Mas-Technologies MS200 alternator alarm

[mcconkd]

After a recent refit with Lithium batteries and Victron items, once the batteries get to 100% SOC, I get an alternator alarm and am assuming it is due to the fact the Zeus voltage regulator has turned the alternator down to 5% duty cycle. Once this happens the system thinks that the alternator has stopped charging and triggers the alarm. This does not happen when the batters are less than 100% SOC. I cannot contact the company as they no longer exist. Any thoughts on this? I saw some threads that you can tie this into the chart plotter and bypass the MS200? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[colemj]

The MS200 was an analog to NMEA2000 converter. I don't know much about it, but these devices are common and mostly just convert analog data to N2K and put it on the network. Generally, they don't sound alarms, as that is usually done by something else in the system that uses the data.

Where is your alarm coming from? If the engine panel, then that isn't because of the MS200. It is common for engine panel alarms to have issues with external regulators when they shut down charging.

If it is something wrong with the MS200, there are other ones that do the same thing. I don't know of any way to tie an analog sensor directly into a chart plotter.

Mark

 

[marcham]

I second the question... what alarm? Where is it displayed? Visual ? Audible? On a network or just an dump engine alternator warning light (ie: will come on when the alternator goes offline....). If the later, most people disable it with an external regulator installed.

Is the same alarm triggered when you switch on the ignition before the engine is started?

 

[mcconkd]

On the MS200, I get both an audible as well as a visual alarm that simply states "Alternator". I hit the acknowledge button and it silences the alarm and the visual goes away as well-for 10 minutes then it repeats. I am sure this is due to the fact as stated originally that the batteries have reached 100% SOC and the Zeus regulator turns the alt out put down to 5%. This is the issue that I am having and looking for a possible solution.

 

[marcham]

Ok, great, that helps to narrow it down.

Did your installer use the input 2 and output 1 wires on the Arco to control the "alternator no output" signal to avoid unnecessary alarms? Input 2 would normally be connected to the "charge" signal on the alternator and output 1 to the "no charge" light on the dash.

Many people just bypass this alarm when a smart regulator is installed (disconnect the wire.... it passes voltage when the alternator is energized but is not producing output current).

 

[mcconkd]

I am not sure but I will share your response to see if it makes sense to him. There was an alarm wire on the Zeus that we disconnected and it still set off the alarm on the MS200.

 

[marcham]

The routing would be:
a) alternator no output lead
b) Zeus input 2
c) Zeus output 1
d) MS 200 ... whatever line takes the alternator no output lead....

 

[mcconkd]

The MS200 was an analog to NMEA2000 converter. I don't know much about it, but these devices are common and mostly just convert analog data to N2K and put it on the network. Generally, they don't sound alarms, as that is usually done by something else in the system that uses the data.

Where is your alarm coming from? If the engine panel, then that isn't because of the MS200. It is common for engine panel alarms to have issues with external regulators when they shut down charging.

If it is something wrong with the MS200, there are other ones that do the same thing. I don't know of any way to tie an analog sensor directly into a chart plotter.

Mark

The alarm is coming from the control panel and that’s exactly what it is doing, it goes off after the external regulator shuts down the alternator once the lithium have reached their full charge. It works fine until that point.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I'm not terribly familiar with this but if you have an external charge controller, can you hook up the MS200 directly to the alternators output so it's always seeing voltage/amperage from the alternator?

 

[mcconkd]

I'm not terribly familiar with this but if you have an external charge controller, can you hook up the MS200 directly to the alternators output so it's always seeing voltage/amperage from the alternator?

I do, I utilize a Zeus controller but not sure what wire I would utilize to connect directly to the alternator. The alternator we have is an Electromaax with an external rectifier so the attachment point may be there.

 

[colemj]

Yes, this is a common problem with external regulators. Internal regulators never really shut down output completely, so the alarm doesn't sound. Even connecting it directly to the alternator probably won't help because the alternator is shut down with no output.

Balmar regulators are supposed to provide the panel with a small amount of current to keep the alarm from sounding, but I've found that to be hit and miss, and mostly miss. I don't know whether the Zeus has this ability, but @marcham talks about something similar.

You could try putting a 100ohm resistor in series with a diode across the regulator's switched (+) from the panel and field outputs. This would bleed a small amount of current and trick the panel alarm into thinking charging is still going on.

Mark