thatguy1967
Springfield, Missouri
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Joined: 10/27/2004
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KendallP wrote:thatguy1967 wrote:KendallP wrote:I'm guessing bad converter.
What happens when you kick off the breaker with battery connected... or unplug from shore?
Seems to just run off the battery when not connected to shore power.
Bad converter.
Same with breaker off?
Yes, lights are dimmer running off battery power then I flip the breaker off and back on and can hear the converter fan run for a few seconds before the lights dim again.
2002 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD Ext Cab, 5.3L, 3.42 axle
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KendallP
Grants Pass, OR
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With the breaker on and plugged into shore, the lights may not be running off of battery power. I need to know what happens when you are plugged into shore and then flip the breaker off and leave it off.
Cheers,
Kendall
1986 Winnebago Chieftain 22RC
Our Camper (with no payments)
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thatguy1967
Springfield, Missouri
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Went out to check again this morning. With shore power plugged in and battery disconnected I get nothing with the breakers off. If I flip the breakers on there is slight flicker of the lights then nothing. With battery connected, lights are on with breakers on or off. It appears that I'm only getting battery power at this point.
So....how difficult is a converter to change out? And would I necessarily need to change the whole converter?
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smkettner
Southern California
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The converter itself slides out of the panel after removing the two hold down screws and disconnecting the wires. 30 minutes tops for a direct replacement of the main board assembly.
http://www.bestconverter.com/WFCO-8955-Main-Board-Assembly_c_116.html
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Matt_Colie
Southeast Michigan
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No hardware needs to be replaced. You probably have at least three things wrong with the system and the 8955 is shutting down to protect it self. This maybe an over temperature issue.
Is there adequate room for airflow around the converter as it is installed??
Don't think that just because it hasn't been changed since it was built, does not mean it was done right the first time. The converter is supposed to be capable of supplying 55A of charging or support power. Unless something is really wrong, there is no way it should be shutting down.
First, make sure that there is air space around the converter.
Second, run things one at a time until you find out what is causing the overload.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dog going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.
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KendallP
Grants Pass, OR
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thatguy1967 wrote:Went out to check again this morning. With shore power plugged in and battery disconnected I get nothing with the breakers off. If I flip the breakers on there is slight flicker of the lights then nothing. With battery connected, lights are on with breakers on or off. It appears that I'm only getting battery power at this point.
So....how difficult is a converter to change out? And would I necessarily need to change the whole converter?
Wait. So you get lights just fine with the battery connected and the breaker on???
Or do you get lights for a bit and then the brown out again???
If I'm piecing this together correctly... I'm guessing that your battery was, indeed low before. So the converter would kick itself off for whatever reason and you would be left with battery power only... hence the "brown out."
But now that the battery is fully charged... when the converter kicks off... the battery is there to keep the lights going without browning. Yes?
Again... temp fix for this trip is to keep the converter's breaker off and run a portable charger.
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joshuajim
Mojave Desert
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Joined: 04/29/2006
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Check your ground connection from the battery to the frame for corrosion. I've seen where the voltage will deteriorate as heat builds up at the connection point due to poor contact.
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thatguy1967
Springfield, Missouri
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KendallP wrote:thatguy1967 wrote:Went out to check again this morning. With shore power plugged in and battery disconnected I get nothing with the breakers off. If I flip the breakers on there is slight flicker of the lights then nothing. With battery connected, lights are on with breakers on or off. It appears that I'm only getting battery power at this point.
So....how difficult is a converter to change out? And would I necessarily need to change the whole converter?
Wait. So you get lights just fine with the battery connected and the breaker on???
Or do you get lights for a bit and then the brown out again???
If I'm piecing this together correctly... I'm guessing that your battery was, indeed low before. So the converter would kick itself off for whatever reason and you would be left with battery power only... hence the "brown out."
But now that the battery is fully charged... when the converter kicks off... the battery is there to keep the lights going without browning. Yes?
Again... temp fix for this trip is to keep the converter's breaker off and run a portable charger. '
When the battery is connected and converter's breaker on - all I am getting is battery power. I did have the battery tested and it came up with a possible bad cell so I purchased a new batter. No change - still do not seem to be getting shore power.
I ran off the battery all weekend using the charger as recommended (thanks btw!). Got us through the weekend but now I need to really start troubleshooting to figure out if it's the converter or something else causing the converter to shut down.
Thanks again for all the helpful comments.
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KendallP
Grants Pass, OR
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thatguy1967 wrote:I ran off the battery all weekend using the charger as recommended (thanks btw!).
Thanks again for all the helpful comments.
Glad to hear you made it through the weekend! Good on smkettner for remembering to mention that little trick.
Now good luck with your investigation.
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RWDIII
Casa Grande,AZ; Lakewood CO
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Glad every thing worked out. I have a 07 FF189 and it came with the POS 8945
that only puts out 13.6 V tops.I charge up the batt before I go camping with garage charger.The guys on the forum think the wiring is the wrong guage.It works fine on shore power and with gen.,but will not charge batt.
The best tool for trouble shooting is a VOM meter.The wfco is cheap,if you replace,dont use wfco,real POS
My 2 cents
Semper Fi
Randy
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