Forum Discussion

KevSchofield's avatar
KevSchofield
Explorer
Aug 18, 2014

Need to replace bad converter.. Can I do this?

Hello..

I have a Coleman Caravan from 2001 that the converter just went bad on while camping this past weekend..

Hissing, fizzling..then dead.. no fans, no battery charging.

Spent Friday through Monday with a battery charger hooked up to the campsite power, then
to my battery and ran the trailer off that for the weekend using as little power as possible.
We had lights, and the ignitors for the heat, hot water and fridge worked fine..

Now I'm home, and need to leave again in 8 days for Lime Rock Park in Connecticut for 6 days of dry camping there..
I have a generator, but I really need to take care of this bad converter prior to leaving..


Current converter is original to the camper.. Centurion CS4500
From what I read, they were never any good.. and there aren't any parts
around for them anymore anyways..








I'm looking at this one.. has one less breaker, but I'm assuming I can move one over from the bad unit?

45 amp converter WFCO


Amazon has the 55 amp version for $151 and change.. any advantage to going that route?

Does anyone see any issue with just systematically moving each wire from the old to the new
and adding the extra breaker?

I've never worked on RV power before, but it seems straight forward..
I can't get a service appt. for at least 2 weeks so I kinda need to tackle this on my own..

edit: I should also mention I'm trying to be frugal in the repair as we don't plan
on keeping the camper too much longer.. maybe thorugh next season when we are
hoping to move up to a 5th wheel..

20 Replies

  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Aug 20, 2014
    BFL13 wrote:
    That will teach those PD weasels! OTOH, you can't tell a Heinz Pickle nothin' :)

    Also just to prove I am not biased, Chevs eat Fords!


    Dog gone it! We lost one to pm. Time to step up the campaign. :)
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Aug 20, 2014
    That will teach those PD weasels! OTOH, you can't tell a Heinz Pickle nothin' :)

    Also just to prove I am not biased, Chevs eat Fords!
  • KevSchofield's avatar
    KevSchofield
    Explorer
    Aug 20, 2014
    I bought the Powermax PM4B-45 from Randy today.. on sale for $149..
    I also bought a surge protector as I didn't have one.

    Everything should be here Friday leaving me the weekend to get it installed.

    Thanks to all for pointing me towards Randy~
  • cyntdon2010's avatar
    cyntdon2010
    Explorer
    Aug 19, 2014
    mbopp wrote:
    Talk to Randy at Bestconverter.com - he probably knows what replacement would be a best fit.




    X2 Randy helped me. I watched a you tube video how to replace a converter...
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Aug 19, 2014
    Converter supplies the battery and RV with about 13.6 volts when plugeed into any 120vac power source. When the converter fails you will run for a time on battery power then the low voltage alarm will sound and other 12v systems will begin to quit due to low voltage.

    New converter will again supply the 13.6 volts your RV and battery need. BTW if the battery is discharged it will start sulfating. Best to get a portable charger on today.
  • Gene_Ginny's avatar
    Gene_Ginny
    Explorer
    Aug 19, 2014
    KevSchofield wrote:
    ...It is sounding like I can just replace the bottom part there, and that is only the battery charger?

    Doesn't seem right as I was plugged in to campground power when the 'low voltage' alarm on the propane detector went off.
    It starting chirping and my battery meter was reading empty.. I assumed that lower section does other stuff besides charge?...

    Yes, that bottom circuit board is only the battery charger. It takes in 120 volts AC and puts out 12 volts DC (well, actually about 13.45 volts). That 12 volts charges the battery and/or supplies 12 volts to everything else. That is all it does.

    One thing to be aware of with the Centurion CS4500 is that if it doesn't "see" something close to 12 volts from the battery it will not put out any voltage when it is turned on. Being a "switching mode" converter it is prone to making "hissing" noises from time to time. That is caused by the very high frequency it operates at. Sometimes using an insulated stick or tool and pushing on the heavy copper winding on that big round thing on the right side of the board will stop the noises.

    I got one .... been there, done that.

    Be aware that most of the board is live with 120 volts AC untill it pass through the output transformer. You can get a nasty shock if you are not carefull.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Aug 19, 2014
    The converter is the part of your power centre that makes 12v out of 120v input. It may be just the "lower portion" of your power centre or it may be elsewhere in those old rigs/power centres.

    Either way, on shore power you should be getting 12v from converter and not from the battery, which should be full, after a time on shore power.

    So when on shore power and your converter dies you should then be getting 12v from battery same as when not plugged into shore power.

    You lost the converter but also lost 12v. Mystery there. Could be an "open" in the wires somewhere, "disconnect switch" is usual suspect. But then you got 12v by using a battery charger so you can't have an "open" or that wouldn't work.

    Ayway you need to find out if that power centre has a replaceable converter or if you need the whole thing, which Randy will know.

    Still don't understand why no 12v when converter died but battery ok.
  • camper19709's avatar
    camper19709
    Explorer
    Aug 19, 2014
    BFL13 wrote:
    Bestconverters.com has some specific modern substitutes for older converters. Just don't get a WFCO or you will be looking for a replacement for that soon, according to many forum members here.

    You don't need to do anything about your converter when going drycamping (no shore power) You will be on battery, so all you need is to recharge the battery when it gets down to about 50% (12.2v no load) and you have a battery charger and gen. Good to go, plenty of time to solve the converter issue later.


    x2. Get a Progressive Dynamics. That's what I did when my WFCO went bad.
  • KevSchofield's avatar
    KevSchofield
    Explorer
    Aug 19, 2014
    Got it on the WFCO.. Been reading that that is not the way to go..

    It is sounding like I can just replace the bottom part there, and that is only the battery charger?

    Doesn't seem right as I was plugged in to campground power when the 'low voltage' alarm on the propane detector went off.
    It starting chirping and my battery meter was reading empty.. I assumed that lower section does other stuff besides charge?

    If I'm plugged in to power, whether through a generator or actual power source, why would
    the low voltage alarm on the propane detector be going off?

    Is it because only my 12V things were affected and they normally run through the battery being
    charged and that is just continuously monitored and charged by that lower section while you are plugged in?

    Sorry if I'm not being 100% clear.. I'm trying to wrap my head around how it works.. Never had an issue before~

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