Mastervolt Mass Combi 12/2500 Inv/Chgr

[Tonyl]

Hi,

 

wonder if anyone can help, or indeed, ever had the same problem with their Mastervolt Mass Combi unit.

 

I arrived at my boat yesterday to find the Mass Combi unit in full swing,fully powered up and appeared to be charging the batteries, although I had left the boat a couple of weeks ago with the unit switched off, (little rocker switch in the centre off position), but the power still connected from the incoming shoreline supply. I disconnected the shoreline power coming into the boat, and switched the combi to "Inverter", and it appears to work OK, and supplies 230 VAC. Then switched it to Centre off position, reconnected the shoreline power, and sure enough it starts up immediately as if the switch were switched to the "Charge" position, but is in fact in the "Off" position. So in effect, I can only turn it off by disconnecting the incoming mains.

 

It is tempting to think the switch may be short circuit in the "charge" position, but tend to think it is a little deeper than that. I was not in a position to open the unit up and inspect it yesterday.

 

Anyone any ideas please ?

 

Regards

 

Tony

[bizzard]

Hi,

 

wonder if anyone can help, or indeed, ever had the same problem with their Mastervolt Mass Combi unit.

 

I arrived at my boat yesterday to find the Mass Combi unit in full swing,fully powered up and appeared to be charging the batteries, although I had left the boat a couple of weeks ago with the unit switched off, (little rocker switch in the centre off position), but the power still connected from the incoming shoreline supply. I disconnected the shoreline power coming into the boat, and switched the combi to "Inverter", and it appears to work OK, and supplies 230 VAC. Then switched it to Centre off position, reconnected the shoreline power, and sure enough it starts up immediately as if the switch were switched to the "Charge" position, but is in fact in the "Off" position. So in effect, I can only turn it off by disconnecting the incoming mains.

 

It is tempting to think the switch may be short circuit in the "charge" position, but tend to think it is a little deeper than that. I was not in a position to open the unit up and inspect it yesterday.

 

Anyone any ideas please ?

 

Regards

 

Tony

Ahoy. I'm not expert on such contraptions but i'd be suspecting that switch firstly.Turn all your isolators off,disconnect a positive cabin battery terminal(just in case) and pull the blue landline plug out I'd disconnect all the wires on the switch,making notes on where they go. and check out all its terminals on it for continuity and resistances with either a little bulb,torch battery and wires or a multi-meter set to Ohms (resistance).

Edited May 28, 2012 by bizzard

[nicknorman]

Good advice Biz. The switch does not actually switch the power on or off, it merely sends a command to a computer input that is then used to operate relays etc. therefore whilst it is hopefully that switch or it's wiring, it is possibly a hardware fault with the input channel connected to the switch, which would be beyond amateur fixing.

[jonathanA]

I'm not familiar with the mastervolt stuff, but its always worth reading the manual to make sure the switch does what you think it does... (google is your friend if you don't have it)

 

also some of these devices have the capability for a remote control, so if yours has a separate remote control panel somewhere it might be worth disconencting that.

 

Also did you change anything recently (or have anything changed) that could have had some affect on the device ?

[nicknorman]

I'm not familiar with the mastervolt stuff, but its always worth reading the manual to make sure the switch does what you think it does... (google is your friend if you don't have it)

 

also some of these devices have the capability for a remote control, so if yours has a separate remote control panel somewhere it might be worth disconencting that.

 

Also did you change anything recently (or have anything changed) that could have had some affect on the device ?

 

I checked the manual. If OP had a remote control panel, it only works if the main rocker switch that he is referring to is set to ON (inverter or charger). If set to OFF, the device should go off regardless of any remote panel switchery.

[Tonyl]

I checked the manual. If OP had a remote control panel, it only works if the main rocker switch that he is referring to is set to ON (inverter or charger). If set to OFF, the device should go off regardless of any remote panel switchery.

 

Thanks Guys,

 

I had already checked the manual, looking for the obvious. It has got remote panels which are located next to the main unit (for some reason). I have not changed anything recently, other than the fact that I left the input power connected with the Combi switched off, whereas I normally unplug the supply from the boat, certainly after winter is well and truly passed. I suspect some transient spike or something similar on the marina supply. Hopefully there may be some milage in the connection suggestion.

It would help a little if the circuit diagram was available. Is it on the Mastervolt website by any chance ?

 

Thanks again

 

Tony

[Chris Pink]

 

It would help a little if the circuit diagram was available. Is it on the Mastervolt website by any chance ?

 

 

 

hah.

 

Wouldn't it just?

 

Have you tried unplugging the remote. (and/or performing a full software reset)?

[by'eck]

I had a Victron Combi with remote panel. The main unit was left in the off position but the remote would override it if commanded to. From the remote I had full control of charger and inverter via separate switches.

 

From memory both the remote and main switches command a function on by grounding the appropriate wire. This means for example if the charger is switched on by the remote it can't be turned off at the main unit & vice versa.

 

Although Nick mentioned the Mastervolt manual suggests the main unit switch has priority it might be worth checking.

Edited May 28, 2012 by by'eck

[nicknorman]

I had a Victron Combi with remote panel. The main unit was left in the off position but the remote would override it if commanded to. From the remote I had full control of charger and inverter via separate switches.

 

MV is different - quote from manual:

NOTE! When the main switch is in the “Off”- position, it overrides the remote control panel. In this off state it is not possible to start the Mass Combi remotely.

 

hah.

 

Wouldn't it just?

 

Have you tried unplugging the remote. (and/or performing a full software reset)?

There doesn't seem to be a way to do a software reset other than by cycling power, unless you know differently? OP could try not only disconnecting mains but also battery leads to completely power down the device before trying anything more drastic.

[Tonyl]

Thanks Everyone,

 

You have given me a few things to think about and try. I have to say I forgot about the fact that the unit is never really powered down by virtue of the fact that the batteries are connected to it. A point to remember when working on the unit, which I guess could sometimes be overlooked or forgotten about after one has disconnected the mains supply, thinking everything is now isolated. The remote control panels are of the plug in type, so I guess disconnecting them is a good starting point. I have had a quick look at the manual, and it looks like the remotes are configurable with internal DIP Switches.

 

Thanks for the pointers, will keep you updated.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[Ark Right]

Thanks Everyone,

 

You have given me a few things to think about and try. I have to say I forgot about the fact that the unit is never really powered down by virtue of the fact that the batteries are connected to it. A point to remember when working on the unit, which I guess could sometimes be overlooked or forgotten about after one has disconnected the mains supply, thinking everything is now isolated. The remote control panels are of the plug in type, so I guess disconnecting them is a good starting point. I have had a quick look at the manual, and it looks like the remotes are configurable with internal DIP Switches.

 

Thanks for the pointers, will keep you updated.

 

Regards

 

Tony

 

Hi Tony

While you are in there disconnecting, unplug the battery temperature sensor. Apparently when they go Awol they can cause all sorts of mayhem.

If you have sense wires connected, dis them too.

A

[Tonyl]

Hi Tony

While you are in there disconnecting, unplug the battery temperature sensor. Apparently when they go Awol they can cause all sorts of mayhem.

If you have sense wires connected, dis them too.

A

 

Cheers A,

 

I am down to the boat at the weekend, and hope to have a look around inside the MV Unit. I do have the battery temp sensor so that is something I will try. I think I will have to try a sequential approach to the suggestions to try and narrow down the problem, rather that attack all suggestions at once, which may well fix it but not help pin point the issue. Assuming I can pin point it at all ?

 

Thanks again for the "Food for Thought"

 

Regards

 

Tony

Edited May 31, 2012 by Tonyl

[Tonyl]

Cheers A,

 

I am down to the boat at the weekend, and hope to have a look around inside the MV Unit. I do have the battery temp sensor so that is something I will try. I think I will have to try a sequential approach to the suggestions to try and narrow down the problem, rather that attack all suggestions at once, which may well fix it but not help pin point the issue. Assuming I can pin point it at all ?

 

Thanks again for the "Food for Thought"

 

Regards

 

Tony

 

Hi Everyone,

 

an update on this issue, for anyone who is interested.

 

I managed a few hours looking at the problem I described above. I opened the unit (lower panel), checked all the connections, disconnected the remote display/control panels, disconnected the battery sensor, and finally disconnected the unit from the battery supply and reconnected it, and re-initialised the unit after every step, so as to try and identify which step may have fixed it. I also checked the config switches, which all seemed to be in the correct position for what is installed, and what I would expect. Unfortunately, the unit will still not switch off from the front panel, when the shoreline power (240VAC)is coming into the boat ?.

 

The only other symptom I noticed, but may not be connected is that if the unit is in charging mode (230vac connected) and I switch on the immersion heater, sometime later, the charge display on the front of the unit (bulk/absorption/float) drops to bulk, which surprises me a little, as I would have thought these are two seperate functions ?.

 

Apart from that, everything seems to function OK. I guess one could say, why worry, but it was certainly not what used to happen, and I would really like to get to the bottom of it. I spoke to a very nice chap at the Crick show, from Mastervolt ( or is it now Volt Master, they call themselves ?), who suggested pretty much what some of you guys already had suggested. Outside any of these issues, it would be a "Return for Repair" job. Not sure what to do next.

 

Regards

 

Tony

Edited June 24, 2012 by Tonyl

[nicknorman]

Hi Everyone,

 

an update on this issue, for anyone who is interested.

 

I managed a few hours looking at the problem I described above. I opened the unit (lower panel), checked all the connections, disconnected the remote display/control panels, disconnected the battery sensor, and finally disconnected the unit from the battery supply and reconnected it, and re-initialised the unit after every step, so as to try and identify which step may have fixed it. I also checked the config switches, which all seemed to be in the correct position for what is installed, and what I would expect. Unfortunately, the unit will still not switch off from the front panel, when the shoreline power (240VAC)is coming into the boat ?.

 

The only other symptom I noticed, but may not be connected is that if the unit is in charging mode (230vac connected) and I switch on the immersion heater, sometime later, the charge display on the front of the unit (bulk/absorption/float) drops to bulk, which surprises me a little, as I would have thought these are two seperate functions ?.

 

Apart from that, everything seems to function OK. I guess one could say, why worry, but it was certainly not what used to happen, and I would really like to get to the bottom of it. I spoke to a very nice chap at the Crick show, from Mastervolt ( or is it now Volt Master, they call themselves ?), who suggested pretty much what some of you guys already had suggested. Outside any of these issues, it would be a "Return for Repair" job. Not sure what to do next.

 

Regards

 

Tony

Presumably you haven't dismantled the unit sufficiently to check the rocker switch? If you don't feel up to doing that, I think the only option is to have it looked at by MV or one of their agents.

 

On the other hand, perhaps you should consider whether the behaviour you mention actually matters? Why leave the shore power connected but the charger off? We leave ours on all the time when the boat is in the marina. The only time i put the switch to the mid "off" position is overnight, when we are out cruising, to save battery power.

Edited June 24, 2012 by nicknorman

[Tonyl]

Presumably you haven't dismantled the unit sufficiently to check the rocker switch? If you don't feel up to doing that, I think the only option is to have it looked at by MV or one of their agents.

 

On the other hand, perhaps you should consider whether the behaviour you mention actually matters? Why leave the shore power connected but the charger off? We leave ours on all the time when the boat is in the marina. The only time i put the switch to the mid "off" position is overnight, when we are out cruising, to save battery power.

 

Hi,

 

I know, it seemed the most obvious choice that the switch itself could be short circuit in the "charge" position (maybe a little too obvious), but the guy from Mastervolt (or Voltmaster) pretty much steered me away from indulging into anything further than opening the slide off inspection/connection panel, at the bottom of the unit. I guess with the unit now being 4 years old, any warranty waver issues would be well and truly over. I guess the main issue would be safety with the invertor capacitors etc.

 

Thanks for the reply and info.

 

Regards

 

Tony

Edited June 24, 2012 by Tonyl

[Keith M]

Hi,

 

I know, it seemed the most obvious choice that the switch itself could be short circuit in the "charge" position (maybe a little too obvious), but the guy from Mastervolt (or Voltmaster) pretty much steered me away from indulging into anything further than opening the slide off inspection/connection panel, at the bottom of the unit. I guess with the unit now being 4 years old, any warranty waver issues would be well and truly over. I guess the main issue would be safety with the invertor capacitors etc.

 

Thanks for the reply and info.

 

Regards

 

Tony

 

Hello Tony,

 

May may have found a local company that may be able to help

I will send a PM in a few days

I am the person that you talk to at Crick

 

Kind Regards

 

Keith