How to determine rating of a new converter panel?

I would suggest the Progressive Dynamics PD9260.
I would do the replacement at your leisure rather then having it fail when on the road.

Our existing WFCO is 55 amps.

The basic/low-cost WFCOs are known to cause batteries to boil. We had a battery failure on a battery only about a year old earlier this year. Don't know if it was related but would rather have a quality converter that won't let us down some day when needed the most.

Still not sure what a converter rating is based on. Is it the total DC load in an RV, recharge time or total battery capacity, or all?

Yes, it might be a good idea just to wait until our WFCO packs it in before upgrading. I have been thinking about installing an AGM battery inside our TT near the converter. I believe that a basic WFCO converter isn't the best choice for an AGM?

red31 wrote:
So battery capacity has nothing to do with converter DC rating?

Not for running the rig's 12v stuff and keeping the battery charged. If you go crazy and get more than the one 12v 24 size batt you are issued with, then you are on your own for getting some way to recharge the bigger battery bank you got. :)

So battery capacity has nothing to do with converter DC rating?

Hi,

If you don't camp off the grid then you don't need to upgrade the converter. Wait for it to fail, then replace it with something else.

The main thing for replacement in place is the 120v input required. A 55amp converter that is single stage 13.8v does not need as much as a 55amp converter that gets to 14.6V

You can replace a 60amp non-pf corrected converter with a 75amp pf corrected converter. Similar AC input required.

If you deck mount a new converter where you have to wire in a 120v source for it anyway that is different.

It doesn't matter if the new converter will do way more DC amps than needed, as long as it has proper input wiring. BTW a PD9280 requires a 20a circuit but the PowerMax or WFCO 100amper can run on a 15a circuit because of pf correction.

joebedford:
What is make and model of your rig?
Look in your 12 volt DC distribution panel for number a sizes of fuses.
A 100 amp is a lot of 12 volt power.
A PD 9280 might handle your rig, not knowing what you have.

3oaks wrote:

joebedford wrote:
Why not get one with the same rating as the WFCO you're replacing?
................................................................

Probably because a lot of RV manufacturers install equipment to meet the bare minimum capacity. It's almost always wise when replacing O.E.M. to upgrade. ;)

My WFCO is 100A. Wonder what I could replace that with?

Having said that, when the first WFCO went wiff after two years, while waiting for a warranty replacement, we ran our rig on a 15A charger for a week or so. We were careful what we turned on.

No sense putting Goodyear Blue Streaks on a shopping cart...

I would stick to an identically rated charger which was designed by an engineering team who does not require eternal medication with Thorazine. i.e. having a rational float voltage.

joebedford wrote:
Why not get one with the same rating as the WFCO you're replacing?
................................................................

Probably because a lot of RV manufacturers install equipment to meet the bare minimum capacity. It's almost always wise when replacing O.E.M. to upgrade. ;)