What is best way to stress test a system in an RV?

[reader2580]

Just hook your laptop into the inverter via the MK3 USB and run the Victron Connect program on your PC.

Does Victron Connect monitor the voltage 24x7? I want to be able to see if there is some sort of issue with the voltage coming from the generator that is causing issues. My generator is a large water cooled diesel and I have never had a voltage issue yet, but I haven't monitored it long term.

The inverter has shut down even in pass through mode when not inverting. It will stop passing power through.

 

[Checkthisout]

Nope it'll disappear if no communication. Fault is showing the MP has a fault and turner off for a specific reason. If the MP is reporting a fault multiple times and OP isn't even bothered to see what the fault was recorded in VRM to fix then we can magically determine the issue.

When my 12v bms fried both times it was because high voltage. My Quattro faulted too and protected itself. Unfortunately other devices didn't do the same.

So if the inverter loses battery power when it's inverting, the Cerbo says "loss of battery power" or something of that nature and records the fault?

I'm not 100% on how their system works but where does the Cerbo and display get power if the battery BMS turns off?

 

[reader2580]

The Cerbo probably says fault when the inverter loses power as it cannot communicated with it during that time.

Going to guess all your issues are with the fried BMS in the SOK battery which cooked for whatever reason

The problems with the inverter were happening this year while the bad SOK battery was completely turned off and disconnected.

 

[Checkthisout]

Does Victron Connect monitor the voltage 24x7? I want to be able to see if there is some sort of issue with the voltage coming from the generator that is causing issues. My generator is a large water cooled diesel and I have never had a voltage issue yet, but I haven't monitored it long term.

The inverter has shut down even in pass through mode when not inverting. It will stop passing power through.

That's good information.

The question I would ask, I think to pass power, the Multiplus has to have battery power applied to operate the circuity.

It would make sense that if your battery is cutting off, you would also lose pass-through (if it indeed requires a battery to run under those conditions).

 

[reader2580]

That's good information.

The question I would ask, I think to pass power, the Multiplus has to have battery power applied to operate the circuity.

It would make sense that if your battery is cutting off, you would also lose pass-through (if it indeed requires a battery to run under those conditions).

I have always had battery power when the inverter is having issues. The batteries power the Cerbo GX with 12 volt DC (through a converter) and it always has power. My DC powered lights, fans, and water pump still continue to run when the inverter is showing fault.

 

[Checkthisout]

The problems with the inverter were happening this year while the bad SOK battery was completely turned off and disconnected.

So hear me out.

That means the BMS on that battery could have been shutting off as well for the same reasons. The first one ultimately fried while the second one is still holding on.

Do the batteries talk to each other via a com cable?

A few questions need answering such as if the MP needs battery voltage for pass-through and if the cerbo and display will record a fault that is caused by battery that was disconnected. In other words, if some battery voltage is not present, what powers the cerbo so it can record the fault?

To me it looks like your BMS's are tripping but that's just me guessing.

 

[Checkthisout]

I have always had battery power when the inverter is having issues. The batteries power the Cerbo GX with 12 volt DC (through a converter) and it always has power. My DC powered lights, fans, and water pump still continue to run when the inverter is showing fault.

Ah gotcha and there is no way those items were getting power from the engine or generator start batteries right?

Are the coach batteries isolated from the chassis/engine start batteries?

 

[justinm001]

Why are we guessing everything? Can't you login to vrm and pull the logs and see the voltages and all the alarms? Even if it's not setup once you do set it up it should download everything it has and provide info. Vrm holds 6 months, not sure how long the cerbo holds.

Generator power and inverter fault sounds like the generator had voltage issues and it could be causing your inverter to kick on/off all the time, especially if UPS is enabled.

You could be running your generator and it's voltage is too low/high then it flips to battery but is over the 3000w and faults.

 

[Zwy]

You're right that I have little patience when I am on a trip in my motorhome because spending a week to get a fix means I'll be without power for a good chunk of my trip.

How many months should I wait for a response from SOK? I first emailed them on Oct 4th and got a response the same day. I didn't hear anything after that so I emailed them again on Nov 2nd. I get fed up after waiting six weeks and decided to get to order another SOK battery from a dealer that will actually support the product.

SOK has resellers and distributors, similar to the system Victron uses for product support. Go call Victron and see if they talk to you, most likely they won't. The distributors and resellers handle problems and warranty. The same applies to SOK, distributors and resellers are to handle warranty cases and work it up to SOK.

The problem is InverterRus isn't doing their job. SOK should ban InverterRus from selling their product due to non support on their end. Dexter on the other hand will stay on top of it, he is about support and not price.

 

[Checkthisout]

OP, I thought I recognized your Screen name from Garagejournal. For some reason I remember your thread as you had a huge RV generator that you were trying to run 3 air conditioners off of.

Is that the same RV?

Just confirmed it was you with a search. I remember the dumbest things.

Why is 66 amps not enough to keep less than 60 amps of equipment running?

My RV has a 66 amp generator. It also has three rooftop air conditioners each on a 20 amp circuit for less than 60 amps of usage. The FLA of each unit is less than 15 amps. I can start up each unit one after the other and they could run fine for anywhere from an hour to several hours. What...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[justinm001]

OP, I thought I recognized your Screen name from Garagejournal. For some reason I remember your thread as you had a huge RV generator that you were trying to run 3 air conditioners off of.

Is that the same RV?

Just confirmed it was you with a search. I remember the dumbest things.

Why is 66 amps not enough to keep less than 60 amps of equipment running?

My RV has a 66 amp generator. It also has three rooftop air conditioners each on a 20 amp circuit for less than 60 amps of usage. The FLA of each unit is less than 15 amps. I can start up each unit one after the other and they could run fine for anywhere from an hour to several hours. What...

www.garagejournal.com

Just to clarify an 8kw generator isn't huge...

 

[Checkthisout]

Just to clarify an 8kw generator isn't huge...

Ugh...people say things like "This mocha tastes epic".

Which then allows me to say an 8kw genny is huge.

EDIT: His generator is 12.5KW, not 8k.

That is HUUGGGGEEEEEE for an RV. Theirfore I am not guilty of Hyperbole

 

[Shimmy]

I shut off the charger on the inverter for the winter along with shutting off the circuit breakers on the batteries for the winter. When I had AGM batteries I would just let the inverter charge them year round. LifePO4 batteries can be damaged by charging under 32F. The temperatures in winter here can be under 32F for weeks on end.

I am not an expert on this, but you likely need to store them closer to 50-70% charge and top up periodically; the batteries are still not set and forget. Running a little ceramic space heater to drain down the batteries a little and warm up for charging once a month would likely go a long way to improving your reliability.

 

[reader2580]

Ah gotcha and there is no way those items were getting power from the engine or generator start batteries right?

Are the coach batteries isolated from the chassis/engine start batteries?

No connection at all. Generator has a separate start battery.

 

[reader2580]

I am not an expert on this, but you likely need to store them closer to 50-70% charge and top up periodically; the batteries are still not set and forget. Running a little ceramic space heater to drain down the batteries a little and warm up for charging once a month would likely go a long way to improving your reliability.

It is pretty hard to charge LifePO4 batteries when it is five degrees F outside.

 

[Checkthisout]

No connection at all. Generator has a separate start battery.

Usually the generator starts off the Coach batteries and the coach batteries get charged off the Engine alternator/battery when the main coach engine is running.

So all that has been eliminated and your generator has it's own stator charging up it's own dedicated starting battery?

 

[reader2580]

OP, I thought I recognized your Screen name from Garagejournal. For some reason I remember your thread as you had a huge RV generator that you were trying to run 3 air conditioners off of.

Is that the same RV?

Just confirmed it was you with a search. I remember the dumbest things.

Why is 66 amps not enough to keep less than 60 amps of equipment running?

My RV has a 66 amp generator. It also has three rooftop air conditioners each on a 20 amp circuit for less than 60 amps of usage. The FLA of each unit is less than 15 amps. I can start up each unit one after the other and they could run fine for anywhere from an hour to several hours. What...

www.garagejournal.com

I replaced the generator with a brand new one in May 2021, No more low voltage issues.

 

[Hedges]

Hey…Hey….say what…. I wanna duck that can be milked..this ain’t fair… I’m entitled to a duck like that…and it’s winter here in the hills…. so I want two…hmmmp.

This is about the closest we can come up with.
It checks most of the boxes, although doesn't walk like a duck or quack like a duck. But it is still a duck!
Careful - I hear they are venemous.

 

[justinm001]

Ugh...people say things like "This mocha tastes epic".

Which then allows me to say an 8kw genny is huge.

EDIT: His generator is 12.5KW, not 8k.

That is HUUGGGGEEEEEE for an RV. Theirfore I am not guilty of Hyperbole

8k is pretty normal for a DP. Yeah 12.5kw is pretty decent. Mines 20kw

 

[Checkthisout]

I replaced the generator with a brand new one in May 2021, No more low voltage issues

Yikes. You have done a lot of work to this coach.

To confirm, the new Gen has it's own starting battery that is charged off the generator itself?