porthole
Retired
Seems to be happening more frequently lately. Maybe because of the excessive heat we we have experienced.
Anyway, I have noticed that if you "work" the system more then just a simple level up operation that a low voltage alert comes up. Forgot about this in the Seminar at Goshen.
When I was getting my additive installed, Carl Yoder, the senior rep for the field told me he was getting the low voltage alert frequently with other trailers he was doing the upgrade to. Coming to any of the hydraulic limits would instantly shut down the system. And at times doing an auto retract would not totally retract my front gear.
We discussed it a bit and since there were two of us I was able to watch a digital voltmeter I have on my battery pack, 2 six volt AGM batteries.
The LevelUp control would frequently show below 12 volts when the alert came up, yet my DVOM showed 12.5-12.6 consistently under the load.
Carl was supposed to bring this up with Bob T.
So, now at home and wanting to run my jacks some more to distribute the additive better, I again ran into the low voltage issue.
Checking the pump found not only a warm to hot motor housing, but warm wires as well.
I have some wire laying around from my golf cart upgrades so I replaced all the pump and solenoids cables with marine grade, 2 AWG wire.
Original wire was standard 6 AWG copper.
Marine grade is silver tinned, many fine strands quality wire.
My intial testing shows this to be a worthwhile upgrade. I ran the jacks from completely retracted to completely extended several times with no issues. Let the pump run a few seconds even after the rams hit the limits with no low voltage alerts. Although I did trip the 50 amp breaker I already had wired into the battery compartment.
The motor still got warm doing this but the cables remained at ambient temperature.
Now I plan on replacing the breaker with what ever the next size up is for Blue Seas model I use.
I used this style breaker when I re-wired the battery compartment (and didn't pay anywhere near the listed prices)
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50549&classNum=50556#.UdG2xW1dA6k
Anyway, I have noticed that if you "work" the system more then just a simple level up operation that a low voltage alert comes up. Forgot about this in the Seminar at Goshen.
When I was getting my additive installed, Carl Yoder, the senior rep for the field told me he was getting the low voltage alert frequently with other trailers he was doing the upgrade to. Coming to any of the hydraulic limits would instantly shut down the system. And at times doing an auto retract would not totally retract my front gear.
We discussed it a bit and since there were two of us I was able to watch a digital voltmeter I have on my battery pack, 2 six volt AGM batteries.
The LevelUp control would frequently show below 12 volts when the alert came up, yet my DVOM showed 12.5-12.6 consistently under the load.
Carl was supposed to bring this up with Bob T.
So, now at home and wanting to run my jacks some more to distribute the additive better, I again ran into the low voltage issue.
Checking the pump found not only a warm to hot motor housing, but warm wires as well.
I have some wire laying around from my golf cart upgrades so I replaced all the pump and solenoids cables with marine grade, 2 AWG wire.
Original wire was standard 6 AWG copper.
Marine grade is silver tinned, many fine strands quality wire.
My intial testing shows this to be a worthwhile upgrade. I ran the jacks from completely retracted to completely extended several times with no issues. Let the pump run a few seconds even after the rams hit the limits with no low voltage alerts. Although I did trip the 50 amp breaker I already had wired into the battery compartment.
The motor still got warm doing this but the cables remained at ambient temperature.
Now I plan on replacing the breaker with what ever the next size up is for Blue Seas model I use.
I used this style breaker when I re-wired the battery compartment (and didn't pay anywhere near the listed prices)
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...&subdeptNum=50549&classNum=50556#.UdG2xW1dA6k
