Travel Trailer and power converters

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ene2007

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Posts
6
Hello all, I have been trying to find an answer to a problem I have.  I have a Carson  R.V. Converter and cannot find any info online. I look up power converters and looks nothing like I have.  Are power converters the same fro TT as they are for MotorHomes? I need a new converter and have no idew on what kind I need to get.  Can someone please point me in the right direction please or post a thread for me.  Thanks all
 
I just installed one from http://www.progressivedyn.com/ .
Also a lot of information etc. can be found here http://www.bestconverter.com/.
 
Anything that fits and has sufficient amperage will do fine. TT's, 5W and MH all the same in that regard (and many others).

Some converter/chargers are integrated with the 120v breaker panel and 12v fuse panel, while others are standalone.
 
OK, thank you all for the replies and great help. Now 1 more question, the "amps" is 30 amp sufficient.  That it what is in there now, and I am assuming that most od the converters have the battery charging capabilities also. It ian old camper so should I upgrade the breaker box also, heavier gauged wires? Thank you.
 
You may be referring to "30 amp service", which I'll bet your trailer is wired for. the only time you'll run into problems with that, is if you try to run the water heater on AC at the same time as the microwave, especially with the AC running. They can both pull around 1500 watts, which could pop a breaker. some TT's have a manual switch to switch the water heater off when the microwave is running, and some have an automatic switch. If yours has neither, just try to remember not to have the water heater or AC when the microwave is on.
 
Gary could you please explain more about the stand-alone breaker snad all that other jazz?  I looked ay my converter and opened it.  It has 4 or 5 old type  metal end, glass middle cylindrical type fuses, with wires running out from there(I am assuming that is the 12V wiring), and ha hoe electrical wiring running inside the converter. Now under the sink is a braker box with 5 different breakers. So does it work as such: Plug your 30(with adapter) into your power source(110V at home), the ower goes to the breaker box, that is where the power the AC. Power then goes to the converter and converts it from 110V AC to 12V DC, then back to the breaker box for failsafe reasons.  Or am I just completely wrong and need to go back to electric classes?
 
There are several variations in packaging of the three main power distribution components: the 120v load center (breaker panel), the 12v fuse panel, and the converter/charger. They can be all in one box, all separate, or paired in various ways.

The converter needs 120v from your RV's supply to operate and it converts that to 12v for charging and general usage in lieu of the battery. Sometimes the converter is put in the same enclosure with the 120v breaker panel, but yours apparently is not that way.  When separate from the 120v system, the converter will be wired to one of the breakers in the 120v panel. It may just be plugged into a standard outlet.

Sometimes the 12v power center is put in the box with the converter and the fuses you found in it suggest that is so in your RV.  However, there is no reason the 12v output from the converter would run back to a separate 120v breaker panel.

If this did not answer your question, try me again.
 
Ok, well I figured I would see what this converter is all consisted of.  So I decided to tear into it and see what I can see.  Took my meter and tested out all the resistors, caps, coils and everything else.  All checked good to my surpsrise especially for being 26 yrs old. Decided to look at the fan and it had hardly any free spin in it. Took it apart now tell me if I did anything wrong. Cleaned all the excess oils and grease, sanded the armiture down a little get the surface corrosion off.  K heres where I need to know if this is ok, put lithium grease on in the shaft bearings and contact cleaner on the armiture and poles.  I hooked everything up, and now runs. Just dont know if the lithium would be ok and contact cleaner.  Should I use powdered graphite for anit-friction, and was sanding the armiture ok to do.  Would that cause more corrosion down the road, could I coat it with a light coating of grease or would that interfere with the magnetic poles? So let me know what yall think.
 
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