Replacing Converter

[RocketDork]

The Magnetek converter in my coach died. Just the charger side, at least that's the way it appears to me. I diagnosed it by measuring the voltage at the batteries (12.57V) when shore power was not connected, then when it was connected (12.57V). Since the voltage did not change, I conclude that the charger has died. To confirm, I checked the voltage a the fuse panel, it was the same as at the batteries. The unfiltered side of the fuse panel showed 13.xV on shore power and 12.57 on batteries.

So, I've ordered a Progressive Dynamics 9260 with the pendant and need to install it when it arrives. I've seen all over the place that "it only takes 30 minutes" but not an explanation of what's actually involved.

I see from the product photo's that the converter has a power plug on it, would I remove that and put it on the breaker the old converter was on? How about the Red (battery positive) and blue (converter positive) connections? Does the new converter come with an installation guide?

Just trying to plan a bit.

[RocketDork]

The Magnetek converter in my coach died. Just the charger side, at least that's the way it appears to me. I diagnosed it by measuring the voltage at the batteries (12.57V) when shore power was not connected, then when it was connected (12.57V). Since the voltage did not change, I conclude that the charger has died. To confirm, I checked the voltage a the fuse panel, it was the same as at the batteries. The unfiltered side of the fuse panel showed 13.xV on shore power and 12.57 on batteries.

So, I've ordered a Progressive Dynamics 9260 with the pendant and need to install it when it arrives. I've seen all over the place that "it only takes 30 minutes" but not an explanation of what's actually involved.

I see from the product photo's that the converter has a power plug on it, would I remove that and put it on the breaker the old converter was on? How about the Red (battery positive) and blue (converter positive) connections? Does the new converter come with an installation guide?

Just trying to plan a bit.

[FrontRangeRVer]

Good choice! You are replacing a single stage converter with a true 3-stage charger/converter.

1. Unplug old converter
2. Disconnect the 12v. Positive cable into the old converter
3. Disconnect the 12v. Negative cable into the old converter.
4. Remove old converter by throwing it in the trash or using it as a boat anchor.
5. Connect the 12v. negative cable to the new PD 9260
6. Connect the 12v. Postitive Cable to the new PD 9260
7. Plug in the PD9260...wala!

For the Pendant...its a phone line connection....plug it in the PD9260 and stick the pendant to the location of your choice as it has double sided sticky tape.

Your new converter has very good instructions.

[RocketDork]

Thanks!

I may try repairing it just for a backup in the case the new one fails...the circuit seems pretty simple.

I've just been waiting on the failure of this one to buy the new one...it was on the list of things to upgrade anyway.

[RocketDork]

Received the converter today. Two days after I placed the order...I'm going to have to go to EBay and give that guy a good review!

A Progressive Dynamics 9260 for $165...the cheapest I could find it in town was $319...I can't shop locally for that kind of a hit.

Installation as soon as my dad gets my MH back to me...

[RocketDork]

Hate to post 3 times in a row on my own thread...but I got the converter in this past weekend.

The installation was not as simple as everyone made it sound...perhaps because my coach is older and I had a 6300 series Parralax.

First I removed the old converter. There were three wire bundles attached to the back of the converter, these bundles prevented the converter portion from being easily removed. I had to remove the entire power center to get to the screws that held the bundles in place. I cut the three wires that went from the converter to the fuse board (red-battery positive, blue-converter positive and white-ground). I cut them as close to their origin inside the converter, I had hoped to be able to reuse them. I also removed the AC wiring from the breaker panel. Once I had done those things, the converter came out without an issue.

I located a place to put the new Progressive Dynamics 9260. I realized that the wires from the other converter would not reach. I went into my garage and got a length of #6 wire that I'd kept from a previous project. I cut the sections of wiring that I would need.

I removed the fuse board to gain access to the wiring on the back, removed the wiring on the back (red and white), I had previously removed the green and black wires from the front (battery charging, green=gnd, black=Pos). I then installed the #6 wire into the fuse panel and marked it with "phase tape" to indicate the proper coloring.

I installed the battery charging wiring into the PD9260, green to negative, black to positive.

I then installed the converter wiring into the converter. Red and blue to positive, white to negative.

Next step was to wire the converter into the breaker panel. There was a AC plug near by, but was part of another circuit. With the rated load of the converter at 1000watts, I didn't want to overload that circuit and elected to cut the plug off the end of the wiring, and wire the converter directly to the breaker the old one came off of. This was very straight forward, the black wire of the cord went to the breaker, green and white to their respective locations on the neutral and ground busses.

After all of that...it was now time to mount the converter to its location. I took the easy way out and rather then screwing it to the location, I used industrial Velcro. This part was pby the easiest part of the whole installation.

I found a location for the pendant right next to the information center (that's what I call the thingy that shows the battery voltage, tank levels etc). I drilled a 3/8" hole in the wall, inserted the phone plug for the pendant and used a section of #14 wire as fish tape to pull the pendant wiring down through the wall. I plugged it into the PD9260 and peeled off the tape on the back of the pendant and stuck it to the wall. I pushed it down over the hole as far as I could to cover the hole in the wall.

I then re-installed the power center, remounted the fuse board, put the cover back on the breaker panel and attempted to put the brown cover on the power center and realized that the cover mounted to the old converter box. I simply removed all the electronics from the box and put it back into its former location. The cover went on quite easily at that point.

Start to finish, I believe I spent about 1.5 hours on the whole thing.