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Old 08-24-2013, 08:03 AM   #81
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Ran Jenny most of day to cool can down from 98 degrees, shut it down, batteries at 100% on solar indicator, 13.4v on test panel. Router, TV (used as 2nd monitor) and laptop all running from inverter (didn't check draw) worked for about 2hrs on battery an shut down for night (inverter and router left on all night - antenna boost was on also.
Inverter itself is a parasitic draw. In order to make 120vAC from 12vDC, it has to be powered by the batteries. Use the three-position switch on the inverter itself to shut it off, since the remote panel doesn't have an off position. The only appliance that might need to be left on 24/7 is the fridge (if you're using it) and it has a 12v mode so it doesn't need the inverter.

Router didn't need to be left on while not in use, either.

Antenna amplifier is a big parasitic load. Unless you need to receive broadcast television, turn it off. This may or may not be controlled by the house battery switch. Simple check— Turn on amplifier. Turn off house batteries. If green status light is still lit, amplifier is not controlled by house battery switch. Mine stay lit, so I have to be sure to turn off the amplifier separately.

Also, if you don't need propane, turn off the solenoid switch. Another big parasitic draw. Some folks say that their propane shuts off when they turn off house battery power, others say the switch continues to draw power. In my case, I can cook a meal on the propane burners with the house batteries shut off, so I know that my propane switch isn't overridden by the house battery disconnect switch and I have to turn it off separately. May want to check yours to see. Easy check— light a burner. Turn off house batteries but leave propane switch on. Wait 5 minutes. See if burner is still lit. If it is, then the solenoid is a parasitic draw with house system turned off.

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Anyway, after driving around for 45 min I was able to get battery to 11v and start the Jenny. Since jenny was running i figured id cool cab down but AIR wouldn't kick on. After about an hour of Jenny running the air started.
Thermostat is a 12v system, even though a/c is a 120v system. Low battery can affect the thermostat, keeping the a/c from working. Batteries had to charge until the thermostat would work.

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Sad I can't run off battery for 24hrs and operate equipment needed to pay my bills. I was really hopping to run Jenny for an hour or so a day to cool van and charge batteries mid day heat, but don't think this will get me there.
If you're diligent about turning off things you don't need, you should be able to expand your off-grid duration. You'll still not have a LOT of duration, but you'll do better than you are now. It's a learning experience.

Side note, your laptop has an internal battery, so you don't need it plugged in all the time. Plug it in while generator is running, but don't run it off the inverter until you need to recharge it. Side note, you may be able to get a 12v car adaptor for your laptop, and get away from ever running your laptop off the inverter at all. It's much more efficient to go straight from 12vDC to whatever DC voltage your laptop uses without converting from DC (house) to AC (inverter) and back to DC (laptop).
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Old 08-24-2013, 08:08 AM   #82
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This is why I upgraded my solar panels (see my "Parked Battery Life" thread). FYI, you can use the chassis battery to start the generator if your house batteries won't. You need a second person to push the battery assist button on the front panel left of the steering wheel while you start the generator.
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Old 08-24-2013, 08:11 AM   #83
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This is why I upgraded my solar panels (see my "Parked Battery Life" thread). FYI, you can use the chassis battery to start the generator if your house batteries won't. You need a second person to push the battery assist button on the front panel left of the steering wheel while you start the generator.
Pity my 2012 doesn't even have that button. There were times when I was a newbie and hadn't figured out all of my parasitic draws that I could have used that…
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Old 08-24-2013, 08:19 AM   #84
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Protagonist, MILATV's 2014 probably has a Magnum Inverter so he may not have a 3 position switch on the Inverter itself like our Tripp-Lite inverter does. In fact, I don't even know where they put the Magnum inverter because when I looked at a 2014, there was a blank panel where the Tripp-Lites are. Perhaps someone with a Magnum inverter can chime in.
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Old 08-24-2013, 08:23 AM   #85
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100% not 200%. Fat fingers - little keys
Lol, when I read your original post, I thought, not even Lewster with his 5 solar panels can get 200%
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Old 08-24-2013, 08:30 AM   #86
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Protagonist, MILATV's 2014 probably has a Magnum Inverter so he may not have a 3 position switch on the Inverter itself like our Tripp-Lite inverter does. In fact, I don't even know where they put the Magnum inverter because when I looked at a 2014, there was a blank panel where the Tripp-Lites are. Perhaps someone with a Magnum inverter can chime in.
Didn't think of that. But even a Magnum inverter/charger is bound to have an "off" setting. If it doesn't, then when you don't need to invert, switch it to charge only. Don't rely on the inverter being smart enough to stop inverting when you shut all the 120vAC appliances off. Some appliances still draw power when switched off (anything with a remote control, anything with a clock display) so the inverter will NEVER switch itself to "charge" unless you start unplugging things (or until you hook up to shore power or start the genny).

Also, the inverter may not be shut off by the battery disconnect, either. Again, an easy check. Turn on a television, then turn off battery power; it the television stays on, the inverter is not controlled by the battery disconnect.
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Old 08-24-2013, 09:19 AM   #87
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Thanks for the help,

I thought the bypass switch might work but didn't bother the wife (visiting her mother) will remember that one.

All "non required items" off from now on, but hoped wife could watch Netflix while I work at the beach w/o noisy generator - we'll work on that one.

Laptop gets 5hrs on batt so will use internal until generator running, shouldn't be a problem

May have found culprit, we took showers in van, and tried to heat water with elec for 10 min or so, but no indicator to say its running (first time trying water heater) so we turned off elec and fired it up gas. If water heater pulls from bat or inv I'm sure it sucked them down pretty low!

So that should drop me to one TV as second monitor (don't have to have router as I'm using Verizon on IPhone ( got router and retrans for iPads and blueray player for Netflix.)

I can go w/o that if needed but I work with some huge spreadsheets and 2nd monitor is helpful.

Ill update any notices, but with EVERYTHING running life w/o Jenny isn't very long

Will see how often it happens then consider battery & solar upgrades.
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Old 08-24-2013, 09:25 AM   #88
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FYI. Magnum is under the rear bench,behind the breaker panel (not accessible w/o removing some screws, Remote allows for Off position but with battery disconnect OFF position, the magnum panel still works. As does all the other panels.
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Old 08-24-2013, 10:42 AM   #89
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FYI, I believe that the light on the waterheater only comes on if it fails to light. So it was probably working on electric. Also, you can run the waterheater on both electric and propane if you're in a hurry, but generally use propane unless you're plugged in to shore power.
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Old 08-24-2013, 12:36 PM   #90
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My A/C on a 90+ degree day will draw close to the 20A max. That's why I turn my Tripp-Lite inverter off because if I don't, the controller will shed load to get below the 20A max. The generator will continue to run as will the A/C fan, just not the compressor. This is what happened to me two years ago.

The inverter will draw some current even if the batteries are fully charged and it's set to line charge only. Maybe the Magnum operates differently.

If everything is working properly, one should be able to start the generator if the diesel is running and the alternator/chassis battery is supplying 12V to the buss.

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FYI, I believe that the light on the waterheater only comes on if it fails to light.
On another topic on electrical, has anyone got the button on the monitor that supposedly switches between 20A and 30A to actually do something? On mine, the 30A LED is always lit whether on shore or generator power and pressing the button does nothing.

That's correct.
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Old 08-24-2013, 01:03 PM   #91
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On another topic on electrical, has anyone got the button on the monitor that supposedly switches between 20A and 30A to actually do something? On mine, the 30A LED is always lit whether on shore or generator power and pressing the button does nothing.
It might do something if you plugged your shore power cord into a 15amp or 20amp outlet. Haven't really tried it.
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Old 08-24-2013, 01:52 PM   #92
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My A/C on a 90+ degree day will draw close to the 20A max. That's why I turn my Tripp-Lite inverter off because if I don't, the controller will shed load to get below the 20A max. The generator will continue to run as will the A/C fan, just not the compressor. This is what happened to me two years ago.

The inverter will draw some current even if the batteries are fully charged and it's set to line charge only. Maybe the Magnum operates differently.

If everything is working properly, one should be able to start the generator if the diesel is running and the alternator/chassis battery is supplying 12V to the buss.

On another topic on electrical, has anyone got the button on the monitor that supposedly switches between 20A and 30A to actually do something? On mine, the 30A LED is always lit whether on shore or generator power and pressing the button does nothing.

That's correct.
Yes. If plugged into shore power you can push the button and drop to 20amp

I plugged into house and kept popping the breaker (TV + Air + Router) because power controller thought it had 30 Amps to work with, on 20 amp setting all was good.
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Old 08-24-2013, 01:53 PM   #93
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Yes. If plugged into shore power you can push the button and drop to 20amp

I plugged into house and kept popping the breaker (TV + Air + Router) because power controller thought it had 30 Amps to work with, on 20 amp setting all was good.
FYI I was plugged into a 20 amp plug.
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Old 08-24-2013, 01:56 PM   #94
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On another topic on electrical, has anyone got the button on the monitor that supposedly switches between 20A and 30A to actually do something? On mine, the 30A LED is always lit whether on shore or generator power and pressing the button does nothing.
I believe you're supposed to manually press the button depending in whether you're plugged into 20a or 30a. The Gen light should come on when it's on.
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Old 08-24-2013, 02:18 PM   #95
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I believe you're supposed to manually press the button depending in whether you're plugged into 20a or 30a. The Gen light should come on when it's on.
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I don't have a "Gen light". Are you referring to the Load LEDs that come on as the generator comes up?

I'm plugged in to a 15A outlet and the button does not have any effect. Besides it can't tell what the shore power service rating is.

The A/C will run on 15A shore power with everything else off as long as temp. is <80*. After that, the current draw will go over 15A.
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Old 08-24-2013, 04:15 PM   #96
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I don't have a "Gen light". Are you referring to the Load LEDs that come on as the generator comes up?

I'm plugged in to a 15A outlet and the button does not have any effect. Besides it can't tell what the shore power service rating is.

The A/C will run on 15A shore power with everything else off as long as temp. is <80*. After that, the current draw will go over 15A.
I think we're talking about the same button. I'm talking about the "Select" button on the Power Control System pictured on the upper right below. When you're plugged into 20a, you're supposed to press the button until the 20a light lights up so the AS doesn't try to pull too much amps and blow your shore power breaker. Or am I totally misunderstanding your question?


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Old 08-24-2013, 04:21 PM   #97
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I think we're talking about the same button. I'm talking about the "Select" button on the Power Control System pictured on the upper right below. When you're plugged into 20a, you're supposed to press the button until the 20a light lights up so the AS doesn't try to pull too much amps and blow your shore power breaker. Or am I totally misunderstanding your question?
That's the same switch I'm talking about. It's just that when I press it it doesn't do anything. It doesn't switch between 20 and 30 amps. I even tried pressing and holding for several seconds to see if that's what it took it still doesn't change. The LED light remains lit for 30 amps all the time.
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Old 08-24-2013, 04:36 PM   #98
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On another topic on electrical, has anyone got the button on the monitor that supposedly switches between 20A and 30A to actually do something? On mine, the 30A LED is always lit whether on shore or generator power and pressing the button does nothing.

That's correct.
IF I am plugged into a 20 AMP circuit and use the panel to set input tp 20 AMPs the 20 AMP setting will hold. However, I noticed the other day that I had it set on 20 AMP and plugged into a 30 AMP source. When I turned on the A/C and apparently the panel automatically reset itself to 30 AMPs.??

On the same topic I just checked and the OAT is 102 and with the temp set at 78 the A/C is doing a good job holding the temp setting and only pulling 15 Amp.
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Old 08-24-2013, 04:39 PM   #99
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IF I am plugged into a 20 AMP circuit and use the panel to set input tp 20 AMPs the 20 AMP setting will hold. However, I noticed the other day that I had it set on 20 AMP and plugged into a 30 AMP source. When I turned on the A/C and apparently the panel automatically reset itself to 30 AMPs.??
I'm beginning to think that the Airstream Interstate is not quite ready for prime time.
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Old 08-24-2013, 04:42 PM   #100
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I'm beginning to think that the Airstream Interstate is not quite ready for prime time.
My take on that is the control panel is smarter than I was giving it credit for.
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