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hippyguy03's avatar
hippyguy03
Explorer
Jun 06, 2019

Help! Power Converter stopped charging batteries.

So, I just did something very stupid.. While reconnecting my RV batteries, I accidentally mixed up the positive and negative terminals and left it that way for about 5 minutes until I finally noticed and reconnected them correctly. Ever since then, whenever I'm plugged into shore power (or generator) all the outlets will work fine, and the DC powered items (lights, fan, etc) all work correctly, however the batteries no longer are charging. All the fuses and breakers seem good, and I don't see any damaged wires or anything.. and clues where I should start next?

Side note, the CD/Radio player has stopped working, and that fuse also looks fine, so I'm suspecting it was damaged with the mixup, or its not getting power for some reason. I can diagnose that another time, but the battery chargers are most important! I will post a picture of the unit and diagram - I believe the power converter is the 2nd breaker as labeled.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jun 06, 2019
    YEP........that is an Old Magnetek 6300 Series Power COnverter (6332)

    It does NOT have 'reverse polarity fuses'
    It uses an Internal Transfer Relay to 'swap' between converter supply DC power (when AC Power is available) and Battery supply DC power

    When functioning properly (as much as it could) it supplies DC and Maintains Battery charge state whenever AC Power is on.


    ****Could have an IN-LINE Fuse on Battery POS Cable to converter that is blown. Will be close to batteries

    You can perform a test if the Internal Transfer Relay....see pg 6 of LINKED Manual
    Magnetek 6300 Series Manual AND additional info/troubleshooting


    DC Section Upgrade for Magnetek 6300 Series
    GO with the 45A Upgrade
  • hippyguy03's avatar
    hippyguy03
    Explorer
    Jun 06, 2019
    Thanks for the suggestion, I will check the back of the unit.

    I have two Duracell 6v golf cart batteries from Sam's Club wired in series, and the old converter worked fine for my needs. How much better will a new converter be? I also plan on adding either one or two 24v solar panels with an MPPT charge controller, as well as a pure sine inverter.. How much will I benefit from a new unit? I see a deal on a Progressive Dynamics PD4635V.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Jun 06, 2019
    It's a Bontro...Stega...Terradac...

    O L D

    Unless one of your hobbies is diagnosing and repairing electronics...

    The troubleshooting and repair of this underperforming dinosaur will be beyond the ability of the above average home tinkerer.

    Typewriter repair syndrome...

    Bite the bullet and wait until more responses arrive in this thread that may suggest the least expensive replacement. What you need is to CHOP AC power to this fossil (Magnatek died decades ago)

    The add (not substitute) a modern converter charger. I've ran into 20 watt 10 ohm ceramic resistors and weird rectifiers on old Magnateks that cost a fortune and require a snipe hunt to locate.

    A spark ****** and engine crank handle is not the way to go IMHO
  • wrgrs50s's avatar
    wrgrs50s
    Explorer
    Jun 06, 2019
    You have blown the fuses on the back of the converter. Take off the front panel to the electrical box and slide the converter out and change the fuses. There will be 2.
  • road-runner's avatar
    road-runner
    Explorer III
    Jun 06, 2019
    Did you check the reverse polarity fuses on the power converter? Their purpose in life is to blow if the battery gets hooked up backwards.

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