solid ON red error light

[River Marine]

Hey Dave...
I recently sold a customer a NS2, 12 volt. The boat is at the dock, the batteries are "fully charged", and battery charger disconnected. When it fires up the status light comes on briefly indicating absorption voltage. Immediately after that the red error light comes on solid ON. According to NS2 instructions (Sept 19, 2006) this indicates float setpoint higher than absorption. The customer then put his meter on the float test point and read 13.8 V.. Then absorption test point at 14.2. Something is not computing here....Any ideas?
John

[Coulomb]

This may be another start up issue like http://www.amplepower.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=246.

Turn the ignition on then off to see if it clears up.

[Pwin]

Dave

I am the guy John at River Marine sold the regulator to. I have turned the ignition on and off and started and stopped the engine a few times...quite a few. The only way to get the continuos red LED off is to reboot the board by removing B+ for a minute. When power is reapplied the board starts as described in your documentation. BUT...after about 30 seconds the red light comes on and stays on. It does this whether the engine is started (running) or not. The green LED is indicating properly. The absorption voltage is set to 14.2V the float is set to 13.2V. These readings remain this way even when the red LED is on indicating that the float voltage is higher that the absorption. With the exception of the red led error light the regulator is doing everything else properly...as far as I can tell.

Phil

[Coulomb]

The regulator needs to be replaced. Work that through River Marine.

The regulator is under warranty.

[Pwin]

Hi Dave

River Marine sent a new regulator.....same thing. I have checked and rechecked the set points and the absorption is 1VDC higher than the float with engine on or off. Still, after 20 to 30 seconds of engine running time the red light comes on and stays on. I have turned ignition on/off a bunch of times and started and stopped the engine a number of times.

I don't know what to do.

Phil

[Coulomb]

What is the engine and alternator?

[Pwin]

The engine is a Volvo diesle model TAMD41P-A. The alternator is an Ample model 4023F (I think) The other number on it is RR7061-- according to the label this is the serial number.

The Ample alternator and NS2 is for the 4 Lifeline house batteries. The engine also has a Volvo alternator for the starter battery. I am not using the Battery Combiner option or any of TB2 on the NS2.

Phil

[Coulomb]

We need to get the first one back to see if we can discover anything on the bench.

[Pwin]

I shipped the first one to John at River Marine yesterday. I will call him and let him know you want it back - can you contact him as well?

I was planning to leave the NS2 in service but keep a close eye on the loop 10 monitor to make sure things are behaving. Do you support this or do you think I should take the regulator and alternator off-line until we sort this out?

[Coulomb]

River Marine has already been contacted.

It shouldn't hurt to leave the alternator and regulator mounted.