Magnum Energy ME-BMK User Manual
ME-BMK/ME-BMK-NS
Battery Monitor Kit
Owner’s Manual
Disclaimer of Liability
The use of this manual and the conditions or methods of installation, operation, use, and maintenance of the ME-BMK is beyond the control of Magnum
Energy, Inc. Therefore, this company assumes no responsibility and expressly
disclaims any liability for loss, damage, or expense whether direct, indirect,
consequential, or incidental that may arise out of or be in anyway connected
with such installation, operation, use, or maintenance.
Due to continuous improvements and product updates, the images shown in
this manual may not exactly match the unit purchased.
Restrictions on Use
The ME-BMK may only be used in life-support devices or systems with the
express written approval of Magnum Energy. Failure of the ME-BMK can
reasonably be expected to cause the failure of that life-support device or
system, or to affect the safety or effectiveness of that device or system. If
the ME-BMK fails, it is reasonable to assume that the health of the user or
other persons may be endangered.
IMPORTANT PRODUCT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This manual contains important safety instructions that must be followed
during the installation and operation of this product. Read all instructions
and safety information contained in this manual before installing or using
this product.
• All electrical work must be performed in accordance with local, state, and
federal electrical codes.
• This product is designed for indoor/compartment installation. It must
not be exposed to rain, snow, moisture, or liquids of any type.
• Use insulated tools to reduce the chance of electrical shock or accidental
short circuits.
• Remove all jewelry such as rings, watches, bracelets, etc., when
installing or performing maintenance on the ME-BMK and the inverter
system.
• Always disconnect the batteries or energy source prior to installing or
performing maintenance on the ME-BMK and inverter system. Live power
may be present at more than one point since an inverter utilizes both batteries and AC. Turning off the inverter may not reduce this risk. As long
as AC power is connected, it will pass through the inverter regardless of
the power switch on the inverter or the ON/OFF INVERTER pushbutton on
the remote.
Safety Symbols
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, fi re, or other safety hazard, the fol-
lowing safety symbols have been placed throughout this manual to indicate
dangerous and important safety instructions.
WARNING: This symbol indicates that failure to take a specifi ed
action could result in physical harm to the user.
CAUTION: This symbol indicates that failure to take a specifi ed
action could result in damage to the equipment.
Info: This symbol indicates information that emphasizes or supplements important points of the main text.
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. i
List of Contents
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................. 1
1.1 Product Features ........................................................................ 1
1.2 Identifi cation and Compatibility .................................................... 1
2.0 Installation ............................................................................... 3
2.1 Required Components and Tools ................................................... 3
2.2 Installation Procedure ................................................................. 5
2.3 Network Connection with Multiple Devices ..................................... 7
2.4 Network Connections Using the ME-RTR Router .............................. 8
3.0 Using the ME-RC50 Remote with the BMK ................................ 9
3.1 Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item ...................................9
3.2 Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting ....................................... 10
3.3 Adjusting the Batt AmpHrs Setting ............................................. 10
3.4 ME-RC50 Remote’s BMK METER Menu Maps ................................. 11
3.5 Operating the BMK using the ME-RC50 ........................................ 12
3.6 ME-RC50 METER Menu Items and Settings for BMK ...................... 13
4.0 Using the ME-ARC50 Remote with the BMK ............................ 16
4.1 Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item ................................. 16
4.2 Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting ....................................... 17
4.3 Adjusting the AmpHr Size Setting .............................................. 17
4.4 ME-ARC50 Remote’s BMK Menu Maps ......................................... 18
4.5 Operating the BMK using the ME-ARC50 ...................................... 20
4.6 ME-ARC50 METER Menu Items and Settings for BMK..................... 21
5.0 Using the ME-RTR Router with the BMK .................................. 23
5.1 Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item ................................. 23
5.2 Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting ....................................... 24
5.3 Adjusting the AmpHrs Setting .................................................... 24
5.4 ME-RTR Router’s BMK Menu Maps .............................................. 25
5.5 Operating the BMK using the ME-RTR ......................................... 26
5.6 ME-RTR METER Menu Items and Settings for BMK ........................ 27
6.0 Using the LED Indicator to Determine the BMK’s Status ......... 30
7.0 Troubleshooting .................................................................... 31
8.0 Specifi cations ......................................................................... 32
9.0 Limited Warranty ................................................................... 33
9.1 How to Receive Repair Service ................................................... 34
List of Figures
Figure 2-1, ME-BMK Installation Diagram .............................................. 4
Figure 2-2, DC Shunt Connections ....................................................... 5
Figure 2-3, Sense Module Connections .................................................6
Figure 2-4, Multiple Network Devices - Star Confi guration ....................... 7
Figure 2-5, Multiple Network Devices - Daisy Chain Confi guration ............ 7
Figure 2-6, BMK Connected Directly to Router ....................................... 8
Figure 2-7, BMK and Router w/ Separate Connections to Inverter.............8
Figure 3-1, Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item (ME-RC50) ...........9
Figure 3-2, Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting (ME-RC50) .............. 10
Figure 3-3, ME-RC50 METER Menu Map (Displays w/BMK Settings) ........ 11
Figure 3-4, Accessing the METER Menu Items (ME-RC50) ...................... 13
Figure 4-1, Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item (ME-ARC50) ....... 16
Figure 4-2, Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting (ME-ARC50) ............ 17
Figure 4-3, ME-ARC50 SETUP Menu Map (Displays w/BMK Settings) ....... 18
ii © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
List of Figures (Cont.)
Figure 4-4, ME-ARC50 METER Menu Map (Displays w/BMK Settings) ....... 19
Figure 4-5, Accessing the METER Menu Items (ME-ARC50) .................... 21
Figure 5-1, Accessing the Charge Effi ciency Menu Item (ME-RTR) .......... 23
Figure 5-2, Adjusting the Charge Effi ciency Setting (ME-RTR) ................ 24
Figure 5-3, ME-RTR SETUP Menu Map (Displays w/BMK Settings) ........... 25
Figure 5-4, ME-RTR METER Menu Map (Displays w/BMK Settings) .......... 26
Figure 5-5, Accessing the METER Menu Items (ME-RTR) ....................... 27
Figure 8-1, Dimensional Specifi cations ............................................... 32
List of Tables
Table 6-1, LED Indicator Guide .......................................................... 30
Table 7-1, Troubleshooting Guide ....................................................... 31
Table 8-1, Specifi cations ................................................................... 32
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. iii
Introduction
1.0 Introduction
The ME-BMK/ME-BMK-NS is a single battery bank amp-hour meter that moni-
tors and provides important information about the condition of the battery.
This information will let you know how much energy you have available, and
let you plan your electrical usage to ensure the battery is not being overdischarged.
The ME-BMK is easy to install and is designed to be networked with a Magnum
Energy inverter/charger using a remote (ME-RC50 or ME-ARC50) or router
(ME-RTR) to display information about your battery bank.
Info: The ME-BMK-NS is identical to the ME-BMK except the NS
version does not have the DC shunt.
1.1 Product Features
• Compatible with 12, 24, or 48 volt systems
• Adjustable settings – very easy set up
• All battery meter and Magnum inverter/charger setup and
monitoring features are in a single convenient display – doesn’t
require multiple displays for inverter and battery system info
• Displays reliable and pertinent information, such as:
•
Battery State of Charge (SOC)
•
Battery Voltage
•
Battery Current
• Auto-detecting input voltage
• Temperature and battery bank capacity automatically compensated
and coordinated between inverter and battery monitor
• Precision 500A/50mv DC shunt (not included w/ ME-BMK-NS model)
• Automatic effi ciency calculation
1.2 Identifi cation and Compatibility
The ME-BMK is compatible with all Magnum inverters/chargers that have been
provided with a Magnum Net or Network port (see Figure 2-1). The ME-BMK
requires either an ME-RC50 (revision 2.0 or higher) remote, ME-ARC50 remote,
or an ME-RTR router to access the available settings and features.
Info: You can view the revision level of your ME-RC50 when you fi rst
power-up the remote, or by pushing the TECH button and accessing
the 02 Revisions menu.
If your ME-RC50 remote’s revision is not 2.0 or higher, refer to one of the two
options below to obtain the required revision.
1) If the ME-BMK is being installed at the same time as a newly purchased
Magnum inverter and ME-RC50 remote system, contact your Magnum Energy
dealer to obtain the ME-RC50 with a revision of 2.0 or higher.
2) If the ME-BMK is being added to a previously installed Magnum inverter
and ME-RC50 remote system, contact Magnum Energy about the ME-RC50
upgrade options.
1 © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
Introduction
Why should I use the Magnum Battery Monitor? To ensure your batteries
perform satisfactorily and have a long life, they need to be properly maintained
and charged. There are several devices that help to determine if the batteries
are being fully charged:
• DC Voltmeter: An accurate DC voltmeter can be used to measure the
Open Circuit Voltage (OCV) across the battery terminals and compare the
readings with the OCV values from the battery manufacturer. A DC voltmeter
is the least costly, but is also the least accurate and requires the batteries to
be “at rest”. This rest requirement means the voltage measurement should
only be done when there is no current moving through the battery for a period of time (most experts say a minimum of 1 hour). Using a DC voltmeter
when the batteries are at rest is generally impractical because the batteries
are usually always powering loads or being charged.
• Hydrometer: A good hydrometer can be used to measure the concentra-
tion of battery electrolyte in each individual cell, and compare these readings
with the specifi c gravity values from the battery manufacturer. A hydrometer
is very accurate, but can be time-consuming and becomes unpleasant when
working with sulfuric acid. A hydrometer won’t work with sealed batteries.
• Amp-hour Meter: An amp-hour meter is an electronic measuring device
that uses a precision shunt to calculate the amp-hours going into (charging)
and coming out of (discharging) a battery. This meter tracks the amp-hour
usage and compares it against the amp-hour capacity of the battery to de-
termine its charge condition. Calculating amp-hours in vs. amp-hours out is
fairly accurate and easily displayed, but doesn’t provide an accurate State
Of Charge (SOC) under all charge and discharge conditions.
These devices have both advantages and disadvantages based on accuracy and
ease of use. The Magnum Energy battery monitor combines the advantages of
these devices with additional functionality (such as monitoring battery temperature and calculating battery effi ciencies) to provide an easy and more accurate
means to determine the battery’s SOC condition. Therefore, you are more likely
to keep the batteries properly charged, and in turn be satisfi ed with your battery
system performance.
What is the difference between Amps and Amp-Hrs? “Amps” indicate
the fl ow of current going in or out of the battery. “Amp-hours” indicate the
amount of current returned to or removed from the battery. Amp-hrs are a
common rating used to calculate the battery’s available capacity. For example,
if a constant 3 amperes were removed from a 100 AH battery each hour, the
battery bank’s capacity would be 94 AH after 2 hours (6 amp-hours less).
To help understand the difference, imagine the battery bank is equivalent to
a water tank. Viewing the amps display would be similar to watching a water
gauge. You can see that the water is fl owing a little or a lot, but this doesn’t
indicate how much water is left. When viewing the SOC display, it would be
similar to viewing the water tank’s level indicator, which tells you how much
water is left in the tank.
For example: You have a 10 gallon water tank, and you remove water from
the tank with a one gallon bucket. The water level indicator would show the
available water has decreased by 10% – leaving 90% of the water still available. If this was a battery bank, then you would know that 10 percent of the
battery’s capacity has been used and its SOC is now 90%.
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. 2
Installation
2.0 Installation
Before installing the ME-BMK, read this entire section so you can thoroughly
plan the details to ensure the overall system requirements are accomplished.
To assist in planning and designing your installation, review the basic system diagram in Figure 2-1. If another network device besides the ME-BMK
is to be installed, refer to Section 2.3 to determine your specifi c network
confi guration.
WARNING: Installations should be performed by qualifi ed person-
nel, such as a licensed or certifi ed electrician. It is the installer’s
responsibility to determine which safety codes apply and to ensure
that all applicable installation requirements are followed. Applicable
installation codes vary depending on the specifi c location and ap-
plication. Review the “Important Product Safety Information” on
page ii before any installation.
The ME-BMK Sense Module is connected to the inverter by a 10’ communications cable, and to the DC shunt using a 5’ twisted-pair signal wire. Before
installing and connecting any wires, determine the following routes:
1) The communications cable route throughout the home or vehicle/
boat to the inverter.
2) The twisted-pair signal wire route to the shunt.
Info: The communications cable may be extended beyond the supplied 10’, but to ensure voltage accuracy do not extend the 5’ twistedpair wire used between the DC shunt and the Sense Module.
Info:
protection device to be used in the installation, refer to the inverter
owner’s manual.
For information on the size of the battery cable and overcurrent
2.1 Required Components and Tools
2.1.1 List of Supplied Components in the ME-BMK/ME-BMK-NS:
• ME-BMK/ME-BMK-NS Owner’s Manual
• Sense Module (with two #8 x 3/4” Phillips mounting screws)
• 500A/50mv DC shunt (with two #8 x 3/4” Phillips mounting screws)*
• 10ft Communications cable
• 5ft Twisted-pair (blue and orange color) signal wires
2.1.2 List of Other Required Equipment and Materials:
• Magnum inverter with a network port
• ME-RC50 (revision ≥ 2.0) remote, ME-ARC50 remote, or an
ME-RTR router
• Batteries (with appropriately sized cables)
• Short (~18”) battery cable (to connect shunt to battery negative)
• In-line fuse holder (with 2-amp DC fuse)
• 4-Wire phone-splitter (if using multiple network devices)
2.1.3 Tools Required to Install the ME-BMK:
• Flat-blade screwdrivers (1/4” and 1/8” blades)
• #2 Phillips screwdriver
• 9/16” open-end wrench or adjustable crescent wrench
*The ME-BMK includes a shunt, the ME-BMK-NS does not.
3 © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
Installation
Network Port
(green label)
Remote Control
(ME - RC50 with revision ≥ 2.0,
ME - ARC50, ME - RTR)
PWR
FA ULT
Inverting
CHG
INV
ON/OFF
CHARG ER
ON/OFF
DC 12.6V 5A
SELECT
TECHAGS MET ER SETUPSHOREINVERTER
(ME -BMK/ME -BMK -NS)
Magnum Energy Inverter/Charger
(with NETWORK port )
Sense Module
ON
OFF
DC
Negative
Distribution
load
DC Shunt *
load
side
side
(ME - BMK )
battery
battery
side
side
*NOTE: The ME - BMK - NS
model does not include a
DC shunt. The shunt must
be provided in the system.
(from ME -BMK/ME -BMK -NS)
Communications Cable (10')
Twisted-Pair
Cable (5')
(ME - BMK/
ME - BMK - NS)
Battery
Bank
DC Fuse
(2 amp s)
Battery
Disconnect
Switch
Battery /
Inverter
U
L
S
F
T
A
C
E
S
S
DC
Po sitive
Distribution
Cable
Fuse
Figure 2-1, ME-BMK Installation Diagram
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. 4
Installation
2.2 Installation Procedure
Select a location that is dry and away from extreme temperatures to mount the
ME-BMK Sense Module and DC shunt. Use the supplied #8 x 3/4 screws (x4).
Allow ample room to view the LED on the Sense Module, access the screws
and bolts on the shunt, and to access the terminal block and the RJ11 port.
CAUTION: Do not mount the ME-BMK Sense Module in a closed
battery compartment, or in an area
can enter the ME-BMK Sense Module and cause shorting or corrosion. The internal circuit board is conformal coated to help prevent
corrosion, but this failure is not covered by the warranty.
Info: Shunts should be mounted in an area where freely circulating
air is available. For continuous operation, it is recommended that
shunts are not used at more than 2/3 of their rated current.
is not possible, adequate forced ventilation should be provided to
keep the shunt operating temperature below 60°C.
CAUTION: Before beginning the installation, ensure all AC power is
disconnected from the inverter, and all negative
cables are disconnected from the battery bank.
where water or any other liquid
If this
and positive battery
2.2.1 DC Cable Connections
1. Using an appropriate sized cable, wire the inverter’s DC negative terminal
to the DC shunt (load side).
Info: For the ME-BMK to monitor all load currents, all DC loads — including the inverter — must be connected to the load side of the shunt.
2.
Wire the other side of the DC shunt (battery side) to the battery negative ter-
minal. Connect cables/hardware to the shunt exactly as shown in Figure 2-2.
3. Using an appropriate sized cable, wire the inverter’s DC positive terminal
to the load side of an appropriate DC disconnect/overcurrent protection device
(i.e., DC circuit breaker, or DC disconnect and fuse).
4. Open the DC circuit breaker (or remove the fuse) and wire its other side
to the positive terminal of the battery bank.
Sense wire with
ring terminal to
Sense Module (x2)
Flat washer (x2)
Split -lock
washer (x2)
8-32 x 3/8"
screw (x2)
3/8"-16 bolt with 9/16" head (x2)
Split-lock washer (x2)
Flat washer (x2)
Cable (x2) – one side to
inverter, other to battery
(use ring lug w/ 3/8" opening)
DC Shunt
Figure 2-2, DC Shunt Connections
5 © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
Installation
2.2.2 ME-BMK Sense Module Connections
Once mounted, complete the following steps to connect the BMK (Fig. 2-3):
1. Run the communications cable between the ME-BMK Sense Module and the
inverter/charger. This cable is a 2-wire, twisted-pair, telephony standard with
RJ11 connectors on each end. A standard telephone cable may be substituted
if the provided remote cable is not able to be used or needs to be longer.
2. Connect the communications cable to the RJ11 Net port beside the green
label (Network port) on the Magnum inverter/charger (see Figure 2-1).
3. Unplug the 4-port terminal block from the Sense Module and
ensure the openings are unscrewed enough to allow wire insertion.
4. Using the supplied 5 foot twisted-pair wire: 1) Connect the blue wire
from the #1 terminal on the 4-port terminal block to the small screw on
the battery side of the shunt (negative shunt sense connection); then, 2)
Connect the orange wire from the #2 terminal on the 4-port terminal block
to the small screw on the load side of the shunt (positive shunt sense
connection).
Info: Ensure these blue and orange wires stay twisted together up
to the shunt to maintain accuracy.
5. Connect a wire (black) from terminal #3 on the 4-port terminal block to
the negative terminal of the battery. Then, connect a wire (red) with a 2-amp
in-line fuse from terminal #4 on the 4-port terminal block to the positive
terminal of the battery.
CAUTION: To prevent damage, the black and red power wires must not
be connected to the input sense terminals (terminals #1 and #2).
6. When all the connections are made and checked, plug the 4-port terminal
block into the Sense Module and then close the DC circuit breaker (or DC
disconnect) to supply power to the inverter and Sense Module.
7. Immediately after applying DC power, the LED on the Sense Module should
come on as the unit goes through a power-up self-test. After the initial selftest completes, the LED should be green. If so, your battery monitor system
is now ready for setup; if not, please refer to the Troubleshooting section.
Communications Cable
(2-conductor twisted pair;
a telephone-type cable
may be substituted ).
Terminals :
1 2 43
4-Port Terminal Block
(can be removed, and
each terminal accepts
30 to 12 AWG wire).
To Network Port
(on Magnum inverter)
To small shunt screw
(load side)
To small shunt screw
(battery side)
orange
blue
blue
orange
black
DC Fuse
red
(2 amps)
black
red
To Battery
Positive
To Battery
Negative
Tw isted-p air
cab le 5 feet
maximum
Figure 2-3, Sense Module Connections
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. 6
Installation
2.3 Network Connection with Multiple Devices
If you are using more than one Magnum Energy networked device, a 4-wire
phone-splitter is required to connect the network devices. It is possible to
interconnect the devices in two confi gurations; either in a Star or a Daisy
Chain confi guration.
Info: Before deciding on which confi guration to use, review the dif-
ferences in installation and ease of troubleshooting.
• Star Confi guration - In this arrangement, all the network devices con-
nect to the inverter’s Network port via a phone-splitter, using individual cable
runs (see Figure 2-4). Since each device is independently connected to the
inverter’s Magnum Net or Network port, problems in a cable or a device can
be easily isolated; and, if there is a cable failure to one device it does not
bring down all the other devices.
Remo te Control
(ME - RC 50 w ith revision of ≥2.0,
ME - AR C 50, or M E - R T R router)
PWR
FAULT
Inverting
CHG
INV
ON/OFF
CHARGER
ON/OFF
DC 12.6V 5A
SELECT
TECHAGS METER SETUPSHOREINVERTER
Magnum Inverter /C harger
ME-BMK
M E-AG S-N
Ph o n e-splitter
Figure 2-4, Multiple Network Devices - Star Configuration
• Daisy Chain Confi guration – In this arrangement, the network devices are
linked in a series (see Figure 2-5). If using this confi guration, the ME-AGS-N
must be the fi rst device connected to the inverter’s Magnum Net or Network
port – followed by the ME-BMK.
Remo te Control
(ME - RC 50 w ith revision of ≥2.0,
ME - AR C50, or ME - RTR router)
PWR
FAULT
Inverting
CHG
DC 12.6V 5A
INV
ON/OFF
CHARGER
ON/OFF
SELECT
AGS METER SETUPSHOREINVERTER
TECH
Magnum Inverter /Charger
M E-AGS- N (1st device)
Phone
splitter
ME-BMK (2nd device)
Figure 2-5, Multiple Network Devices - Daisy Chain Configuration
7 © 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc.
Installation
2.4 Network Connections Using the ME-RTR Router
If you are using a Magnum Energy router it is possible to connect the BMK
either directly to the router, or directly to the inverter.
•
Direct to Router Configuration – In this arrangement, the BMK
device is directly connected to the router which is in turn connected to
the inverter.
Magnum Energy Router
(ME-RTR)
ME-BMK
Magnum Inverter/Charger
Figure 2-6, BMK Connected Directly to Router
Direct to Inverter – In this arrangement, the router and BMK device
•
are each directly connected to the inverter via separate ports.
Magnum E nergy Router
(M E- RT R )
Magnum Inverter/Charger
ME-BMK
Figure 2-7, BMK and Router w/ Separate Connections to Inverter
© 2010 Magnum Energy, Inc. 8
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