Charger Converter died

Because the lights dimmed gradually, I didn't notice until I stopped reading a book and looked around. Fortunately, I had a new Progressive Dynamics model PD4645 (45 amps) setting on a shelf in my shed. The old converter lasted 24 years, so I got my money's worth out of it.

The directions with the new one were easy to follow. However, as usual, when I do a new project, it takes me 3 times as long as should. Should be a 2 hour or less job. But, whenever I deal with electricity, I double check and triple check as I go along. I know I ran my two 6v batteries well below 50%. Can't find my battery checker. Eventually I drive into town to get one. They are fairly new batteries.

The install was quit easy. Now that I've done it, I'll be able to help any of my neighbors in my RV resort do an install on their units, I'm sure in less than 2 hours.

I want you as my neighbor !

I always try to fix anything myself, but lately it seems there is always a gremlin that creeps into every thing I touch.. I'm sure it couldn't be the fact that I am eighty four and constantly misplacing my tools and flashlight.

Jack L

It was easier whenmy 9180+wizard died  Plug in model
unplug. Remove mounting screws remove cconverter from compartment. Unhook two big and one small wire. Put in trunk of car, Drive about 15 miles north Turn left park remove from trunk Enter factory "May I Help You"
Point to it and say "DEAD". 
"Through those doors"
Entered other room
"May I help you"
"Dead"
On my desk

anouy 236 dollars later put new rebullt in trunk, drive back south  Hook up two big and one small  Stuff in compmartment  Plug in. Fire up Mr. Onan to test (Working) and continue south for the winter.

(I was parked at the TA truck stop. in Tekonsha. MI the units are made in Marshall MI just a bit south of the best designed Round-about I've ever had the pleasure to go around,, Google Brooks memorial Fountain for a view of it)

John From Detroit said:

It was easier whenmy 9180+wizard died  Plug in model
unplug. Remove mounting screws remove cconverter from compartment. Unhook two big and one small wire. Put in trunk of car, Drive about 15 miles north Turn left park remove from trunk Enter factory "May I Help You"
Point to it and say "DEAD". 
"Through those doors"
Entered other room
"May I help you"
"Dead"
On my desk

anouy 236 dollars later put new rebullt in trunk, drive back south  Hook up two big and one small  Stuff in compmartment  Plug in. Fire up Mr. Onan to test (Working) and continue south for the winter.

(I was parked at the TA truck stop. in Tekonsha. MI the units are made in Marshall MI just a bit south of the best designed Round-about I've ever had the pleasure to go around,, Google Brooks memorial Fountain for a view of it)

Click to expand...

Mine was even easier than that. 
Pull in to RV park in Oakhurst, CA at 10am, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and hook up.  Discover converter was dead.  Pull out my phone, go to Amazon and order a new PD 9260. 
The next morning at about 10:30 I see the maintenance guy from the park walking toward the RV with an Amazon box.  Open box, spend 20 minutes changing out the converter(not my first rodeo)and the rest of the weekend partying with my kids.

I do hope that all of those adding to this thread understand that it is rewarding to know that there are other RV people that are not morons.

Thank you.

Matt

Old_Crow said:

Mine was even easier than that. 
Pull in to RV park in Oakhurst, CA at 10am, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and hook up.  Discover converter was dead.  Pull out my phone, go to Amazon and order a new PD 9260. 
The next morning at about 10:30 I see the maintenance guy from the park walking toward the RV with an Amazon box.  Open box, spend 20 minutes changing out the converter(not my first rodeo)and the rest of the weekend partying with my kids.

Click to expand...

That's rather close.. (About the amount of WORKING time I spent on it) the only difference is you paid Amazon to deliver and I drove to the factory (I forgot to mention I drove the towed but I did say I put it in the trunk)
I grew up in that part of the country. in fact I passed within 3 miles of the family farm.

John From Detroit said:

I grew up in that part of the country. in fact I passed within 3 miles of the family farm.

Click to expand...

So I guess you are not really "From Detroit"?
Nice people in Marshall, aren't they?

Matt

John From Detroit said:

That's rather close.. (About the amount of WORKING time I spent on it) the only difference is you paid Amazon to deliver and I drove to the factory (I forgot to mention I drove the towed but I did say I put it in the trunk)
I grew up in that part of the country. in fact I passed within 3 miles of the family farm.

Click to expand...

One of these days I'll have to get back there.  I was born in Kalamazoo, left there at the end of the Korean conflict when my dad was released from active duty, and haven't been back since.

I was just happy to get the converter in and working before the sky opened  up and dumped about a foot of snow on us.  We had been boondocking for 2 weeks before the converter failed, but when we heard that snow was coming we headed for a place with power and easy access to propane refills.  The fact that it made it so easy for the converter replacement was just icing on the cake.

I have done two PD4600 series replacements so far. First one was a 55 amp on my Winnebago View motor home, replacing the original single stage Parallax unit, and the second time was a 45 amp one replacing the WFCO unit installed in a Parallax panel (exact same panel as the motorhome). Neither of the existing converters had died, I was changing them to get the multistage features of the PD converter, and the new fuse panel. (the WFCO converter I pulled out of the trailer was, I think, a fairly new replacement, on a tray for the Parallax panel, but since it was a WFCO, it went in the garbage. Not sure why anyone would spend good money to buy a replacement WFCO converter.

Note, the 4600 series comes in a steel cabinet for installation in a Parallax 7100 power panel, but the instructions tell you, if you read closely enough, that in a WFCO panel, replacing the converter, you remove the PD converter from the steel box and DISCARD the new steel box and install the converter in the WFCO panel. Co-worker did this in his trailer and I was going HUH? and read the instructions and saw those instructions. Guess since I was installing in Parallax panels I had not bothered to read far enough................

Charles

When I got my replacvementy 9180 I went to PD's factory since it was not that far out of my way... They told me the use of the 4600's enclosure is "optional" and showed me one... Nice folks there.

The first three trips were dry camping and this last trip was a full hookup.  That's when I noticed that the lights were dim so will have to test the converter if it's good or bad.

I just ran the generator that produced 110v but the overhead lights nor the slide worked. Noticed the converter fan didn't spin.
All the fuses are okay so it appears that the converter is shot.
Will remove it to check further.

Two things to check before you Pull the converter. Both circuit breakers
One is on the Generator
The other is likely labeled CONV on the breaker panel (but may not be)
on the breaker panel Touch the breakers.. if you suspect one might be the converter turn it off and back on.. It Truly matters  Sometimes they do not show "Tripped" state clearly.

on the Generator usualy they are OFF/ON no Tripped just OFF when Tripped.

I benched tested the converter and now am totally confused. 
110v to the converter that produced 13.8v DC. Fan blade didn't spin so put a jumper then the voltage dropped to 10v even when I removed the jumper wires.

Hooked it back to the trailer, started the 2k stand alone generator and got 122v lights didn't work and DC only put out 3.8v.

Assume converter is toast so ordered a 55 amp replacement.

What has happened is a component failed "High resistance" so no load it looks good but load it down and POOF the output is not there..

One of the problem with modern digital voltmeters is they are VERY high Impedeance (resistance) and place next to no load on the device under test.

This is why I like a Test Light for 12 volt Tribble hunting.. I've seen several failures where the volt-meter was in the "GOOD" range but the lamp was DARK. (they are about 1-1.5 amp loads)

Converter replacement arrived yesterday and installed today.  Started the generator, turned the light switch on and lights illuminated. Ohm tested DC that read 13.8 volts.  )

All good now and hope the converter last a while.