-
BOBIER SUN SELECTOR AUTO START
I am having a problem with my Bobier Sun Selector Auto start in a 1996 XL . Will not start the generator, any one have any info on this or does any one have a manual or troubleshooting guild.
-
7 Replies
-
This is all I could find on the web. You might give him a call.
- Joe Bobier
- Bobier Electronics, Inc
- 3701 Murdoch ave.
- Parkersburg, WV 26101
- USA
Tel: (304) 485-7150
That controller is not really the right product for a coach. It’s designed for a battery bank being charged by solar cells and not by the genetrator powered battery charger. At some point you probably just want to change it out. Here’s one that will work, regardless of who’s inverter/charger you have. http://www.magnumenergy.com/products/AGS-S.htm
-
Well Gil, you would have thought Marathon knew what they were doing back in the late 90’s and I think they did. I had that controller in my 97 Marathon and it worked well except boards were getting hard to find. Marathon changed out the board on mine and that took care of it. That contact information in WV didn’t work out even back in 2006, so I doubt he’ll get any help there. Replacement is probably the best course of action.
-
Tom,
The commercial market for an autostart generator controller for an RV application probably didn’t mature until well after this coach was built. As you know, many converters at that time, I believe even Liberty, had their own AGS controller custom built. I’m pretty sure AGS controllers became commercially available firts as add-ons to inverter/chargers and would only work with the inverter/charger they were designed for. The one I referenced is the only one I’ve seen commercially available that will work as a stand alone controller; not dependent on an inverter/charger.
I looked at one of these solar controllers installed by another converter. The controller starts the generator based on a user selectable voltage. That’s the common trigger even today, although most will also let you use temperature as a trigger. The solar controller uses a user selectable voltage as the trigger to shut the generator down. This is perfect for a solar system. When the solar cells have the batteries to a usuable voltage it’s time to shut the generator off. That simply will not work in an RV application. When the charger kicks in the charge voltage to the batteries will reach a voltage higher than any reasonable trigger voltage you could set. Consequently, and as was the case on the coach I looked at, the AGS would start the generator and in a very few minutes shut it back down. I didn’t have a detailed schematic of the coach, so it was impossible to tell if they added anything else to the controller without digging through the coach. For this controller to actually work correctly it would need a AC relay added with a timer that would force the generator to run for a given amount of time before checking the battery voltage. Marathon probably added such a relay. As you probably know, most AGS controllers run the generator for a predetermined or configurable time. The ones that are integrated with an inverter/charger typically use a timer and battery charge state reported by the inverter/charger.
Given the one I referenced sells for under $300, I would not even consider fixing a disfunction Sun Selector unit.
-
There is one exception to what Gil discusses.
Thompson coach has software in its electrical system to start and stop the generator (on autostart) based on a variety of conditions. While voltage is used as a trigger, it is not the only criteria for generator start. The system looks not only at voltage but at the current draw such as when running ACs from inverters. The system uses data such as that to predict the batteries will need to be recharged and turns on the generator in response.
It is using more than I described above, but as can be seen Rick Thompson did a great job of looking at all battery and electrical system conditions and then used multiple factors to initiate generator start for charging. He also went beyond charging for a set time period and prior to shut down created various conditions that had to be met before the generator would shut down. Obviously the battery charge was a factor, but so was the current draw as well as some other conditions I don’t remember.
I know this doesn’t help Murph, but I did want to point out that Thompson Coaches have great electrical systems that are well thought out with respect to generator autostart and should be recognized as well done.
-
I agree Gil, just replace it for 300 bucks. The other downside to that controller was the trigger for autostart was way low, if I recall, close to 11 volts and was not changeable by the user.
-
I didn’t say that some converters didn’t do a great job with AGS control. Just that the ones that did probably had their own system. The Country Coach systems works fine. It’s only down side is the start voltage and run time aren’t adjustable or I haven’t discovered the adjustment. I think Liberty also used a home grown controller at the time. I know Jon doesn’t like proprietary systems. The fact of the matter is that there will undoubtedly be some proprietary systems or related software that provides value above what’s commercially available at the time. At a later date, commercial products may be available.
Just a FYI, anyone that’s looking to replace their inverter/chargers should look at buying the AGS designed for that inverter/charger at the same time. These AGS systems can charge the batteries until the charger deems them fully charged, not just based on generator time. It’s only $300 on top of an expensive inverter/charger changeout. Personally, I wouldn’t consider a inverter/charger changeout complete without the mated AGS controller.
-
Gil I was singling out Thompson to mention he went off the charts in setting up his coach electrical system controls with some very good ideas. I agree other converters also did a good job, but I hold his electrical system design to be one of the best.
Log in to reply.