Elixir Converter/Charger issues

I would put back a smart mode converter with a POWER DISTRIBUTION for both 120VAC Breakers and 12VDC fuses.

I replaced my 30AMP ELIXIR after it burned up some connectors inside of it with a WFCO 8900 series Power Distribution panel and a WF8945 converter board. When I found out the WF 8945 board would never go into smart mode charging I installed a PD9260C stand alone controller. Just unplugged the WF-8945 controller unit to use for backup if needed.

I went from this to this in my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer...




Now I got some nine working 120VAC Circuit breakers slots and eleven 12VDC Fuse slots and two REVERSE POLARITY slots on the power distribution panel.

The install was easy as all of the 120V wiring and 12VDC was already routed to the ELIXIR position. All of my wiring was ganged up behind the ELIXIR using large twist on connectors which is where my fire started from a loose connection. I had to enlarge the mounting hole where the ELIXIR was installed to fit the WFCO 8900 series

I selected the 60AMP controller to support my four each 12VDC Batteries I was installing. I would go at least 45AMPS just incase you install a second 12VDC soon or perhaps two 6VDC batteries in series to get the higher AHs you will need if you ever camp off the power grid with your trailer...

Just me yaking here...

Thanks RoyB.

Why did you choose a WFCO rather than a Power Dynamics?

It is a lot of extra work to change out the breakers/ dist. panel. It is not needed.

Just remove the old battery charger below the dist panel, it is a pos, and place a good smart battery charger in there. Those convertors are junk and are great for ruining batteries. A marine charger...... (I like to avoid anything associated with rv quality BTW), Just a good deep cycle 3 stage battery charger that reads what the batteries need.

I put in Xantrax when they were still a good company (previous owner)I wouldn't do that one now after reading some reviews.

I would avoid WFCO if you can.
Progressive Dynamics, IOTA or PowerMax.

Depending on the model Progressive dynamics makes a replacement power unit for a relatively easy replacement. Progressive made in the US few complaints, most ever one else country of origin China.

I assume this is in your Outfitter ?
When I had my apex 9.5 the board in the converter that was integrated with the DC and AC panels went out , I just disabled the stock converter and put in a Progressive Dynamics PD9140 or PD9145 (cant remember which) with a charge wizard , since the back of the converter section was in the area the battery was in ,it was easy , just had to add a AC duplex outlet to plug the stand alone converter into
Worked way better than the POS that came in it

I believe the word 'converter' was coined to make everyone think its something special for an rv's 12 volt system. It is actually just a battery charger and if not a 2/ 3 or 4 stage charger, it is really one the least expensive chargers you can buy (feroresonant type) with higher ac noise levels. Not only bad for batteries because of it's inability to be sensitive for correct battery charging requirements but also very hard on computers that might be hooked up via a 12 volt power plug.

I remember when my tc was new and the convertor had a few days to charge both batteries. Standing near the battery compartment, door locked shut, I could hear both batteries boiling away the electrolyte inside each compartment. That is when I decided that thing, a 'convertor' was taken out. After its removal I tore it down and confirmed it was one of the least expensive/ worse kinds of chargers you could ever have.

Thanks, all. Yes, this is for my Outfitter Apex 8.

Putting in a Xantrex is appealing since I already have a Xantrex pure sine wave inverter. I could swap it out for one with the charger built in. More money and with covered wagon's comments on Xantrex quality now, I could get a lesser-quality unit by doing so.

I think I'll go with the suggestion of okan-star and get a PD9140. I don't quite understand the "....just had to add a AC duplex outlet to plug the stand alone converter into". Help me out there....why not wire it directly? Or are you talking about, in my case, the Xantrex DC-AC converter?

The PD9100 series and 9200 series have a cord on them to plug into the AC , the 9100 is non built in charge wizard , but can be added on and manually change the charge rates , storage =13.2 , regular=13.6 ,desulfation =14.4
The 9200 series has the wizard built in and the add on part manually can change the charge rate
9100 series has 30&40 amp available 9200 starts at 45 amp and up
The converter you have now is tied to the bus bar of the AC , disconnect it , also disconnect the DC side , or you could leave the DC side ,wont hurt .
I don't know how your inverter is wired , but you want to add a romex to a new or existing breaker that is preferably not powered by the inverter , and put a box and receptacle in it, plug the PD into it
Wire the DC side of the PD with new wire #6 to #2 depending on the size amp PD to a fuse , can be a auto reset type , then to the battery's
You could cut the cord and wire it direct as you say , but you are altering it, the UL listing and such
If your inverter is powering all of your AC ,by having the outlet and the converter pluged into it , you can unplug it when running the inverter
In my old Apex there was plenty of room to mount the PD under the dinette seat where the back of the integrated DC-AC panel is and where the battery box was

Thanks for the details.