Buzzing from Power Transformer /Converter Charger!

Does it do it with the gen and solar or both?

Well it hums cause it done forgot the lyrics.

Seriously,, COnverters come in two basic types, Transformer and Switching. Some are good, some not (And it does not matter which of those two types, what matters is what follows the transformer if it has one).

Transformers are made by winding two or more coils of wire over a common iron core.. This core is made up not of one solid hunk of iron but of many iron leaves, each leaf is varnished before assembly.

Over time the varnish dries, hardens and flakes away.

This allows the leaves to move, releative to each other, Which they do big time when subjected to an alternating magnetic field, as they are in a transformer.

There are basically three things you can do.

1: Ignore it (or figure out a way to muffle it)

2: Replace the transformer

3: Upgrade the converter to a switching converter.

Make and model, and likely you should replace it as it is likely a single stage converter i.e. Magnetek/Parallax which if you want/need a converter should be replaced with a Progressive Dynamics. You have a good bit invested in keeping batteries happy!

Could be normal- especially since it's so long since you've had to listen to it.

I've noticed the same thing- I'm so used to the dead quiet of boondocking that on the few occasions when I actually "camp" with hookups the converter's hum drives me crazy. But it's a normal sound, at least in my case.

Hi,

I hate the hum and the fan too. The "bright" folks who designed mine put the converter under the master bed. GRRRRRRRR.

You mention a transformer--do you mean a transfer switch?

I'm curious--how many watts of solar do you happen to have?

In my previous rv (1987) the Magnatec converter had a relay that disconnected the alternator charging circuit from the battery bank when shore power was being used. It hummed like mad--but at least it was under the dinette seat.

I too, would suggest upgrading to a better converter. The "big three" are Progressive Dynamics, Iota, and Power Max. All of them are good and all of them will blow away the older converter you currently have.

Does it buzz when using generator.......shore power/generator power same 120V AC power.

So if noise is only when on shore power and not also when on gen power than buzz may be coming from transfer switch

my 2001 Tradewinds had a loud buzz from the Heart Freedom 458... so bad the previous owner took it out of the circuit!!! I re-connected it, heard the buzz/hum, tightened the screws holding the sheet metal case together and 90% of the noise went away..........

We call our converter the Hummer. It is most loud when the batteries are really discharged or are aging to the point they drink a lot of water in our case.

Buy a new one. The buzzing is the smoke inside the wires that is about to come out and consume you. Really if it bothers you just buy a new one.

Passin Thru wrote:
Buy a new one. The buzzing is the smoke inside the wires that is about to come out and consume you. Really if it bothers you just buy a new one.

A new one's going to buzz, too, O.P....and it'll probably have a fan to boot. If there's anything more annoying than the buzz of an old converter, it's the fan in a NEW converter!