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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Peter on July 24, 2023, 12:09:47 am

Title: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: Peter on July 24, 2023, 12:09:47 am
I had to re-store my coach for a while in my rv park area as I usually do for winter.
I plugged into a 15 amp receptacle as I always do and my power watch meter reads low and the green light is off. The magnum monitor says it is absorb charging which is what I see every year but the power watch  reads about 100 volts instead of the roughly 110 volts it did every other time. Anyone have suggestions why?
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: bbeane on July 24, 2023, 12:16:47 am
You may need to set you max amp draw on the magnum charger to 10 amps, looks like your batteries are down a bit. Do you have any thing running on ac? Aquahot, fridge, and so on.
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: Peter on July 24, 2023, 12:31:51 am
No there is no large draw for power. Some parasitic draws but that is all. I guess I will try the setting for 10 amps on the 2812 and see where it goes. How long before I see a change ?
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: wolfe10 on July 24, 2023, 09:53:42 am
Verify voltage with your digital voltmeter-- check at any 120 VAC outlet in the coach.

Could be a problem with low voltage. Could be a problem with he Powerwatch display.

To check polarity at a house-type outlet-- check at house side outlet you are plugged into and an outlet in the coach):

Long straight is the neutral.
Shorter straight is hot.
Round is ground.

Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: John44 on July 24, 2023, 09:58:04 am
First thing I would do is make sure youhave 110 volts, you may only have 100 coming in..
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: bbeane on July 24, 2023, 10:39:21 am
As others says check you incoming voltage. If it is in fact only 100 volts you May damage things with that low of voltage. With changing the settings you should see results quickly.
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: Chuck & Jeannie on July 24, 2023, 11:08:56 am
I seem to remember a past discussion about the PowerWatch meter...where it was noted that the meter only reads the voltage on one leg of the 110V circuit, or something like that.  Does that sound correct?  If so, there might be different voltage reading on different outlets in the coach.

OR, the PowerWatch meter might just be getting wonky.
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: wolfe10 on July 24, 2023, 11:14:26 am
I seem to remember a past discussion about the Power Watch meter...where it was noted that the meter only reads the voltage on one leg of the 110V circuit, or something like that.  Does that sound correct?  If so, there might be different voltage reading on different outlets in the coach.

OR, the Power Watch meter might just be getting wonky.


Yes, if on a 50 amp outlet (two hots L1 and L2) you are correct.

But, on 30 amp or 15/20 amp there is only ONE hot, so "what you read is what you have to the whole coach".
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: Peter on July 24, 2023, 12:41:41 pm
For some reason unbeknownst to me the meter and magnum are working correctly now and the meter show 110 and the magnum shows float charging now. Perhaps the batteries were depleted....not sure
Thanks all for the suggestions!
Title: Re: Odd reading on power watch meter
Post by: wolfe10 on July 24, 2023, 01:06:54 pm
Peter,

If on limited shore power (15/20 or even 30 amp service) program your inverter charger (called either power save or power share) to 5 amps.  That limits battery charging to 5 amps @ 120 VAC which give over 40 amps of battery charging.