mjmbrown
West Richland
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Hi guys,
New to the forum! I just recently got my first toyhauler and the fam is super excited to get out to our favorite riding spots without having to take 2 cars and sleep in our crappy old pop up.
i got a super cheap deal on a 2006 Weekend Warrior FS2600 it was a bank repo and the people that got it repo'd took the generator and the converter/inverter.
Thats where im having some issues
What generator to buy (under $1000)?
What do i need to replace the inverter/converter with (i dont know what i the difference is)???
When im plugged in to shore power my batteries dont charge
a/c works while im plugged into shore power, lights, fans, radio
THe control board on my dometic fridge just stopped working
if i disconnect battery while plugged into shore power everything turns off
If i get a generator and a converter will all of this work??
Im so new to all of this i dont know where to start!!! any help??
TV- 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 6.0L, 6" Lift 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers, AirRaid JR, Magnaflow, Hellwig Airbags, DVD Headrests
TH- 2006 Weekend Warrior FS2600 Billet Edition
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MadMav
Colorado Springs, CO
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You must have an converter/charger to power/charge all the 12v systems. This is why your battery wont charge and your fridge wont work.
Mav
* This post was
edited 07/10/12 07:40am by MadMav *
"A fifth wheel trailer is a bi-level towable mobile home."
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joebedford
Jasper, Ontario
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If they took an inverter you might get away without that. It provides AC power off the battery. Like for watching TV without being plugged in or running a generator.
OTOH the CONVERTER is the dohickey that charges your battery - I'd be surprised if they took that but if they did, you need to replace it. Many things need 12V to work - most importantly your fridge and probably most of your interior lights.
As far as what generator to buy, you have to decide what you need to run when there is no shore power available. Lots of people like the inverter style generators (e.g. Honda) but personally I find them much too noisy with the engine pitch changing all the time. A steady drone I can ignore.
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Sandia Man
Rio Rancho, NM
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Congrats on your toyhauler (TH) purchase. The access door where your power cord is located, you will find your DC fuses and AC circuit breakers. Your converter (square silver box) should be located in that area. WW installed mostly IOTA 30 amp converters which run about $150, be sure to get one with IQ4 smart charging technology, but you could use any brand converter as well. Installing the same genny will run you over $3000, but for $1000 or less, you can get either the 2000 watt Honda, Yamaha, or Champion inverter generators, but they should not be run inside your rig's generator box. Since you indicated that you boondock when riding your toys, there is a Champion 3500 watt open style genny that is noisy, but can run your AC and most other stuff for under $500. Good luck and here's hoping you and your family have many great memories in your TH.
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dedmiston
Valencia
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Converter: Shore power (110v AC) --> battery charge (12v DC)
Inverter: Battery power (12v DC) --> wall outlets (110v AC)
In your case, a converter/charger is a must-have. That's the only way you can charge your batteries from your shore power plug or a generator.
Once you have that, an inverter is a nice-to-have item, but definitely not mandatory.
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Billieg2
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Your best bet for a good gen is:
Boliy gens
They are small and fairly quiet. You can put it in your gen bay, hook it up to an outside exhaust and even the org. gas line. A buddy of mine did that and is very happy with it. Good luck.
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lincster
Mesa Az
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Good luck on finding a gen big enough to run the A/C for under $1000. Your hauler came from Warrior with a Onan 5500W gas genny. they are about $3500 new.
You have to have the converter, as already said.
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mikakuja
Chilliwack BC
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If you have power to your lights when plugged in to shore power your converter is still intact as all your lights inside are 12v. If they took out the gen they probably took the power transfer box, not the converter... Just a thought, check your main battery shut off..... We were camping last weekend and had the gen running during the day, when I shut it off everything turned off in the trailer... Took me a bit to figure out why but it ended up that the battery shut off had been bumped and was in the off position. By the way, mine won't charge the batterys with the switch in the off position.
My TH is gen ready but I use a Champion 4000/3000watt stand alone gen and it works great for us.
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mjmbrown
West Richland
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Wow guys thanks for all your help! I am always impressed when i join a forum and there are some many people willing to lend their knowledge to a complete stranger!!
I got an Intellipower converter with charge wizard from my local RV parts place (im sure i paid for it, but i hate waiting)all hooked up and charging NO PROBLEM!!
I found a 9k/7k champion with remote start @ Costco for $599. I figure this will get me by for a few years until i can afford a nice Yamaha or Honda unit.
Now what size/length cord should i run from the generator to the trailer??? Am i using the regular 3 prong outlet or do i need an adapter to the bigger outlets?
Fridge is still not working, no power at all. I took the exterior access panel off my refrigerator to poke around some more and noticed some yellow powder....A buddy of mine said that it was ammonia from the boiler and its probably a lost cause. (SAD FACE)
Trailer only had 1 battery which is an Everstart (walmart brand). anyone had experience with one of these??? should i get 2 NEW interstate or ac delco batteries (i work for a chevy dealership)...
I cant afford and odyssey or anything that nice.
I want to wire up 2 12v in parallel for some more AmpHours.
should i go group 24 or 27? are they much bigger than a 24??
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1L243
Astoria, Oregon
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You can get a 25' or 50' 30 amp extention cord from Camping World http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/ite........0-amp-10-3-stw-cord-50-with-handle/57721
I would go with the 50' You can't be too long but you can be too short.
I know you already got your generator but keep an eye out in your area on Craigslist for a Onan RV generator. That is probably where your old generator ended up..
As far as the fridge goes I would try and track down the no power issue. If it was a leak it would still have power. If you need a new fridge, I have seen fridges as seconds at large RV dealers.
Batteries. Remember you want Deep cycle batteries. If you can get a deal on them from your Dealer then I would go with two 27 group 12 volt Deep cycles. If that does not work out I would go with two 6 volts Golf Cart Batteries from Costco. Wired in series for your 12 volts. They are around $80 each.. One battery will not even run your furnace for one night...
Good luck...Have fun..
* This post was
edited 07/10/12 01:17am by 1L243 *
2011 Work and Play 30WR. Added 2nd AC, four deep cycle batteries.
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