The 2000E is installed on a boat with 400 Ah of AGM golf cart batteries and a Norcold 8 cubit foot fridge drawing about 3.5 Amps at about a 20% duty cycle. The 2000E is fed by 3 65 Watt cells and produces over 11 amps at mid day.

Normally it operates perfectly with no attention. I designed for a 3 day no sun period and we seldom see that much bad weather in Florida.

During one period of bad weather, the bank voltage dropped below the starting voltage for the Norcold. A design flaw in the Norcold caused it to
try forever
to start. That drained the batteries completely.

Next morning, bright sunlight. Unfortunately, the 2000E requires power from the batteries to start. So, the day went by with full sunlight and no power went into the battery bank.

When I arrived back on board, the batteries were flat, the fridge was warm, and I was hot. I shut off the fridge, put a jump start battery on the battery and re-started the 2000E. It charged the batteries enough to start the engine and finish the charging job.

I have since installed an under-volt in the Norcold.

I believe the 2000E should dead start itself in a marine environment exactly as the Coast Guard requires of a marine alternator. Lacking that capability, the unit is unacceptable in a marine environment.

It is a shame, one diode and the problem would be solved.

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