Can't find the Power Converter.....'lil help, please?

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mikeylikesit

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Location
Oakboro NC
1996 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 35J.  up front with the batteries I found the "battery control center" which has the relays and such, but does not appear to me to be big enough to house a battery charging transformer. (pics won't load, although I've made them as small as I can)

I've searched the darn thing high and low but cannot find anything resembling a battery charger.

any clues would be much appreciated.  Thanks!
 
It may be integrated with the power control panel. This is the panel with the 120V circuit breakers AND 12V fuses. If you have such a panel (often hidden behind a metal or decorative door), what is the make and model number either on the door or the panel??
 
The BCC is just switches and control systems and optionally fuses.

The CONVERTER is in one of 3 places..
One If your Power Distribution center has both 120 volt breakers and 12 volt fuses or breakers post the make and model off the door. Odds are that is it.

If you have a big (like 2,000 watt) Inverter  Odds are That is also the charger

And finally you can  have a "Stand alone' as I do.. those can be almost anywhere..  Thankfully it is one of the things I reclled from my PDI.
 
Thanks John.

the power distribution center has both breakers for the 120v and fuses for the 12v.
its a Powertek PDC1001.

I took the cover off of both sides, and don't see any transformer.  I wouldn't think it would be there, as the PDC in in one of the upper cabinets over the dining table.......(heavy items should go low, right?)

Thanks for the help folks...........still looking.....  :p

Edit: just found a really old thread (2009) that suggests it might be under the refer........fingers crossed!
 
Many rigs with the PDC1001 seem to have a separate converter/charger. Even if the PDS originally had its own, odds are good that it was repalced in the past with a "deck mount" converter/charger that is physically near by but wired into the PDC.

It has to be connected to the battery somehow, so trace the wire back from the battery Plus terminal. If the only wire goes to the PDC, then either the converter/charger is there are connected to the 12v DC power bus inside.
 
I believe your converter is under the refrigerator. You'll have to remove the paneling, which I think is just snapped in place. Probably the same location as your circuit breakers and 12 volt fuses.
It's a rectangular metal box with a 120 volt cord and 2 large 12 volt wires attached. 
 
If your fuse panel is located on the floor, and the converter is not actually part of the panel, and the panel is located below a set of drawers, remove the next drawer up, so that you have that empty space, and you will be able to see down, and behind the fuse panel. Most likely, your converter will be right behind the fuse panel, screwed down to the floor.
 
You could unplug from shore power and then turn all the lights and stuff on for a few hours.  Then plug back in and see if you can hear it hum.  It will not be very loud, but mine is under my bed in a closed compartment and I can hear it run occasionally. 
 
mikeylikesit said:
1996 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 35J.  up front with the batteries I found the "battery control center" which has the relays and such, but does not appear to me to be big enough to house a battery charging transformer. (pics won't load, although I've made them as small as I can)

I've searched the darn thing high and low but cannot find anything resembling a battery charger.

any clues would be much appreciated.  Thanks!
  Ours is under the oven, pull all lower drawers may be under one.
 
Look in the outside compartment closest to and behind the door.  The Pace is probably different, but that's where mine is.
 
  I FOUND IT!!!

it's under the refrigerator......I did not think to take the air register off and look inside..... :-\
THANK YOU all for your help.  I'm a bit surprised that any electronic device is placed in an air plenum......but I guess the RV systems are a bit different than commercial buildings.  ::)  (yes, still lots to learn!)

so, it's a parallax 7400 series, 55 amp.  I see that this is a now obsolete model, so I guess a new one is in my future.



 
Instead of the Parallex. Consider a Progressive Dynamics.. If that is a stand alone unit (Not part of a power distribution panel) the 9200 line is best 9260 I think is as close as you can get)

If it is part of a power distribution panels 4600 series

They both work the same way.. Best Converters out there near as I can tell.. Not that pricey.
 
Bought our RV used and had a battery shorted out checked the converter PD 9155 13.3 output ALL GOOD. They have a good trouble shooting page linked to Web site. PD is a Michigan based Co. Would recommend
 

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