We have a 2014 cougar fifth wheeler and our second converter has failed in four months. It is being replaced under warranty. I am worried we have a major short in our system. The dealer says no. What could be causing this problem? Help as our warranty is running out.
Second converter to blow in four months
- Thread starter piperbird
- Start date
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
There isn't much to a converter/charger and I agree it is more than a bit odd that two failed. It should have built in overload protection, so a short on the output side should not cause it to "blow". And a short on the input side would trip the breaker that feeds it. What about the input AC voltage (from shore power)? The converter is one of the first things to fail if you plug into a high voltage source (anything above about 130v). A surge protector/power monitor might be a wise investment for you. Something like this: http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_pt30c.htm
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Why am I not surprised? Most dealer shops are long on parts swapping and short on diagnosis. And in your case, the warranty is probably paying for the parts but would balk at getting a bill for several hours of diagnostic time.
Make sure the new one is in regular use, even if just plugged in while in storage. You need to see if it fails again before your warranty expires and leaves you holding the bag. My bet is that it will.
By the way, what brand of converter? RV manufacturers tend to use whatever is the cheapest available, and that seldom bodes well if there are problems surrounding it. Some possibilities are lack of adequate ventilation, close proximity to batteries that may be out-gassing, or a 120v power source that is only marginally in-spec.
cavalry6869
Well-known member
I think I would like a little more info on the failing convertor. What part of the convertor is failing? Total output, lights, battery charging...etc. Also, when the second one failed were you at the same campground? Do you have a surge protector in line? Not sure if someone else might ask other questions but that is it for me. Ed
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Just out of coursity... What converter do you have? That might make a difference. Make and model, that way I can download the manuals for it.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I think WFCO makes junky components, but they don't cause tv pixelation or kill themselves in a few months. It seems likely that something in the RV is miswired, perhaps a ground feedback problem.
Some inexpensive brands of fans are very noisy (in the electrical sense), as are fluorescent lights, and both can cause pixelation in digital tvs. Sometimes a power line filter is sufficient to fix the problem - here are a couple:
http://www.amazon.com/Gefen-TV-Power-Line-Filter/dp/B001YSFZ1Q
Ferrite filter
Some inexpensive brands of fans are very noisy (in the electrical sense), as are fluorescent lights, and both can cause pixelation in digital tvs. Sometimes a power line filter is sufficient to fix the problem - here are a couple:
http://www.amazon.com/Gefen-TV-Power-Line-Filter/dp/B001YSFZ1Q
Ferrite filter
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Your bathroom fan is likely a PM type DC motor (even if the field winding is an electro magnet) this means it has brushes and makes sparks, sparks are RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) Television is a form of radio so that could be the cause there.. There are cures starting with soldering a set of 2 or 3 disc ceramic capacitors (.1, .01 and .001 uF should do it) across the fan motor terminals.
Lights: a good old fashion 1141 type lamp with a nice hot wire, Kind of clean RF wise.. Modern LED's not so much and 12 volt florescent likewise no so much, Both of those can generate RFI as well... I know one of my Florescent lights takes out my ham radio rather nicely.
It will, eventually, become LED, which are easier to filter.
Lights: a good old fashion 1141 type lamp with a nice hot wire, Kind of clean RF wise.. Modern LED's not so much and 12 volt florescent likewise no so much, Both of those can generate RFI as well... I know one of my Florescent lights takes out my ham radio rather nicely.
It will, eventually, become LED, which are easier to filter.
