Easiest way to see if the Ablemail is working?

[Skyliner33]

As per title of the thread, I would like to know ways that I can check if my Ablemail AMT-12 tricle charger is working properly, as I have a very strong feeling its not.

As regards my system, I have one of the BMT12 devices fitted to the starter, and can also see the starter batter on my Victron SmartShunt.

From the smart shunt (upturn is sun hitting the solar panel):




From the BMT12 battery monitor.


If the Ablemail was working surely it wouldn't let the starter drop to 12.08V?

 

[Anakin]

If working correctly it shouldn’t let the SB drop below 12.4V. Can you see the LED flash colour on the Ablemail?

 

[Anakin]

That 12.08V, was that just after you opened a door? The voltage will temporarily drop under load but will come back up again as the battery chemistry reaches equilibrium.

I see a small ripple of the 3 second bursts the Ablemail uses, in the BMT trace.

 

[Skyliner33]

That 12.08V, was that just after you opened a door? The voltage will temporarily drop under load but will come back up again as the battery chemistry reaches equilibrium.

I see a small ripple of the 3 second bursts the Ablemail uses, in the BMT trace.

Possibly. Its really hard for me to get at the Ablemail to see the LED colour. A:though I do remember it bing difficult to tell if it was flashing Amber or Red, even Jonathan at Ablemail admitted it was a bit difficut.

 

[Skyliner33]

That 12.08V, was that just after you opened a door? The voltage will temporarily drop under load but will come back up again as the battery chemistry reaches equilibrium.

I see a small ripple of the 3 second bursts the Ablemail uses, in the BMT trace.

Just check it now. Showing 12.22V
This is today. Not touched the can to open a door or anything yet.

 

[ginkster]

It’s working fine and holding the battery at about 12.2v. All those little ripples on the BMT trace are it doing the job. The dips below are when you are unlocking the van or doing something else without starting the engine. Sit and watch the live BMT voltage for a while and you should see it ramp up a little every 10 secs or so as the AMT is charging the battery. It does look as though your battery may be knackered though if it’s sitting that low so soon after being running.

 

[Skyliner33]

It’s working fine and holding the battery at about 12.2v. All those little ripples on the BMT trace are it doing the job. The dips below are when you are unlocking the van or doing something else without starting the engine. Sit and watch the live BMT voltage for a while and you should see it ramp up a little every 10 secs or so as the AMT is charging the battery. It does look as though your battery may be knackered though if it’s sitting that low so soon after being running.

Strange that the battery is knackered. It's only 4 years old and has had the Ablemail on since new.

 

[Skyliner33]

It’s working fine and holding the battery at about 12.2v. All those little ripples on the BMT trace are it doing the job. The dips below are when you are unlocking the van or doing something else without starting the engine. Sit and watch the live BMT voltage for a while and you should see it ramp up a little every 10 secs or so as the AMT is charging the battery. It does look as though your battery may be knackered though if it’s sitting that low so soon after being running.

Just had a look at the live data. There doesn’t seem to be any charging pulses.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’m hoping to set up a widget on the Cerbo to monitor my SB and to check the AMT is working.
I’m going to try again today to reset the Cerbo

 

[Skyliner33]

I’m hoping to set up a widget on the Cerbo to monitor my SB and to check the AMT is working.
I’m going to try again today to reset the Cerbo

Hmmm maybe I need to do this also.

 

[Skyliner33]

Latest from the smartshunt, can't see anything that looks like a blip from the AMT:

 

[Drive Wayne]

Having run the van the SB over the course of a couple of days reduces from 12.5+ to 12.3v. When at and under 12.3v, On the Cerbo's Remote console you can see the voltage tickle up and down between 12.7 and 13.1v.
When you open a door the SB voltage takes a hit down to less than 12.1 but soon recovers back up to around 12.3. If my LB is less than 13v (which it can be in darkness hours) the Ablemail won't work. as soon as the sun comes up the LB goes over 13v and Ablemail works again.
My van fridge is permanently on and when that cuts in it reduces the LB voltage, so quite often at night the LB reduces to under 13v, hence no Ablemail action.
The input/output widget is useful, but you can still see the data on the 'dashboard' and 'advanced' pages of the Cerbo app.
I'll add a screen grab off my phone shortly...

 

[Drive Wayne]

Having run the van the SB over the course of a couple of days reduces from 12.5+ to 12.3v. When at and under 12.3v, On the Cerbo's Remote console you can see the voltage tickle up and down between 12.7 and 13.1v.
When you open a door the SB voltage takes a hit down to less than 12.1 but soon recovers back up to around 12.3. If my LB is less than 13v (which it can be in darkness hours) the Ablemail won't work. as soon as the sun comes up the LB goes over 13v and Ablemail works again.
My van fridge is permanently on and when that cuts in it reduces the LB voltage, so quite often at night the LB reduces to under 13v, hence no Ablemail action.
The input/output widget is useful, but you can still see the data on the 'dashboard' and 'advanced' pages of the Cerbo app.
I'll add a screen grab off my phone shortly...

View attachment 289623

You can see the LB voltage (purple) shoot up when the sun clears the houses opposite.
LB was on 12.93 until then, SB on 12.24v, now tickling between 12.7 and 13.2, you can watch it move up and down on the remote console.

 

[Drive Wayne]

You can see the LB voltage (purple) shoot up when the sun clears the houses opposite.
SB was on 12.93 until then, now tickling between 12.7 and 13.2, you can watch it move up and down on the remote console.

You can also see the SB (green)reduce when I opened the backdoor to take a photo of where I store my F45s winder for a member earlier.

 

[Drive Wayne]

You can also see the SB (green)reduce when I opened the backdoor to take a photo of where I store my F45s winder for a member earlier.

It's a handy plot to have SB and LB on the same graph with the same 'Y' axis, 11-15v, which both batteries fall within.

 

[Drive Wayne]

This was yesterday's plot, at the end of the day the LB was under 13v and the Ablemail went to sleep for the darkness hours.

 

[Skyliner33]

I can’t find exactly the same. The nearest I have is below. But it’s ages since I messed with widgets and can’t remember how to set them up now.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’m going to have to sus this Cerbo out today
I suck at using it

 

[Drive Wayne]

I can’t find exactly the same. The nearest I have is below. But it’s ages since I messed with widgets and can’t remember how to set them up now. View attachment 289650

I'm so glad I haven't got a SmartShunt, that would mess with my brain!
It does make you wonder where the figures come from! I wonder what part your Ablemail is taking its info from. According to the SmartShunt the Ablemail shouldn't be kicking in (It's over 12.3v), but the Orion says it should! (That's under 12.3v)

 

[Skyliner33]

I'm so glad I haven't got a SmartShunt, that would mess with my brain!
It does make you wonder where the figures come from! I wonder what part your Ablemail is taking its info from. According to the SmartShunt the Ablemail shouldn't be kicking in (It's over 12.3v), but the Orion says it should! (That's under 12.3v)

Ok. From the SmartShunt and the XS. From local BT.