Converter Upgrade Ramblings

[Komvee]

Hi All,

On our last coach, we ugraded to the PD9145 w/ChargeWizard. I want to upgrade our new rig as well and ran across this at Best Converter:

45 Amp Converter Replacement Kit

What do you all think? It sure would be a lot easier to install than pulling the guts out of a 7300 again and putting in the PD9145.

My main concern is monitoring. It is soooo nice to know what mode you are in, and being able to kick it into high gear manually when boondocking and trying to ensure the quickest battery charge.

I wonder how the processor works on this setup? Do you think it defaults to boost whenever it gets 120vac like the ChargeWizard?

Thoughts? Anyone have one?

Thanks!

[Komvee]

Hi All,

On our last coach, we ugraded to the PD9145 w/ChargeWizard. I want to upgrade our new rig as well and ran across this at Best Converter:

45 Amp Converter Replacement Kit

What do you all think? It sure would be a lot easier to install than pulling the guts out of a 7300 again and putting in the PD9145.

My main concern is monitoring. It is soooo nice to know what mode you are in, and being able to kick it into high gear manually when boondocking and trying to ensure the quickest battery charge.

I wonder how the processor works on this setup? Do you think it defaults to boost whenever it gets 120vac like the ChargeWizard?

Thoughts? Anyone have one?

Thanks!

[RV Wizard]

Warren, this is the new "three stage" charging section for the magnatek converters. Is is designed to be installed in the bottom of a 7300 and the like. It does say it is now a three stage filtered DC unit. THis means that when power is applied it will try to bulk charge up to about 80 persent of battery capacity and then drop down to an absorption mode and finalluy drop down to a float charge. To get the last of the battery full takes the longest amount of time. Here are a few links to battery info.
http://www.dcbattery.com/faq.html#1
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Bat...ery%20Charging

[Komvee]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">THis means that when power is applied it will try to bulk charge up to about 80 persent of battery capacity and then drop down to an absorption mode and finalluy drop down to a float charge. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's what I want to make sure of. I read somewhere that some replacement, not sure which one, wasn't going into bulk mode when it received AC depending on the battery level, and it had to be 'tricked' to do so?

Do you think this model simply checks voltage, and if below 80% it goes into bulk mode?

[Komvee]

I found the WFCO manual. Looks pretty good:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">5. Automatic Microcontroller Operation
TheWFCO series of 3-stage switch mode power converter
are fully automatic. The converter senses which mode it
needs to be in by checking the condition of the batteries.
The three modes include:
Absorption Mode: During this mode the converter output
is at 13.6 VDC range. This is the mode that the converter
will function at normally. This mode provides the 12 VDC
and the current required by the RV.
Bulk Mode: When the converter senses that the battery
voltage is less than 13.2 VDC the converter will automati-
cally go into the Bulk Mode.
Float Mode: If the RV is not being used for a period of time
and the shore power has been left plugged in, the converter
will automatically go in to float mode. The converter senses
if there has been any demand. If there is no activity for a
period the converter will automatically go into float mode.
When the converter senses a demand by turning on lights the
converter automatically goes into buck mode and returns to
absorption mode. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think I'll give it a try.