Converter failing
- Thread starter JudyT
- Start date
Judy - sorry to hear about your converter. Sometimes they do fail but more often, something else goes awry and early indications point to a failed converter when in fact it can be something else.
Your converter is likely located behind the carpeted utility wall in your storage bay. Remove that wall and look for a shoebox sized silver box. It will have 2 sets of connections on it. One set is a power cord with a 3-prong plug that plugs into an AC power receptacle. This is the AC input. The other is the DC input and consists of 2 heavy DC power cables. One us usually red and the other may be white or black.
If you will reply back here with the symptoms that lead you to believe the converter may have failed, other readers here will help you diagnose it.
Other things to check:
- A mini DC circuit breaker behind a red rubber cap, usually in the front generator bay. Often times the second breaker down from the top. On the left side, feel for a teeny tiny reset button and press it in. Sometimes, this breaker pops. When it does, DC power from the converter will not get to the batteries causing them to be drained.
- At the converter, check the AC input plug to ensure it has not come unplugged from the AC receptacle. This has happened to others before.
- If you have recently done anything to the batteries or DC circuits where you may have shorted the circuit or reversed polarity, you may have blown 3 ea 30-amp blade fuses on the converter itself.
If your documentation shows that is what you have, then yes, it would be a direct replacement. PDI means Progressive Dynamics, Inc. 92 means their 9200 series product. 60 means 60 amp output. Here's a link to the product and below is an image of what you're looking for.
The converter has 3 output levels and uses them alternately to charge and condition your battery. When you see the lights get brighter, the converter is in a higher voltage output mode. This is the same reason you hear the furnace fan run faster.
From their site:
If you feel the output is erratic and out of normal parameters, rather than replacing it first, consider giving Progressive a call. Their number is 269-781-4242
From their site:
If you feel the output is erratic and out of normal parameters, rather than replacing it first, consider giving Progressive a call. Their number is 269-781-4242
jimtoo
Moderator
Just a thought here, but how old is your 12v battery? Have you checked the water level lately and condition of the battery? It is possible your battery is going bad and not holding a charge causing the converter to cycle to the higher output.
Your electrical outlets are 120v AC,, not 12v DC. The cycling of the converter should not affect them.
Jim M
Your electrical outlets are 120v AC,, not 12v DC. The cycling of the converter should not affect them.
Jim M
The battery was my first thought too. It's the original battery so I am assuming it is 5-6 yrs old. Because I live in a remote area it costs me $95 per hour for the RV tech to come over, that's $200 just for him to get here and return. So the plan is for him to check the battery first and install a new one. If the lights continue to behave as they have been, then he will install the new converter. Hopefully this will keep the cost down. Thank you to everyone for your sage advice.
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
Judy we could help walk you trough replacing the battery or the convertor yourself. they are both fairly simple to replace.
Inline with Jerrod's suggestion for online assistance, perhaps there's another Heartland owner in your area that would be willing to come over to assist. If you're interested, post the area in WA you're located in and let's see what the Heartland family can do.
With regard to your battery, if you're able to remove it yourself, any auto parts store will test it at no cost. Thing to careful with is grab some electrical tape, unhook one battery cable at a time and wrap the connector on the end of the cable with electrical tape - repeat for the other cable.
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
Unhook the ground (Black) first tape the red. And if there is more then 1 wire per post us a zip tie to zip tie each group together. That way you don't get confused when you come back to reinstall it.
Also helps to count how many wires are on each post and write it down somewhere.
If there are multiple wires in a tight place it easy to miss one.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Also helps to count how many wires are on each post and write it down somewhere.
If there are multiple wires in a tight place it easy to miss one.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
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Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
Great advice, but I'll one up it.. Grab your smartphone and take a picture...then you will exactly which cable go where.
Nabo
Southeast Region Director-Retired
Great advise if it's the battery. If you find out that it's the converter, call Progressive directly from the phone number that Jim Beletti posted. Our converter went out in one of our campers so we went to the dealer to replace it. BIG COST. Next it we had problems, we called Progressive who has a program to replace your converter with a rebuilt one for $100. Not sure if the cost is still the same but a huge difference in saving from the dealer and the rebuilt converter lasted forever (until we upgraded campers).
Thank you everyone for your input. I want to let you know what I have done. Short answer: nothing. The battery has been checked and it is fine. The fluctuation in the lights stopped and everything is working as it should. So, to use a phrase from medicine, I am engaged in watchful waiting to see if the symptom recurs. I'll keep you posted.
