorp product.

So I am looking for a Pure Sine Inverter / Charger that passes 50 amp (Oregon_Camper I believe that you have one) ...

I will consider this a lesson well learned

 

[Oregon_Camper]

So I am looking for a Pure Sine Inverter / Charger that passes 50 amp (Oregon_Camper I believe that you have one) ...

Man...that is HORRIBLE customer service. So sorry to hear about that...shame on them!!!

Yes, I have the GoPower IC2000 (they have an IC3000 now) that will pass through 50amps when on shore power. There is no need for a sub panel. Off the IC2000, you wire directly back to your breaker panel. You just need to remember when on inverter power, not to fire up the AC units.

If you have any questions, an actual human (name is Bob) will answer the phone. I'v talked to him ~10 times, and he will either answer you on the spot, or call you back with answers.

For ~$40 more, I'd go with the IC3000.

Link to Amazon.
https://amzn.to/2QNPpXP

Here is the YouTube video I did for the IC2000
https://youtu.be/jjevQ10M97Y


Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[gslabbert5119]

I believe that I found the solution, as soon as I replaced the AimsCorp Inverter - Charger with a Victron 3000w 12v Multi my batteries seemed to be holding at 12.94 overnight. This is a preliminary test result and I will take the unit off the shore power in a few days to run a better test, however it appears that the DC draw is around 200amps (according to the Victron Battery monitor.

Is this a normal amount of DC draw for the rig (Many items even though they are propane require a small 12v circuit to keep them functioning)

Gavin

 

[danemayer]

I believe that I found the solution, as soon as I replaced the AimsCorp Inverter - Charger with a Victron 3000w 12v Multi my batteries seemed to be holding at 12.94 overnight. This is a preliminary test result and I will take the unit off the shore power in a few days to run a better test, however it appears that the DC draw is around 200amps (according to the Victron Battery monitor.

Is this a normal amount of DC draw for the rig (Many items even though they are propane require a small 12v circuit to keep them functioning)

Gavin

200 amps at 12V DC would be 20 amps at 120V AC; enough to run an air conditioner and more, so that sounds like a lot to me.

 

[gslabbert5119]

200 amps at 12V DC would be 20 amps at 120V AC; enough to run an air conditioner and more, so that sounds like a lot to me.

Thanks Danemayer, I will continue to look for usage sources, and report back

Gavin

UPDATE:
I guess that I misspoke, I am drawing about 18.1 amps. The other number was while I was testing to see how the microwave was drawing

 

[Jakenbear]

I have a similar problem. New 2019 Big Horn 3760 EL. Bought it two months ago, and after leaving it stored for two weeks or so, not enough battery to raise the feet for hook up. Have to idle truck for 30 minutes or so to charge the batteries. Is this normal or do I have a bad battery. Someone told me to turn both batteries off, while storing the unit.

 

[danemayer]

I have a similar problem. New 2019 Big Horn 3760 EL. Bought it two months ago, and after leaving it stored for two weeks or so, not enough battery to raise the feet for hook up. Have to idle truck for 30 minutes or so to charge the batteries. Is this normal or do I have a bad battery. Someone told me to turn both batteries off, while storing the unit.

There are "parasitic" drains from alarms, possibly a radio, and perhaps lights left on somewhere. You probably have a battery cutoff switch near the battery that's intended to be used while in storage. If you have a residential refrigerator, you may have 2 cutoffs.

 

[gslabbert5119]

There are "parasitic" drains from alarms, possibly a radio, and perhaps lights left on somewhere. You probably have a battery cutoff switch near the battery that's intended to be used while in storage. If you have a residential refrigerator, you may have 2 cutoffs.

Sorry for the slow replies but I am out of country until early December.
I replaced the crappy Aims Inverter Charger with a Victron unit and started going through everything that I could think of that was drawing power, and found that my RV Refrigerator was on AC and not propane and it was drawing the largest amount of power.

Right now I am down to around 7 or 8 amp draw on my batteries when I am on shore power, and the Victron has a charge only switch for when I am towing. With that flipped there appears to be just about zero draw on the system.

The batteries do not like the cold and I am going to have to find a way to insulate them for they would drop to 11.84v with no use when the temps dropped into the low 20's. Fortunately they did not freeze.

Now that the rig is in Florida the battery voltage is at 12.77v constant on shore power and the wife is happy.

I do have to put in more power as the darned Microwave really hammers the batteries, and it says that is is a 1500 watt input but 900 watt output, which seems very inefficient for this electrical novice.

Need to see if I can find a unit that is around 1000w in and 900w out, or something along those lines.

Gavin

 

[Jakenbear]

There are "parasitic" drains from alarms, possibly a radio, and perhaps lights left on somewhere. You probably have a battery cutoff switch near the battery that's intended to be used while in storage. If you have a residential refrigerator, you may have 2 cutoffs.

Thanks for the advice. I have two cutoff switches on the batteries which I turned off.. I also have a back up camera that is live all the time which probably did not help my battery charge. I parked it for the next week and will check it then to see if the cut off switches help. Thanks again.

 

[danemayer]

Thanks for the advice. I have two cutoff switches on the batteries which I turned off.. I also have a back up camera that is live all the time which probably did not help my battery charge. I parked it for the next week and will check it then to see if the cut off switches help. Thanks again.

You need to add a switch to the camera power wire so it doesn't ruin the batteries while in storage.