sizing my new power converter/ charger

[reynoldsfam3]

This may seem like a silly question, but I have not been able to find a straight forward answer. My trailer has 30 amp service. I want to get a better quality power converter/ charger. Do I get a 30 amp converter, or is there more to the decision?
I have looked at several different manufacturers and would love to hear anyone's experience with any.

Thanks
Bill

[Ragingbull]

I'm currently in the process of upgrading my 79 Pace Arrow from 30 to 45 amp. I've found that alot of the electrical system is seriously need of upgrading. I would make note of what size breakers are on your old unit and not exceed them without checking everything.

[pkmesser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by reynoldsfam3 This may seem like a silly question, but I have not been able to find a straight forward answer. My trailer has 30 amp service. I want to get a better quality power converter/ charger. Do I get a 30 amp converter, or is there more to the decision? I have looked at several different manufacturers and would love to hear anyone's experience with any. Thanks Bill

There is a bit more to it than that. Your trailer has 30 amp 110 volt AC service, your 30 amp converter charger is 12 volts DC. The fact that both are 30 amp is just happenstance.

Now, you may not find a good quality 3 stage converter at 30 amps, I believe most of them start with the lowest rateings at 45 amps.

If you do much dry camping, (no shore power) and use a generator, a bigger convertor charger that will charge at 14.2 volts will help recharge the batteries quicker, and require less generator time. If you do upgrade, make sure your wire size is adequite. It that regard, just because a wire size will carry 30 or 45 amps, does not mean it is adequite. If the wire run is very long, and you have a wire size that will just carry the amperage, the voltage drop will be very large, and you will not recharge those batteries very quick.

If the above conditions, (dry camping) do not apply, and if the 30 amp charge is adequite for your normal use, then no need to go bigger.

My Mh came with a 55 amp single stage- I will be upgradeing that to either 75 or 80 amp, 3 stage and makeing a big change on the wire size. The wire size as built is # 10, with a 40ft run to the front where switching takes place, from the back where the convertor is, and then back about 30 ft to the Bat compartment. At 45 amps, that translates to almost 2 volts of drop. The batteries then charge very slowly. I will be going to #4 cable, and cutting the run to about 15 ft. You probably don't have these long runs, but you see my point.

[reynoldsfam3]

Thank you very much for explaining it that way. I think I am going to be running some new wire very soon.

Thanks again
Bill

[Dave78Chief]

What model converter do you have now? Are you sure you do not already have a 3 stage converter?

Dave

[reynoldsfam3]

I am not sure what I have exactly. I will read the manual again when I get home to see for sure if it is listed there. All I can find from the Coachman site is "12v Electrical System W/Deluxe 110v 45-Amp Power Converter". I will keep serching to try to learn more.

[Dave78Chief]

You are most likely going to have to read it off the unit itself. Many owners manuals and brochures just use marketing language so they are not stuck with using just one device.

Dave

[tvman44]

Read the info on the converter itself.

[ralper]

For long life for your batteries they should not be charged at more than 10% of their amp hour rating. 2 - 100 amp hour batteries should be charged at no more than 20 amp hours. This from the DiHard Battery Co.
They should be charged up to 14.8 volts @ 80 deg F and held there for several hours for a complete charge. This from the Trojan Battery Co.

[reynoldsfam3]

I checked the power converter. It is a WF8900. From what I have read it has a 3 phase charger. Does anyone have any input on this converter?

[Dave78Chief]

While I have no reason to doubt the Coachman claim of "45-Amp Power Converter", make sure it does indicate 45 amps on the unit. Enter WFCO in search feature at the top of the page to see what information is here regarding the WFCO product line. Far as I know it has been a good product. A 45 amp 3 stage charger model is reasonably good size. Not really sure you would need to upgrade if it is working well now. Converter/Charger size is a function of how many amp-hours do you need per day vs how big your battery bank is. You can only put just so many amps back into the battery at once. You may already be at your limit in the bulk charge mode (highest amp rate mode) for your battery type. If the battery cannot accept more at a given point, a larger converter/charger is not doing anything for you. The only reduction to the 45 amps available is how many amps you are drawing by external loads (Water pump, furnace, lights, inverter, fridge, water heater, etc.).

Dave

[msbrown79]

We have a 2008 Eagle. It has 8-6v (series)trojan batteries. WOuld we be able to replace with 8 12v batteries(parellel) .

[TXiceman]

IOTA Engineering DLS-45 12VDC Battery Charger and Power Converter - 45 Amps

IOTA makes some good power converters.

ken

[reynoldsfam3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by msbrown79 We have a 2008 Eagle. It has 8-6v (series)trojan batteries. WOuld we be able to replace with 8 12v batteries(parellel) .

You could and you would then add the AH of each battery together to get your total 12V AH. Just check the rating of the 12V batteries.