LVD 135001 Repacement

[kdarling]

This thread actually reminds me to INSTALL an adjustable Blue Seas LVD that I bought after my battery ran down due to a radio left on with no sound.

Yes, if I had been around, I would've noticed my meters telling me the battery was being drained. But it's the accidental situations like I had, where I think the LVD is good as insurance.

Cheers,
Kev

[Blue~Go]

That's a good point. If you are around on a regular basis keeping an eye on things, or are plugged in, or disconnect your loads (with a switch) when gone, then you're likely fine. But if none of those apply, then I think the LVD (set at the highest setting) is not a bad idea. Where it got a "bad rap" with me was in the original style system where the idea was that you just went merrily along until it disconnected things at 11.x volts. That's not a great way to run a system, IMO.

But the way you intend to use it is more as an "if all else fails," which I can see.

(I'm either around or I disconnect all my loads with a switch*, but not everyone is.)

BG

*The switch leaves the battery monitor on. That does pull a small load but for normally short "away" periods I do want it running. For long term "away" I would turn off the main switch, pull the fuse on the battery monitor, and disconnect the Ford battery negative cable. For super-long away, I'd need to devise a plan for the batteries (if in very hot weather or for more than a few months). So far my longest away has been three months and for that just the main switch and start negative cable were fine (stored indoors so no solar and not plugged in by choice).

[ltg]

I store the Glacier indoors. I switch the battery disconnect to "store" mode and unplug from shore power. I then connect an external battery charger directly to the coach batteries. The battery charger used does not have a float mode. When it detects the batteries are fully charged it disconnects from the batteries. It then monitors the batteries and reconnects to top off the batteries when it detects a low voltage. Then it goes back to monitoring. It also charges and monitors the chassis battery using the Sure Power 1315. If the battery charger loses 120 volt AC, it will reset and turn back on when 120 volt AC is detected. I use this charger rather than plugging in and using the onboard charger because it does a better job of maintaining the batteries while in storage.

Larry

[Scott]

For long term "away" I would turn off the main switch, pull the fuse on the battery monitor, and disconnect the Ford battery negative cable.

I disconnect my crank battery with fair frequency so I like the post mounted disconnect switches. Don't need a wrench, and takes two seconds to disconnect. But I'm sure you have your reasons for disconnecting the Ford cable .

[Blue~Go]

I typically would do what you suggest, Scott. I have "real" switches for most of my batteries. So... why haven't I put one on the start battery? Good question. I guess because it's fairly crowded under there: I already have the two Ford positive cables, plus an MRBF with my combiner wire coming off the positive terminal via marine post adapter, and there are two Ford cables coming off the negative post. But I could still find a place for a switch, I'm sure.

However, so far I have only once left the Chinook for long enough to merit removing the negative cable. It's fairly easy to reach. So that's what I did.

But yeah, if I left it much (any?) more often than that I'd probably install a switch. Certainly if I were doing it on any kind of regular basis. Funny, but I just stored my car for a month and a half, and it annoyed me to be removing the negative cable on that battery vs. having a switch!

[68camaro]

Does anyone know if a 2001 Concourse came with the 135000 or 135001 LVD? I cannot get to mine with taking a bunch of stuff apart but was wondering if mine was set to disconnect at 12.3V (135000) or 11.8V (135001).

The paperwork that came with Chinook when I bought it used said its a 135000.

[chin_k]

Don't quote me on this, but isn't the only difference between the 13500 and 135001 is the factory preset? That is, they are identical, except that it was trimmed to a different cut off voltage. I think there is a potentiometer on the unit that you can adjust the voltage anyway, so it should not matter, since you can adjust it to 12.3 or 11.8 volt or anything in between.

[Billmiller]

Here's the instructions from Sure Power. Shows how to adjust the set point.

Bill Miller
'97 Concourse (hibernating for now)

Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD)180070e INSTR 135000 SERIES.pdf

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