Setting up the Freedom 20 Remote

[wufibugs]

I have the installation instructions for the Freedom 20 I installed. It is wired up and reviewed by several here, special thanks to Stu Jackson who saved me several times from my own ignorance, but I remain a little confused by the interaction between the power switch on the Freedom 20 case, the power switch on the remote, and the dip switch settings. This derives, no doubt, from my failure to understand exactly how the inverter/charger works.
Once the remote panel is installed, dip settings are pretty much a done deal. Yet they have matrices for gel, and different batt temps calling for different settings. I don't know how one decides what temp to use as baseline for these settings. Likewise many of the others raised questions in my mind. As always, I welcome all the help I can get.

 

[sailingdog]

Did you not get a remote temp sensor with your Freedom inverter/charger? It has a phone cord plug on one end and is designed to be placed next to your house battery bank.

 

[Stu Jackson]

dawg, the phone cord is for a connection to a LINK 1000 or 2000 for controlling the inverter and the charger from the LINK. My Freedom inverter-chargers did not come with temperature sensing.

At least my 1998 unit didn't. Could be, as I see from the newer units' installation manuals that they may, haven't read the whole thing yet.

A Link is required to initiate the equalization for the Freedom, too. Don't know if it can be done from the remote panel. I'm still reading.

More---

There is a temp sensor on the 2002 manual units, didn't have that on mine.

Equalization still appears to need a LINK.

Richard, you need to know this if you use a generator: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,1474.0.html

More, more ---- The Freedom remote panel can be used to initiate equalization, page 42 of the manual GOOD news.

 

[sailingdog]

Stu—

I'm basing the guess that he's got a newer one on the fact that he is just installing it now. The newer ones, IIRC, do come with a temperature sensor, as I have a Freedom 20 on my boat that is only a few years old.

 

[wufibugs]

This is an older unit I got from someone else. I am not sure of the manufacture date, but it has the phone cord fittings at both ends, one plugs into the bottom of the unit and the other into the back of the remote. There is no temp sensing unit, and there does not seem to be an input for one. According to the instructions, I would guess the dip switches allow a compromise for under and over 80 degrees. Is that average temp where the batt is located? I assume it refers to the house batt bank?

 

[wufibugs]

Equalization: Yes, I read that Stu. I think, however, you reset the dip switches for equalization and then reset when that process is complete. If I remember, it warns against leaving the dips in the equalization mode. Since the remote only has an on/off switch on the face plate, most of the functions are controlled by the dips. I suppose one could mount this with wing nuts so the dips are readily accessable.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Yes, Richard, that would be the way to do it, I would if it were my boat. You NEED to equalize your house bank, but that's a once a month or once a season thing for most folks. I have recently bought a Nanopulser at Rich Stidger's recommendation, we'll see if that helps out my bank, which was severely "punished" when I broke my leg in January 2009: solar panel was off, boat wasn't plugged in for months, all the "worst you can do to your expensive batteries" I ended up doing, compounded by the second surgery in August. Yuck!

The switch: Did your Freedom come with the BIG cables already attached or did you have to make up your own? Do you have the built in echo charger or not? If not, it's like mine. The newer instruction manual discusses the switch in conjunction with the remote panel. I have a Link. Before the Link, the switch was always off unless I wanted the inverter, when I moved the switch (and remembered to turn on the AC main breaker!). My instruction manual is buried since we're painting the inside of the house and getting new carpeting, so I just can't help right now. The download site for the newer models (2002+) is here: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/50/p/docs/pt/7/product.asp They do discuss what to do and how to use it on page 10, seems somewhat different than ours, 'cuz I don't recall the "not quite completely off" item.

Richard< the operation is pretty simple. When you are plugged into shorepower, the unit operates as a battery charger, and provides 12V charging TO the batteries, it steps it down from the shorepower 120V to the charging voltages discussed in the manual. When away from shorepower, you can use 120V on board 'cuz the unit takes the 12V from the bank and boosts it up to 120V. Really, that's all it does. I reread your OP and understand you have a lot of broad questions. In 1998 I didn't get it all either, so I read, reread and rereread it until I did. Please ask away with more specific questions and we'd be glad to help.

If you only have two battery temperature choices, pick one that's closest to what most of your sailing season temperatures are. Safer temp is higher, 'cus the charging voltages are less.

 

[wufibugs]

"The switch: Did your Freedom come with the BIG cables already attached or did you have to make up your own?"

The big DC cables were attached, but they were only about a foot long. I used insulated capped connectors I found at West Marine to add enough additional 2 guage cable to run to the 300 amp fuse and then the DC distribution blocks. The inverter is under the port aft bunk and the fuse & DC distribution blocks are along the center wall in the aft portion of the engine compartment behind the trans.
Incidentally, Stu, I am wondering about putting a properly cut out removeable board with insulation behind the trans so the electrical stuff and crank batt under the aft bunk don't get so much engine heat. Or would that interfere with heat dissipation from the engine?

"Do you have the built in echo charger or not? If not, it's like mine."

I don't think so. The instructions don't mention anything about it.

"The newer instruction manual discusses the switch in conjunction with the remote panel.''

Well, my instructions appear to do that, if you mean the relationship between the power switch on the unit and the power switch on the remote. Exactly what these two switches do, or do differently, I am not sure.

 

[Bill Murray]

Freedom 20 manual

Freedom 20 manual

this is the manual for mine -- a 1998 version

sounds pretty much like the one you are talking about. I have one - let me know if you have more questions.http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/591/DocServe.aspx

 

[wufibugs]

Bill, how do you have the remote mounted so you can reset the dip switches to equalize periodically?
Do you leave the switch at the unit on or off?
What about the switch on the remote?
How do you set the dip for auto charge? What is the difference in having the remote control both inverter and charger?
Again, I am not sure how the idle function works and what it accomplishes. How do you have yours set, and why that setting?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Bill, thanks for that link, it is pretty much the manual I remember for ours (I only have a paper copy, but not now).

Richard, I suggest you take a deep breath and hold on for a day or so, and reread the manual. Feel free to contact me by email, maybe we can chat by phone, it'd be a lot easier on my fingers.

The reason the big 1/0 wires were so short is that the PO made them that way. Mine reach about five feet each. Maybe he cut them.

 

[Bill Murray]

Stu has a good idea -- I read the manul about three times before I started to figure it all out. I am not near the boat right now and it is still covered for the winter. maybe if I read the manul most of it will be recalled. However, this is a pretty simple set up from the control side. The switches end up pretty much set and forget as I recall. I need to read a little and then I can tell you how I do the equalization cycle. While I have pulled the remote off the cabinet to get at the switches, I don't think I always have to do that to get control of the cycle.......

 

[Bill Murray]

Richard-

check out pgs 28 -34 of the manual pdf I sent - it does a pretty good job of explaining the answers to your questions. let me know what you need extra clarification on.....

Bill