I have literally been sitting here messing with my rv for HOURS!!! I feel I absolutely have a dead converter, however being where I am, I am an hour or more from an rv repair place and nobody will come to me, and I am on vacation mode not wanting to drive down and get the parts to do it myself. You said ONE WORD and saved my ENTIRE trip! JUMPER CABLES FROM MY TRUCK! Turns out I had a set. Didn’t even cross my mind. Charging batteries right now… will fix when I get back to reality. THANK YOU!!
Thank you for this!! We just bought a bigger rv - our old one worked perfectly- our new one the seller was not truthful..not only did it have a leak, the radio system doesn't work, the outside shower leaks hot water constantly and on our 2 days test run we had almost no lights when we woke up the next day. We have a trip planned in 10 days and and rv repair appointment of course the week after we return.. will be a sad trip without the do it ourselves option. Thanks to your video I'm pretty sure we can do this fix!
I believe this was the absolute best of the repair/test videos I’ve seen in a few hrs of watching on my issue. I am certain that I’ll able to identify my issue. Thank you for putting this content out.
Really appreciate your effort, to go into detail in your How To videos - Is so very helpful, in diagnosing and repairing all the RV equipment you have covered so far - And, the tips you share to Prevent the problems in the first place, are priceless... Yours, are some of the Best repair and preventive maintenance videos out there - Keep up the great work... Patiently waiting each week, to see what you are going to cover next...
Thanks for the nice comments. I try to do my best and present the issues as I am working on them. Some folks have a nice studio and a prepared script with predictable outcomes. I do it all live and shooting from the hip. My audience discovers along with me as we go through it together. You might notice I called bolts screws and refrigerators air conditioners excetera but that just keeps it real. Thanks for watching I appreciate your comments.
Could it be converter still if the breaker didn't trip? We lost power to our control panel in 2020 milestone 5th wheel. Slides work but not the water pump, electric or gas water heater no lights switches in box.
Thank you buddy I’ve had two days of trying to figure things out even buying a new battery you saved us big time we full time rv and we live in idaho it’s cold tonight , both fuses were popped on my converter didn’t even know until I seen what yours looked like then I remember seeing it before when I was playing with my furnace a while back. Now we got light and a furnace keeping us warm !
Upgrading to a lithium charger. Pulled RV cover ( winter over?), heard beeping found battery's dead, no converter output. Upgrading to 4 guage wire to converter and DC distribution panel. The converter is a 75 amp charger. My dististribution board says 15 amps max from the charger, I believe it is because of the printed ckt runs. That's all they can handle. Still in progress will be great when complete. Added 2 ckt breakers 1 for just the converter. The 2nd will be for an inverter manual transferr switch. Running romex to my inverter to feed the AC buss. Smaller older trailer and have done many repairs and upgrades to it. Solar is 380 watts, RV fridge I litterly converted absorbing to 12 volt freon compressor. Would be great if a higher current 12 distribution board was available. Watching channel for ideas and always learning. Great job, good video.
Do converters have protection against connecting the battery in reverse polarity? Many times the wires from the converter to the battery are black & white. With a 12 volt vehicle everyone is accustomed to Black being negative, & Red positive, & they get hooked up wrong with Black treated as ground. I helped a friend diagnose a problem with their battery in their RV & found the black was connected to Negative, & white to positive. I checked the converter & it was in fact connected in reverse polarity. Not sure how it affected the battery, & charging system, but I reconnected it the right way & seemed to be working at the time.
great video, I learned a lot about breakers and converter work.... however i always seem to pick of a tidbit of "unintended" knowledge from many tech vids. With yours today I didn't know about zeroing the meter while touching the wire before you loop the tester around the wire to check amps... thankyou.
You are most welcome. Thanks for watching. I do have on my list of videos to cover one on how to use a meter. There have been several folks that have asked for that. Happy camping!
I'm new to RV's and have purchased an older 1981 class C. When I plugged my RV into my garage outlet, I could hear the converter running but after a while it shut off. Is this because it was charging a battery, then once it was charged, it shut off?. This is the first time I learned that the converter charges the battery. Your video's are very helpful for us beginners. I also just learned why my battery has a quick disconnect knob.
I might have a bad converter. This video made me check my breakers. The converter breaker was off. I don't think it was tripped though I'm not sure how it turned off. You saved me a cold night with no heat or dc power. Turned the breaker back on and it stayed on. Now I know some things to check if it happens again.
When I plug into shore power I hear a humming sound coming from behind my electrical panel. The sound goes away when I flip off one of the two 15 amp circuit breakers, both labeled recept. The converter is working as I get 13.65 volts with the battery switch on and 12.55 with it off. I'm wondering if there's a fan that may be stuck or if the humming is normal. I don't usually plug into shore power so not sure if this has always happened. 1998 dodge ram van camper (American Cruiser). Any advice?
My question is why would you swap out for a new converter without opening the old one and inspecting it for a lose wire shorting it? One wire that came loose and grounded out the system might have been the quick fix. I know the coils might be damaged from a short and that would make it garbage but it seems this would have been the logical first step before replacing the whole unit. I have an old 81 RV that has issues. The one ground wire coming up from the frame had power on it so my whole unit was energized. I going to inspect the converter tomorrow thoroughly. It used glass fuses and the previous owner sloppily rewired some of them so they used plastic fuses. The terminal for the water pump, tank levels and battery condition doesn't work so I have to figure out why. As yet I don't understand how that terminal works. That is what brought me here. Other than inspecting your converter for a short I really appreciate this video. I am just to cheap or poor to trash my converter without troubleshooting it first. But thanks for making this video and explaining the system.
For my company the simple answer is liability and warranty. Most (but not all) of these converter cases are riveted closed. As a business if I open up that case and fix it I'm liable for any future failures within that enclosure. We do not offer board-level repair. So when I replace the converter with a brand new one the customer gets a Mfg. warranty and then I put my head on my pillow at night without the fear of repair that I made on a converter that may fail again. Without going through diagnosing each component on that board, there's no way to know that other components did not fatigue causing the internal failure in the first place. If it turns out to be a blown fuse, it blew for a reason. You can't just replace a fuse and think it's fixed.
I spend several hours a day learning from you. Thanks! I just bought a 2000 22" F450 Dynamax RV. Prior to my purchase "all" batteries, engine and house, were replaced on 7/22. All three batters are identical yet my understanding is the engine should be a START type while the house batteries DEEO CELL? In one of your videos you identify swelling on batters due to incorrect converter settings for the type of battery. Could you explain how we identify our battery, the different types and how to check/change the settings on the converter or if it requires replacement.
Great video! Just curious if I’m dry camping and want to charge my travel trailer battery w jumper cables right off the truck, will that damage the converter in anyway?
good one because I discovered today my converter was not working and removed it to test again on my workbench. Zero DC output? what was interesting is you showing to test the continuity reading with the amp meter. will try that but my converter wasn't popping the breaker just no charging my batteries when on shore power. going to order a new converter for it. Oh, and I checked the two 35 fuses.
Great video and very helpful information. My Jayco KB 1207 is a 1997 model and I'm pretty sure my converter is bad. But this definitely made it sound like it isn't the end of the world and is pretty easy to replace.
When my converter died a few weeks ago, the breaker didn’t trip. My battery all of a sudden just started draining. I thought it was low water in my battery (I had never performed any maintenance on it). Filled the battery with distilled water. Kept draining. Had another day of camping, so I found a new battery as I still thought the battery was the fault. New battery same problem. The new battery got us home, but realized it had to be the converter. It’s an easy swap. Used the same model as before and hope it lasts more than 2 years.
On this converter, I took the cover off and found a resistor that had popped off the control board. That apparently caused a dead short. On other converters different parts had failed inside and did not cause a short. But the end result was 120 VAC in and NO 12 VDC out. Therefore, a failed converter. There are folks that can get in there and make repairs but that is not my business model. I just replace the converter with a new one and it comes with a warranty.
My RV Works, Inc. I just realized that I have low voltage going to all of my outlets after the install. Ordered another replacement as I can’t find another reason for this new problem. 120V at the source. 80V at all outlets. Strange!
@@frostriver4547 Sounds like you have a floating neutral. Turn off all the breakers except for the main. Do you have 120 VAC on the main buss in your panel - with all other breakers off? If no than the issue is between the shore connection and the panel. If you do have 120 at that point, then turn on/off one breaker at a time and see where the voltage drops. One of them will be the culprit. Once you have it narrowed down to a specific circuit you can divide and conquer. One time I found that a clock radio that was plugged in was the culprit, another time I found an outside refrigerator that was causing it. Here is a video I uploaded on a similar issue that may help you: ruclips.net/video/kSuYFfqjtrY/видео.html
My RV Works, Inc. Darren, GFI and Fridge knock of about 5-10 V each, but on the other side (50A) the converter switch tanks the Voltage. There is good Voltage going to the converter plug. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime! If this isn’t it we may be missing a week of RV vacation. Do you accept PayPal donations??
So I've watched a couple of your converter videos, and the one thing you don't do is check the wires on the outside that come into the converter to see if there is something going on there, because there are manual breakers on the outside/under the RV and sometimes that needs to just be reset, or there is a bad connection somewhere.
I've already answered one of your questions, but the converter is an appliance not unlike a toaster. If I'm giving it 120 volts AC and it's not giving me 12 volts DC out then it's not the outfeed side that's causing the problem. If it was one of the circuit breakers on the battery side, the converter would still put out 12 volts up to that circuit breaker fuse. But if I get battery voltage at the converter DC side I know I've got a path from the converter to the battery.
@@MyRVWorks I understand that part now, but I'm trying to understand why you wouldn't open the converter and see what happened internally, because most times it's one of the compasitors, or one of the internal fuses, or even something blown that just needs to be resaudered. It just seems to make sense to troubleshoot the inside of the converter to save a pretty good chunk of change. A new converter is roughly $200-$300, the other's I listed are somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-$25. I'm genuinely asking to learn and be educated and your videos were and have been the most detailed, easy to understand, and very helpful. But Iike 87% of Americans right now it's paycheck to paycheck. I've already spent $280 on a RV guy to come "fix" it (he did not), and replace the battery for $160. My emergency fund is near depleted.
My box/floor fan ramps up randomly and so does the Portable AC - I got a new shore power cord, new surge protector but it still does it. Could my convertor be going bad? Surge protector and meter show the shore pole is correct but the meter shows drops and spikes at the breaker box. please let me know your thoughts, love your videos.
Awesome 👌 love watching your video's. I've learned something watching them,and thats a good thing because im a do it yourselfer and my electrical skills are limited. Thanks again 👍
Can you use a 650w computer power supply for a converter? You would have to add the primary fuses but it would be 650W/12V=54.16A. An old 550w power supply would be 550W/12V=45.83A You can find these everywhere. And you can get the 5V for charging other things. I guess there would be liability issues, but for your own you could in a pinch.
Great video. I feel confident about replacing the converter but before i do just want to make sure it's the issue. Shore power and generator are not charging the house batteries but I checked the voltage on the converter and the meter reads 11.80 si i am confused whether or not is the converter. All fuses are good and none of the breakers are tripped. Any thoughts or suggestions?
great video - Thanks -- I have a problem with my battery disconnect to my chassis battery and I think it's the disconnect switch - which is 2 rocker switch's with the 2 lights above them - when I try to turn on the chassis rocker it doesn't seem to work like it used to and the light won't come on and stay on - thus no power to start my 2002 Gulfstream Ultra Supreme class A motorhome - I ordered a new disconnect panel and it's to old by 3 years and they sent a different set up that has just the 2 rockers with wire connecters on the rear of them - mine has a circuit board type on the back - is it going to be a real pain to match these wires to single push connecters for the new one ? and do you think this is the problem to start with ? Thanks for any thoughts - Roger from Salt Lake City Utah. US
Great Video, would like to carry a spare in my MH. My Converter states 65amp. Think it would hurt to run a 70amp unit? Reason I'd like to use a specific manufacturer and not the one thats installed
If you change out the converter, should get the same specs or is it better to get one with a higher output to the batteries. Also, I'm also assuming if you have a solar battery charger on the roof by turning the connection off to the batteries the voltage from the solar panel would not pass through to the converter. On my m/h I have 2 switches for the batteries one for coach and one for chassis
The converter/charger amp rating is a function of the work it is expected to perform. If you go with a bigger amp rating it will charge the batteries faster, but it will consume more power in doing so. If you upgrade your batteries to have a bigger battery bank you should also consider the charging capacity of the existing converter/charger to keep the math balanced. Most of the converters the RV mfg’s are using are basic with only the minimal features. If you RV occasionally and always connect to shore power than that is just fine. If you do a lot of dry camping than this appliance needs to be looked at. To the point on the solar - I never assume! That is a function of who installed the solar system and how they connected to everything. I wish there were a standard but I have seen lots of configurations so I can not make a blanket statement that what I find on one RV is the same as how another RV is configured. Like I said in my video - I always treat it as if it were a live circuit! Cheers Darren
@@MyRVWorks I keep the solar issue in mind. there is a quick disconnect on the roof that is easy to take apart. I do this when doing maintenance on the AC unit before removing the shroud. Thanks again
Hello! I enjoy your videos as well! My family and I live in an RV in Sequim. I’ve noticed recently that there is a pulsing in the lights and heater in the evening. Could that be a sign that my converter is on its way out?
A little off the topic however, what is the purpose of what sounds like a fan running in the converter area and why does it come on only when I temporarily lose shore power? Much thanks and keep up the great vids??
There is a fan inside of the converter, it helps to shed the heat that is produced when AC is converted to DC and the battery is being charged. Don't know the specific circuitry behind why that fan starts and stops but that might be what you're hearing.
How can you test to see if the charging steps down? Form what I’ve read it’s suppose to have 3 stages. So is it basically the same thing using an amp clamp to watch the different rates? I know mine was a little over 14:00 volts but my battery was bone dry like it boiled everything out. This was on a new Interstate battery.
Could you please help me. After watching some of you videos I figured I needed a new converter. I got an IOTA DLS 30 amp /IQ4. The problem is my old converter (20 + years old) does not have the extra ground wire (copper line), just the three prong 120 plug and the red and white lines. So do I need to run the copper ground wire and if so does it also go to the body/ frame or somewhere else. Your videos are really helping me, thanks.
Question. Your videos are great by the way!!! I wanted to know, If I want to convert my RV from 30amp to 50amp, is it basically just swapping out the inlet, the wire from the inlet to the breaker box and add a new breaker box? (Obviously marking and reinstalling everything with the proper fuses) Thanks.
This is interesting! I'm in a similar situation. My fifth wheel is plugged into shore power at my house. Checked on it and found my batteries were dead. Converter breaker was tripped and similar to your video it was time to replace the converter. Installed a new one but when I close in the battery disconnect the inverter fan spins up for 2 seconds then turns off with a resulting voltage of what battery voltage was. I'm suspecting the converter is getting into an over current condition and switching off after 2 seconds 🤷🏻♂️
Our Class A does that as well. Plugged in at home. Batteries keep draining. We have a WFCO 9875 I think. Plus a small solar panel up top. Going to test converter and fuses
I have subscribed, you do awesome videos and I appreciate you.. I watched you explain how an RV refrigerator works I had no clue ,I'm a learner and I thought I knew everything,luv u
I hope you can help. My older 1994 hunting 5th wheel got hit by lightning. My AC, hot water tank, furnace, converter does not work anymore. I your opinion do you think all control boards in each appliance is shot? I was going to start replacing boards to see it that fix my problems. Not to make this to long but my hot water tank the board has a high pitch ring coming from it?? Help
Love your videos, I believe I understand the difference between an inverter and a converter, but can an inverter charge my batteries? I just replaced my alternator but when I'm plugged into ShorePower my batteries seemed to drain.
Hi, Please tell me where I can get fuses for my Iota 45 converter. Thank you for this video, I am afraid to plug in without fuses in case I wreck something.
great lesson. however my issue is that everything on the 12v system keeps fading out and the low voltage alarms start beeping. the lights dim and flicker, thermostat display fades out and heater shuts off, the gas leak sensor and the carbon monoxide sensor start beeping low voltage. batteries are charging but only at 11v. does this sound like a converter issue?
Hi, my rv is having issues i think i have a short somewhere. First the batteries dont stay charged, 2 i plugged in a heater while plugged into shore power it blew out..twice actually ..i plugged in a second one it also blew out. 3 the lights get dim..does that sound like a power converter to you? Also do you know where that would be in a 2006 Dutchman grand junction? Really appreciate any help you can give me thanks
Great Video I am having an issue. My batteries are acting like they are not getting charged. I can be hooked up to shore power or my generator and see them at 13.4v (~14.3 engine running). The battery level indicator in the coach is showing 4 of 4 LED's But once I unplug or turn off the generator in a very short period of time I have no 12v juice in the coach. No juice no fan for the heat. Even if I don't have anything turned on within an hour the battery level LED will not light up. My thought here are that the only juice I am seeing for the LEDs is some reserve in the capacitors of the converter and it is not really pulling from the battery. Last fall the batteries fell to 12.3v on that trip. I have charged them with an external charger up to 13.2 and they have held the charge, so they still appear to be good. I did one test that I am confused about the results, which you may have the answer (or confirm my guess). I disconnected the batter (+) side from the 100amp breaker and if I put the voltmeter on the breaker and the negative of the battery I was reading 11.4v. I was expecting zero since that (+) was not hooked up to anything. Is that 11.4 what was left in the capacitors or does that indicate I have a bad ground somewhere? I Did this test with no generator/shore/engine power.
For what you are describing it sounds to me like your batteries have sulfated (died). If you can take them to an auto parts house (like O'Reilly's, AutoZone, Carquest, Battery Plus, or any place like that) they have test equipment and they can do a test on your battery to determine how well it can store charge.
@@MyRVWorks This is the third set of batteries. The ones on the rig went dead(so I thought). They had a sticker for a month before I bought it. I replaced them and next set went dead (so i thought - would not charge above 12.7 and fall to 12.4 real quick). Swapped them and the same thing happened after running them out watching a football game. So yes I could have discharged them too low to slightly damage them. However a couple of weeks ago I bought a new external charger and charged them up. One is still in the garage and is still reading 13.04 after a week+
Another Update. I tested the AC side of the box with the generator running and all breakers had 120v (ground & neutral) The DC side all had 13.4v (first test with battery disconnected) Turned off the generator hooked up battery(battery at 13.1v), but at the box after I took the RV out of "store mode", the DC side at the box was showing 9.8v, where the battery still showed 13+. Generator back on reads 13.4 Turned generator off, but this time it still showed high 12v. Until i pulled the slide in about 12 inches and all lights went out. At this point, hitting the store/"USE" button did nothing,even though my batteries still read 13+ So to me it seems the battery is not really feeding back into the coach. Note to turn on generator, I do have to have the engine running. I never have enough juice to start it from the coach batteries.
Thank you for the video. It was very informative. I need to learn as much as I can. My RV flooded. Seems as everything works except the 12 volt lights. The water heater kicks on and is working. And all wall plugs are working. Question. I have a 2004 Thor Wanderer Glide Lite. Does it have a converter and inverter? And are they separate or in the same box? Thank you again.
My 07 has the inverter under the sink and is labeled, my converter/ charger is under the fridge behind my breakers. Your converter is wired straight to whatever main switch turns on house power (in my experience) you'r 12v is the lifeblood of your RV, know it, love it, service it :) I just did 400w solar it's fantastic.
Skye Weaver I want to go solar also. That will be in time. I have so much to do still. But we made it in ours in time to not have to pay our lot rent and rent at our old place. The converter is exactly what you said it was. And looks like it needs to be replaced. It’s been discontinued and been suggested to replace it. Everything works except the 12 volt. So we use electric burners to cook and shower at our bath house which is very beautiful and very clean. Hope omg to have the propane tanks put in this weekend. Do you know if I need the new converter to work the water heater and stove? I have no clue. Or does it only light the pilots? I can light them manually right and they’ll be okay?
2013 Nash trailer. Changing to 2 12 volt lithium 100 amp batteries with 400 watts solar. Will the existing controller work with new batteries when hooked to shore power? Any issues with tow vehicle alternator charging lithium batteries while towing? Lithium 12 volt batteries connected in parallel maintains 12 volts. Thanks rick
The issue you run into with basic chargers that come in your RV, is that there's no way to tell them to slow down charging for a sealed battery. There is also no feedback to the charger for temperature of the battery etc. For a water-filled battery that is not a problem. If the batteries can't gas off it will cause damage to the battery itself. Often you can see this when the case starts to swell. There are better, read more expensive, chargers that understand the needs of a lithium, and/or sealed maintenance-free battery type. These Chargers would have temperature probes on the negative post of your battery. They would also have a way to tell them what type of battery is connected and maybe even how many amp hours the battery bank contains. So, if you upgrade your batteries in your coach from the water filled to a maintenance free or lithium you should also upgrade your battery charger to one that understands how to charge those batteries. Regarding charging from the alternator on your tow vehicle. That gets into to a whole other issue. In that case, you're charging the battery without any regard to what it is, how hot it's getting from being charged Etc.
Where on the trailer is the converter typically located? On my camper, I have been wearing out a battery every summer for the past three yrs. By end of summer the sides of battery are sucked in and it won’t charge up any more. I think the issue could be my converter.
Interesting and helpful video. I am mechanically inclined but electrical, I am a pure r3tard. My new to me 2002 camper keeps randomly tripping either the AC, or occasionally the main breaker. Previous owner said the battery might need replaced (red flag one) and my water pump will not actuate (red flag two).
I dont have a breaker that says converter does it mean I dont have one? Can't find the converter either.. I found what I think is my problem. The storage solenoid. Its called a latching relay. Not to many videos on your on this and how it works in conjuction with other electrical. Thanks for the vid
I have a question if you could help me please I just switched over to 200 amp lithium batteries two of them before I head for lead acid battery 70 5 AM each. Can you recommend a converter compatible with lithium batteries and how many amps that controller should I get Thank you.
I have 12.8v at the battery but no more. Everything works on AC, but nothing on DC (all worked this summer but stopped working on DC in October). I put in brand new battery this month. No tripped breakers. Does that sound like the converter?
Good afternoon, we have 2005 fleetwood wildermess camper that we connected to a 220 outlet and it blew something. We haven’t been able to figure out what, the only thing that turns on are the electric outlets but we don’t have any lights, or any electricity going to the fridge and microwave. Would you know what it would be?
Question in my rv I only have power to outlets on the kitchen side no other outlets have power.. there is no breakers tripping do you think it might be the converter and not inverter. And how would I test that instead.. Or would it be a disconnect wire your thoughts please
Our Norcold refrigerator failed on our last trip and I was able to repair it by replacing the circuit board by following your video on dinosaur boards. It worked great for 3 days and I'm now getting a Lo DC warning, indicating that the DC power to the board is not sufficient. My question is this- can the converter be the cause? Added twist- the remainder of the 12 volt system works fine and the battery level indicator in the coach says the batteries are fully charged. I'm perplexed.
If you have a meter I would be curious to know what the DC volts are at the control board at the back of the refrigerator. Also it would be interesting to check the fuse on the control board. I've seen how fuses have failed incorrectly, in that they blow but they have a small strand of wire connecting the two pause and they still allow a trickle of voltage through but not a lot of amperage.
I circled back and checked the fuses and each connector. The 12v wire that routes through the NorCold factory recall safety device had a bad connection. I replaced it and the unit has been working for 2 weeks non-stop. Thanks for the videos, they are great wallet savers!
Great video, thank you for the excellent information. I understood you carry spare convertors for replacement. Are they all the same ratings or how would you choose which convertor's to stock? I would like to stock a spare convertor, but thinking of trading campers and would not want to stock one that may now work with a different camper.
What we keep in stock on our service trailer are 55 amp stand-alone converters. This will work in most instances if the onboard batteries are water-filled. If the batteries are maintenance-free, spiral cell, or lithium then you would need a different converter.
I have a problem with my 110 to 12 volt converter, my converter will keep the battery charged and sometimes it will not supply 12 volts. Do you think there is something inside that is overheating and causing it to stop charging?
Have you dealt with an older style camper converter. My converter has the fuse panel inside I can access by a little door on the end of it. How ever I try to replace it with a powermax pm3 and I have no juice. I install the old one and works fine till it blows a fuse.
We just bought a 2018 Keystone Fuzion 424 and our converter (that's what we have figured it to be) is inside and is making a loud high pitched sound. Everything works fine on the rig except the fans on this converter haven't turned on yet. It doesn't make the sound all the time and seems to kick on when other things in the RV are turned on. Any clue on how to trouble shoot this?
I was getting noise from my electric box, like a motor coming of and on every few minutes. I shut off all my battery powered light that were on and the sound quit. Do I need to replace my converter. Thanks
There is something plugged in that is causing a short. Unplug everything from AC outlets in your rv. Many times, the GFCI outlet is daisy chained to a string of outlets. If there is nothing plugged in, and it pops when you try to reset it, the GFCI outlet needs to be replaced.
what causes these to go bad? and is it usually an issue with the converter or is it more common for an outside per say that causes it the converter to go bad
HELP! I'm following your instructions to the letter. The square screws to release the positive(red) and neutral(white) cables from the box are stripped. I'm on the side of the road basically, I'm safe, but until I can get this repaired I'm stuck. HOW DO I GET THESE STRIPPED SCREWS OUT?
My converter shows that it is powering my battery 13.6. When I check the cables going to the battery they have 0 power to them. I checked the 40 amp fuse on the converter was good all good. Everything works except the batteries won't charge. 2020rpod so a basically a new converter Any info would help.Thanks
A 12v battery makes a couple sparks you are comparing it to ac voltage . What to be affraid of is shorting out The battery as lead plates get so hot the acid begins to boil starts to release toxic flamable gas thenn well the rest gets messy
My issue iI run 4 different sources of power Gen.1, Gen. 2, direct a/c, and power inverter, Obviously one at a time. Gen. #1 will power up the inverter, Gen #2 won't, when it did it was sporadic. Sometimes it ran other times no. Any thoughts?
I have literally been sitting here messing with my rv for HOURS!!! I feel I absolutely have a dead converter, however being where I am, I am an hour or more from an rv repair place and nobody will come to me, and I am on vacation mode not wanting to drive down and get the parts to do it myself. You said ONE WORD and saved my ENTIRE trip! JUMPER CABLES FROM MY TRUCK! Turns out I had a set. Didn’t even cross my mind. Charging batteries right now… will fix when I get back to reality. THANK YOU!!
Can’t you just plug your 7 wire connector up? I think that charges when it’s plugged up. Jumper cables direct to the battery might be quicker maybe.
Automatic thumbs up for saying yonder in the 1st 30 seconds
Thank you for this!! We just bought a bigger rv - our old one worked perfectly- our new one the seller was not truthful..not only did it have a leak, the radio system doesn't work, the outside shower leaks hot water constantly and on our 2 days test run we had almost no lights when we woke up the next day. We have a trip planned in 10 days and and rv repair appointment of course the week after we return.. will be a sad trip without the do it ourselves option. Thanks to your video I'm pretty sure we can do this fix!
I believe this was the absolute best of the repair/test videos I’ve seen in a few hrs of watching on my issue. I am certain that I’ll able to identify my issue. Thank you for putting this content out.
Thank you for this info. My converter went out and I was able to diagnose the issue and replace the part all thanks to your help.
I wish I could give 10 thumbs up. You just saved me $400
i know nothing about electricity but after watching your video i honestly think i could handle this! awesome tutorial i learned so much
Thank You Derick, from Michigan 9-21-23 You make it easy to understand and fix
Really appreciate your effort, to go into detail in your How To videos - Is so very helpful, in diagnosing and repairing all the RV equipment you have covered so far - And, the tips you share to Prevent the problems in the first place, are priceless... Yours, are some of the Best repair and preventive maintenance videos out there - Keep up the great work... Patiently waiting each week, to see what you are going to cover next...
Thanks for the nice comments. I try to do my best and present the issues as I am working on them. Some folks have a nice studio and a prepared script with predictable outcomes. I do it all live and shooting from the hip. My audience discovers along with me as we go through it together. You might notice I called bolts screws and refrigerators air conditioners excetera but that just keeps it real. Thanks for watching I appreciate your comments.
Could it be converter still if the breaker didn't trip? We lost power to our control panel in 2020 milestone 5th wheel. Slides work but not the water pump, electric or gas water heater no lights switches in box.
This is one of the best videos explaining how to replace the converter. Thank you!
Thank you buddy I’ve had two days of trying to figure things out even buying a new battery you saved us big time we full time rv and we live in idaho it’s cold tonight , both fuses were popped on my converter didn’t even know until I seen what yours looked like then I remember seeing it before when I was playing with my furnace a while back. Now we got light and a furnace keeping us warm !
Upgrading to a lithium charger. Pulled RV cover ( winter over?), heard beeping found battery's dead, no converter output.
Upgrading to 4 guage wire to converter and DC distribution panel. The converter is a 75 amp charger.
My dististribution board says 15 amps max from the charger, I believe it is because of the printed ckt runs. That's all they can handle. Still in progress will be great when complete. Added 2 ckt breakers 1 for just the converter. The 2nd will be for an inverter manual transferr switch. Running romex to my inverter to feed the AC buss.
Smaller older trailer and have done many repairs and upgrades to it. Solar is 380 watts, RV fridge I litterly converted absorbing to 12 volt freon compressor. Would be great if a higher current 12 distribution board was available. Watching channel for ideas and always learning. Great job, good video.
Do converters have protection against connecting the battery in reverse polarity?
Many times the wires from the converter to the battery are black & white.
With a 12 volt vehicle everyone is accustomed to Black being negative, & Red positive, & they get hooked up wrong with Black treated as ground.
I helped a friend diagnose a problem with their battery in their RV & found the black was connected to Negative, & white to positive. I checked the converter & it was in fact connected in reverse polarity. Not sure how it affected the battery, & charging system, but I reconnected it the right way & seemed to be working at the time.
You do a real good job of explaining every step of the process. Good job.
Big help..I wasn't confident I could change or needed to change my converter until I saw your video..
Needed replacement and done with ease.. thanks
Love your videos! It's so hard to find good information about RV's online!!
Keep sharing!
Thank you for watching. I do plan on continuing to provide content as I come across repair jobs.
great video, I learned a lot about breakers and converter work.... however i always seem to pick of a tidbit of "unintended" knowledge from many tech vids. With yours today I didn't know about zeroing the meter while touching the wire before you loop the tester around the wire to check amps... thankyou.
You are most welcome. Thanks for watching. I do have on my list of videos to cover one on how to use a meter. There have been several folks that have asked for that. Happy camping!
I'm new to RV's and have purchased an older 1981 class C. When I plugged my RV into my garage outlet, I could hear the converter running but after a while it shut off. Is this because it was charging a battery, then once it was charged, it shut off?. This is the first time I learned that the converter charges the battery. Your video's are very helpful for us beginners. I also just learned why my battery has a quick disconnect knob.
I might have a bad converter. This video made me check my breakers. The converter breaker was off. I don't think it was tripped though I'm not sure how it turned off. You saved me a cold night with no heat or dc power. Turned the breaker back on and it stayed on. Now I know some things to check if it happens again.
Taking notes..I am sure it my Navion 15 con verter gone bad and this video will help on install. Thanks so much.
great video. i would probably check ac power at the plug with breaker on just to verify 120 volts
Great explanation of the steps required to change out the converter, thank you.
I’m MR MORGAN AND THANKS ALOT YOUR VIDEO ARE SO HELPFUL
You just saved my Wizard . The cooling fan wasnt working on the inverter. Found an open ground. Thanks again
lm
What is an open ground?
When I plug into shore power I hear a humming sound coming from behind my electrical panel. The sound goes away when I flip off one of the two 15 amp circuit breakers, both labeled recept. The converter is working as I get 13.65 volts with the battery switch on and 12.55 with it off. I'm wondering if there's a fan that may be stuck or if the humming is normal. I don't usually plug into shore power so not sure if this has always happened. 1998 dodge ram van camper (American Cruiser). Any advice?
@@Jocabod I’m having this same issue did you fix it ?
I really appreciated this video. Now. If I can find my converter I will understand what to check. If not I will have to see you.
Evidently your services are needed and well appreciated, Keep up the good work and the great videos.
Thanks for the great video and your attention to all of the safety aspects very well covered.
My question is why would you swap out for a new converter without opening the old one and inspecting it for a lose wire shorting it? One wire that came loose and grounded out the system might have been the quick fix. I know the coils might be damaged from a short and that would make it garbage but it seems this would have been the logical first step before replacing the whole unit.
I have an old 81 RV that has issues. The one ground wire coming up from the frame had power on it so my whole unit was energized. I going to inspect the converter tomorrow thoroughly. It used glass fuses and the previous owner sloppily rewired some of them so they used plastic fuses. The terminal for the water pump, tank levels and battery condition doesn't work so I have to figure out why. As yet I don't understand how that terminal works. That is what brought me here.
Other than inspecting your converter for a short I really appreciate this video. I am just to cheap or poor to trash my converter without troubleshooting it first. But thanks for making this video and explaining the system.
For my company the simple answer is liability and warranty. Most (but not all) of these converter cases are riveted closed. As a business if I open up that case and fix it I'm liable for any future failures within that enclosure. We do not offer board-level repair. So when I replace the converter with a brand new one the customer gets a Mfg. warranty and then I put my head on my pillow at night without the fear of repair that I made on a converter that may fail again. Without going through diagnosing each component on that board, there's no way to know that other components did not fatigue causing the internal failure in the first place. If it turns out to be a blown fuse, it blew for a reason. You can't just replace a fuse and think it's fixed.
I spend several hours a day learning from you. Thanks! I just bought a 2000 22" F450 Dynamax RV. Prior to my purchase "all" batteries, engine and house, were replaced on 7/22. All three batters are identical yet my understanding is the engine should be a START type while the house batteries DEEO CELL? In one of your videos you identify swelling on batters due to incorrect converter settings for the type of battery. Could you explain how we identify our battery, the different types and how to check/change the settings on the converter or if it requires replacement.
Great video! Just curious if I’m dry camping and want to charge my travel trailer battery w jumper cables right off the truck, will that damage the converter in anyway?
Music
good one because I discovered today my converter was not working and removed it to test again on my workbench. Zero DC output? what was interesting is you showing to test the continuity reading with the amp meter. will try that but my converter wasn't popping the breaker just no charging my batteries when on shore power. going to order a new converter for it. Oh, and I checked the two 35 fuses.
Excellent video, thanks so much for taking on the work to do them. I’ve learned so much in just 14 minutes. Keep up the good work. Subscribed.
Great video and very helpful information. My Jayco KB 1207 is a 1997 model and I'm pretty sure my converter is bad. But this definitely made it sound like it isn't the end of the world and is pretty easy to replace.
What makes you think it's bad? Just curious.
Thanks for sharing! I have an older Bounder diesel pusher and your videos have helped me understand many of its systems!
Thanks for the comment! I am so glad to hear these videos are helping. I have lots more planned so keep watching!
When my converter died a few weeks ago, the breaker didn’t trip. My battery all of a sudden just started draining. I thought it was low water in my battery (I had never performed any maintenance on it). Filled the battery with distilled water. Kept draining. Had another day of camping, so I found a new battery as I still thought the battery was the fault. New battery same problem. The new battery got us home, but realized it had to be the converter. It’s an easy swap. Used the same model as before and hope it lasts more than 2 years.
On this converter, I took the cover off and found a resistor that had popped off the control board. That apparently caused a dead short. On other converters different parts had failed inside and did not cause a short. But the end result was 120 VAC in and NO 12 VDC out. Therefore, a failed converter. There are folks that can get in there and make repairs but that is not my business model. I just replace the converter with a new one and it comes with a warranty.
My RV Works, Inc. I just realized that I have low voltage going to all of my outlets after the install. Ordered another replacement as I can’t find another reason for this new problem. 120V at the source. 80V at all outlets. Strange!
@@frostriver4547 Sounds like you have a floating neutral. Turn off all the breakers except for the main. Do you have 120 VAC on the main buss in your panel - with all other breakers off? If no than the issue is between the shore connection and the panel. If you do have 120 at that point, then turn on/off one breaker at a time and see where the voltage drops. One of them will be the culprit. Once you have it narrowed down to a specific circuit you can divide and conquer. One time I found that a clock radio that was plugged in was the culprit, another time I found an outside refrigerator that was causing it. Here is a video I uploaded on a similar issue that may help you: ruclips.net/video/kSuYFfqjtrY/видео.html
My RV Works, Inc. Darren, GFI and Fridge knock of about 5-10 V each, but on the other side (50A) the converter switch tanks the Voltage. There is good Voltage going to the converter plug. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime! If this isn’t it we may be missing a week of RV vacation.
Do you accept PayPal donations??
@@frostriver4547 I hope you have it cornered! I accept any donations LOL!!!
THANK YOU
You help me with my RV electrical. Following now.
Question Sir, are the batteries required or can the RV be used with 120V. AC also? Thank you! Great video.
Wow, I have learned so much from you in the last two days! Thank you.
Saved me some money and I feel like I know how to troubleshoot now.
Thanks for sharing.
So I've watched a couple of your converter videos, and the one thing you don't do is check the wires on the outside that come into the converter to see if there is something going on there, because there are manual breakers on the outside/under the RV and sometimes that needs to just be reset, or there is a bad connection somewhere.
I've already answered one of your questions, but the converter is an appliance not unlike a toaster. If I'm giving it 120 volts AC and it's not giving me 12 volts DC out then it's not the outfeed side that's causing the problem. If it was one of the circuit breakers on the battery side, the converter would still put out 12 volts up to that circuit breaker fuse. But if I get battery voltage at the converter DC side I know I've got a path from the converter to the battery.
@@MyRVWorks I understand that part now, but I'm trying to understand why you wouldn't open the converter and see what happened internally, because most times it's one of the compasitors, or one of the internal fuses, or even something blown that just needs to be resaudered. It just seems to make sense to troubleshoot the inside of the converter to save a pretty good chunk of change. A new converter is roughly $200-$300, the other's I listed are somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-$25. I'm genuinely asking to learn and be educated and your videos were and have been the most detailed, easy to understand, and very helpful. But Iike 87% of Americans right now it's paycheck to paycheck. I've already spent $280 on a RV guy to come "fix" it (he did not), and replace the battery for $160. My emergency fund is near depleted.
My box/floor fan ramps up randomly and so does the Portable AC - I got a new shore power cord, new surge protector but it still does it. Could my convertor be going bad? Surge protector and meter show the shore pole is correct but the meter shows drops and spikes at the breaker box.
please let me know your thoughts, love your videos.
Awesome 👌 love watching your video's. I've learned something watching them,and thats a good thing because im a do it yourselfer and my electrical skills are limited. Thanks again 👍
Awesome! Thank you!
Can you use a 650w computer power supply for a converter?
You would have to add the primary fuses but it would be 650W/12V=54.16A.
An old 550w power supply would be 550W/12V=45.83A
You can find these everywhere.
And you can get the 5V for charging other things.
I guess there would be liability issues, but for your own you could in a pinch.
Great Job! Thanks for taking the time to make a quality video.
Great video. I feel confident about replacing the converter but before i do just want to make sure it's the issue. Shore power and generator are not charging the house batteries but I checked the voltage on the converter and the meter reads 11.80 si i am confused whether or not is the converter. All fuses are good and none of the breakers are tripped. Any thoughts or suggestions?
great video - Thanks -- I have a problem with my battery disconnect to my chassis battery and I think it's the disconnect switch - which is 2 rocker switch's with the 2 lights above them - when I try to turn on the chassis rocker it doesn't seem to work like it used to and the light won't come on and stay on - thus no power to start my 2002 Gulfstream Ultra Supreme class A motorhome - I ordered a new disconnect panel and it's to old by 3 years and they sent a different set up that has just the 2 rockers with wire connecters on the rear of them - mine has a circuit board type on the back - is it going to be a real pain to match these wires to single push connecters for the new one ? and do you think this is the problem to start with ? Thanks for any thoughts - Roger from Salt Lake City Utah. US
Great Video, would like to carry a spare in my MH. My Converter states 65amp. Think it would hurt to run a 70amp unit? Reason I'd like to use a specific manufacturer and not the one thats installed
If you change out the converter, should get the same specs or is it better to get one with a higher output to the batteries. Also, I'm also assuming if you have a solar battery charger on the roof by turning the connection off to the batteries the voltage from the solar panel would not pass through to the converter. On my m/h I have 2 switches for the batteries one for coach and one for chassis
The converter/charger amp rating is a function of the work it is expected to perform. If you go with a bigger amp rating it will charge the batteries faster, but it will consume more power in doing so. If you upgrade your batteries to have a bigger battery bank you should also consider the charging capacity of the existing converter/charger to keep the math balanced. Most of the converters the RV mfg’s are using are basic with only the minimal features. If you RV occasionally and always connect to shore power than that is just fine. If you do a lot of dry camping than this appliance needs to be looked at.
To the point on the solar - I never assume! That is a function of who installed the solar system and how they connected to everything. I wish there were a standard but I have seen lots of configurations so I can not make a blanket statement that what I find on one RV is the same as how another RV is configured. Like I said in my video - I always treat it as if it were a live circuit!
Cheers
Darren
@@MyRVWorks I keep the solar issue in mind. there is a quick disconnect on the roof that is easy to take apart. I do this when doing maintenance on the AC unit before removing the shroud. Thanks again
Hello! I enjoy your videos as well! My family and I live in an RV in Sequim. I’ve noticed recently that there is a pulsing in the lights and heater in the evening. Could that be a sign that my converter is on its way out?
A little off the topic however, what is the purpose of what sounds like a fan running in the converter area and why does it come on only when I temporarily lose shore power? Much thanks and keep up the great vids??
There is a fan inside of the converter, it helps to shed the heat that is produced when AC is converted to DC and the battery is being charged. Don't know the specific circuitry behind why that fan starts and stops but that might be what you're hearing.
How can you test to see if the charging steps down? Form what I’ve read it’s suppose to have 3 stages. So is it basically the same thing using an amp clamp to watch the different rates? I know mine was a little over 14:00 volts but my battery was bone dry like it boiled everything out. This was on a new Interstate battery.
Up in Bellingham Washington and appreciate your videos. New subscriber
Great Video used to check my DSL-55 output allowing me to eliminate that as an issue I'm working on.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT LESSON... THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Could you please help me. After watching some of you videos I figured I needed a new converter. I got an IOTA DLS 30 amp /IQ4. The problem is my old converter (20 + years old) does not have the extra ground wire (copper line), just the three prong 120 plug and the red and white lines. So do I need to run the copper ground wire and if so does it also go to the body/ frame or somewhere else. Your videos are really helping me, thanks.
I found it, lol
Does it nees a copper ground wire? And why since you plug it into the 110?
Question. Your videos are great by the way!!! I wanted to know, If I want to convert my RV from 30amp to 50amp, is it basically just swapping out the inlet, the wire from the inlet to the breaker box and add a new breaker box? (Obviously marking and reinstalling everything with the proper fuses) Thanks.
Thank you so much for the video! Going to throw the new converter in my 5th wheel tomorrow just needed the confidence you gave me!
When are you checking all of this, are you hooked up to shore power or no power?
This is interesting! I'm in a similar situation. My fifth wheel is plugged into shore power at my house. Checked on it and found my batteries were dead. Converter breaker was tripped and similar to your video it was time to replace the converter. Installed a new one but when I close in the battery disconnect the inverter fan spins up for 2 seconds then turns off with a resulting voltage of what battery voltage was. I'm suspecting the converter is getting into an over current condition and switching off after 2 seconds 🤷🏻♂️
Our Class A does that as well. Plugged in at home. Batteries keep draining. We have a WFCO 9875 I think. Plus a small solar panel up top. Going to test converter and fuses
I have subscribed, you do awesome videos and I appreciate you.. I watched you explain how an RV refrigerator works I had no clue ,I'm a learner and I thought I knew everything,luv u
same exact converter i have, just replaced it thanks to amazon, mine was probably 20 years old, woke up to no power while i was plugged in.
I hope you can help. My older 1994 hunting 5th wheel got hit by lightning. My AC, hot water tank, furnace, converter does not work anymore. I your opinion do you think all control boards in each appliance is shot? I was going to start replacing boards to see it that fix my problems. Not to make this to long but my hot water tank the board has a high pitch ring coming from it?? Help
Love your videos, I believe I understand the difference between an inverter and a converter, but can an inverter charge my batteries? I just replaced my alternator but when I'm plugged into ShorePower my batteries seemed to drain.
Hi, Please tell me where I can get fuses for my Iota 45 converter. Thank you for this video, I am afraid to plug in without fuses in case I wreck something.
great lesson. however my issue is that everything on the 12v system keeps fading out and the low voltage alarms start beeping. the lights dim and flicker, thermostat display fades out and heater shuts off, the gas leak sensor and the carbon monoxide sensor start beeping low voltage. batteries are charging but only at 11v. does this sound like a converter issue?
I am a certified RV tech..."Love" your vids...Thank you!
Hi, my rv is having issues i think i have a short somewhere. First the batteries dont stay charged, 2 i plugged in a heater while plugged into shore power it blew out..twice actually ..i plugged in a second one it also blew out. 3 the lights get dim..does that sound like a power converter to you? Also do you know where that would be in a 2006 Dutchman grand junction? Really appreciate any help you can give me thanks
Great Video
I am having an issue.
My batteries are acting like they are not getting charged.
I can be hooked up to shore power or my generator and see them at 13.4v (~14.3 engine running). The battery level indicator in the coach is showing 4 of 4 LED's
But once I unplug or turn off the generator in a very short period of time I have no 12v juice in the coach. No juice no fan for the heat. Even if I don't have anything turned on within an hour the battery level LED will not light up. My thought here are that the only juice I am seeing for the LEDs is some reserve in the capacitors of the converter and it is not really pulling from the battery. Last fall the batteries fell to 12.3v on that trip. I have charged them with an external charger up to 13.2 and they have held the charge, so they still appear to be good. I did one test that I am confused about the results, which you may have the answer (or confirm my guess). I disconnected the batter (+) side from the 100amp breaker and if I put the voltmeter on the breaker and the negative of the battery I was reading 11.4v. I was expecting zero since that (+) was not hooked up to anything. Is that 11.4 what was left in the capacitors or does that indicate I have a bad ground somewhere? I Did this test with no generator/shore/engine power.
For what you are describing it sounds to me like your batteries have sulfated (died). If you can take them to an auto parts house (like O'Reilly's, AutoZone, Carquest, Battery Plus, or any place like that) they have test equipment and they can do a test on your battery to determine how well it can store charge.
@@MyRVWorks This is the third set of batteries. The ones on the rig went dead(so I thought). They had a sticker for a month before I bought it. I replaced them and next set went dead (so i thought - would not charge above 12.7 and fall to 12.4 real quick). Swapped them and the same thing happened after running them out watching a football game. So yes I could have discharged them too low to slightly damage them. However a couple of weeks ago I bought a new external charger and charged them up. One is still in the garage and is still reading 13.04 after a week+
Another Update.
I tested the AC side of the box with the generator running and all breakers had 120v (ground & neutral)
The DC side all had 13.4v (first test with battery disconnected)
Turned off the generator hooked up battery(battery at 13.1v), but at the box after I took the RV out of "store mode", the DC side at the box was showing 9.8v, where the battery still showed 13+.
Generator back on reads 13.4
Turned generator off, but this time it still showed high 12v. Until i pulled the slide in about 12 inches and all lights went out.
At this point, hitting the store/"USE" button did nothing,even though my batteries still read 13+
So to me it seems the battery is not really feeding back into the coach.
Note to turn on generator, I do have to have the engine running. I never have enough juice to start it from the coach batteries.
Thank you for the video. It was very informative. I need to learn as much as I can. My RV flooded. Seems as everything works except the 12 volt lights. The water heater kicks on and is working. And all wall plugs are working. Question. I have a 2004 Thor Wanderer Glide Lite. Does it have a converter and inverter? And are they separate or in the same box? Thank you again.
My 07 has the inverter under the sink and is labeled, my converter/ charger is under the fridge behind my breakers. Your converter is wired straight to whatever main switch turns on house power (in my experience) you'r 12v is the lifeblood of your RV, know it, love it, service it :) I just did 400w solar it's fantastic.
Skye Weaver I want to go solar also. That will be in time. I have so much to do still. But we made it in ours in time to not have to pay our lot rent and rent at our old place. The converter is exactly what you said it was. And looks like it needs to be replaced. It’s been discontinued and been suggested to replace it. Everything works except the 12 volt. So we use electric burners to cook and shower at our bath house which is very beautiful and very clean. Hope omg to have the propane tanks put in this weekend. Do you know if I need the new converter to work the water heater and stove? I have no clue. Or does it only light the pilots? I can light them manually right and they’ll be okay?
2013 Nash trailer. Changing to 2 12 volt lithium 100 amp batteries with 400 watts solar. Will the existing controller work with new batteries when hooked to shore power? Any issues with tow vehicle alternator charging lithium batteries while towing? Lithium 12 volt batteries connected in parallel maintains 12 volts. Thanks rick
The issue you run into with basic chargers that come in your RV, is that there's no way to tell them to slow down charging for a sealed battery. There is also no feedback to the charger for temperature of the battery etc. For a water-filled battery that is not a problem. If the batteries can't gas off it will cause damage to the battery itself. Often you can see this when the case starts to swell. There are better, read more expensive, chargers that understand the needs of a lithium, and/or sealed maintenance-free battery type. These Chargers would have temperature probes on the negative post of your battery. They would also have a way to tell them what type of battery is connected and maybe even how many amp hours the battery bank contains. So, if you upgrade your batteries in your coach from the water filled to a maintenance free or lithium you should also upgrade your battery charger to one that understands how to charge those batteries. Regarding charging from the alternator on your tow vehicle. That gets into to a whole other issue. In that case, you're charging the battery without any regard to what it is, how hot it's getting from being charged Etc.
Where on the trailer is the converter typically located? On my camper, I have been wearing out a battery every summer for the past three yrs. By end of summer the sides of battery are sucked in and it won’t charge up any more. I think the issue could be my converter.
Awesome Videos...can not tell you how much I have learned! Thank You!
Great video. Helped me diagnose my converter problem. 😀
Interesting and helpful video. I am mechanically inclined but electrical, I am a pure r3tard. My new to me 2002 camper keeps randomly tripping either the AC, or occasionally the main breaker. Previous owner said the battery might need replaced (red flag one) and my water pump will not actuate (red flag two).
Does it matter which converter you install in your camper? I have a 2012 Winnebago One
I dont have a breaker that says converter does it mean I dont have one? Can't find the converter either.. I found what I think is my problem. The storage solenoid. Its called a latching relay. Not to many videos on your on this and how it works in conjuction with other electrical. Thanks for the vid
I found my converter you gotta go on a hunt
I have a question if you could help me please I just switched over to 200 amp lithium batteries two of them before I head for lead acid battery 70 5 AM each. Can you recommend a converter compatible with lithium batteries and how many amps that controller should I get Thank you.
I have 12.8v at the battery but no more. Everything works on AC, but nothing on DC (all worked this summer but stopped working on DC in October). I put in brand new battery this month. No tripped breakers. Does that sound like the converter?
yes i have same problem and replacing the converer
Good afternoon, we have 2005 fleetwood wildermess camper that we connected to a 220 outlet and it blew something. We haven’t been able to figure out what, the only thing that turns on are the electric outlets but we don’t have any lights, or any electricity going to the fridge and microwave. Would you know what it would be?
Question in my rv I only have power to outlets on the kitchen side no other outlets have power.. there is no breakers tripping do you think it might be the converter and not inverter. And how would I test that instead.. Or would it be a disconnect wire your thoughts please
Our Norcold refrigerator failed on our last trip and I was able to repair it by replacing the circuit board by following your video on dinosaur boards. It worked great for 3 days and I'm now getting a Lo DC warning, indicating that the DC power to the board is not sufficient. My question is this- can the converter be the cause? Added twist- the remainder of the 12 volt system works fine and the battery level indicator in the coach says the batteries are fully charged. I'm perplexed.
If you have a meter I would be curious to know what the DC volts are at the control board at the back of the refrigerator. Also it would be interesting to check the fuse on the control board. I've seen how fuses have failed incorrectly, in that they blow but they have a small strand of wire connecting the two pause and they still allow a trickle of voltage through but not a lot of amperage.
I circled back and checked the fuses and each connector. The 12v wire that routes through the NorCold factory recall safety device had a bad connection. I replaced it and the unit has been working for 2 weeks non-stop. Thanks for the videos, they are great wallet savers!
Great video, thank you for the excellent information. I understood you carry spare convertors for replacement. Are they all the same ratings or how would you choose which convertor's to stock? I would like to stock a spare convertor, but thinking of trading campers and would not want to stock one that may now work with a different camper.
What we keep in stock on our service trailer are 55 amp stand-alone converters. This will work in most instances if the onboard batteries are water-filled. If the batteries are maintenance-free, spiral cell, or lithium then you would need a different converter.
Very good video informative! Liked it a lot! Learned something from it.
Do you recommend using the same model that's in there or does it not matter? I have 50amp service AC in my RV, so guessing you should go with a 55amp?
I have a problem with my 110 to 12 volt converter, my converter will keep the battery charged and sometimes it will not supply 12 volts. Do you think there is something inside that is overheating and causing it to stop charging?
Have you dealt with an older style camper converter. My converter has the fuse panel inside I can access by a little door on the end of it. How ever I try to replace it with a powermax pm3 and I have no juice. I install the old one and works fine till it blows a fuse.
Well done thank you, your video explanation for trouble shooting converter you did very good once again thank you.
We just bought a 2018 Keystone Fuzion 424 and our converter (that's what we have figured it to be) is inside and is making a loud high pitched sound. Everything works fine on the rig except the fans on this converter haven't turned on yet. It doesn't make the sound all the time and seems to kick on when other things in the RV are turned on. Any clue on how to trouble shoot this?
Would it be a problem to mount the new converter right near the battery bank?
I was getting noise from my electric box, like a motor coming of and on every few minutes. I shut off all my battery powered light that were on and the sound quit. Do I need to replace my converter. Thanks
I’ve got a GFCI that continues to trip. I’ve lived with it since it was new 14 years ago. Where would you suggest I begin to troubleshoot?
There is something plugged in that is causing a short. Unplug everything from AC outlets in your rv. Many times, the GFCI outlet is daisy chained to a string of outlets. If there is nothing plugged in, and it pops when you try to reset it, the GFCI outlet needs to be replaced.
what causes these to go bad? and is it usually an issue with the converter or is it more common for an outside per say that causes it the converter to go bad
HELP! I'm following your instructions to the letter. The square screws to release the positive(red) and neutral(white) cables from the box are stripped. I'm on the side of the road basically, I'm safe, but until I can get this repaired I'm stuck. HOW DO I GET THESE STRIPPED SCREWS OUT?
Does anyone make a video for a Winnebago motorhome converter? It’s so frustrating to try to find anything for this rig! I’m in tears over this thing
Again your a wealth of information!!! I absolutely love your videos!!!! Very well shot (filmed) and learning so much! Thank you!!!
My converter shows that it is powering my battery 13.6. When I check the cables going to the battery they have 0 power to them. I checked the 40 amp fuse on the converter was good all good. Everything works except the batteries won't charge. 2020rpod so a basically a new converter Any info would help.Thanks
Do I need to change my converter if I replace the deep cycle lead acid batteries with LiFe ? I am told the charging method is different.
A 12v battery makes a couple sparks you are comparing it to ac voltage . What to be affraid of is shorting out The battery as lead plates get so hot the acid begins to boil starts to release toxic flamable gas thenn well the rest gets messy
My issue iI run 4 different sources of power Gen.1, Gen. 2, direct a/c, and power inverter, Obviously one at a time.
Gen. #1 will power up the inverter, Gen #2 won't, when it did it was sporadic. Sometimes it ran other times no.
Any thoughts?
Great video thank you for sharing this
Outstanding video!!