I have a 5th wheel with a Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power Converter. When dry camping we use a Honda 2000 generator to recharge the batteries. Lately when I start the generator in the morning and the converter goes into the boost mode of 14.4 volts the generator will start to surge even without the RPM's increasing. I have to use the remote pendant to put in in the normal mode of 13.6 volts for about an hour then it can be placed in the boost mode and it will run normal. I have 2 generators and it happens with either and also when the 2 of them are hooked together with parallel cables. This has never happen in the past. A technician at the company said it was impossible for the converter to cause this and it has to be the generator. One generator is brand new and the other almost new. I am leaning toward a new converter but before spending the money would like advise from someone knowledgeableon the subject. Thanks.

I would check the batteries. It could be one of them is shorting out.I would also check the battery connections between the converter and the batteries. Check connections on any auto-resetting circuit breakers in the system.PD converters are pretty solid units. I would say there is other issues.Post model of your converter.

Do you know how much current is going to the batteries when this happens? Sounds to me that you might be exceeding the rating of the ginny. :@ Is anything else running when this happens, water heater on electric, refrigerator on auto will run on electric when the ginny is running?

Thanks for the replies. When this occurs there is really nothing else on. Water heater and fridge are operating on propane. The tech at Progressive Dynamics said the most the converter could draw is 1,000 watts. The generator is a Honda 2000w and with the two of then paralleled that is 4,000 watts. The generator does not rev up like when a load is put on it but rather runs pretty much at the same speed but surges. I have not gone through and checked all the connections yet but I will work on that. Again it only does this for about an hour then will operate normal.

The Honda likely has a voltage regulator, which may also trigger the higher rpm's when needed, to produce more power. I wonder if the convertor is confusing the regulator somehow, and causing the surging. Do some convertors pulse, when charging batteries? Maybe try turning on another 120v appliance at the same time and see if the rpm's steady out.Be curious to know what the actual amperage draw of the convertor is, when it's plugged in. The Honda may produce 2000 watts, but will still be limited in it's amperage produced.

Is the ECO throttle switch turned off?

Converter Causing Generator Surge | Good Sam Community

34 Replies

ac_bill1
Explorer
Jan 12, 2014
The Honda likely has a voltage regulator, which may also trigger the higher rpm's when needed, to produce more power. I wonder if the convertor is confusing the regulator somehow, and causing the surging.
Do some convertors pulse, when charging batteries? Maybe try turning on another 120v appliance at the same time and see if the rpm's steady out.

Be curious to know what the actual amperage draw of the convertor is, when it's plugged in. The Honda may produce 2000 watts, but will still be limited in it's amperage produced.
hittingtheroada
Explorer
Jan 12, 2014
Thanks for the replies. When this occurs there is really nothing else on. Water heater and fridge are operating on propane. The tech at Progressive Dynamics said the most the converter could draw is 1,000 watts. The generator is a Honda 2000w and with the two of then paralleled that is 4,000 watts. The generator does not rev up like when a load is put on it but rather runs pretty much at the same speed but surges. I have not gone through and checked all the connections yet but I will work on that. Again it only does this for about an hour then will operate normal.
tvman44
Explorer
Jan 12, 2014
Do you know how much current is going to the batteries when this happens? Sounds to me that you might be exceeding the rating of the ginny. :@ Is anything else running when this happens, water heater on electric, refrigerator on auto will run on electric when the ginny is running?
enblethen
Nomad
Jan 12, 2014
I would check the batteries. It could be one of them is shorting out.
I would also check the battery connections between the converter and the batteries. Check connections on any auto-resetting circuit breakers in the system.
PD converters are pretty solid units. I would say there is other issues.
Post model of your converter.

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Converter Causing Generator Surge

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