Well as usual on my coach. The simple has turned out to be not so simple.
Last year when I installed a set of 3 AGM batteries. I was unable to get the freedom 25 setup for AGM's as the only choice offered at the link 2000 panel is 1= Gel Standard charge & 2= Gel fast charge. I would like to rectify this.
According to my inverter manual. I should be able to change to one of 4 settings via the dip switches.
0= wet
1=gel standard
2=gel fast
3=AGM
But neither the freedon 25 box nor the link 2000 has any dip switches and the link setup only offers the aforementioned 1 or 2 gel setting.
A call to Xantrex netted yet more confusion. My original manual that has the part# 81-0253-12 and serial# 156464 state that it can be set to charge an AGM battery via the remote dip switches. Which of course I don't have, just the link 2000. The Xantrex customer service guy said that this is not true and my unit can only do Wet & Gels. But right now it can only do Gels. My batteries are already starting to bulge.
Any help would be appreciated.
The freedom 25 I had in the Monaco had a phone line connected monitor and on the back were dip switches. It only had lights to show charging and discharging. The link 2000 is something I know nothing about, hopefully someone else does.
as does my charger minus the dip switches. The link 2000 connects via that RJ plug. I'll try a full system reset as the default setting should be wet.
The dip switches were on the back of the monitor not the Freedom 25
Did a reset via the link 2000. Didn't default to wet setting.
Remove the remote panel for the inverter from the wall and on the back are the dip switches you are looking for.
The link 2000 does not have dip switches. But just to be sure I even took the back cover off the link remote exposing the electronic innards. No dips there either. So it seems the Freedom 25 is either not getting a signal from the link remote. Unlikely as the other setup menus work. Or the freedom 25 is not accepting the links commands or the wet cell control circuit is dead.
I'll go back out to the coach and pull the panel again. Just to make sure the dips are not hidden inside and I missed them. I imagine the link 2000's many front switches were designed to take the place of the rear dip switches.
I guess in the mean time I will up the gel cell battery temp setting to get the gel float voltage to coincide with the AGM float voltage setting that is required for the actual temp. 20-30 degrees higher looks like it will do the trick.
I just read the link 2000 manual, you are right no dip switches, but you can configure agm's I believe it stared on page 11 and mentions it on page 14 If you don't have a temperature probe it defaults to 70 Deg. for numbers, that would overcharge if yor temps were actually higher. Read the manual it is very informative.
http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Discontinued-Products/Link2000-445-0198-98-01_rev-1(Vendor).pdf
I have that manual in a binder along with the original freedom 25 manual. I have read it many times.
As I said in my initial post. The Link 2000/ Freedom 25 will not even bring up setting 0 or 3 on setup function F02 Battery type. it will scroll through the available settings. Which in this case is #1 Gel standard and #2 Gel fast charge. I tried resetting the system to force it into the default setting of #0 wet cell. It wouldn't do it. It still only shows 1 & 2 as options. I suspect have a broken inverter, As all other programing functions on the link 2000 seem to work and scroll through all the available setup options.
Xantrex customer service said that my inverter/charger part number shows it is an older unit that does not even have an AGM battery type setting. I asked why then does my original manual with the part number 81-0253-12 on it mention a setting three for an AGM charge profile. He had no answer except that model number 81-0253-12 is listed in the xantrex computer system as not having an AGM program and that I should use the wet setting. Which I cannot get the charger to change to.
I was hoping someone might have experienced this and could point me in the right direction as to whether this might be a bad inverter/charger. Or if there is a super duper secret hidden way to kick it into the right setting.
Have you tried unplugging the monitor, or is that what you mean by resetting it? If there is no monitor my old Freedom 25 still worked. I never checked voltage when the monitor was not in use. I switched to the 458 and it killed my DW's coffee maker so I switched to the SW 3012 and am happy with it.
Craneman, I didn't unplug it. There is a hard reset procedure that is accomplished from the link remote. Sure is hard to tell if my remote or the inverter is the culprit. The coach is headed to RnR in Spokane in one week. I'm sure they have a working monitor that they could hook up to try on my system.
I'll try unplugging it to see if that resets things.
I replaced our freedom 25 recently and have the unit at the inverter man for evaluation for purchase by him. Plus a link 2000.
This serial number did seem to have the AGM mode in it.
Maybe I am wrong. Can have the inverter man check it,
Funny as this was a feb 97 build coach, yours was later?
I replaced it because it only charged at about 70 amps versus the stated 130.
Inverter man said the internal contactors corrode and won't pass full power.
Same everything the new sw2812 charges at 109 amps.
Not sure if it would help but for whatever it's worth to Eric you are welcome to it.
He does a full rebuild on these for around $800.
New sw 2812 is around $2k plus panel? And install.
I had the unit removed correctly without cutting the cabling so it's ready to go,
As is everything works just slower charging rate.
Shipping around $100-$125 north at a guess
Not sure if this is a help. Might be if your current charge rate is similar to this ones.
Seems they all wear in this area.
I use bio benefit energy in Costa Mesa, ca. Eric
Who's mark
He's in Poway.
Electrical Repair and Services | Xanterx Service Center | Mark Snyder Electric (http://www.marksnyderelectric.com/)
I replaced my original Heart remote interface with the Freedom remote control panel. My original ('95 model) interface has dip switches and you are welcome to it...
Cool, I really appreciate that Dave.
I guess one could verify it's charging in the correct mode with a multimeter.
I would think a gel setting would be better for AGMs than a wet cell setting. Gels are the most vulnerable to damage from overcharging, followed by AGM and wet cells are the most tolerant.
If your batteries are bulging badly, check the charge voltages and make sure your charger hasnt failed and is overcharging them.
Actually, you need to look at the recommended charging profile for the specific batteries and see how that compares to the inverter/charger's available profiles. I recall Deka in particular changed the recommended profile for their AGMs within the last few years. Originally they needed closer to the gel setting used on a Xantrex Prosine, but more recent version is better served on the wet cell profile for that inverter (gel setting will undercharge). But every AGM brand is different.
That's what this post is about. My charger will not change it's charging profile from the Gel setting to anything else. And it's effecting the batteries.
The coach goes into the shop at RnR Spokane, Wa to take care of one of it's other endless issues. I'll add a diagnosis of the inverter to the pile.
Good idea Michelle. I'll check to see who makes the AGM's for O'Reilly. I think it might be DEKA. It's obvious that the charger has been overcharging causing them to off gas.
NO, AGM and wet cell are much closer than AGM and Gel in terms of ideal charging algorithms.
What is the exact voltage at the battery terminals measured with a volt meter while the charger is on?
The link is set at Gel standard & 70 degrees and with the accept light on. The panel shows 14.25V and at the battery it shows 14.07V
I'll report what it shows at the float phase.
Thats pretty similar to how my inverter charges my AGMs during the bulk portion. It drops to 13.5 for float.
Deka recommends 14.4-14.8 for cyclic charging and 13.5-13.8 in standby float.
Perhaps your swelling is normal? Mine appear slightly bulged. Wish there was a way to know if its pushing stuff out the vents.
Twenty minutes later the voltage at the battery has risen to 14.3V. I'll continue to monitor. My best course for now is probably to adjust the ambient temp setting until the float voltage is at the appropriate level.
I suppose one could put a balloon over a vent hole then & see if it inflates.
didn't know agm's had a vent hole.
Valve regulated. No way to replace lost fluids.
We never change at more than 13.9-14.0 volts.
Alternator set at 13.6. No hurry.
Bulged too many batteries with single stage chargers very long ago.
All we had.
The temp adjustment should lower the voltage enough to quit damaging the batteries I would think
When the charger went into the float phase, the voltage went to 13.45V. I might adjust the temp a bit to lower the voltage a few tenths. But when I adjusted the temp setting from 70 to 90 the charger went back into acceptance phase. So I shut it off.
But at least I have something to go on now.