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fred42's avatar
fred42
Explorer
Jan 23, 2015

Did you ground your PD 9200 series converter?

I recently installed a new PD9260C deck mount converter in my fifth wheel. It did not come with anything resembling installation instructions, but it did have this schematic:



The converter AC power cord is 3-prong, so it has a ground and a 15a breaker, but this seems to want the converter body to be grounded to the chassis via the grounding lug. I have seen several installs on YouTube and only one used a separate chassis ground with these 9200s. That was because the unit replaced had a ground. The standalone, plug-in, deck-mount converter I replaced (WFCO WF-9855) did not have a separate chassis ground.

What would you think they did with the 120v AC ground wire when it entered the converter. Don't you think they would have connected it to the converter chassis? If so, that wire already goes to the distribution center ground bus which appears to have a larger bare wire going somewhere, I presume the coach chassis.

thanks for any ideas,
Fred
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Jan 25, 2015
    Grounding .. Hum,, that explains something that has bothered me for a while, thanks.

    So, what does it explain:... I have read how the PDI converters are noisy (RF Interference that is) yet my TS-2000 (A very senistive radio) can not tell if it is running off 100% batteries, 100% PDI 9180+ wizard or both of them together.

    Why is this:

    I strongly suspect... GROUNDING,, my 9180 either is or is not grounded (I do not know which) and that is either not transferring the noise over a ground loop or trapping it inside the case.

    So, if you are having RF (or Television) interference issues you THINK may be the converter,,,, Try the chassis ground, either put one on or lift it, and see if that makes a difference.
  • RJsfishin's avatar
    RJsfishin
    Explorer
    Jan 25, 2015
    Why ground it,.......but then, why not ? It was easy, so I did it.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Jan 23, 2015
    The 120v cord to power the converter goes inside and the H and N go to terminals (Also a 120v glass fuse there) while the 120v ground wire goes to a lug on the inside of the chassis box.

    Now you wire the chassis outside ground lug to the RV frame like it says.

    A "deck mount" inverter is much the same where it has a chassis ground lug that you wire to the frame. Its three-prong receptacles' ground prong holes are wired over inside to a chassis ground lug inside. You must not, with an inverter, try to ground it by bringing a wire from the outside chassis ground lug over to the DC neg input terminal. The chassis ground wire must take a separate path to the RV frame.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Jan 23, 2015
    Yes, I grounded mine using a piece of #8. Ground wire should be sized based on ampacity both input and output.
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Jan 23, 2015
    Grounded the last one I changed, and the one in our new rig is grounded.
  • vermilye's avatar
    vermilye
    Explorer
    Jan 23, 2015
    Article 551.20 (C) of the NEC requires that the chassis of the converter be bonded to the vehicle frame with at least a #8 copper wire. This must be a non-current carrying wire.

    The problem with depending on the 3 wire power cord is a fault within the converter could draw far more current than the power cord wire size could handle.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Jan 23, 2015
    I grounded my PD9260C using large gauge bare copper wire. Went straight to the trailer frame and mounted a ground lug there.

    I use alot of HF RADIO equipment when camping and grounding the various chassis cases helps with attenuating circuit generated RFI type noise..

    Roy Ken

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