Forum Discussion

rware's avatar
rware
Explorer
Nov 25, 2013

Where to plug in converter

I have a 2009 Holiday Rambler Admiral 30SFS made by Monaco.

In the rear power hookup compartment there is a converter screwed to the back wall with a small 2 foot power cord and a standard 3 prong 110V connector. Can someone with a similar coach tell me where the converter is plugged into?

The long story. When I got the coach I had solar panels and an inverter added. The inverter also powers the coach battery so the converter was no longer needed. The solar installer said leave it there unplugged, if you ever remove the inverter you can plug the converter back in. Well now I am having problems with my inverter tripping, until I can get that sorted out I wanted to turn of the inverter and plug in the converter so that at least my house battery bank got charged at night.

Here is the problem, I can't find where to plug the inverter in. I have crawled around that compartment with a flash light over and over again, there is no 110V outlet. It is driving me nuts, the converter used to work but where was it plugged in. It had to be within a very short distance of the converter given the power cord length. I could run a 110V line down from the coach, it wouldn't be too hard, but there has to be a 110V outlet there somewhere!!! I am going nuts looking for that thing. :h

Thanks,
Class A
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Nov 27, 2013
    rware wrote:
    I wondered if the installer had removed the outlet but couldn't think of any reason why he would. Now I get it, that is how he wired the inverter into the house system. Mystery solved :)

    Seems odd. Does inverter output backfeed into this connection?
    Or does the outlet feed the inverter to pass through power to a sub panel when plugged in?
    Or something else?

    Is it an inverter/charger combo? (no converter needed)
  • wny_pat1's avatar
    wny_pat1
    Explorer
    Nov 27, 2013
    rware wrote:
    Thanks for all the replies.

    No outlets in the transfer switches unfortunately.

    I wondered if the installer had removed the outlet but couldn't think of any reason why he would. Now I get it, that is how he wired the inverter into the house system. Mystery solved :)

    The inverter is all hard wired. The converter is still connected to the battery. So I think I will just run a new AC line to give me somewhere to plug the converter in. As both the inverter and converter are connected to the battery I just need to make sure I only run one at a time.

    The converter converts 120 vac from your shore power to 12 vdc to operate the coach lights, etc. It has to be plugged in somewhere close by to do this. It should also connect to your battery to charge it. The inverter gets it 12 vdc operating power from the battery to convert it into 120 vac to operate what ever is connected to it. Not knowing how he set things up, it is going to be difficult to sort out what you want done, and you may not be able to just unplug one, and plug in the other. Hopefully your installer gave you a schematic for how he hooked things up. If he didn't and you don't know your way around electric tracing, you might be best to go back to him and get things sorted out, and this time, get him to make you a schematic!!!
  • rware's avatar
    rware
    Explorer
    Nov 26, 2013
    Thanks for all the replies.

    No outlets in the transfer switches unfortunately.

    I wondered if the installer had removed the outlet but couldn't think of any reason why he would. Now I get it, that is how he wired the inverter into the house system. Mystery solved :)

    The inverter is all hard wired. The converter is still connected to the battery. So I think I will just run a new AC line to give me somewhere to plug the converter in. As both the inverter and converter are connected to the battery I just need to make sure I only run one at a time.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Nov 26, 2013
    Inverters come in a couple flavors.. USUALLY if an inverter has a Plug (As opposed to just outlets) it is a combination unit, Converter and inverter in one.

    So you may not need teh other converter

    Now.. if both have 15 amp plugs (The flat blades look like this || )

    THen you can use a cube tap

    If they have 20 amp plugs ( -- | )

    You got a problem
  • jhilley's avatar
    jhilley
    Explorer
    Nov 26, 2013
    I agree with Diplomat Don. The installer must have used the receptacle feed to take the AC back to the distribution panel. It could be a little work to go back. Running a new feed for the converter would probably be the most expedient thing to do. You will have to move the DC cables from the inverter/charger back to the converter.
  • DSDP_Don's avatar
    DSDP_Don
    Explorer
    Nov 26, 2013
    Martin.....The inverter has to connect to 110 volt power so it can be powered up (pass thru) when the coach is connected to shore power. My guess is whoever installed the inverter, took the plug (outlet) that use to power the converter, cut it off and hardwired the electrical into the inverter.
  • KD4UPL's avatar
    KD4UPL
    Explorer
    Nov 26, 2013
    Is it possible that the inverter installer removed the outlet to make room for something else? Is there an outlet built into the back of your power center somehow?
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Nov 26, 2013
    Some transfer switches have a converter outlet for use with an inverter.
    Just a longshot.
  • John_Wayne's avatar
    John_Wayne
    Explorer II
    Nov 25, 2013
    Are the wires from the converter to the battery still contacted? If so just unplug the inverter and plug in the converter. My converter just plugs into a 120 outlet.

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