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Old 09-14-2016, 10:19 AM   #21
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Thanks....
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Old 09-14-2016, 10:29 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
Jim,
Just looked at Interstate charging specs and it looks like they are:
Absorption:14.7 Float; 13.2 Equalize: 15.3
DIP #2,3,4, set to ON-OFF-OFF will yield Absorption: 14.46 Float;13.4 Equalize:15.6
As Scott says, none are perfect, but if I'm reading everything correctly this one seems the closest.

Update: Looks like in this previous post http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...ries-5405.html
They are saying the absorption rate for the G2 Interstate batteries is 15.3, so it gets even more confusing. The L-16 AGM settings may actually be closer for the G2's.
Exactly. None of the settings will give you the exact voltages Interstate recommends, but 15 for bulk is close. As for dip switch 5, again, I don't know own what the voltage is when selecting autoequalization. Therefore I'd probably go with manual at 15.3 by turning dip switch 5 off.

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Old 09-14-2016, 10:55 AM   #23
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Some months ago I found a discrepancy in two tech sheets on the Interstate website regarding absorption voltage for our GC2-XHD-UTL batteries. One said 15.3V and one said 14.46. I contacted them, they checked with their engineers who replied, oops, thanks for catching that, it should be 14.46 for the dual 6 setup. Ergo:

Charge current C/10
Bulk charging 14.46V
Absorption 14.46V @ 2-4 hrs.
Float 13.38V
Equalization 15.6V @ 2 hrs.

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Old 09-14-2016, 11:59 AM   #24
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When Jon looked at my display in Quartzsite he didn't think the DIPs were set correctly from pickup at ETI for the twin 6v's. I'll report back next week where they had them set when I open it up and what I changed. I think I will most likely set to ON-OFF-OFF for 2,3,4
DIP #5 I'll just flip a coin when I set it.
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Old 09-14-2016, 01:05 PM   #25
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Art, what is your battery setup?
I have the dual 6 V batteries option.
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Old 09-14-2016, 02:48 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
With the controller installed in storage spaces this can be an issue. I always disliked the openness of the accessory 12v outlets ETI installed, very easy to short out the circuit if some metallic item shift during travel. I asked Charlie @ widget to look into make some sort of plastic backs for these areas but it was not fruitful. I'm going to install plastic electrical boxes around mine and protect the controller with some sort of backing.
One of the first items I took care of , the exposed 12 volt accessory . Made a cover for it . Charley gave me a divider he made up in cabinet that protects the electronics up there for 120 and TV . In my mind instead of redesigning the whole exterior of trailer , putting more thought into these little things and wasted cabinet spaces etc., would of been at the top of my list . My last irritant was that cord . Pat
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Old 09-14-2016, 03:48 PM   #27
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It looks like reading the Samlex manual switch 2,3,4 shows ON,OFF,OFF for Flooded battery type and the ON,ON,OFF shows for AGM L-16 battery type.
I think it's good for the charge controller to give a likely default for flooded and AGM batteries, but better to go with what the battery manufacturer recommends. "L-16" is a size, by the way, not a type; I don't know why they would use this description, and the manual doesn't explain it. Otherwise, the manual appears to be quite good and informative.

This is the table from the Samlex SCC-30AB manual, corresponding to the label on the back of the unit:
Attached Thumbnails
SCC-30AB_chargingPrograms1.JPG   SCC-30AB_chargingPrograms2.JPG  
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Old 09-14-2016, 03:51 PM   #28
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As for dip switch 5, again, I don't know own what the voltage is when selecting autoequalization. Therefore I'd probably go with manual at 15.3 by turning dip switch 5 off.
I've only skimmed through the manual, but it appears that the equalization voltage is determined by the charging program setting (switches 2-3-4), and that only the triggering of the equalization cycle (automatically based on time, or manually when the front-panel button is pushed) is controlled by switch 5.

I think I would still chose manual equalization, to keep it from happening when I don't think it should.
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Old 09-14-2016, 06:12 PM   #29
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Thanks to Brian B-P for noticing that I still didn't have all the DIP switches set correctly, and to all the research others of you have done to determine the best settings. I just changed to what appears to be a near consensus:
1 2 3 4 5
ON ON OFF OFF ON

My 'coin flip' on 5 came up in favor of "automatic equalization", arguing that with manual, I might have to manually start something that I'm not clear about. Of course, Samlex might have something completely different in mind when they write 'automatic.'

Along the lines of trying to prevent a recurrence, I've cut of piece of 1/8" clear acrylic about 4.75" square, to cover the DIP switch, as shown below. It's hung it from two screws that are slightly loose so the acrylic is not held tightly, but it hopefully will prevent stored items that are bouncing around from changing the DIP switch settings.

It could have been a lot worse. I have stored our Lodge cast iron griddle (good fit on the Weber Q1200) there previously. It would have been more likely to smash the DIP switch to smithereens, than to change a few switch settings.
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Old 09-14-2016, 07:25 PM   #30
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Good solution, as you can still see the dip switch settings.

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Old 09-24-2016, 08:58 PM   #31
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Just pulled my solar controller today and ETI did not set the dip switches when they installed. They were set at: ON OFF OFF ON OFF which I'm assuming is the samlex default. Definitely was not setup for the dual 6v batteries.

I set at: ON ON OFF OFF ON for the dual Interstate 6v. We're in AZ so definitely wanted the auto equalization dip#5.

Anyone with solar and samlex controller needs to pull the controller and get the Dip switches set correctly for your battery or batteries as they are most likely not setup.
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Old 09-25-2016, 08:20 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg A View Post
Just pulled my solar controller today and ETI did not set the dip switches when they installed. They were set at: ON OFF OFF ON OFF which I'm assuming is the samlex default. Definitely was not setup for the dual 6v batteries.

I set at: ON ON OFF OFF ON for the dual Interstate 6v. We're in AZ so definitely wanted the auto equalization dip#5.

Anyone with solar and samlex controller needs to pull the controller and get the Dip switches set correctly for your battery or batteries as they are most likely not setup.
Greg
Ours were set like yours are now when we had the solar installed at ETI. I had previously reported that number one got flipped to off and caused no charging to occur. I reset to your pattern and have not had a problem all summer. Only number one got flipped. I'll install a "no accidental flip of the dip" protective panel in the off season.
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Old 09-27-2016, 12:00 PM   #33
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Our switches are all down which I guess is all off. So I take it that we need 1, 2 and 5 in the up position. Two 6-volts.
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Old 09-27-2016, 12:50 PM   #34
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Our switches are all down which I guess is all off. So I take it that we need 1, 2 and 5 in the up position. Two 6-volts.
Wow, good you checked. That is what I did for the Interstate twin 6v. Switch 5 is for auto equalization and I put it on because we're in AZ strong sun all day. Every 28 days it will run an equalization cycle on the batteries for I think close to 4 hours. If your sun isn't reliable for long periods you may want #5 off.
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Old 09-27-2016, 03:12 PM   #35
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Wow, good you checked. That is what I did for the Interstate twin 6v. Switch 5 is for auto equalization and I put it on because we're in AZ strong sun all day. Every 28 days it will run an equalization cycle on the batteries for I think close to 4 hours. If your sun isn't reliable for long periods you may want #5 off.
Either the monitor works with all switches off or we knocked them off, which is quite possible with the ton of stuff we have under that bench. So guess we will just put one and two on then.
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Old 09-27-2016, 03:19 PM   #36
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According to my orientation yesterday, Nigel at Escape told me that they are now installing a different controller that no longer has dip switches, it is fully automatic. Will verify that tomorrow....
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Old 09-27-2016, 03:23 PM   #37
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According to my orientation yesterday, Nigel at Escape told me that they are now installing a different controller that no longer has dip switches, it is fully automatic. Will verify that tomorrow....
I think I'd prefer being able to manually set what I wanted, unless of course this magic controller can auto-detect battery types, wiring, etc.

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Old 09-27-2016, 04:02 PM   #38
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According to my orientation yesterday, Nigel at Escape told me that they are now installing a different controller that no longer has dip switches, it is fully automatic. Will verify that tomorrow....
Unless things have changed since last week when I talked with them about installing my own controller (which they don't), they have switched back to the GoPower controller & panels. I prefer the Blue Skies Sun Power 30 controller I installed in my 17 because it has a battery temperature sensor, and can be set for just about any type of batteries with adjustable voltages & times settings without switches on the back - programing is done using the front display.

With the Blue Skies controller I generally ended up with 25 - 30 more amp hours with fully charged batteries than I did with the GoPower.

While I'll probably replace the GoPower controller with a new Blue Sky in my on order 21, the hole in the paneling for the GoPower controller is larger than the Blue Skies, so I'll need an adapter plate...
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Old 09-27-2016, 05:03 PM   #39
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Unless things have changed since last week when I talked with them about installing my own controller (which they don't), they have switched back to the GoPower controller & panels.
The Samlex controller discussed in this thread is the SCC-30AB
I think that the GoPower unit is their GP-PWM-30. Judging from the manuals available, controllers with this same model name have changed over the years (the previous one is the "2013 model"); the current "Maximum" version has two more front-panel buttons than the predecessor.

Quote:
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I prefer the Blue Skies Sun Power 30 controller I installed in my 17 because it has a battery temperature sensor, and can be set for just about any type of batteries with adjustable voltages & times settings without switches on the back - programing is done using the front display.
Both current and previous versions of the GP-PWM-30 are programmed with front-panel buttons, too... but without that much flexibility.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
According to my orientation yesterday, Nigel at Escape told me that they are now installing a different controller that no longer has dip switches, it is fully automatic.
They may be installing something else, but the current GP-PWM-30 requires the user to choose battery type ("Sealed/Gel", "AGM" or "Flooded"); it does not have further user-configurable settings, other than choosing equalization. The table of profiles (attached below) says to pick the one that suits your battery, regardless of actual battery construction, but there's not much difference. I don't see anything automatic about the charging profile choice.

As Jim said... no DIP switches with the GoPower controller.
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Old 09-27-2016, 05:22 PM   #40
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Here is my picture, it does say "Go Power" on the panel in the picture....
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