2006 Beaver-Monterey-Montclair. Inverter remote reading "FULL CHARGE”. 1st time noticed

[MIRIAM]

Hi all - I tried to find a prior post with this hoping using keywords and didn't find it, so I hope it's just a 'that's new' learning lesson for me.  I've been FT in my 2006 Beaver Monterey since Mid-December and this is the first time our inverter ever showed 'full' with always saying float, so not sure what changed or if I just never saw it before.  We were out for a while and went into the cabinet to close the awning when I noticed the 'full charge' so I started reading to see if I had a problem or just a 1st with doing what it's supposed to.  I watched some YouTube videos about my Magnum remote, read a couple documents, checked my settings from the list Tom Cherry gave me before, went to the battery bay to check batteries (they look good and not hot--they're also only 6 months old) -- so, all seems normal, but this is the first time I've ever seen this in 8+ months of being full time and I'm in that cabinet a few times each week (sometimes 1-2x day) for awning opening/closing.

this is the inverter remote.....I also went down to check the inverter itself and looks good with not being "too hot" in the bay. 
 

Thanks in advance for the knowledge and help to make sure this isn't anything I should be concerned about.....I'm a proactive' kinda gal, so I like to check if I ever notice something 'different' with being a newbie and still leaning.

[Garry Donohue]

As you, I’ve never had this message before also. Just (Float Charge) ?

[Dr4Film]

Mine has always displayed Float Charging.

[MIRIAM]

8 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

Mine has always displayed Float Charging.

float is what mine normally shows, too.  Now, it's back to FLOAT (just checked now because I'm obsessing) -- I read online, it could read FULL (mostly when you have a secondary charging, like solar (which I do have the one panel that came with the coach) it could read FULL then it will basically turn off for 4 hours and check (something like that) - and, I just wonder if today was the first - just so random.  It's not like any more or less sun or anything g changing - except, we were out for a few hours, so no lights on or anything else drawing amps from batteries and I just happened to check it (literally) when we got back before any power being used because it's in the same cabinet as the awning switch.

 

[Tom Cherry]

1 hour ago, MIRIAM said:

Hi all - I tried to find a prior post with this hoping using keywords and didn't find it, so I hope it's just a 'that's new' learning lesson for me.  I've been FT in my 2006 Beaver Monterey since Mid-December and this is the first time our inverter ever showed 'full' with always saying float, so not sure what changed or if I just never saw it before.  We were out for a while and went into the cabinet to close the awning when I noticed the 'full charge' so I started reading to see if I had a problem or just a 1st with doing what it's supposed to.  I watched some YouTube videos about my Magnum remote, read a couple documents, checked my settings from the list Tom Cherry gave me before, went to the battery bay to check batteries (they look good and not hot--they're also only 6 months old) -- so, all seems normal, but this is the first time I've ever seen this in 8+ months of being full time and I'm in that cabinet a few times each week (sometimes 1-2x day) for awning opening/closing.

this is the inverter remote.....I also went down to check the inverter itself and looks good with not being "too hot" in the bay. 
 

Thanks in advance for the knowledge and help to make sure this isn't anything I should be concerned about.....I'm a proactive' kinda gal, so I like to check if I ever notice something 'different' with being a newbie and still leaning.

Sent you a text.

Tu

1 minute ago, MIRIAM said:

float is what mine normally shows, too.  Now, it's back to FLOAT (just checked now because I'm obsessing) -- I read online, it could read FULL (mostly when you have a secondary charging, like solar (which I do have the one panel that came with the coach) it could read FULL then it will basically turn off for 4 hours and check (something like that) - and, I just wonder if today was the first - just so random.  It's not like any more or less sun or anything g changing - except, we were out for a few hours, so no lights on or anything else drawing amps from batteries and I just happened to check it (literally) when we got back before any power being used because it's in the same cabinet as the awning switch.

 

The Charger is OFF in first picture.

ON now.  Push the CHARGER button and leave it ON…do NOT turn it off.

Now go to setup.  Back OFF on charge rate.  I’m going to update the Magnum….use 60%.  As long as you are on power….the drain will be low.  If you use AGS snd Genny….it will take a little longer….. BUT like my exercise program….I don’t do it at 100%….barely 50%….compared to what I was doing when I was 50.

This should fix it. I PERSONALLY see NO NEED to every turn off the charger….unless one is “foolishly” trying to run 2 AC’s on 30A.  Yes, so pro’s do that….but odds are, they know to keep the inverter on a very reduced load and are starving or have eliminated the “parasitic” loads.

Let us know….

[TomV48]

No fight air conditioning although I don't often hit full charge with a 600 amp lithium Bank and a lot of daily use, that does not seem out of the ordinary.  If you been on hookups and aren't using any significant amount of 12 volts that charger is capable of putting out about 100 amps and topping off about any type of batteries you would have in there and depending upon your settings allowing the machine to know what the battery capacity is and what you consider to be fully charged or fully depleted seems like a pretty okay response. 

 

I would go to the button that says charge on it which is right above the one that says inverter and push that button and it will tell you it's not charging.  Then leave it not charging for a few hours to turn it back on and see the difference.

[MIRIAM]

33 minutes ago, Tom Cherry said:

Sent you a text.

Tu

The Charger is OFF in first picture.

ON now.  Push the CHARGER button and leave it ON…do NOT turn it off.

Now go to setup.  Back OFF on charge rate.  I’m going to update the Magnum….use 60%.  As long as you are on power….the drain will be low.  If you use AGS snd Genny….it will take a little longer….. BUT like my exercise program….I don’t do it at 100%….barely 50%….compared to what I was doing when I was 50.

This should fix it. I PERSONALLY see NO NEED to every turn off the charger….unless one is “foolishly” trying to run 2 AC’s on 30A.  Yes, so pro’s do that….but odds are, they know to keep the inverter on a very reduced load and are starving or have eliminated the “parasitic” loads.

Let us know….

thanks, Tom - it's showing back on Float and, just to note, my green light doesn't stay on all the time and will go dim or out until I 'wake' it.  If I press it, goes into stand-by mode (flashes) or is back on and is green until it puts itself to sleep (or goes sim) on float.  I did read "full" does shut it down for 4 hours, so maybe that's why it was off - the system does that and I read in the magnum manual.  I've never turned it off (nor would I even think to) -- even if I push the "charger" button it only flashes in standby mode and says standby(just did to be sure)....so, this had to be the system itself.

[TomV48]

10 hours ago, MIRIAM said:

thanks, Tom - it's showing back on Float and, just to note, my green light doesn't stay on all the time and will go dim or out until I 'wake' it.  If I press it, goes into stand-by mode (flashes) or is back on and is green until it puts itself to sleep (or goes sim) on float.  I did read "full" does shut it down for 4 hours, so maybe that's why it was off - the system does that and I read in the magnum manual.  I've never turned it off (nor would I even think to) -- even if I push the "charger" button it only flashes in standby mode and says standby(just did to be sure)....so, this had to be the system itself.

My bad.  Yes I should have said STANDBY.  

[amphi_sc]

I have 600+ watts solar and often my Magnum remote will go from float charge to full charge if my 12v demand is low. It's not unusual in my case.

[Tom Cherry]

OK….been on site for almost 24 Hours.  Was parked at home for a week or so…full 50A power.  Had serviced and exercised my four bank of Trojan T-105’s. Drove 3 hours and Alternator had fully “recharged”…or in FLOAT state.  Just noticed… FULL CHARGE…..NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?  Other than the obvious….

OK…the SECOND picture (4038) is what I noticed.  Screen saver or standby had kicked in.  FULL CHARGE.  Pushed the Meter Button.  Second Picture. NOW…in reality, the CHG LED was flashing.  Sometimes it is ON all the time….sometimes FLASHING.  This, according to my discussions with others…and the ME-RC is NORMAL.  In this case….the Charger, since the batteries are at FULL CHARGE….that “automatically” puts the CHARGER into “Standby” mode….in STANDBY….the LED will FLASH.

OK….when one has a DC load that requires the charger to be ON….as there is a wee bit…or a lot (interior lights or such) then, the Charger will be ON and, in theory, putting out just enough amps to keep the batteries charged. THEN the Green LED will be ON…as in full time.  FLASHING or FULL TIME RED….NOT GOOD!

OK….a little more “info”….just to need to be digested.  We are at Emerald Isle, NC on a bright, cloudless day.  According to my Sunsaver remote…. 2.35 A is being delivered.  Batteries are within 0.02 VDC.  One is 13.12 and the other is 13.14.  That sort of also “squares” when one thinks about my Charging system.  I have the Intellitec BIRD DIESEL2….which controls a 200 A Big Boy….so, the voltage drop is almost ZERO…as in the contacts are clean and the batteries are reading the same.  How about that….learned something….   Only have 4 overhead LED’s on….no OTHER DC load, save the two alarms.  That is 0.198 amps.  

MY CONCLUSION.  All is well.  The Solar is putting out 31 watts (2.35 A X 13.13 VDC).  Not surprisingly….the solar is an OEM and 15 years old.  Probably needs cleaning so it is barely 50% efficient…BUT it IS, at 2.35 A, way more “input” than consumption.

OMG….all of this is beginning to make sense and is sounding familiar.  Kirchhoff’s FIRST and SECOND LAWS… “roughly” translated.  The energy coming into the batteries…via the solar charger is greater than the load on the batteries….

The four Puck LED’s draw 18 mA each or 72 mA.  The two alarms draw 198 mA.  Since the banks are “jumpered” together via the Intellitec Big Boy, then whatever the sum of the ECM and TCM and such plus the parasitic drain of a few “USB” chargers….  If you google….the range of “most diesels” is between 25 and 100 mA.  There is also the radio memory drain as well as the diode drain in the Leece Neville.  BUT….that is low….bottom line….I doubt that’s greater than 75 mA…

Total drain…. LED 72 + Alarms 198 + “Engine” 75. Total of 345  or 0.345 A.  There is 2,350 mA of incoming solar charging power….thus….the Magnum is allowed to go to SLEEP…or be in standby…  YES…both sides or functions of the Inverter the Inverting….(it AIN’T Inverting) and it AIN’T charging…are NOT “in operation” .so…all is well…and my old EE Prof, Dr. Seagroves, can quit spinning in his grave….It has only taken me 58 years….and a lot of time fixing and troubleshooting and reading and such….to finally grasp Kirchhoff’s two laws.  Doing OK on Galva’s….Thank to Trojan tech support…  I could go back to NC State and attend or study EE for free…and finally have dual BS’s….LOL.  Some have hyperbolized here as to the many “BS’s” that I already have.

@MIRIAM

You are probably OK….overly protective a bit…but OK….

[96 EVO]

Tom's screen is what I see often. Daily if I kept a close eye on it!

What is odd with the OP's screen, is the 11DC amps 🤔!

When the batteries hit 'Full Charge', there shouldn't be any charging happening.

[Tom Cherry]

1 hour ago, 96 EVO said:

Tom's screen is what I see often. Daily if I kept a close eye on it!

What is odd with the OP's screen, is the 11DC amps 🤔!

When the batteries hit 'Full Charge', there shouldn't be any charging happening.

Good eye, Ben.

The ONLY THING I can surmise or offer….the remote, based on the design and what I perceive to be the colors of the buttons, is OEM circa 2005.  Her Monterey has the ONLY 2 Module intellitec MPX i have EVER SEEN.  There are actually “3” modules SHOWING….but one is the old very old, master control module…or the Brain/Clock.  Back then, Monaco was using the EMS chip as the brain.  That was what was in the 2007 or maybe 2006 Scepter/Camelots….there were THREE Modules…or outputs or THREE time TEN circuits.  The 2006 Monterey has 2 X 10 or 20.

SO….without getting Magnum involved and knowing the Rev Level of the inverter as well as the ME-RC….who knows.

BUT….it seems to work.  If you have the OEM Remote from your MH, it is different from mine as there was an upgrade (or Monaco was buying the latest level)…

BUT…if you bought it today….looks exactly the same.  TOTALLY different setup screens and sub menus…

Progress and technology marches on…

[MIRIAM]

3 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

OK….been on site for almost 24 Hours.  Was parked at home for a week or so…full 50A power.  Had serviced and exercised my four bank of Trojan T-105’s. Drove 3 hours and Alternator had fully “recharged”…or in FLOAT state.  Just noticed… FULL CHARGE…..NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?  Other than the obvious….

OK…the SECOND picture (4038) is what I noticed.  Screen saver or standby had kicked in.  FULL CHARGE.  Pushed the Meter Button.  Second Picture. NOW…in reality, the CHG LED was flashing.  Sometimes it is ON all the time….sometimes FLASHING.  This, according to my discussions with others…and the ME-RC is NORMAL.  In this case….the Charger, since the batteries are at FULL CHARGE….that “automatically” puts the CHARGER into “Standby” mode….in STANDBY….the LED will FLASH.

OK….when one has a DC load that requires the charger to be ON….as there is a wee bit…or a lot (interior lights or such) then, the Charger will be ON and, in theory, putting out just enough amps to keep the batteries charged. THEN the Green LED will be ON…as in full time.  FLASHING or FULL TIME RED….NOT GOOD!

OK….a little more “info”….just to need to be digested.  We are at Emerald Isle, NC on a bright, cloudless day.  According to my Sunsaver remote…. 2.35 A is being delivered.  Batteries are within 0.02 VDC.  One is 13.12 and the other is 13.14.  That sort of also “squares” when one thinks about my Charging system.  I have the Intellitec BIRD DIESEL2….which controls a 200 A Big Boy….so, the voltage drop is almost ZERO…as in the contacts are clean and the batteries are reading the same.  How about that….learned something….   Only have 4 overhead LED’s on….no OTHER DC load, save the two alarms.  That is 0.198 amps.  

MY CONCLUSION.  All is well.  The Solar is putting out 31 watts (2.35 A X 13.13 VDC).  Not surprisingly….the solar is an OEM and 15 years old.  Probably needs cleaning so it is barely 50% efficient…BUT it IS, at 2.35 A, way more “input” than consumption.

OMG….all of this is beginning to make sense and is sounding familiar.  Kirchhoff’s FIRST and SECOND LAWS… “roughly” translated.  The energy coming into the batteries…via the solar charger is greater than the load on the batteries….

The four Puck LED’s draw 18 mA each or 72 mA.  The two alarms draw 198 mA.  Since the banks are “jumpered” together via the Intellitec Big Boy, then whatever the sum of the ECM and TCM and such plus the parasitic drain of a few “USB” chargers….  If you google….the range of “most diesels” is between 25 and 100 mA.  There is also the radio memory drain as well as the diode drain in the Leece Neville.  BUT….that is low….bottom line….I doubt that’s greater than 75 mA…

Total drain…. LED 72 + Alarms 198 + “Engine” 75. Total of 345  or 0.345 A.  There is 2,350 mA of incoming solar charging power….thus….the Magnum is allowed to go to SLEEP…or be in standby…  YES…both sides or functions of the Inverter the Inverting….(it AIN’T Inverting) and it AIN’T charging…are NOT “in operation” .so…all is well…and my old EE Prof, Dr. Seagroves, can quit spinning in his grave….It has only taken me 58 years….and a lot of time fixing and troubleshooting and reading and such….to finally grasp Kirchhoff’s two laws.  Doing OK on Galva’s….Thank to Trojan tech support…  I could go back to NC State and attend or study EE for free…and finally have dual BS’s….LOL.  Some have hyperbolized here as to the many “BS’s” that I already have.

@MIRIAM

You are probably OK….overly protective a bit…but OK….

Me?  Overly protective/cautious/obsessive?   🤣🤣  Nah, doesn't sound Ike me at all ✌️🤣  always grateful for your help, Tom - glad you were available to confirm I'm not completely crazy again and I'm learning a TON.  I'm also glad to have crossed another "first"off my list.  ✌️✌️

8 hours ago, amphi_sc said:

I have 600+ watts solar and often my Magnum remote will go from float charge to full charge if my 12v demand is low. It's not unusual in my case.

I think that was how mine got 'full' - not being home, so no draw and solar (very sunny day) to get it where it hadn't been. (Or just that I hadn't ever actually caught it saying full)

1 hour ago, 96 EVO said:

Tom's screen is what I see often. Daily if I kept a close eye on it!

What is odd with the OP's screen, is the 11DC amps 🤔!

When the batteries hit 'Full Charge', there shouldn't be any charging happening.

It would flash between zero and 11, just the photo caught at that time.

[96 EVO]

Miriam, you caught that Full Charge just in time!

When your batteries drop to a steady 12.9V, your charger will switch back on to float charge status.

The earliest you will see Full Charge again will be in 4hrs.

[MIRIAM]

12 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

Miriam, you caught that Full Charge just in time!

When your batteries drop to a steady 12.9V, your charger will switch back on to float charge status.

The earliest you will see Full Charge again will be in 4hrs.

Thanks!  That's what I realized after a little panic for nothing 🤣  now that I've crossed that first off my list, it won't make me worry/wonder again. ✌️🙌  the manual did say 'will show full and shut down for 4 hours', but in all the FT in almost a year, I hadn't ever gotten there, so had to make sure and don't ever just leave something alone...toxic trait, I guess.  Definitely grateful for everyone sharing experiences to help me make sure I'm all good while I search manuals, too. 😊 

[Steve P]

When the remote shows "Full Charge", on systems such as mine, with a BIRD (yes, true BIRD, original equipment), is it the house batteries or the chassis batteries that are fully charged, or both?  I have seen mine show that, and always thought it referred to the house batteries only.  Bad assumption?

2nd Q: What would cause @MIRIAM's remote to alternate between 0 and 11 amps?  Does that seem odd or possibly indicate a problem?  I will watch mine next time I hit the road...

[96 EVO]

First question I'm going to say both banks.

Second question, I'm wondering about that as well! I see my remote displaying 'Full Charge' often, but it 'always' shows 0 AMPS!

If it were mine, I'd call Magnum tech support and describing what I'm seeing on the remote. Maybe they have an answer for it.

Edited Monday at 12:43 AM by 96 EVO

[MIRIAM]

10 hours ago, 96 EVO said:

First question I'm going to say both banks.

Second question, I'm wondering about that as well! I see my remote displaying 'Full Charge' often, but it 'always' shows 0 AMPS!

If it were mine, I'd call Magnum tech support and describing what I'm seeing on the remote. Maybe they have an answer for it.

Already handled - I read the manual and verified it was just me happening to 'catch' it just at the right time because we had been out for a while on a sunny day where we had shore and our one panel charging with nothing on, soooo it was just actually full.  It went back to float and I haven't caught it full again, but certain that was it...just a first and the screen does show zero for Amps - just flips and photo caught then.....

all is well here and just had another 'first' with just a mild panic and overthinking. 🤣

[amphi_sc]

Just as another example, here's mine showing full charge with the Aladdin showing solar charge and a slight drain with some leds lights turned on.  Not a problem in my mind.  As typical, Magnum and Aladdin don't agree on the battery voltage - maybe because of the solar line charging and where the Aladdin ties in to read its voltage. The Magnum never exactly agrees with voltage at the battery terminals either.  I just adjust in my head and live with it.

[Tom Cherry]

1 hour ago, MIRIAM said:

Already handled - I read the manual and verified it was just me happening to 'catch' it just at the right time because we had been out for a while on a sunny day where we had shore and our one panel charging with nothing on, soooo it was just actually full.  It went back to float and I haven't caught it full again, but certain that was it...just a first and the screen does show zero for Amps - just flips and photo caught then.....

all is well here and just had another 'first' with just a mild panic and overthinking. 🤣

Thank GOD…..this one little nuance had the potential for a saga or posts for the next decade.  SERIOUSLY.  Magnum, much to my personal despair, has allowed their tech support to deteriorate. NOW….yes, they can read the manuals and yes, they have the benefit of the engineering department for support. BUT, they have no concept of the “real world” and the nuances of what we see here.  I still call them to ask a question or understand a particular issue. BUT they are not well versed in the “as we age” aspects of the Magnum.  Nor, in particular, are they well versed in how to field test and determine if the remote is malfunctioning.

Miriam, as long as monthly, you verify the setup parameters….you should be good to go.  If the parameters change….then that is a sign of a failed or failing remote.  The first is… Inverter does NOT turn on, automatically, when 120 VAC is removed….you have to push the “ON” button on the remote.

4 minutes ago, amphi_sc said:

Just as another example, here's mine showing full charge with the Aladdin showing solar charge and a slight drain with some leds lights turned on.  Not a problem in my mind.  As typical, Magnum and Aladdin don't agree on the battery voltage - maybe because of the solar line charging and where the Aladdin ties in to read its voltage. The Magnum never exactly agrees with voltage at the battery terminals either.  I just adjust in my head and live with it.

Good show.  We all learn.  I never worried about solar as it (my lowly 60 Watt OEM) was sort of “there”.  But recently on a trip, I started to “watch and learn”. I also started to use the Sunsaver remote.  What I learned….with NO internal load…as in NO DC lights on or maybe a few LED’s, my solar was putting out 50% of the rated capacity….and cleaning the panel probably would have helped. But that 2.5X (memory) was way more than enough that the Chassis parasitic and House parasitic loads.  And the Sunsaver was reading the SAME voltage on each bank….therefore the Big Boy was engaged and the contacts are good and clean.

Always learning …..

[amphi_sc]

To easily monitor my Big Boy workings, I added a couple of my own displays to monitor the house (top) and chassis (bot) voltages, thus I could tell when it's time to remove the green corrosion.  I should build a nitrogen box to purge it of air next time (BTW, it's always "next time" 😁)