Help w/ Monicon engine controller

[mbryner]

Hey, do any of you have one of the Monicon engine controllers that Tom Osborne is selling?   I have the GTR-116 and I'm trying to set it up w/ my 6/1.  

Maybe I have a bad unit.  

When it is in idle mode it doesn't give any errors, but as soon as I turn it to manual start or ATS start it just give the "emergency stop" icon on the LCD display.   Doesn't matter if there are no connections on the back, just fuel solenoid, etc., all the way to everything hooked up.   There's no voltage on the fuel rack relay or starter relay w/ a multitester.    If I start up the 6/1 and feed the output voltage into the GTR-116, the LCD will read out the appropriate rpm's, i.e. 57 under load, 62 idling, so some of its circuits are functioning.   Anyone know anything about these engine control units?  Or should I just send it back to Tom.   (No offense Tom if you're reading this.)   Thanks.

Marcus

[Lloyd]

Sounds either some grounding or isolation issue. I'm not familiar with that unit but if it is some how back feeding the ground it will cause all sorts of anomalies in discrete circuits.

Lloyd

[mbryner]

Thanks Lloyd.   I'll double check grounding.   It gives the error even if the only 2 wires hooked up are +/- from the battery.   The case is plastic. 

Marcus

[Lloyd]

Hey Marcus,

I had a look at the pdf for the controller...if the problem exists when only the + & - are hooked up make sure you have a good ground straight to bat. Also check your dip switch settings.

Failing that I also happened onto this http://www.monicon.com.tw/Warning.htm Recently we have received some broken Monicon products returned from customers and found out all of them are knockoffs from China . This has caused tremendous amount of damages to the customers. The function and appearance of knockoffs are identical to our products, however the internal components been used are cheap and dangerous. These knockoffs have damaged our brand and image, as well as customer's rights. We want to clarify that all the Monicon products are made in Taiwan. Please pay extra attention on the origin, when purchasing Monicon products. We recommend purchase directly from Monicon headquarters in Taiwan or through our authorized distributors to avoid damages to the expensive generators.


If it's not a Knock off and it's not a grounding?dip switch issue....it must be a bad unit.

Lloyd

[mbryner]

Recently we have received some broken Monicon products returned from customers and found out all of them are knockoffs from China .

Yep, I read that, too.   I read through all the PDF manual about the dip switches settings.   There's no way to take it apart and check if it's a knockoff.   It must be considered a bad unit.   I'll send it back.

Here's what I'm thinking of using instead (bottom one):

http://gencontrol.co.uk/

[mbryner]

So I take back any doubts I had about Tom Osborne.   I was ready to send it back so I e-mailed him.    He called me back and told me I was missing the ground on pin #10  (normally-closed emergency stop contact which I thought was normally open).

I tried grounding connector 10 and that got me a bit further.   It now sends voltage to the fuel relay, but not to the starter relay.   I've never hooked up to the connectors directly so the internal relays should be intact.    I don't have a pre-heat relay, but that shouldn't matter because the dip switches are set to use idle mode, not pre-heat mode, and that only happens after the controller senses the engine is running.   I also don't have a stop relay, so maybe I'll try that first.