New converter charger options?
We have WF-8955an converter charger in our new to us TT. What is a good replacement for it that includes 3-stage charging and "regulated" 12v output to lights- to protect 12v LEDs and such when the ba...
Forum Discussion
Here's another wrinkle: No matter how much current your choice of converter can output to the batteries, 100A, 80A. 60A, 45A, the converter will only be delivering high output amps for a short time with two batteries. The battery acceptance will limit the current output of the converter (and quickly). Forum member BFL13 has posted his home made graphs of converter output and the time it takes to charge different batteries. You can search for his posts on that or another graph that shows the effect of battery acceptance.
If you are a typical RV owner and use the usual amount of 12V power while boondocking, the generator only comes out every other day or once a day. The larger converters will only shave off a few minutes of generator runtime as the last bit of charging at lower amps is what the batteries need to be fully charged.
One last wrinkle: Nearly all 6V GC2 golf cart batteries like a charge voltage of 14.8 or higher. The plate construction and consequent charge acceptance is in play with that. AFAIK, no WFCO converter delivers that. The PD converters will operate at 14.8 V. The overall result of charging at a lower voltage will be loss of battery capacity and will somewhat effect longevity. How much that will be is an experiment I'm still carrying out.
My suggestion is to either install a deck mount converter close to the batteries, keeping your WFCO in place and the OEM wiring. A 120V AC wire would be needed to power the converter and, possibly, an additional circuit breaker installed. An alternative is to buy a replacement PD converter, a drop in (PD4060 or PD4045)and either live with the OEM wiring or, if possible, upgrade the wire. Most travel trailers have the converter->battery wire run along the frame so upgrading is not that difficult.
Good luck with your converter upgrade.
If you are a typical RV owner and use the usual amount of 12V power while boondocking, the generator only comes out every other day or once a day. The larger converters will only shave off a few minutes of generator runtime as the last bit of charging at lower amps is what the batteries need to be fully charged.
One last wrinkle: Nearly all 6V GC2 golf cart batteries like a charge voltage of 14.8 or higher. The plate construction and consequent charge acceptance is in play with that. AFAIK, no WFCO converter delivers that. The PD converters will operate at 14.8 V. The overall result of charging at a lower voltage will be loss of battery capacity and will somewhat effect longevity. How much that will be is an experiment I'm still carrying out.
My suggestion is to either install a deck mount converter close to the batteries, keeping your WFCO in place and the OEM wiring. A 120V AC wire would be needed to power the converter and, possibly, an additional circuit breaker installed. An alternative is to buy a replacement PD converter, a drop in (PD4060 or PD4045)and either live with the OEM wiring or, if possible, upgrade the wire. Most travel trailers have the converter->battery wire run along the frame so upgrading is not that difficult.
Good luck with your converter upgrade.
