-
WatchDog genny start vs. Magnum AGS module
Our 24 volt Liberty Elegant Lady has the 20 year old WatchDog automatic generator start feature wired and programmed into the Allen-Bradley system and touch screens.
As I understand the WatchDog it starts the generator at a point that is below the voltage the LifeLine AGMs should be discharged to; which I also understand is not healthy for the batteries and could contribute to the reduction of their useful life.
I had new Magnum 4000watt, 24 volt (FSW) inverter/chargers installed a few years ago when one of the original 1999 inverters quit on me.
I see that Magnum has an Automatic Generator Start module. I’m thinking about having that installed into the inverter/battery system.
Has anyone else done this on a 24volt/Elegant Lady Liberty? How have you dealt with the Allen-Bradley system? Can you start the generator from the Magnum contro Or does installation of the Magnum ABS module make the generator functions of the A-B system inoperative and you have to go outside the coach to turn the generator ON and OFF?
TIA. MC, HH, HH, HK!
-
17 Replies
-
Call Jeff and ask him. I would bet he knows…..
-
You can add a resistor the the watch dog to make it start at the correct voltage. Jeff can do it or tell you about it.
-
Jeff and I have had some discussion about it and we’re going to be at ETLC next week for a done work and a new Lifeline AGM battery install.
I was hoping to find someone who had gone down the Magnum AGS upgrade in a Liberty 24 volt coach with an A-B system and a similar vintage.
-
Great question. If you find the answer, please post it.
-
I have good and bad news.
The good;
The 2001 Liberty H-345 that we have for sale at Jeff’s has the Liberty Watchdog disabled and the Magnum autostart installed and it does work.
The bad:
It was installed by Ben Cummins before we took delivery of the coach. Ben is no longer with us, and is greatly missed. Ben did tell me it was a lot of work to get the watchdog removed and changes to the wiring had to be made on the generator to get the Magnum autostart to work.
I do not have any details on the specific changes that where made.
It can be done.
-
I know like a lot of my opinions I am going against the flow, but I will not use autostart. I don’t care how it is set, low voltage or high, I want to be the one to determine when my generator runs.
My batteries are changed for new ones long before they are so bad they will not last the night. I rely on my batteries and want to do whatever I can to maintain them and do not want to rely on autostart despite the fact Tom gives me new ones anytime I ask.
I am a generator user. Despite a willingness to run my generator under almost any circumstance I really don’t work it as much or as hard as I should because I am a power pole to power pole guy. And when I dry camp for extended periods I run my generator almost 100% of the time from when we wake up until we go to bed, and if we need heat or A/C we do not even turn it off at night.
-
Jon , I know of one situation the auto start is a must . When we are at a campground in the summer and we need to leave the coach with our dog inside . We will only leave one unit running , but you just never know when a campground will lose power .
1999 XLV X-6872, liberty #440 -
While I agree and understand, the way my coaches were set up if power was interrupted and the A/Cs went off they would not restart when power was restored by themselves. We would have to re-initiate the start cycle.
I believe that could have been changed, but our dogs did not come with us until one passed away and then our last dog had diabetes so between his shots and his tiny bladder we spent little time away from the coach. But if you search threads you will see I have cautioned owners to verify how their autostart and A/C systems work so the problem you describe does not endanger a pet.
BTW, our autostart was 2 modes, one for low battery voltage and one for shore power disconnect.
-
When I used the auto start if going to be gone all day I would chose the A/C’s that were not on the inverter circuit and would come back on with gen or shore restored. At least that’s the way it worked on my Marathons. If you chose A/C’s on the inverter circuit and the gen doesn’t start, the A/C’s will run the batteries down quick and the inverters will shut down at LBCO. Now you not only have dead house batteries, but the fridge and all other AC loads are dead.
-
Jon … do you recall what kind of autostart you have?
-
That is a smart way to do it Tom.
-
Ok Jon, I knew you were getting DUES MONEY in some fashion.
You said above Tom gives you batteries whenever you like, well don’t think for one minute those are new batteries.
The last two sets of batteries I bought from him he wanted my old ones.
He said he re-stamps the date codes and re-sells them.
-
You can’t ever trust a Cajun from Monroe.
-
Watchdog.
The free batteries I get are used, worn out Deka. But as long as the generator will start I’m OK. He keeps telling me I’m getting a good deal.
-
Andre … thanks for sharing that. I’m thinking now that because of the way Liberty has apparently (with wonderful intentions) integrated the WatchDog into the Allen-Bradley system and touch screens on the 24 volt Elegant Lady coaches that replacing the WD with the Magnum AGS is a big project … bigger than I think I want to tackle.
Its sad that Ben is gone. I had the good fortune of having lunch with him once when Geo Prentice took me up to Parliament for a visit. It didn’t take me long to realize he was awfully smart.
(Most of) the feedback has been very enlightening and educational. The rest of it has been awfully entertaining … as usual.
I wonder how many 24 volt Liberty Coach owners with WatchDogs would like to replace the WD with the Magnum AGS. I’ve watched a couple of YouTube videos that explain how to program and setup the Magnum AGS and I’m impressed with all the things that it will apparently do, some of which might be of value to me.
Log in to reply.