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RICKBETTY · 07-23-2017, 07:01 PM

Im having a memory lapse concerning , do I have to turn the battery switch to the on position , if the van in plugged into shore power and not being used?? can i turn the battery switch to the off position , if not using anything. Will the house batteries still maintain the charge??

Titus · 07-23-2017, 07:12 PM

I am not sure of your question. On my 2013 with Magnum the charger will charge using shore power whether/not the battery switch is on. We have upgraded to 200W solar and leave the battery switch on all the time. With refrigerator, antenna booster, and LPG switch off the solar will keep ahead of the other parasitic losses.

Protagonist · 07-23-2017, 08:25 PM

As a matter of routine, if you're not going to be using house systems for a while, go ahead and disconnect the house batteries. The charging systems (BIM, shore, solar, generator) will still be connected to the house batteries.

If you're hooked up to shore power, you could leave everything powered up, as Titus said. But it's still good practice to shut off what you're not using, both the main 12vDC disconnect and the main 120vAC breaker.

rapper · 07-25-2017, 05:55 PM

Rick - see if you have a separate cutoff switch/relay on your magnum. I have 2016 and it connects/disconnects at the same time with the main battery disconnect switch. So my battery disconnect needs to be ON to charge my house batteries when on shore power.

I know this very well as i had an issue on the magnum battery relay before (it gets too hot) and it took me a lot of time troubleshooting and finally Airstream changed it to the same auto switch as the main disconnect.

Silver.Sanctuary · 07-26-2017, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICKBETTY

Im having a memory lapse concerning , do I have to turn the battery switch to the on position , if the van in plugged into shore power and not being used?? can i turn the battery switch to the off position , if not using anything. Will the house batteries still maintain the charge??

I can't talk to the newer trailers, but the 2004 with the Parallax original (and PD4645 upgrade) has the battery USE light on whenever plugged into shore power. It doesn't matter if the switch was in the store position to begin with.

busb2 · 07-26-2017, 02:26 PM

My 2017 AI will still charge with the main disconnect off. The MAGNUM stays on as Protagonist suggests.

FlyFishinRVr · 07-26-2017, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by busb2

My 2017 AI will still charge with the main disconnect off. The MAGNUM stays on as Protagonist suggests.

Then yours is a very unique '17 AI. Mine, and all other '17's that I'm aware of, require the house power to be ON in order for the batteries to be charged due to Airstream adding a second switch (vs. the kludge SB-164 solenoid) which disconnects the Magnum from the batteries when the house power is switched OFF. This is to reduce the parasitic draw that results by having the Magnum always on.

To the OP, house power on or off is highly dependent on your model year and if you have SB-164 installed. I see from your sig that you have a '15. If you have NOT had SB-164 installed, then the position of the house power switch doesn't matter. The Magnum will charge your batteries in either position. If you DO have SB-164 installed, then you need to switch your house power ON in order to charge your batteries while on shore power.

Yeah, it's a bit of a mess......

busb2 · 07-26-2017, 05:14 PM

Fly not sure how unique my 2017 is, when I purchased the unit there was another one I looked at and it was plugged in at the dealership with battery disconnect on, and Magnum was on just like mine is now. They must have changed something at some point in the 2017 production run. Seems like this is the way it should be in the first place.

Boxster1971 · 07-26-2017, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyFishinRVr

Then yours is a very unique '17 AI. Mine, and all other '17's that I'm aware of, require the house power to be ON in order for the batteries to be charged due to Airstream adding a second switch (vs. the kludge SB-164 solenoid) which disconnects the Magnum from the batteries when the house power is switched OFF. This is to reduce the parasitic draw that results by having the Magnum always on.

To the OP, house power on or off is highly dependent on your model year and if you have SB-164 installed. I see from your sig that you have a '15. If you have NOT had SB-164 installed, then the position of the house power switch doesn't matter. The Magnum will charge your batteries in either position. If you DO have SB-164 installed, then you need to switch your house power ON in order to charge your batteries while on shore power.

Yeah, it's a bit of a mess......

Yes it is a mess -- Airstream made changes in this area for 2017 models. I have two copies of the 2017 Owner’s manual, one from last summer and one downloaded a few weeks ago. The earlier version has a schematic showing the old SB-164 relay set-up. The newer version schematic has the two disconnect switches interconnected.

It is possible that Airstream sent a few of the 2017’s out the door without either solution while they worked up the design for the two switch version. Either way you can test is easily by plugging in when sun is not shining, so no solar charging, and check the voltages on the Tank Monitor panel battery voltage displays. If the batteries are being charged by Magnum Inverter/Charger then voltage on the “BATT AUX” position will be above 13.4+/-, rather than about 12.8+/- when the batteries are not being charged. Copy of Monitor panel attached.

Hope this helps,

Titus · 07-26-2017, 06:00 PM

What is the current draw of a Magnum that has power going to it, but the invertor is off? I installed a switch in the cable going to the Magnum so I could do hard reset if necessary, but never thought about turning it off to save power.

I have 200W of solar and that is enough to keep the batteries charged for the 7 months I am using it or it is sitting in the driveway. I remove the coach batteries (and disconnect the chassis battery at the accelerator pedal) when I store it in a barn for the winter. The solar easily keeps up with coach battery switch and Magnum switch on but with everything else off.

busb2 · 07-26-2017, 06:02 PM

Boxster, on mine, if you put the switch on auxiliary battery, the panel is blank when the main disconnect is on. The Magnum remote is on and shows the charging mode as usual along with voltage so you know it is working.

FlyFishinRVr · 07-26-2017, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

What is the current draw of a Magnum that has power going to it, but the invertor is off? I installed a switch in the cable going to the Magnum so I could do hard reset if necessary, but never thought about turning it off to save power.

I want to say it's something like 0.5-0.8A, but heck if I can remember where that number came from. Getting old is hard.....

. Maybe someone else can chime in that remembers the exact number and why it's there. I just remember it's not an insignificant number, and was obviously high enough that Airstream decided to do something about it.....

Boxster1971 · 07-26-2017, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by busb2

Boxster, on mine, if you put the switch on auxiliary battery, the panel is blank when the main disconnect is on. The Magnum remote is on and shows the charging mode as usual along with voltage so you know it is working.

So do you ever get a voltage reading from BATT AUX? You might have a wire disconnected. The power for BATT AUX comes directly from a wire connected to the coach battery side on the BIM relay.

busb2 · 07-27-2017, 03:56 AM

Boxster, Sure the auxiliary panel has the battery voltage showing when the main disconnect is off i.e. The batteries are connected. Not when the main disconnect is on i.e. The batteries Are not connected. My 2014.5 AI did the same.

Rig Rat · 07-27-2017, 06:52 AM

To the OP, house power on or off is highly dependent on your model year and if you have SB-164 installed. I see from your sig that you have a '15. If you have NOT had SB-164 installed, then the position of the house power switch doesn't matter. The Magnum will charge your batteries in either position. If you DO have SB-164 installed, then you need to switch your house power ON in order to charge your batteries while on shore power.

************************************************** *************

We bought our '15 used. How do I tell if the previous owner had the SB-164 solenoid installed or not? Does Airstream keep a record of Service Bulletins performed or will I need to do a manual inspection? If I need to look for it, where will I find it in my AI Lounge?
Thanks much!
Mark

Pahaska · 07-27-2017, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister B

We bought our '15 used. How do I tell if the previous owner had the SB-164 solenoid installed or not? Does Airstream keep a record of Service Bulletins performed or will I need to do a manual inspection? If I need to look for it, where will I find it in my AI Lounge?
Thanks much!
Mark

It is hard to access the added solenoid since it is under the couch, but I think you can tell by seeing if the Magnum goes off when the battery is disconnected. If so, you have SB164.

An Airstream dealer can look it up; they did for me.

Rig Rat · 07-27-2017, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

It is hard to access the added solenoid since it is under the couch, but I think you can tell by seeing if the Magnum goes off when the battery is disconnected. If so, you have SB164.

An Airstream dealer can look it up; they did for me.

Thanks, I will check it!

Rig Rat · 07-27-2017, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister B

Thanks, I will check it!

With my power disconnect turned off, my Magnum was on and registering 13.1V. However nothing showed when I hit the aux battery switch on the master control panel.

busb2 · 07-27-2017, 03:45 PM

So, MisterB, yours works same as my 2017

Boxster1971 · 07-27-2017, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by busb2

Boxster, Sure the auxiliary panel has the battery voltage showing when the main disconnect is off i.e. The batteries are connected. Not when the main disconnect is on i.e. The batteries Are not connected. My 2014.5 AI did the same.

You are correct. My bad - sorry for confusion. The monitor panel is powered through 12VDC fuse panel that is off when batteries are disconnected.

I wonder if the solar display panel would show the charging voltage?