Generac EcoGen hookup to Magnum Energy autostart

Started by OlJarhead, October 28, 2013, 08:31:41 PM

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OlJarhead

Hi All,

I figured I'd start this here since others might have the same probme.  I have the Generac EcoGen offgrid generator (loving it so far) and a Mangum Energy autostart switch (the S model for non-Magnum inverters) and I could understand the wiring for the two wire start but NOT for the generator running sense wire!!! d* d* d*

Magnum says to run it to the hourmeter but this generator doesn't actually have one like they show but rather a computer type system which you can get the hours off of with no place to hook up to.  It does however have a terminal labeled 'SENSE' on the terminal bus (it also has 230v and 12v+ marked there).  I'm thinking the 12v+ terminal is the right one to tell the Magnum switch the generator is running but without clear diagrams or instructions I can't be sure (Generac does not tell me).

I will contact them both tomorrow to confirm this but if you know (I believe REndoverfarm has one??) I'd like to hear from you as I need to get this last wire ruun before leaving on Wednesday (when I need the autostart to perform).

THanks in advance!

Redoverfarm



Redoverfarm

Here are the photographs of my Run Sense hookup.

The fuel selenoid is pictured from the front of the generator looking to the back directly over the battery position.  The left wire is a ground which I also ran to the battery ground as well.  The right or blue is fused hot line for the run sense and also to the control panel of the generator.  In essence I just spliced the two additional lines from the factory lines running to the selenoid.





Hope this helps. 

John


OlJarhead

Thanks!  Is the brown wire that goes into the yellow (fuse holder perhaps) the sense wire?

OlJarhead

So Generac was no help but Magnum was great help and we concluded that:

A:  using the fuel solenoid will work.
B: I could tests out terminals on the block to see if one energizes with 12v once the generator is running and if one is I could use that.

Good guys.


Redoverfarm

Quote from: OlJarhead on October 29, 2013, 12:56:01 PM
Thanks!  Is the brown wire that goes into the yellow (fuse holder perhaps) the sense wire?

Yes it is.  I had shorted my wire and had to add additional piece.  Not really shorted myself but mine is through conduit and when when I had to exchange the generator pulling it out it would have disappeared so I gave myself a little extra manuvering room.  In addition there are other wires present just to have a spares in case   [waiting]...

You can see above that mess of spaghetti where they enter the factory wiring harness after they had been spliced.

Just remember that if you are running it through conduit to run an extra pair to use to keep the generator battery charged from your battery bank.  Normally on a grid tied generator they use the grid power for that function when it is not running but you like me have no grid tie.  In addition there will be some power drain also from the AGS & Generator Controller on that bank.

OlJarhead

Yup :)  I ran a circuit from the Inverter (actually house AC panel) over to the generator to keep the battery charged.

OlJarhead

On mine the Blue is on the left and the black on the right.  I found that odd but in a hurry decided that black had to be negative and wired to the blue.

Not working - strange but I have voltage coming from that blue wire when the generator isn't running.  Seems odd but when I test between #2 terminal on the Magnum block which is the sense terminal and to the common terminal I get-14vdc when the gen is off.  When on I get -3vdc

Something seems backwards to me. 
GEn Run
#3 adn #4 show 25vdc with gen running which should be right.
#2 abd #4 show -2
#2 and #5 shows me 10vdc
#2 and #6 (common) shows me 13vdc
#5 and #6 = 3vdc

GEn OFF
#3 and #4 = 25vdc with gen running which should be right.
#2 and #4 = -14
#2 and #5 = 0vdc
#2 and #6 (common) = 0 vdc
#5 and #6 = 3vdc

I'm getting frustrated at this point as I've wired the unit the same way your picture shows (reversed the black and blue wires in case that made a difference (it didn't) and put them back and as Magnum tells me I should be able to do however I'm not getting positive voltage from the


OlJarhead

After muchmessing around I gave up and decided I was trying too hard.  Unfortunately when I went to see how to hook up the auto start on the inverter, it didn't have one!  DOH!  I guess I ordered the one without thinking I didn't need it.

So at this point I'm back to manual and hoping it will work itself out in the near future.


OlJarhead

What really confuses me is the negative voltage.  How is it this circuit can be reverse polarity?  Battery common on the Magnum connector should be negative.....unless I'm messing up somehow by trying to check voltage on a 12v circuit with a 24v negative....
I bet I am.

d*

Maybe I'm overthinking this but the reason I am is the magnum switch stays in a blinking green condition when the generator runs.  After about a minute or 2 it kills the generator but then it starts it again.

Maybe I'll go back to it after a some chow.

Redoverfarm

You may have to go online to the wiring diagram of your particular unit.  Did they make a change?  ???.  If you got a activation code then your's is registered with them and you should be able to access the wiring digram of your particular unit.  You can trace the neg/pos on that diagram.

This link will give you a place to enter the model & serial # to get the wiring diagram.   I think.

http://www.generac.com/Support.aspx

I wouldn't think there would be a difference between the 240/120 configuration?

The two wires to the selonoid just go into the harness tothe control board +/-.  You may not be getting the same ground as your run sense to complete the circuit. 

The AGS will blink on the right side as "ready" and when it detects a start perimeter it will show a solid green on the left side.  Maybe it is a perameter not set right.  But I am not sure how your inverter controller operates as mine wa a Magnum as well. 

OlJarhead

Quote from: Redoverfarm on October 29, 2013, 09:21:31 PM
You may have to go online to the wiring diagram of your particular unit.  Did they make a change?  ???.  If you got a activation code then your's is registered with them and you should be able to access the wiring digram of your particular unit.  You can trace the neg/pos on that diagram.

This link will give you a place to enter the model & serial # to get the wiring diagram.   I think.

http://www.generac.com/Support.aspx

I wouldn't think there would be a difference between the 240/120 configuration?

The two wires to the selonoid just go into the harness tothe control board +/-.  You may not be getting the same ground as your run sense to complete the circuit. 

The AGS will blink on the right side as "ready" and when it detects a start perimeter it will show a solid green on the left side.  Maybe it is a perameter not set right.  But I am not sure how your inverter controller operates as mine wa a Magnum as well.

??? I think I know what I did!  The magnum manual says I have to run a common battery negative between the generator and the battery bank.  I ddn't do this.

It seems, though I don't uderstand why, that I need to run a ground wire between the generator battery and the battery bank.  Perhaps doing this makes a difference???  I suppose I could run a cable between them -- did you do this?

Redoverfarm

Not sure but I will have to check.  I did however run the ground (spliced) on the selenoid to the generator battery. The AGS requires some communications from your inverter (VIA telephone cable) to signal when to come on.  That is where my BMK ( Battery Monitor) came into play.  I can set my generator to come on with either/both the State of Charger or Battery Voltage from the inverter control.   

OlJarhead

Quote from: Redoverfarm on October 30, 2013, 05:44:26 AM
Not sure but I will have to check.  I did however run the ground (spliced) on the selenoid to the generator battery. The AGS requires some communications from your inverter (VIA telephone cable) to signal when to come on.  That is where my BMK ( Battery Monitor) came into play.  I can set my generator to come on with either/both the State of Charger or Battery Voltage from the inverter control.   

mine is the stand alone unit so doesn't require that.  You set when to come on on the unit itself.
I plan to set it at 23.5v to start.  This would mean the gen would run when the bank is under a load and drawn down around 80% by rough figuring.  I could set it higher but don't think I need to