I have the RV in my sig, a quality product (sarcasm) that has so far suffered a broken frame where the pin box connects to the RV frame (scary) while driving down the road, and now a failed converter.3-4 years life out of a junk WFCO converter is probably average, but I think it could have been extended somewhat if the engineers at Keystone (Cougar) would have thought that a piece of equipment that itself is fan cooled ought not to be mounted in a small, sealed cabinet.After replacing the converter with a new one (POWER MAX PM3-55A), I took the time to hole saw some ventilation holes in the cabinet and cover the holes with the same small louvered covers that they use to vent battery boxes. It turned out ok.Edited to add replacement converter type/brand.

Wow, And you bought the same brand converter?Good luck with the new one. I was reading about Weekend Warrior RV's and their decision to change to a 30 amp converter. Probably a really bad idea, as it will work great only with the group who spends most of the time in full hookup RV sites. WW owners are mostly toyhaulers who camp in the desert, most come with a generator installed, so minimum generator run time means the need for a 55- 65 amp converter to quickly recharge the battery, but they put in a lame 30 amp model. WW was a good company, until about 2004 when they started expanding. Fred.

i just ordered a boondocker replacement from best converter.com . I'm piecing together a better relocation project... in prep for solar and an inverter install. WFCO isn't cheap.... just best value... lol

My Keystone cabinet is fine.....There is so much air coming in from outside that its plenty cool in there.......lol

Most of us like to mod the RV's to suit our individual needs. Sometimes my so called "better engineering" ends up worse off the RV original design hehe..My WFCO 8900 series with WF8945 Converter didn't really fail on me just would never go into SMART MODE charging. I tried everything I could think of to do it but never got it to go into 14.4VDC BOOST charge mode for more than few a seconds.When my batteries got run down to their 50% charge state (appx 12.0VDC) when camping off the power grid I expected the smart mode converter like the WF8945 unit to re-charge them back up in a quick three hour run time being powered by my 2KW Honda generator. I had to use my B&D VEC1093DBD 40AMP smart mode portable charger to get my batteries back to their 90% charge sate so we do the next day/night camping run off the batteries. I keep my WF8900 series chassis and was just going to replace the WF8945 converter unit but when my PD9260C unit arrived I decided to leave the WF8900 setup as is and install my PD9260C on the inside of a cabinet wall closes to my battery bank. The PD9260C goes into smart mode charging as soon as it it is turned on. Then decides whether to continue smart mode charging or revert back to normal 13.6VDC mode depending on the status of the batteries. The PD9260C converter/charger keeps my 255AH battery in great order since 2009 when it was installed. I can run either unit now by just flipping the 120VAC circuit breaker for the one I want on. This gives my a back-up plan for converters I guess.I like your vent idea. I finally added similar round vent panels (LOWES) to all of my interior cabinets that are almost all connected together lined up in a U shaped layout going all around my POPUP floor space. On the compartment where my push-in 30AMP shore power cable is installed I added a 6-inch muffin type axial fan to blow into the shore power cable compartment sucking air through all of the interior cabinets... The 6-inch axial fan is controlled by an attic thermostat panel where i can set the temp level for the axial fan to turn on. Have it set for 80 degrees. During the winter months I can turn off the axial fan that is blowing the air out of the trailer and have a different 6-inch axial fan installed in a large vent near the POPUP doorway. This is great to have running in the winter months pulling warm air from the inside floor space of the popup thru the interior cabinets. This provides some good icing-up protection for my water lines inside the trailer. I know of one other RV'er doing something similar to this being Mr Don PIANOTUNA or is it Mr Mena. Just food for thought here hehe...Roy Ken

So why did you buy it with such obvious defects when other options are available?

Fixing Keystone's poor engineering | Good Sam Community

16 Replies

4x4van
Explorer III
May 25, 2014
I camp at the Colorado River during the summer months, and regularly see outside temps in the 110-120 degree range. That means that the power panel is running at high current all the time (hookups, A/C running 24-7) and gets quite hot. In my MH, the heat build up was enough to consistently start blowing the breaker in the panel, so I added ventilation as well. However, I went a step further; I added a 4" muffin fan that actually pulls air through the panel from inside the MH and then exhausts it outside, through a 4" hole (covered with mesh) in the floor under the panel. This means that it pulls the air-conditioned (cool) air through the panel and exhausts the heat outside the MH. While previously, the face of the panel would be very hot to the touch while under a heavy load, it is now actually cool to the touch, and I have never had a breaker trip since.
Hybridhunter
Explorer
May 25, 2014
deleted
ib516
Explorer II
May 20, 2014
My water heater is in a different cabinet.

I was out using the RV this past weekend, and we were dry camping, running the generator for an hour or so during the afternoon to top off the 2 group 27 12V batteries I have installed. When the generator was going, I could hear the converter fan, so (yes I know it's nerdy), I laid down beside my new vents and could feel warm air coming out of the right one in the photo, so the system is working as designed.

I was considering wiring in a computer fan on the right one to exhaust, and on the left one to intake air, but I think that's probably overkill. I do have a few of those kicking around in a junk drawer, along with some adapter blocks from old electronics that take in 115v power and put out ~9V DC power. I suppose I wouldn't even need two, just one to either exhaust or take air in and the pressure differential would take care of the rest. The converter's built in fan just happens to line up pretty good with the right side vent I installed. When the converter fan is in operation, it's almost a straight 10" shot to the right vent.
phenrichs
Explorer
May 19, 2014
don't know about yours but my water heater is also mounted in the cabinet behind the converter. This is good idea to add air flow.
BarneyS
Explorer III
May 18, 2014
MontanaCamper wrote:
Dog Folks wrote:
Interesting.

In our Keystone, the converter is behind the breakers, and enclosed, but the face plate that opens to the breakers is vented.

Ours to, I want to upgrade mine..but not sure which one to get....

I have had Progressive Dynamics converters in my trailers for many years and have never had any problems with them. When equipped with the Charge Wizard the converter will take care of your batteries without overcharging and all you have to do is check the water now and then. Some of the newer converters have the Charge Wizard built in.
Barney
MontanaCamper
Explorer
May 18, 2014
Dog Folks wrote:
Interesting.

In our Keystone, the converter is behind the breakers, and enclosed, but the face plate that opens to the breakers is vented.

Ours to, I want to upgrade mine..but not sure which one to get....
mbopp
Explorer
May 13, 2014
When we had our pop-up DW wished for hot water. I bought a small 115V WH and tied it into the unused AC breaker. it was mounted under a dinette seat, I cut some ventilation holes and wired a computer fan to get some cooling in there.
Dog_Folks
Explorer
May 11, 2014
Interesting.

In our Keystone, the converter is behind the breakers, and enclosed, but the face plate that opens to the breakers is vented.
ib516
Explorer II
May 11, 2014
fla-gypsy wrote:
So why did you buy it with such obvious defects when other options are available?

Not sure what you mean...
Are you talking about the RV or the converter?

If you're talking about the RV, I'd say it was hard to detect Keystone's (Lippert actually) poor welding job on the pin box with a visual inspection, and the converter is obviously the lowest bidder, and, since it was hidden inside the cabinet, it was hard to see when I was shopping. Then there's the axle issue that I haven't even mentioned :).

It's through years of ownership that one discovers the short cuts that were taken when the unit was built. On the dealer's lot, it looks just fine. We, like most RVers, shopped based on floor plan and what would work for our family.

Anyway, I should be good for 12v power now. :)
ib516
Explorer II
May 11, 2014
Golden_HVAC wrote:
Wow,

And you bought the same brand converter?

No, I replaced it with a different brand.

I bought a POWERMAX unit. Kept to the 55A, same as OE.