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Old 04-19-2019, 03:58 PM   #81
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Battery Disconnect?

I am not sure of the terminology but I believe that some of the problems with over voltage comes with the panels and charger doing some "equalization?" and supplying high voltage occasionally?
Is it possible to use the battery disconnect switch while this over voltage occurs so it does not damage any of the appliances?
Can the over voltage be set to occur as a specific time such as driving or when not in use again so the disconnect switch can be used?
I am trying to find a way to minimize possible damage until I can get our 21 home and have time to work on it.
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Old 04-19-2019, 06:06 PM   #82
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Originally Posted by yangstyle View Post
I am not sure of the terminology but I believe that some of the problems with over voltage comes with the panels and charger doing some "equalization?" and supplying high voltage occasionally?
Is it possible to use the battery disconnect switch while this over voltage occurs so it does not damage any of the appliances?
Can the over voltage be set to occur as a specific time such as driving or when not in use again so the disconnect switch can be used?
I am trying to find a way to minimize possible damage until I can get our 21 home and have time to work on it.
Your trailer will have a WFCO power center that charges the battery(ies) and supplies up to 14.4 volts DC depending on the operating mode.

WFCO converter output voltages
1. Bulk Mode
1). When the converter detects that the output voltage of the battery has dropped to 13.2VDC, the converter will automatically boost the output voltage to 14.4 volts, this means the battery energy is less than 50%.
2). If converter detects that the output voltage is 14.4 volts, the converter will drop to 13.6 volts (Absorption Mode), this means battery energy is full.
3). The converter will supply the output voltage of 14.4 for a period of time, then the converter will automatically return to 13.6 volts. This is to avoid battery damaged under a prolong period of charging.

2. Absorption Mode: During this period the converter will keep the voltage at 13.6 volts.

3. Float Mode: After a prolong period of sensing no load or demand the microcontroller automatically places the converter in the “Float Mode” and will supply the output voltage of 13.2.

Since you will not know when the WFCO will go into bulk mode, there is no way of "timing" it's use.

Hopefully, this helps you understand the dilemma of some of the higher voltages in the trailer. If you have solar, another set of voltage thresholds occur (equalization) that can be even higher.


Here's the good news - Reace will take care of any failures while it's under warranty! So enjoy the trip home and your new trailer! No Worries, Mate!
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Old 04-20-2019, 12:09 PM   #83
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Thanks tdf. I have some work to do to educate myself about solar and 12V dc. I just always thought that 12V is 12V, but I read elsewhere on the forum that 12.7V is 100% charged and 12V is 25% charged.
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Old 04-20-2019, 12:29 PM   #84
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I read elsewhere on the forum that 12.7V is 100% charged and 12V is 25% charged.

Here you go. You can ignore all the numbers for now, except those in blue under "Open Circuit Voltage Reading".
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Old 04-20-2019, 02:47 PM   #85
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Thanks. Good to know.
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Old 04-21-2019, 12:40 PM   #86
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please post pictures of your install, I'm going to have to follow you in about 30 days....thanks
I completed instalation of regulator yesterday. Man, it takes me a LONG time to do anything. Always has!!!
I refer you to the step by step instructions posted earlier in this thread. Thanks so much, could not have done it without!!!
I did have a problem with my braided wires staying in the socket of the regulator. I do not have a soldering gun. I am showing pics of my backyard solution. A few other pics of the regulator and measured voltage, before and after adjusting the regulator. The adjustment screw takes a lot of turns.
I used velcro, the hot glue did not work. I may not have applied sufficient quantities of the glue. I didn't know if it would conduct unwantingly?
Mark
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20190421_095312-800x450.jpg   20190421_095429-800x450.jpg   20190420_111624-600x1067.jpg   20190420_112634-800x450.jpg  
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Old 04-21-2019, 12:44 PM   #87
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More pics
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Old 04-21-2019, 01:17 PM   #88
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I see, you used solid wires on a short piece and then joined that to your braided supply wires? So many slots, how do you know which to use?
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Old 04-21-2019, 02:38 PM   #89
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I went by the instructions previously posted in this thread, AND it is written on the board on both sides, albeit very small lettering.
Your hot and ground wires going to the fan circuit board are attached to the side of the regulator as pictured in image #3 above( regulator hanging by 2 wires), and in the original posters pics. The wires leading from the regulator to the fan come out the opposite side, the one with the adjusting screw and brass wheel like thingy!
Mark
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Old 05-09-2019, 08:53 PM   #90
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Slightly different product, same intent... we'll see..

I'm not sure why, it may have had something to do with availablity or shipping to Canada, but I chose a slightly different regulator. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
10A max, 8A constant. Very simple with a positive and negative input, pos and neg output.
The red LED in this one is labeled "Fault", and came on as soon as I connected it to system voltage. No voltage measured at the output side.
I'll tinker some more with it, but I may be wishing I had ordered the part you all are using.
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Old 05-11-2019, 12:12 PM   #91
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I spoke to Maxxair again yesterday and they are sending out yet another board (my third one). The board they just sent runs the fan and will set the auto function but doesn’t provide 12V to the lifting motor. I checked voltage at the connector to the lifting motor. I also put 12V to the lifting motor and it operated fine. So the board was faulty.

The Maxxair tech told me that he thought the new boards were coated to prevent condensation issues. I told him they didn’t seem coated to me and that there were several people on the forum that seemed to be having the same issue and the consensus was the failures were due to either condensation or over-voltage. In my case, right after I saw condensation dripping from where the board lives in the unit, it started beeping randomly, turning on by itself, and then failing. So I conclude the problem is condensation.

To the point on this thread, he told me that the new board design increased the voltage tolerance so that the board supposedly would work up to 16V and not actually fail until 18V. (Unfortunately, that is the board they just sent me which didn’t provide 12V to the lifting motor, so I’m starting to conclude their board supplier is just not making them very well). So if that's true, you may not need to install a separate voltage regulator and the problem may be limited to an intolerance to condensation.






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Old 12-31-2019, 08:06 PM   #92
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Sitting in Michigan thinking of camping and looking for things to do.

Reviving this thread to ask if you think one of these might work for a regulator

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3297...5-7228497664ab

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3284...5c316218CDR52n

Both are using the XL4016 chip
Long delivery times, cheap prices, but most of our electronics come from offshore already
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Old 12-31-2019, 08:52 PM   #93
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Sitting in Michigan thinking of camping and looking for things to do.

Reviving this thread to ask if you think one of these might work for a regulator

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3297...5-7228497664ab

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3284...5c316218CDR52n

Both are using the XL4016 chip
Long delivery times, cheap prices, but most of our electronics come from offshore already
The specs were not available for these buck regulator boards but in general, the drop out voltage for a XL4016 chip is about 1.5v.

https://www.sunpower-uk.com/glossary...ltage-dropout/

What that means is that the input voltage to the board would have to be at least 1.5v higher than the set output voltage. For a setpoint of 12v, the input voltage would always have to be above 13.5v. That's not going to work well for our application.

A boost/buck regulator does not have a drop out voltage - which is the reason I spec'd that type (LTC3780) for voltage regulation of our trailer devices.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Conve...53.m1438.l2649
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Old 04-25-2020, 07:50 AM   #94
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Originally Posted by tdf-texas View Post
I am adding voltage regulator circuits using LM2940cT-12 to all the LED lights. I prefer to have each device have it's own protection as it modulizes the failure modes. One voltage regulator - one device. If a voltage regulator fails, it takes out only one device.

Also, the mod becomes universal - not everyone on the board needs to have voltage regulation on their lighting (just 2017-2018).

But if you wanted to - the LTC3780 is a 14 amp device and could protect any one of 12v circuits in the trailer.

I plan on installing one on all the devices that require protection from high voltage. I ordered 3 more from Ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-DC-Conve...72.m2749.l2649
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do yo have pictures of your LM2940cT-12 install?
Thans in advance ......Doug
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:35 AM   #95
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do yo have pictures of your LM2940cT-12 install?
Thans in advance ......Doug
Yes. Here they are.

I lifted the 12v wire from the switch going to the LED array and soldered it to the "in" pin of the regulator. The "out" pin was soldered to the post that I lifted the 12v in from and the "gnd" pin was soldered to the 12v return post.

I used 22uf 15v tantalum capacitors. Tantalum caps are polarized - make sure they are installed with the + on out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radial-Dipp...l8EyHVkM020cdg

I used double sided thermal tape to attach the regulator to the base plate.
https://www.amazon.com/Ceatech-Therm.../dp/B072JJD2ND

I did this mod to all the lights in my trailer. The mod could be done to any 12v LED lighting to make them more robust but if the light already has voltage regulation built in, it isn't needed. Sadly, a lot of the 12v LED lights on the market don't have anything more than a voltage drop resistor.
Attached Thumbnails
LM2949ct-12 with cap.jpg   LM2940CT-12.jpg   Large Light.jpg   LED light regulator.jpg   Small Light.jpg  

Facon 6w LED RV Ceiling Dome Light.jpg  
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Old 04-25-2020, 11:29 AM   #96
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Thank you for the help .
I have a 2017 19 ft and have had two lights fail.Also waiting for theLTC 3780 to arrive.
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Old 04-25-2020, 02:14 PM   #97
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Thank you for the help .
I have a 2017 19 ft and have had two lights fail.Also waiting for theLTC 3780 to arrive.
If you need them to replace the failed ones.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SUNLINK-12-...-/274104239393
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Old 04-25-2020, 05:17 PM   #98
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Are these already 12 volt regulated?
Thanks again.
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:00 PM   #99
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Are these already 12 volt regulated?
Thanks again.
No, they are the same LED lights you currently have and would need the voltage regulator mod as well. But the fit the dent in the roof vinyl.
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Old 04-26-2020, 07:27 AM   #100
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No, they are the same LED lights you currently have and would need the voltage regulator mod as well. But the fit the dent in the roof vinyl.
Just wondering, are there any LED lights that are voltage regulated and fit the dent in the ceiling?
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