Potentiomters and amperage output

[gatogo]

I just installed a V3 and DAC on a catamaran. It says I am in Bulc Charge via the green lights, but either and both engines are only putting in 35 amps, yet the alterantors are new 90 amp Prestolite 8MR2070TA alts with the regulator removed. I was led to believe that when both engines were running there should be a sumative effect. Do I need to adjust the potenitiometers or was there not a depleated enough battery? We are running an 800 amp bank. I watched the voltage and it remained at 13.20 - 13.25. What I am hoping to achieve is a bulc charge of 130 amps or more if the batteries are suficiently discharged and we are running both engines and both alternators. I was led to believe this was possible. I would also like to see the float begin at or about 14 8 or a bit higher as i have AGM batteries.

Please help be dial this in.

Craig

[Coulomb]

Unless you enable current limiting the pots are not engaged.

Please take the measurements listed in the Troubleshooting
Guide here: http://www.amplepower.com/trouble/sarv3/index.html.

Thanks.

[gatogo]

I am beginning to run the tests as you requested - and will get back to you, however when I wired the alternator lead from the helm station wire bundle to the lug recommended by prestolite as well as a ground from the Volvo wire bundle to the ground on the alternator, Thes were not shown on your diagram - Should I ONLY use the field wire and have nothing other than the positive and negative connected to the alternator? Will that create a tach signel? Thanks

[gatogo]

I tried to use the diagnostics and compare numbers. The descriptors were confusing to me so here are the numbers:
Row Signal Ign Off Ign On Ign running
1 Parallel .08 .08 .08
2 ON/Off 0 9.86 9.73
3 Ground 0 0 0
4 B+ 12.98 12.72 12.78
5 field 0 11.77 11.85
6 alt gnd 0 0 .02
8 bat volts 12.98 12.93 12.99
9 t- (blk) 0 0 -.01
10 t+ (red) 3.0 3.0 3.0
11 no
12 no
13 no
14 Limit 12.98 12.92 13.0
15 EQL 12.98 12.92 13.0
House Battery 12.98 12.98 13.0

From what i could make out from the descriptors the on/off voltage may be low

I know the alternators are putting out, because when I flipped the equalize switch the charge with both engines went to 124 amps at 2000 rpm, but cycled down in 30 minutes and and the alternatod cut out, There was no floating or rising to 16 volts.

Craig

[Coulomb]

If you're going to enable current limiting on 14 and 15, then you have to dial up the current.
14 Limit 12.98 12.92 13.0
15 EQL 12.98 12.92 13.0

Remove those wires and see what alternators produce.

[gatogo]

Yahoo! I took off the Eql and limit wires and the alternators did charge this morning - They cycled up to 14.15 then dropped into float at 13.2... all in about 30 minutes. This left a house battery bank that was still fairly discharged according to the Link 1000.

1.) How can I better control this to keep the bulk and absorbtion charge on longer so that i am not runnig at a huge deficit?

2.) I have a Zantrex Pathmaker whic worked previously and seems to be working now. Could this be causing an early shut down?

3.) The second question is now that the limit and equalize wires are disconnected ant the system seems to be working better, how do I reconnect them and adjust them so that they function properly?

4.) Additionally, for the technically challenged, on the dip switches for the type of battery, the switch is ON when the uppre part of the switch is pushed in, correct? We have AGM's so up in, up in, down in. (sorry for being so concrete).

5.) Would / could solar pannels create a spurious reading at the regulator and cause an early shut sown? They are on a solar controller.

Craig

[Coulomb]

1) The Link 1000 is not accurate enough to indicate state of charge. Read this: http://www.amplepower.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36

2) You need to know how to manage batteries. This URL has some information: http://www.amplepower.com/primer/full/index.html
But you should get a copy of "Living on 12V with Ample Power" and read the battery management section.

3) If you want to use current limiting inputs, one, two or both, read the manual about their interaction, and set the pots to the desired current.

4) Depress the side marked On to be On.

5) No.

It's our experience that AGM batteries are slow to charge after deep discharges, maybe taking a week or two at a high float voltage, and even then not reaching full capacity. During testing with 100% discharges the AGM batteries were down to about 60% of capacity after a few cycle and nothing we did would restore them. Running the same test on the gel batteries consistently yielded the same capacity cycle after cycle.

Don't discharge your batteries below about 25% of capacity. If you think they aren't charging fully, set the regulator to the thick plate setting for a few cycles.

[gatogo]

Thank you - I have been reading as you suggested and will try the thick plate setting several times in the future. I am still not sure what to do with the Equalization wire and Limit wire you had me dissconnect. I have read and re-read the manual I have and there are no contingencies for the wires being disconnected or if reconnected how to work around the problem we were presented with. There are on off switches on both the wires as recommended and the little black shunt/chip is in the board of the alternator. What next?

Thank you.

Craig

[gatogo]

You have been prompt in getting back to me on earlier quiries, perhaps the last one wasn't seen. I am in Mexico and trying to resolve these issues so that i can leave, and am waiting on your input. Thanks for getting back to me.

Thank you - I have been reading as you suggested and will try the thick plate setting several times in the future. I am still not sure what to do with the Equalization wire and Limit wire you had me dissconnect. I have read and re-read the manual I have and there are no contingencies for the wires being disconnected or if reconnected how to work around the problem we were presented with. There are on off switches on both the wires as recommended and the little black shunt/chip is in the board of the alternator. Is it a matter of adjusting the EQL and Limiting pots in until there is a low output? What will stop the problem of the low output being present as it was when the wires were connected before. What next? Thank you.

Craig

[Coulomb]

Equalization is not recommended unless you know what it's all about. Then you won't have to ask how to do it. There are other messages on the forum covering this subject.

Switches are good.

Current limiting is useful if you need to reduce power from the engine. Engage the input per the manual and set the pot to the desired current. If you limit current it may take a long time to charge.