Weird electrical issues- WFCO converter going bad?

[hpcmbw]

My recently purchased 2008 Keystone 5th wheel has a WF-8955AN WFCO converter. The RV is kept at a friend's place, plugged into a 110v outlet. I stayed there last night and all seemed normal- the fridge was running on 110v, the lights worked normally, the radio worked. About an hour after going to bed, the radio turned itself on and I had to turn it off again- strange. This morning I had the radio on (a typical 12v rv radio) and when I turned on the thermostat to start the propane heater, the heater fan turned on and the radio turned off. Strange! Then I noticed the heater turned itself off. I tried the heater a few times, and the fan turns on, but I never heard a click of the propane trying to light. Then I noticed that when i turned on an overhead light, the radio turned off. Then the fridge (which has been working great on 110v for the last month) showed an error light and stopped working on both 110v and propane.

I couldn't stay to troubleshoot any of this, so I unplugged from 110v and disconnected the 12v battery and left it that way.

I'm planning to troubleshoot tomorrow, starting with removing the WFCO power panel and checking for anything out of the ordinary, like loose wires, burnt wires or mice chewed wires. I'll also plug the fridge directly into a 110v extension cord and see if starts working again.

I had already contacted Bestconverters about replacing the converter in the WFCO with a PD4655L to allow me to install a LifePo4 battery. Maybe changing the converter will fix all this??? I'm not really sure what is in a WFCO WF 8955AN besides the converter that I'll be replacing with the PD4655L.

Anyone have similar issues or ideas on where to look?

Thanks!

 

[Henry J Fate]

All of the problems have a common thread. All need 12 volts to operate. Looking at something in common with all of your 12 volt devices is the best place to start. The converter is probably a good starting point however, if any of these issues continue without external power, (on battery power) then maybe a chassis ground fault which would be common to converter and batteries. Distribution points would also seem to be a good area to check closely too.

Another possibility would be a bad converter charger. Battery charge condition unplugged will provide helpful info with that and so will 12 volt voltage readings at any 12 volt outlet or at the batteries while plugged in.

 

[CharlesinGA]

All I can say is..... WFCO JUNK!

Switch to the Progressive Dynamics, however, the if the L model is Lithium only (and I cannot find it on the PD website and the Best Converter site is not functioning right now) you will need to do the Lithium conversion right away (I think) as you don't get the advantage of the multistage charging with the L model.

Charles

 

[John From Detroit]

WFCO does have a known issue.. it's actually an easily replaced part if you know how (But alas I forget which part. Though I do know how and where to buy one) Standard electronic part (Resistor).

If all else fails trying to find a Progressive Dynamics. Well. (269) 781-4241
They are in the eastern time zone and real nice people.

Some years ago I visited the factory (My 9180 died) Walked in with the 9180 under my arm
Woman said "Can I help you" I pointed to the box and said "DEAD" she pointed to a pair of double doors and said "Through there" Walked in to that room and a woman said "Can I help you" Pointed to the box and said "Dead" she said "on my desk.. a couple hundred dollars and change later I walked out New box under my arms. back to the RV and OH Happy day.

But then I know where the factory is and have driven past it... in my youth. so many times that when i told them the name of the main road they are on the corner of they knew I'd have no trouble finding them (I called it "Old US-27, Well when I was in Elementary school it was US-27 but long about High School they moved that to I-69) a few blocks SOUTH of the Brooks Memorial Fountain.. My mother once consulted for them on a computer issue.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

No battery monitor of any kind to reflect house battery charge status?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Sunnyfalls]

Sounds like a 12VDC intermittent power issue. Cause is usually either bad terminal connectivity, battery or Converter. You can eliminate the Converter by opening its circuit breaker and just run all your 12VDC on only using the battery. If you still have the issue, it has to be either bad terminal connectivity or the battery. If you have another battery, you can then swap it out with the existing battery to confirm the cause. Being a relatively new RV, I suspect the cause will be bad terminal connectivity because RVs are the opposite of a quality manufactured product.

Our 30A 120VAC service OEM Casita trailer had a WFCO WF-8955-AD Power Center and a lead acid battery. We replaced this WFCO Power Center with a Progressive Dynamics PD9145ALV Converter/Charger, a Progressive Dynamics PD55K000 AC Distribution Panel and a Progressive Dynamics PD60A DC Distribution Panel when we transitioned to 50A 120/240VAC service and a LiFiPO4 battery. Having delved deep into the WFCO WF-8955-AD Power Center design details, to say it was badly misguided would be very kind... So I would second the nomination to transition to Progressive Dynamics if a replacement is required.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I'd start by monitoring the DC voltage. While the converter is operating, it should stay in the 13.1-14.4range. If only battery power is available, it will be 12.6 or less.

 

[Kirk]

I agree with Gary. It definitely sounds like you 12V is more like 10V. A bad converter could cause that problem but it isn't the only possible cause. A bad battery could also cause it if a cell was to short or some other internal problem. Get our the voltmeter and start checking things.

 

[hpcmbw]

Thanks for all the info! My house battery was down to 10v (good call Kirk and Gary) because the WFCO stopped charging the battery. I hooked up a jumpstarter just to test things and got the battery to 11.5v. This was enough to run the fridge on propane and run the heater. Strangely, the fridge would not run on 120v if the 12v battery is too low. Once I got the battery to 11.5v, the fridge also ran off 120v.

I pulled the WFCO out and didn't see any obvious signs of bad wiring, but the WFCO isn't putting out any power to charge the battery. I have ordered a PD4655L main board assembly from Bestconverter.com.

PD 4655L MBA WildKat 55 Amp Main Board Assembly for WFCO 895

www.bestconverter.com

This will allow me to use a lead acide battery or a lithium battery by changing the position of a jumper. I'm very hopeful that installing the PD4655L will solve all my problems! I'll update once installed next week.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Strangely, the fridge would not run on 120v if the 12v battery is too low.

Not strange at all. Since your fridge needs to be able to operate without any 120vac (in LP gas mode), its control circuits (thermostat & such) and interior light are 12vdc powered, regardless of the mode.

 

[Kirk]

Strangely, the fridge would not run on 120v if the 12v battery is too low. Once I got the battery to 11.5v, the fridge also ran off 120v.

The refrigerator, and pretty much all RV appliances operate on 12V-dc current to allow things to operate from the battery when no other power is available. In the case of your refrigerator, it has the ability to automatically shift between 120V when available and the automatically shift to propane if 120V is removed. The only way that can happen is to have the controls of the refrigerator operate from 12V power. The choices of 120V or propane are only a choice of heat sources.

 

[John From Detroit]

On the fridge 120 volt runs one and only one (or two if you have an icemaker. #2 being the ice maker) things.. a heat element... that's all folks.

Propane also runs precisely one thing... A heat element (Burner) that's all folks

12 volts runs the control computer that turns the heat on and off also any fans or lighjts. (in short makes it go). And when you are running on "Gas" 12 volts is what lights it's fire.

 

[hpcmbw]

I learned a lot about the 12v system from this post, thanks everyone! I installed the PD4655L last weekend. It wasn't too difficult - took me a little over an hour as I took my time and double checked each connection. I still have a lead acid battery in the RV, so did not set the jumper on the PF4655L to "lithium".

In the short time I was at the RV, everything seemed to be working normally. The RV is kept about an hour from me in the Tahoe mountains. I plan to go up next weekend and hopefully the fridge is cold, the heater will work, the battery is topped off and all the electronics are working normally.

The next project is installing vent covers to handle the winter snow load and some Amazon exhaust fans.