My tired old PD converter is about to be retired

My converter could be an original with the old bounder???......i have been having to give the 6 volt interstates a little end boost with my charger in order to get them to read 100% charged and up in the 13 volt range.

I have a PD 765q44rlt........it is a 3 stage 45 amp. 12.6 VDS [volts/??]....15 charge amps.

this is pretty weak according to what is currently being used for these systems.........

I'm looking for the correct replacement for my converter [if there is one??], without having to do too much wiring

I think I checked on a website a while back that gave me the correct replacement converter for my old bounder..........[a recommendation on a good dealer would be appreciated]

i want to buy a 60 or 80 amp converter if I can find a compatible replacement...

Any suggestions....??

i have to say that I have searched this forum and did not come up anything specific to my question, although, i'm sure it has been hashed out many times........

i see that PD has a new converter    http://www.progressivedyn.com/rv_products.html

Can you confirm your existing model number, I'm not finding anything for that number in a Google search.

It looks like the 55 amp version in the 4600 series is your best choice for more amps and a direct replacement.  Anything else is going to require a whole new installation so I'd say be sure your want or need 60 or more amps.  Did you add appliances or other things that you need more amps than your original unit?

i think i got the numbers right :-\

All I'll say is if you use the 30% rule, those batteries can take up to 70 amps, thus the 60 amp model is an excellent choice. (Xantrex says to charge at no more than 30% of the battery's 20 hour amp hour capacity.  So if it's 200 amp hours, that's 60 amps, those batteries are 220 as I recall, new ones 230 so 70 amps is about right as the MAXIMUM rate,,, Slower charges make for longer overall battery life).

http://www.bestconverter.com/
Contact Randy with your model, he will give best advice for replacement.

I'VE visited www.bestconverter.com/ i'll go back and see what Randy says, he could be the guy i talked to a couple of years ago.

thanks

Here's two forum links that say they replaced their "PD765Q" with a newer unit:

http://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin_board/viewtopic.php?p=14234&sid=42183b6427369fbeb047a7667dc7654b
http://rec.outdoors.rv-travel.narkive.com/E7JsstT3/boondock-battery-charging-questions

PD also has a number to call on the bottom of the page in the link you provided, being their equipment they should be able to advise you on a replacement of their own brand, at least.

Have you made sure that the current gauge of the wiring is able to handle higher current  output? 

Thanks a lot rv,  that is the first reference that i have found on my converter, i was beginning to think that i had the only one in existence,

i'll check with them over at best converter........

Well i have had two recommendations, the  PD 9200  [from the  PD website service dept.]
and here is what Randy from best converters has to say;

Hi Don,
PD still mkes the best option and its a whole lot better than from the 80s.  Have a look at their 4000 series Mighty Mini.  Really is the best option.  Thanks and here is a link.
http://www.bestconverter.com/4000-Series-Compact-Power-Center_c_138.html
Randy

the 9200 seems like a whole lot better deal to me??

i have not looked at what i have yet, but according to the pic that PD sent me, all i have to do is pull out my box, unplug the old and plug in the new, along with the mounting screws of course...........

i think i will go pull my box and see what i am in for, before i order...........

the 9200 seems like a whole lot better deal to me??

Click to expand...

The PD 4000 series is a good choice to replace your whole panel - it is a combined load center and converter, just like your 765Q. That's probably the least effort approach. The PD9200 series is a different form factor, a standalone converter/charger, so you would have to bypass the existing converter portion of the 765 and wire the PD90xx into the12v system and the batteries. And perhaps find a place to mount it. Maybe easy, maybe not, depending on just what you have to work with.

Without a schematic of the 765, it might take some educated guesswork to determine what wires and components of the 765 to cut out. Open it up and see if you can figure it out before deciding to go one way or the other.

Three words................NOT THAT EASY............

I'll have to do this job while I'm shut down for the winter, so I'll have a few weeks to research  what I might need.....

It looks like i will have to take some pics and disconnect all wiring in the box, since I have to do that, I may as well go with a whole new unit and bring it into this century  .......that mighty mini might just be what i need.......

I have been depending on my converter to take care of my batteries, and for the last two years I have been good with it,  but I got the hydrometer out the other day and found that those "new batteries" were checking out at the low end of the white marker.

I have only had to top off the water one time,...........no wonder why, ??? ..........i don't think the converter has ever brought them up to their capacity...

I have a good charger on them now, and they are getting the charge that they need......

I'm glad i found this now, i don't think those batteries like the half a&&ed treatment they've been getting  

I have been chatting with randy at best converters, this is the last that he wrote me;,

Hi
I have never physically even seen one of those so I don't know the details of the wiring, just that like with any of them, you can disable the converter and connect to the old dc panel.
This is why I still think you would be better off removing the whole unit and replacing it with the PD 4045 power center.

Randy

Now if you look at the add for the 4045 it clearly say in red

"Note: 30 AMP main breaker and AC breakers are not included and shown for reference only.

so if i went with the 4045 i would have to relocate it,[ maybe in another cabinet], because there is not enough room in the box for this unit.....

the way i understand the install of the 9200, it can be put elsewhere, all i would have to do is have a place to give it house current........

i'm not real sure about this 9200 set up, i will see if i can get more info from PD in the morning,

I'm also not sure if i can disconnect from my old converter all together, there are ten wires hardwired into it that are coming from the fuses, .....

here are a couple of pics if anyone is interested....

so if i went with the 4045 i would have to relocate it,[ maybe in another cabinet], because there is not enough room in the box for this unit.....

Click to expand...

I'm not clear why you concluded that.  Not from the fact that the breakers are not included with the 4045, I hope. All that "red print" is telling you is that the breakers shown in the illustration are not included and you may have to buy a couple new circuit breakers to place in the 4045 unit. It's possible you might be able to re-use the old ones from the 765, but not real likely.

Check the physical dimensions for the 4045 - it may be same, larger or smaller than the old one.

The 9200 series unit is a separate "deck mount" box. It can be mounted separate from the 765 but it has to have cables to the battery (preferably not real long) and a source of 120v power. Check its physical dimensions too.

I  don't want to tear the box out,  or all of my existing wiring if i don't have to, it is all in working order, and has caused no problems.....

all i really want is an upgraded converter, and for someone to tell me exactly what i need to do to the old converter.  it would be an easy fix if i knew what wires needed to stay with the old converter........

if i can't do that, then i'll just charge with my external chargers,

I'm going to talk to the Service Department at Progressive Dynamics tomorrow, they seem to think it will be an easy fix using  a 9200 unit..........i just need for them to tell me exactly what i need to do with the old one........

I have only found one other person that was inquiring about the same set up, on a bounder forum, but the threads died out when he asked to be emailed the info...??

i guess i could go over there and see if he is still around.....

thanks....

DiGiacomo,

The two units you are considering are two different solutions.  The 9200 would replace *only* your existing converter circuitry - distribution panels are not included and would need to be purchased separately.  You would need to figure out how to disable/remove the converter part of your old unit and connect in the wiring from the 9200  (basically, the 12V output from it after it converts the 120V input).  Obviously, you would need to find a suitable mounting location as well.  120V goes in, and 12V comes out, and that goes into your existing unit for distribution to your 12V circuits, battery, etc. It DOES NOT provide 120V output, only 12V (13.6 actually). 

On the other hand, the 4045 is a complete replacement for your old unit.  Remove the old one, replace with the new one.  That's why Gary said to measure the old unit.  If the space is the big enough, it goes in the space where the old one is located, and you hook it up.  The difference is you would connect the RV circuits to the distribution part of the new unit.  It provides both AC output AND DC output.

You can download the wiring diagram for the 4045 to study, if you're unsure about the wiring details.

Hope this helps.

Unless you stumble across somebody who has already modified a PD765 to add a separate converter, and remembers the details, you have probably received as much help as you can reasonably expect.

You can view the PD Service Manual that covers the 765Q here. It has a schematic, but you still have to figure out which wire is which in the actual box and decide what to substitute and where.  That requires some basic electrical circuit skills - or professional help.

If I was there, I could probably figure it out for you, but I'm not.

The complete replacement option requires disconnecting and reconnecting a bunch of wires, but probably is easier (assuming it fits).

Ok, thanks again, your efforts are appreciated.......i'll post back on conclusion, one way or another....

In case anyone with an old RV has missed this thread, i will write my [hopeful] conclusion, i tried to get some instruction on exactly what wires i needed to disconnect from my 765q, Pryor to installation of a  PD9260 [i will order it tonight] and did not get any takers....

i did get a lot of good ideas and they are appreciated, ......one gentleman from the yahoo bounders forum emailed me to say that it wasn't a big deal, but his best advice was to mount the new converter near the batteries, for the same reason on inverter should be a close to the batteries as possible [ amp gain/loss].....

i opened up the vent holes and was able to reach in and touch my old converter, it was so hot right at the transformer that i would have blistered a finger if i would have lingered too long ...........

that worried me quite a bit so i just decided to tear into it, i pulled the plug on the group of wires in the 12 volt fuse box and tested everything,  i had all of the 12 volt stuff working with the batteries hooked up, [i think all those wires were for the 3 stage charge system] i unplugged the 120 ac to the motorhome, and started the generator and it made the switch just fine.......i was happy about that...

I knew there had to be a power source [120ac] for the converter and i found it hidden in the back of the ac box, and easily disconnected it from my middle 20 amp. breaker, the box has now cooled down and won't start my old bounder on fire 

i will order the new converter tonight and hope to have it operating sometime next week, ....if all goes well i will post on this subject one more time........

Great! Post some pictures if you can, both before and after.  Makes it much easier to understand what you did.