Cinnabar News

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darren paget

New member
Oct 28, 1998
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I just hooked up mine and the
Statpower will not take any thing bigger than a #6 wire unless you trim
its thickness back a bit. Darren

>
> GMCers
>
> Well, who ever is left out there. I just got my news today and I am
> a little hot under the collar. Wes does an article on how to install
> the Statpower. First he states that you cannot go to a common
> ground. You have to run it to the battery. I am not doing this from
> memory----I am looking at the Statpower Manual. There is a picture
> of using a common ground so I know it aint my dyslexia. On page
> 21 It says "Connect the negative output terminals of the Truecharge
> and the negative terminals of the batteries or battery banks to a common
> ground point.(usually dc ground)" Now who do I believe????
>
> Next in the article they show hooking the positive terminal to the
> positive terminal on the firewall. This may be a little picky but the
> manual clearly says to "connect the positive terminal of each
> battery or battery bank to a separate positive output terminal
> on the Truecharge." This is getting frustrating!
>
> Finally The article states that you can run #6 battery cable
> to the front start battery. I can tell you it is 52 feet from the
> charging cabinet to the start battery on a 76 Glenbrook.
> Remember you have to figure the cable out and back.
> My manual says #2. I dont know and I am about to
> pull my hair out.
>
> All I know for sure is that the new one is installed but
> I am NOT going to hook it up until I hear from Henry.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> Take Care
> Arch

- --
Darren Paget
76 Experimental
Another Fab Day
paget
http://www.TZEplus.com
 
Arch,

Electrically either way is OK! The layout in the Cinnabar newsletter is
more conservative with circuit breakers in each plus side for both the
front and rear batteries. Either ground layout will work. I have
mounted my Statpower 40 like Emery did with the unit on its side near
the top of the back wall using the common ground that the old charger
used. Works just fine with no problems. I do not have my chassis
battery hooked to the 2nd output.

You must have a streached coach to need 52 feet of cable to hitch the
front battery up. Rule of thumb when running DC power wire the shortest
length is the best length and larger is better. I like to use HD
welding cable because of the low resistance it has. When I ran wire this
summer it took less than 25 ft to go from the coach power area to the front

One thing I have found is that if you start you generator with the
charger connected to house power you can cause it to surge and overload
possibly blowing the internal fuse. The charger is designed to provide
the first 40 amps the DC circuits needs before discharging the batteries
while on house power. If you have the monitor panel you can watch the
load go up and down as DC items are turned on and off.

J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
77 Eleganza II
Michigan

>
> GMCers
>
> Well, who ever is left out there. I just got my news today and I am
> a little hot under the collar. Wes does an article on how to install
> the Statpower. First he states that you cannot go to a common
> ground. You have to run it to the battery. I am not doing this from
> memory----I am looking at the Statpower Manual. There is a picture
> of using a common ground so I know it aint my dyslexia. On page
> 21 It says "Connect the negative output terminals of the Truecharge
> and the negative terminals of the batteries or battery banks to a common
> ground point.(usually dc ground)" Now who do I believe????
>
> Next in the article they show hooking the positive terminal to the
> positive terminal on the firewall. This may be a little picky but the
> manual clearly says to "connect the positive terminal of each
> battery or battery bank to a separate positive output terminal
> on the Truecharge." This is getting frustrating!
>
> Finally The article states that you can run #6 battery cable
> to the front start battery. I can tell you it is 52 feet from the
> charging cabinet to the start battery on a 76 Glenbrook.
> Remember you have to figure the cable out and back.
> My manual says #2. I dont know and I am about to
> pull my hair out.
>
> All I know for sure is that the new one is installed but
> I am NOT going to hook it up until I hear from Henry.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> Take Care
> Arch
 
>
> Electrically either way is OK! The layout in the Cinnabar newsletter is
> more conservative with circuit breakers in each plus side for both the
> front and rear batteries. Either ground layout will work.

Yep - conservative is the word. Wes is probably concerned that most
owners haven't maintained or replaced the grounding straps(the body
ground behind the range in my gallery dropped off in my hand when I
touched it). He probably should have stated that this was a departure
from the Statpower manual for clarity's sake tho'.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailto:patrick

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
 
>GMCers
>
>Well, who ever is left out there. I just got my news today and I am
>a little hot under the collar. Wes does an article on how to install
>the Statpower. First he states that you cannot go to a common
>ground. You have to run it to the battery.

I think that Wes installed breakers in both lines - one is a catastrophy
breaker/fuse. I just made certain that the grounds were all clean and tight
and used the common ground tie point on the alum frame behind the
electrical compartment. (For my inverter I added another separate ground).

> I am not doing this from
>memory----I am looking at the Statpower Manual. There is a picture
>of using a common ground so I know it aint my dyslexia. On page
>21 It says "Connect the negative output terminals of the Truecharge
>and the negative terminals of the batteries or battery banks to a common
>ground point.(usually dc ground)" Now who do I believe????

You can use either approach. Statpower is fine.

>
>Next in the article they show hooking the positive terminal to the
>positive terminal on the firewall. This may be a little picky but the
>manual clearly says to "connect the positive terminal of each
>battery or battery bank to a separate positive output terminal
>on the Truecharge." This is getting frustrating!

I've only hooked up the charger to the house batteries since I've moved all
of the electrical except engine and automotive tot eh house battery. Adding
the engine batt to the TrueCharge is another "when I get around to it"
chores.

>
>Finally The article states that you can run #6 battery cable
>to the front start battery. I can tell you it is 52 feet from the
>charging cabinet to the start battery on a 76 Glenbrook.
>Remember you have to figure the cable out and back.
>My manual says #2. I dont know and I am about to
>pull my hair out.

My run is about the same on the Palm Beach (battery is on passenger side).
The distance will be different for those coaches that have the battery in a
different place. I don't have my West Marine catalog handy - they have two
very good charts on wire/amperage/distance. One is for engine compartment
derating and the other is for ordinary use. Keep in mind that if you run a
larger cable you'll need to solder connectors to the wire or snip some
strands to make it fit into the Statpower block.

Turn it on and charge!

Best of luck!

Henry

Henry Davis Consulting, Inc / new product consulting
PO Box 1270 / product readiness reviews
Soquel, Ca 95073 / IP reviews
ph: (831) 462-5199 / full service marketing
fax: (831) 462-5198
http://www.henry-davis.com/ http://www.henry-davis.com
 
Arch

Take it to a GMC rally and put a high price on it and someone will love it.

Wayne Newland F9300 75 Palm Beach Columbia, Md

> In a message dated 9/28/99 9:55:45 PM Central Daylight Time,

>
> > Relax. You did it the right way, although I don't doubt Wes's procedure
> > works fine. Unfortunately Wes tends toward "my way or no way" in his
> > articles, sometimes justified, sometimes not. Plug her in and get
> charging!
> > My .02.
> >
> Rick
>
> Thanks for the reply. I am not going to touch the "my way or no way"
> part. I will try to get it all up and running this weekend. I just got my
> new Darren battery tray. Its a work of art. I got the stainless steel version
> with the heavy duty slides. Now that is my kind of craftsmanship.
> Anybody want a Ragusa tray real cheap?
>
> Take Care
> Arch
 
Thanks Arch! Getting ready to resurrect the house electric on mine - so
this is definitely a "hot" topic for me.

Patrick

> In a message dated 9/28/99 8:46:35 PM Central Daylight Time,

>
> > Yep - conservative is the word. Wes is probably concerned that most
> > owners haven't maintained or replaced the grounding straps(the body
> > ground behind the range in my gallery dropped off in my hand when I
> > touched it). He probably should have stated that this was a departure
> > from the Statpower manual for clarity's sake tho'.
>
> Check the one from the steel frame to the aluminum strut on the
> passenger side just behind the firewall. With the wheel well out you
> can see it very clearly. Mine was broke. Where the aluminum and steel
> come together you could very easily get corrosion between them
> and up the resistance. Just a thought.
>
> Take Care
> Arch
>
 
John,
Do you unplug the charger before starting your generator? So far
with my TC40 I just leave it plugged in all the time. Is this practice
an invitation for a blown internal fuse?

I just got back from Forest City and so I'm behind on the posts.

Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI

- ----

> One thing I have found is that if you start you generator with the
> charger connected to house power you can cause it to surge and overload
> possibly blowing the internal fuse. The charger is designed to provide
> the first 40 amps the DC circuits needs before discharging the batteries
> while on house power. If you have the monitor panel you can watch the
> load go up and down as DC items are turned on and off.
>
 
Richard,
Hope FC was a blast!!.

If I am starting it at home and the shore power is on I unplug the
Statpower. It can cause the unit to surge and blow the internal fuse.
Been there and done that. I plan on moving the fuse to the outside of
the case. It is a B---- to change it. I am installing a Todd transfer
switch which will allow the gen. to come up to speed and stabilized
before loading.

J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
77 Eleganza II
Michigan

>
> John,
> Do you unplug the charger before starting your generator? So far
> with my TC40 I just leave it plugged in all the time. Is this practice
> an invitation for a blown internal fuse?
>
> I just got back from Forest City and so I'm behind on the posts.
>
> Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI
>
> ----
>

>
> > One thing I have found is that if you start you generator with the
> > charger connected to house power you can cause it to surge and overload
> > possibly blowing the internal fuse. The charger is designed to provide
> > the first 40 amps the DC circuits needs before discharging the batteries
> > while on house power. If you have the monitor panel you can watch the
> > load go up and down as DC items are turned on and off.
> >
 
John,
Forest City was really great. And it was great matching faces to
the names of many of the guys (and gals) from the GMCnet.

I have a Todd generator transfer switch installed. That has to be
one of the best things I've done. No more plugging and unplugging
the power cord in order to go between generator and shore power.

Was the problem you are having caused by the generator coming on
line before it was stabilized? My transfer switch waits at least 30
seconds before engaging generator power. The transfer is very smooth
when it happens.

With a transfer switch, should I worry about unplugging the TC40?

Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI

> Richard,
> Hope FC was a blast!!.
>
> If I am starting it at home and the shore power is on I unplug the
> Statpower. It can cause the unit to surge and blow the internal fuse.
> Been there and done that. I plan on moving the fuse to the outside of
> the case. It is a B---- to change it. I am installing a Todd transfer
> switch which will allow the gen. to come up to speed and stabilized
> before loading.
>
> J.R. Wright
> GMC GreatLaker
> 77 Eleganza II
> Michigan
>
 
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