Sterling combined charger inverter problems programming

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A friend of mine has asked for help in programming his brand new Sterling 1500W charger inverter. There are many parameters that are claimed to be variable in the manual - e.g. times and voltages for various phases of charge - which have the prefix P, e.g. P 01 and we have been unable to access those variables. Nothing in the manual supplied or online tells us how to do it. My friend has written to Sterling but we would like to get it sorted over the weekend. I have a feeling that we might be missing the obvious, so if anyone knows how to access this part of the setup, please let me know! Many thanks.

PS - would appreciate an opinion of this product as it seems to be exactly what I am looking for to replace my dodgy Mastervolt but what experience have folks had with the combined sine inverter/charger?
 
Got a Sterling 1800w jobbie on board - NO problems so far and it is about 5 years old. Gets the stuffing knocked out of it frequently but it goes on and on. Mine developed a slight hum when on load - the nice chap at Sterling suggested removing the cover and tightening the screws / nuts holding the unit together - it worked - now quiet has returned. Programming my "antique" is by changing the position of a series of dip switches.

Found these instructions on the web site - you did make sure the unit was in STOP mode? before attempting to change the factory defaults?
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
Your quickest solution...

Your quickest solution would probably be to contact Rich Electric in Taiwan, who actually make these units under the Invertek brand (like a number of Sterling products, these combi chargers are just rebranded versions of commercially-available units).
 
More thoughts...

You can download the full Rich Electric manual for this combi unit from here. If you compare this with the Sterling version of the manual, it looks as if Sterling have had the set-up process reprogrammed to suit their needs. The "System Adjustments" section in the Sterling manual (Fn00, Fn01, etc) doesn't match the parameters in the Rich Electric manual. And the Sterling manual shows Fn00 as the battery type selection - my guess is that this sets the voltages and times to whatever Sterling have decided, and that you can't select these individually on the Sterling-badged product.
 
Re: More thoughts...

Many thanks...I think you've hit the nail on the head. We are not happy with the default values that seem to be in this particular unit (maybe a defective unit, I suppose) which is why we want to change them. Hmmm....at least all has become much clearer. Many thanks indeed!

I had two older Sterling units on my last boat (smart alternator and 20A charger made by Sterling) and was well-pleased. Sad that they are now just another badger, I would not have expected Charles? Sterling to do that.
 
Re: More thoughts...

After more thought, both the Sterling and Invertek instructions require some P settings - e.g. P04 is used to set the type of battery, gel, etc. How does one set values for Ps? Nowhere in the instructions does it tell you how to access each P value let alone how to change and store new values. Even if Sterling had disabled the ability to change the value, they would surely allow you to access the value to see what it is set at given that this information is not in the manual.

I feel that there must be something terribly simple that we are overlooking. e.g. do they change terminology, and use Fs for some things, Fcns for others and Ps are nothing more than Fs or Fcns? If you see what I mean...nobody seems to bother these days to make sure that manuals and terminology are consistent and make sense - which is a general industry-wide complaint /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
My guess...

My guess is that direct access to the Pxx parameters has been disabled in the revised set-up process programmed into the Sterling-badged version. Any mention in the Sterling manual of a Pxx parameter is almost certainly an oversight on Sterling's part when lifting the original manual text and turning it into a Sterling manual (they're not renowned for the accuracy of their written materials!). Similarly, Sterling have simply omitted para G1.2 which is about equalisation, because they've probably used the factory default setting to equalise every 25 charge cycles.

In the Rich Electric version, I believe that the Parameter setting mode is entered by pressing the Aux button.

As for your sadness that "they are now just another badger", I don't think this is anything new. Many products marketed by Sterling exist in other countries under different brands. It's possible that Sterling make the units and sell them to everybody else, but somehow I doubt it. As an example, compare the ProMariner battery charger with Sterling's. And the pure sine wave inverters marketed by Sterling are Rich Electric products.
 
Re: My guess...

so much for sterling cutting edge technology then.
looks like cliff has been defending/promoting cutting edge badge making over the years. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Not necessarily...

As I said, it's possible that Sterling get the stuff made in China and then sell it to other companies who market under different names. However, in view of the difference in market sizes between UK and US, it's probably unlikely.

I think Sterling's alternator regulators may be unique to them, but most of the other stuff is most likely just bought in.
 
Re: My guess...

No. Just get pee'd off with numpties criticising perfectly good equipment because they cannot get it to work.

If one RTFMs one would see there are physical differences in the "Sterling" unit when compared against the "Rich Electrics" unit.

Equipment for the UK market has to be CE approved these days whereas the "same" equipment for the far east or state side markets does not. Perhaps the removal of the ability for the UK user to alter certain settings is part of the CE approval - we would not want some numptie cooking his battery and maybe causing a fire or an explosion would we - the nanny state would not allow that!

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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
Re: My guess...

[ QUOTE ]
No. Just get pee'd off with numpties criticising perfectly good equipment because they cannot get it to work.

[/ QUOTE ]Are you calling me a 'numpty'? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif No, you can't have meant that /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif Whatever, this piece of kit does not do what the manual Sterling supplied says it should, so either the manual is defective or the product is. Either way, you wouldn't call it 'perfectly good equipment' when two Radio Hams, one a trained electronics engineer, can't make it work.

My friend is seething, having paid a lot of money and spent a huge amount of time installing the thing (in a very professional manner) only to find that, to use the words Charles Sterling once used to describe product made by another company "would be best used as a mud anchor". Actually Sterling said "sea anchor" but that's not what he meant, I guess he's not very boaty.
 
Re: My guess...

No, I was not referring to you personally as a numptie but there have been a few on here who came over that way. As for a ham radio operator or even two operators being experts in fitting these.... We will not go into electronics engineers abilities to change light bulbs either /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Give Charlie boy a call and see what he says but talk nice to him and have all your facts at hand - he does not "suffer fools gladly".

It could be there is something physically wrong with the unit - it does happen from time to time with all pieces of kit - but before condemning Sterling PP a simple phone call might resolve the problem.

I have not had any real problems with either the combie unit nor the alt regulator fitted on my boat - both Sterling units and fitted by myself.

For the record I am neither a radio ham nor an electronics engineer. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
Re: My guess...

[ QUOTE ]
Give Charlie boy a call and see what he says but talk nice to him and have all your facts at hand - he does not "suffer fools gladly".

[/ QUOTE ]That often means you are dealing with a drunk. If we don't get this sorted promptly and satisfactorily he won't need to 'suffer' me 'gladly' or otherwise.
 
Re: My guess...

Slow down there - I don't "suffer fools gladly" either and I certainly am not a drunk. I certainly would not infer Charles Sterling is one either (especially on a public forum) but there again coming from "Gods Country" myself, I actually appreciate his forthright manner. Personally, I get tired being "polite" to the "Joe publics" of the world who think they know better than the real experts and are ready to jump to conclusions.

It is now Monday morning in the UK so give Sterling PP a call and ask the question.

BTW, Threats won't get you anywhere![ QUOTE ]
If we don't get this sorted promptly and satisfactorily he won't need to 'suffer' me 'gladly' or otherwise.

[/ QUOTE ]Try a civilised approach!
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hammer.thumb.gif
"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
Re: My guess...

[ QUOTE ]
Give Charlie boy a call and see what he says but talk nice to him and have all your facts at hand - he does not "suffer fools gladly"

[/ QUOTE ]I'm not getting at you about this but I had to post the message somewhere and this seemed like the best slot....

I'm sure that everyone would be interested to know that my friend emailed Sterling on their stated email address on Saturday and at the time of writing, Wednesday night, there has still been no reply whatsoever from Sterling, though he did get an immediate reply from Rich who simply told him to contact Sterling. As for phoning Sterling, which you suggested, it isn't convenient for my friend to telephone from Spain to the UK which is why he has emailed. Not much service there. I am seriously unimpressed with Sterling so far.
 
Welcome to the Numpty club

Sterling are famous for the quality of their customer service.
Its matched only by the quality of their operating and installation instructions.
But it's their legendary inability to suffer fools that makes them world beaters.

(Anyone who dares to criticise Sterling on this forum is often declared a numpty.
So welcome to the numpty club.)
 
Re: Welcome to the Numpty club

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Thanks for a chuckle first thing in the morning! Unfortunately, my friend is not in a chuckling mood, as he is hoping to get away soon for the Canaries, in time to cross the pond. Until he gets this sorted out he can't change his batteries which were in need of replacement but have been dealt a death-blow by Charles Sterling's wee offering. Aside from the batteries it has cost him nearly €1300 plus a lot of his time.

Sterling have ignored an email from a customer who can't get his brand new kit to work. In my book that disqualifies them from being considered as a supplier. Incidentally, in case Charles Sterling is xenophobic (my friend is from Quebec), I (a true Brit with roots back to 1066 and all that) have also emailed asking for a manual for a Sterling product I bought in the year 2000. We'll see if and when I get a reply.
 
Re: Welcome to the Numpty club

[ QUOTE ]
emailed asking for a manual for a Sterling product I bought in the year 2000. We'll see if and when I get a reply.

[/ QUOTE ]
Don't go holding your breath........................it could be a long wait.
 
Re: Welcome to the Numpty club

Got a reply this morning from Charles Sterling re the alternator controller (not the combi, the subject of this thread) telling me to download the new manual which, the email says, is "99% the same". I don't feel like asking which 1% is different...one doesn't like to trouble these people who don't 'suffer fools' and he might think that it was a 'foolish' question. Indeed, he must think so as he has not deemed it important to tell me.
 
Re: Welcome to the Numpty club

My friend also got a reply from Charles Sterling simply telling him to download the instructions from his website...having already written a careful letter telling them the nature of the problem and the problems with matching the product they supplied with the manual.

Still holding breath. Do beware, folks, if you need help don't bank on getting it from Sterling. Interesting that you guys had known about this for years. I had always thought them to be an excellent company until this happened but then I had never had a need to email them for technical support.
 
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