I am going to replace my main board assembly of my WFCO 8955 converter with a Progressive Dynamics PD4655 assembly. I know that the PD unit will come with a new 12 volt fuse block assembly, but is it really necessary to swap it with the existing WFCO fuse block? I see the PD fuse board comes with a LED button for manually overriding the output voltage, but if the converter is working correctly, I'm guessing I wouldn't need to override it anyway. I had a PD unit in our last trailer and I never overrode it's circuitry in the 10 years we owned it, it sensed what it needed to do and did it well. Certainly better than the WFCO unit in our new trailer.Also not sure if we really need the 55 amp model - thinking that the 45 amp model would work just fine, and wouldn't tax the Honda EU2000i generator as much. We have 2 group 24's on the trailer.

It is. The wiring and control for the Charge Wizard is mounted on the supplied fuse board.The 45 amp model would probably do you well, but do not think that the 55 amp model would be a problem for the generator. You may upgrade your batteries in the future and would then be ready.The advantage to the override is when you want to charge the batteries with power supplied by the generator, you can manually switch to the bulk rate and get the batteries charged quicker with less generator run time.

I was going to replace my WF8945 WFCO Converter with my PD9260C Converter/charger chassis only unit. After I got it home to install I decided to leave all of my WFCO as it and installed the PD9260C Smart Mode Converter/Charger stand alone on the inside wall closest to the battery bank... I just flip the 120VAC Breaker for which converter/charger unit I want to operate. Since my WF8945 was relative new it now serves as a backup unit.This is my schematic on what I did...This is my floor plan layout pictorial showing where the WFCO and PD units are located.My two each 300AH batteries shown here is future planned mod..food for thought...Roy Ken

I know it is a bit tedious to swap boards but I would still do it to maintain the full functionality of the new converter. The 45 amp is fine. Even the 35 amp would charge faster than the WFCO and would allow use of a 1000va generator.

Just a comment on running my PD9260C 60AMP Converter/charger with my 2KW Honda Generator EU2000i. It runs just fine even in ECO mode. I like using the ECO mode as the speed of the generator tells me what the charge load is doing. I don't think it would be a problem running a PD4645 or PD4655 converter/charger unit.GOOGLE says the PD4600 series uses the following AC INPUT powerPD4635 550WATTS AC INPUTPD4645 725WATTS AC INPUTPD4655 950WATTS AC INPUTThe PD9260C unit uses 1000WATTS AC INPUTAll within the limits of the 2KW HOnda EU2000i generator output specs.Roy Ken

Thanks everybody - - definitely will swap the fuse board if I go the PD route. And will probably go with the 45 amp version. Randy at Best Converters is recommending the Powermax Boondocker, but my experiences with PD have been good when it comes to battery charging. I'm sure the Powermax is a good unit too, but not sure it stays in "boost" mode as long as the PD units do ?

PD4655 converter question | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

hikerboy1
Explorer
May 08, 2014
After some further conversing with Randy at Best Converter, he is a big fan of the Boondocker Powermax units....more so than the PD units. He says that they charge faster than the PD units do. So now I'm back on the fence. I like the idea of a longer warranty and an easier install, plus they are less expensive. Seems like too good to be true, but before I click the "buy now" button, any final thoughts?
terryaGJ
Explorer
May 05, 2014
RoyB wrote:
I was going to replace my WF8945 WFCO Converter with my PD9260C Converter/charger chassis only unit. After I got it home to install I decided to leave all of my WFCO as it and installed the PD9260C Smart Mode Converter/Charger stand alone on the inside wall closest to the battery bank... I just flip the 120VAC Breaker for which converter/charger unit I want to operate. Since my WF8945 was relative new it now serves as a backup unit.

This is my schematic on what I did...

This is my floor plan layout pictorial showing where the WFCO and PD units are located.

My two each 300AH batteries shown here is future planned mod..

food for thought...
Roy Ken

Roy,

I'm thinking of doing exactly what you did. Originally I thought I would just replace the WFCO at the current location, but with 15' of 6 ga to the battery I think the voltage drop is too much so I think I want to place either a PD9260 or Powermax PM4-55 close to the batteries. I have a couple of questions;
1- Your schematic shows you tied in the WFCO distribution 12V+ output to the PD9260 output. Why would you do that rather then connecting together after the 130A fuse block? Does it make any difference?
2- Did you run 4 ga back to the WFCO distribution? Shouldn't matter leaving it 6ga should it?
3- Did you add a breaker in the WFCO distribution center, then run AC wire to the PD9260? Can you just power the new converter off an existing 15A outlet?

Thanks in advance, I just don't want to screw up my install.

Terry
Bobbo
Explorer III
Apr 28, 2014
I replaced my Magnejunk with a PD4655.

It is NOT necessary to replace the 12v fuse board. It is true that the board has the charge wizard controller, but you can get around that.

Here is a link from www.bestconverter.com to a PDF that tells how to modify a charge wizard pendant to work with the PD4600 series.

http://www.bestconverter.com/assets/images/Progressive_Dynamics/PD92201_for_PD4600.pdf

That being said, I recommend replacing the board, but it is not necessary. I did replace my board.
hikerboy1
Explorer
Apr 27, 2014
Thanks everybody - - definitely will swap the fuse board if I go the PD route. And will probably go with the 45 amp version. Randy at Best Converters is recommending the Powermax Boondocker, but my experiences with PD have been good when it comes to battery charging. I'm sure the Powermax is a good unit too, but not sure it stays in "boost" mode as long as the PD units do ?
RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 27, 2014
Just a comment on running my PD9260C 60AMP Converter/charger with my 2KW Honda Generator EU2000i. It runs just fine even in ECO mode. I like using the ECO mode as the speed of the generator tells me what the charge load is doing. I don't think it would be a problem running a PD4645 or PD4655 converter/charger unit.

GOOGLE says the PD4600 series uses the following AC INPUT power
PD4635 550WATTS AC INPUT
PD4645 725WATTS AC INPUT
PD4655 950WATTS AC INPUT

The PD9260C unit uses 1000WATTS AC INPUT
All within the limits of the 2KW HOnda EU2000i generator output specs.

Roy Ken
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 27, 2014
I know it is a bit tedious to swap boards but I would still do it to maintain the full functionality of the new converter. The 45 amp is fine. Even the 35 amp would charge faster than the WFCO and would allow use of a 1000va generator.
RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 27, 2014
I was going to replace my WF8945 WFCO Converter with my PD9260C Converter/charger chassis only unit. After I got it home to install I decided to leave all of my WFCO as it and installed the PD9260C Smart Mode Converter/Charger stand alone on the inside wall closest to the battery bank... I just flip the 120VAC Breaker for which converter/charger unit I want to operate. Since my WF8945 was relative new it now serves as a backup unit.

This is my schematic on what I did...

This is my floor plan layout pictorial showing where the WFCO and PD units are located.

My two each 300AH batteries shown here is future planned mod..

food for thought...
Roy Ken
lasttruck
Explorer
Apr 27, 2014
It is. The wiring and control for the Charge Wizard is mounted on the supplied fuse board.

The 45 amp model would probably do you well, but do not think that the 55 amp model would be a problem for the generator. You may upgrade your batteries in the future and would then be ready.

The advantage to the override is when you want to charge the batteries with power supplied by the generator, you can manually switch to the bulk rate and get the batteries charged quicker with less generator run time.

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PD4655 converter question

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