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Thread: Bad Converter (me thinks)
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04-26-2019, 04:31 PM #31
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2022 Ram 3500 Dually Cummins
2022 Reflection 320 MKS
My other toy is a Pontoon boat
Pontoon captain same as a regular captain only drunker ;-)
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04-28-2019, 04:13 AM #32
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Looks like someone reviewing the orders at GD smelled an error and the call I got was to confirm his suspicions. Although he didn't fill me in I got another package late yesterday with the correct part. Installed and working. Back to being a happy camper.
Nice save GD2022 Ram 3500 Dually Cummins
2022 Reflection 320 MKS
My other toy is a Pontoon boat
Pontoon captain same as a regular captain only drunker ;-)
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04-28-2019, 08:52 AM #33
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Jeff and Jen
2016 F250 CC Lariat 4x4 6.7L, Firestone Airbags, Pullrite Superglide
2017 Solitude 310GK, a little solar, a little lithium, disc brakes and a few suspension mods
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Ben Franklin
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05-09-2019, 03:01 PM #34
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I found that the converter was not working, no 12 VDC to charge the battery or run any of the 12 VDC lights, radio, etc. I checked fuses, the battery disconnect switch, no luck. Figured the converter was bad but didn’t want to have the drag the trailer back to the dealer (about 2 hrs) so I did some more investigation.
I always leave the hot water heater 115 VAC breaker OFF unless the heater tank is filled and I am hooked up to AC power (don’t want to fry the element if someone turns on the WH power switch). I made sure the WH switch was OFF and cycled all of the breakers. When I turned the WH breaker ON, the converter came on and the ceiling lights and radio came on. I was relieved that the converter was okay.
I pulled the cover off of the power center and discovered that the hot water heater and converter shared the same circuit breaker. I separated the WH and converter power wires and moved the converter power wire to the breaker for the microwave.
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05-09-2019, 03:59 PM #35
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05-09-2019, 04:47 PM #36
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2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)
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05-10-2019, 03:13 AM #37
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Testing the converter is a matter of disconnecting the load wires and then testing the voltage output of the converter with a volt-meter.
You should expect 13.6-volts out of the converter with no load on it. Anything else and it's not working.
Remember, a battery will only use what power it needs to recharge itself from the converter. You cannot "push" power into a battery with a computer controlled converter. The battery will only "take" what it can effectively absorb. I did downsize my converter to 45-amps and I moved the converter to the front compartment to be next to the batteries.
I have two "high-end" 12-volt power meters. One monitors the output of the converter and the other monitors all 12-volt power consumed by the RV.
Several times I "exercised" the system by shutting off the converter to run off of only the batteries. After about 24 hours the voltage had dropped to about 12-volts. Then I turned the converter back on. Even though the batteries were exhausted the converter only put out 40-45 amps for the first 10-15 seconds after it was first turned back on. Then the voltage and total power out of the converter started to trim down as the battery started to store energy. This would be the same if I had a 75-amp converter. So a bigger converter is not better or needed by my RV.
We are connected to shore power or hitched 99.9% of the time so almost all of the 12-volt power consumed by my RV comes from the converter instead of the batteries. Matter of fact I could do without batteries except when operating the hydraulics to move the slides, to level the RV or when starting the GenSet. It's only during those high load times does power come out of my batteries. The rest of the time the converter is sending only 10-15 watts to the batteries to keep them topped off due to internal losses inherent to all lead-acid batteries.
During the day and normal use, the amount of 12-volt power used by my RV is only 75-120 watts and all of that power comes from the converter. This 75-120 watts is normally consumed by fridge controls, water heater controls, AC controls, the entertainment system, and lights. My point here is that most of the time the converter is loafing.
The Progressive Dynamics converter is a very good choice for a replacement converter.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using TapatalkLast edited by 2825Matheny; 05-10-2019 at 03:15 AM.
Peggy and Jamey Matheny
2016 Grand Design Solitude 5th Wheel 369RL Serial #G1104808
As of 19 April 2019, 792 nights and 23,887 trailer miles.
2015 Ford F-250 4X4 Super Cab SRW 148" WB 6.7L Powerstroke Diesel
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05-10-2019, 06:52 AM #38
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You have to make sure the converter is getting 115 VAC input power - nothing in, nothing out. I thought mine was bad until I found out it wasn't getting the 115 VAC input power. Not sure how to verify that, will look at it later today.
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05-10-2019, 11:53 AM #39
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First and foremost--be *careful* working around powered circuits. I don't know your experience level, so if you are unsure of what is powered and what isn't, remove all power from the trailer including turning off the battery disconnect.
On the back of the circuit breaker panel in my 315RLTS the converter actually plugged in (it has plugs just like a normal 110v appliance). The front panel circuit breaker controls whether power is on this outlet.
If the breaker is on and the converter is plugged in...highly likely there's power there. Testing is simple. Turn off the Converter breaker and unplug the converter. Plug in a lamp or another small appliance and turn on the circuit breaker. Does the appliance power up? If it does, the outlet works.
Checking the output of the converter is simple, too, as the 12V wire connections are easily accessible for multimeter leads.2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)
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05-10-2019, 12:57 PM #40
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One of these is your friend.
https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instru...N3AJD6CS9FV69G
Charging Lithium Batteries From...
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