User a converter as a charger?

PapaHepcat · 08-14-2011, 11:03 PM

My 73 Prowler doesn't have a power converter. I just picked up a Phillips PC-301-m-2 off of Craigslist. I found a manual for it online, and I think it's not set up as a charger.

I got it with the thought that I'd use it to charge up the battery at home for when we go boondocking, but it occured to me tonight that there's nothing to shut it off when the battery is all full. I don't want to boil the battery over or worse.

Any options? I'm thinking to get a separate battery charger, and set up the converter with a switch so that the 12v in the trailer will run off of one or the other. I'd like to be able to use just the converter, but I'm paranoid. Is there something I could put between it and the battery to shut off when full? Is something like a Charge Wizard good for that?

I'm also trying to keep costs down to a minimum.

Dave78Chief · 08-15-2011, 11:00 AM

That is a very old 30 amp auto-switching converter. Unfortunantly they are designed to always produce approximately 13.8VDC at all times when plugged into a 120VAC source. That voltage can boil the water out of the batteries. There is not anything that you can insert on the output to control the voltage output.
The 2nd half of the following document contains the component and wiring digrams for the Phillips converters: http://dave78chieftain.zxq.net/Phill...0Converter.pdf

PapaHepcat · 08-15-2011, 12:07 PM

Thanks, Dave. I appreciate the info and the esp the wiring info. Looks like I'll have to do something separate for charging the battery, which is fine. I'll use this for the direct 12v when plugged in to the grid, and just switch to battery when not.

Thanks!

Johnnyd111 · 08-15-2011, 12:28 PM

Dave, can I just have you come over and work on mine, or even pick your brain. I can pay you in beer and good food. My better half is a chef!

Dave78Chief · 08-15-2011, 05:28 PM

The wife would love that. She was raised in the Boston area so hints at a Mass. trip. Hope to be up there in that region sometime in the next few years. Actually we were within 60 miles of you last spring. The trick to electrical is deciding what features you want then layout what you would need to do that.

Dave

Dave78Chief · 08-15-2011, 05:53 PM

PapaHepcat,
I should know better than not to look close at a P/N. I am reasonably sure the "m-2" portion of the P/N means that version does not have the charger section nor does it have a automatic switching relay. I believe there is a manually operated Battery/Converter switch on the unit. Sorry if I might have confused you.
For reference, the Charge Wizard you linked to above is an option for the Progressive Dynamics PD-9100 Series converter. It is only for those devices. You have to have it in order for the PD-9100 Series to be used as a 3 stage charger. PD moved the functionality to inside the PD-9200 series converter. There is a status monitor option for the PD9200 series that looks simular to the Charge Wizard but is not a requirement to obtain 3 stage charging capability. I have upgraded my old system to the PD9200 series with status monitor so that I know what is going on (EBAY find).

Dave