Is this my converter?

Most of the Motoraid rear heaters had the engine coolant run thru them continuously. Usually, there is a DASH area switch to turn on that blower. It is installed to allow engine heat to heat the bedroom area while in transit and not have to run the furnace. Some.(old Winne/Itsaca) there was a Pull cable to close off the hot water valve if it had one and a Fan switch and this assbly was installed in the side of the Bedboard assbly. IF you see no Choke type metal cable going to that heater, you do not have a hot water shut off. Like I stated, it looks like there are 12 volt wires going to that assbly next to the converter. There will be NO tstat for that Motoraid heater. Just a fan switch to turn it On and Off. Doug

Canadian Rainbirds wrote:
I'm guessing that heater is a "Bus" heater, a heat exchanger taking engine heat from the engine cooling system. Our old Triple E Commander Class A had one, worked great as long as the engine running!

I'm assuming you were correct. I got down there and got better pics. It has a radiator. Problem with this is I have no clue on how to turn it on. All I can find is a thermostat for the LP furnace in the bedroom.


But, there is also a larger LP furnace, that was further back under the bed ( I didnt see before ):


Found the name plate on the converter:


I'm going to upgrade the converter.

JimInMich wrote:

Canadian Rainbirds wrote:
I'm guessing that heater is a "Bus" heater, a heat exchanger takink engine heat from the engine cooling system. Our old Triple E Commander Class A had one, worked great as long as the engine running!

No, it's a propane heater ( could be electric, haven't tried it without shore power hooked up ). I get heat from it while engine is off.

1. It is NOT an LP heater(Too small)
2. It is NOT a Electric heater
3. It is NOT a Sol-aire heater
4. If it is a optional rear heater and is connected to the chassis engine IF it has a motor or radiator in it
5. If no motor/radiator, it is a metal distribution box for the Furnace duct work.
6. They do not build 120 or 12 volt heaters like that for RV's.
7. What about those blue and red wires that appear to go into that black box. Do they go in that box? Doug

MrWizard wrote:
Doubt it
He has a Fifth wheeler, not a bus conversion

Not according to his profile.

Good point Chris

mchero wrote:
Is this post about a furnace or a converter?

We already know what the converter is, talk of the furnace is simply interesting speculation. Feel free to ignore if you wish.

Is this post about a furnace or a converter?

Who gives a S**T what the converter is, Id swap it out with a Progressive Dynamics with Charge Wizzard. Had a 93 Pace Arrow Diesel Pusher with an old steam driven converter, Swapped it out with a PD the same time I replaced the 4 six volts with Sams Club GC batteries. That was back in 05 & the new owner still using those batteries!

wa8yxm wrote:
The Heater parts shown are not a propane furnace. There may be one outside under it but it is either an electric heater or a manifold. Not a heater in itself.

That does look like an old time get a new one converter nestled in all those ducts.

I'm thinking the unit vents to the right out the sidewall, I don't recognize it, but it looks a bit like an old SolAire furnace. I don't remember if they were still around in '87.

The Heater parts shown are not a propane furnace. There may be one outside under it but it is either an electric heater or a manifold. Not a heater in itself.

That does look like an old time get a new one converter nestled in all those ducts.

Ferro resonant power supply is what I see on the Ultrad schematics. If it's older, it probably has a fixed output voltage, unloaded, of somewhere around 13.6-> 13.8V.
A meter is the thing to have for something like this, ability to diagnose output and health of the converter. Got meter?