rat4go
Michigan
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Joined: 05/26/2006
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The short story...I think my converter is bad, but I'm looking for another opinion.
I have 2 known good batteries wired properly in the RV. They were charged and tested to be sure they held a charge just fine over the course of a couple days with no drain (disconnected from everything). Installed batteries, plugged in trailer to shore power and after some use over a couple days, the batteries went from ~13V to 11.8V. If I disconnect the converter from the batteries and test the voltage at the converter, I get 11.7 V. After charging the batteries with a regular charger up to ~13V again, the converter still has an 'output voltage' of 11.7 when not connected to anything on the DC side. About the only thing I haven't tried is to see if the converter will power lights, etc with the batteries disconnected from the RV.
Last bit of data...the converter used to 'come on' (cooling fan, etc) when using high load items like the slide-out while the trailer was plugged in to shore power. At that point, I had one battery that was on it's way to death. That battery has been replaced with a brand new one (the other was newer and still good). Converter cooling fan doesn't come on even with every 12V item I can find turned on when system voltage goes down near 11V.
Is it time to start shopping for a converter?
Thanks!
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Caseydon
Simonton, Texas
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Joined: 07/27/2001
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It's usually dangerous to blame the converter, since batteries are much more often the source of 12 volt problems. However in this case you may be right. If the converter is only willing to put out 11.7 volts, it's bad. That's enough to power lights, though dimly, and to run fan motors, though it's not good for them. It's surely not enough to charge the batteries -- you need upwards of 13.2 to do that.
One good place to shop for a converter is Best Converter. They offer Xantrex, which is fine but expensive. I think a good value is the Progressive Dynamics 9200 series, with its built-in Charge Wizard.
Casey
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garry1p
Broken Arrow, OK, USA
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Joined: 08/12/2004
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You must have a battery connected to the converter to test the output.
Mine puts out 10.5V when on AC with no battery and 13.X with battery and AC plugged in.
If you are plugged into shore power and have less than 13VDC out of the converter "and" good batteries connected then I would suspect the converter.
Garry1p
1990 Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite XL
454 on P-30 Chassis
1999 Jeep Cherokee sport
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rvsatek
AZ, USA
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garry1p...not correct. If you test the converter output with the battery connected you will read the highest of the two. They must both be tested wilst they are disconnected.
Larry
1994 Ford F250/7.5L/410 gears
2001 Keystone Sprinter 276RLS 14' slide
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bigfootford
Fair Oaks, California
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Joined: 12/03/2002
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How can we reach any assumptions in regards to rat4go's problem when we don't know what brand/model of converter he has????
Although it does sound as if his converter has failed or a fuse has blown. We don't know much yet.
On the old magnetek converters the battery charge output was unfiltered and would read low on dc if no battery was connected...
The mfg and model of your converter would be helpful...
Jim
94 F-250 ex cab,460, E40D tranny,airbags w/pump,bilstein shocks, 2000 Bigfoot 9.6 2500 camper, Xantrex XADC 60 converter, 1 Universal group 30 AGM and an eu2000i honda genny.
Wife and Molly- Ausie,Queensland healer
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bigfootford
Fair Oaks, California
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Duplicate post....
* This post was
edited 05/16/08 07:56am by bigfootford *
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rat4go
Michigan
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Joined: 05/26/2006
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Thanks for the input so far!
Converter Model is WFCO 8955AN if that helps.
Also, measured voltage with converter AND batteries connected seems to be same as battery voltage if voltage is measured at batteries with converter disconnected.
Thanks again!
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08f450psd
Westminster, Maryland
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Joined: 12/24/2007
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I vote for bad converter. I just replaced my WFCO 9875 under warranty. It did not have any output voltage with batteries disconnect, and fan was never running, so it was a little easier to be sure that it was dead.
Installed new one, plugged it in, and lights (and furnace) came on with batteries still disconnected. Ahh, success !!!
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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Though the output voltage of a converter can APPEAR to go down when you disconnect the batteries (And I do understand why) ... Odds are you have properly diagnosed the issue.
Try a progressive Dynamics 9200 series.. To figure out which one figure the amp hours of your batteries.. For example a pair of U-220 or T-105's are 232 amp hours, Multiply by 0.3 (30%) and the result is 69.6 so a 70 as the last two digits is good.. they don't make one so 60 or 80 work well.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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Hurricaner
Hurricane Utah
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Joined: 02/17/2007
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Quote:Converter Model is WFCO 8955AN if that helps. It does, if your volt meter is correct than the converter is bad. This converter does not need a battery to operate or test.
Sam
Sam & Kari
Hurricane, Utah
2004 34' Damon Challenger 315
Damon owners forum
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