Burning smell from converter

[Rodneyranch]

1990 coachmen classic 5th wheel 29’
Hello, today while testing my fridge I decided to run it off of DC voltage for about 20min. After seeing it doesn’t work, I turned it off.
A low humming from the breaker panel indicated to me that the battery began charging (correct me if I’m wrong)

After a bit, I noticed an electrical burning smell and noticed a lot of heat was venting from the converter chamber. Removing the grate I found that the converter was quite hot and everything was dusty. the fan appears to not be working.

Right now I have a vornado fan pointing into the chamber on high, what I want to know is:

Do y’all think this electrical smell came from the converter running too hot due to the fan being out? Or is it possible there’s something else more seriously wrong due to the battery charging? Is this safe to leave it being cooled like this until the battery is charged again?

[AllegroD]

pianotuna wrote:

Rodneyranch wrote:
Thank you all so much! Truly.
Anything I should know about replacing with a smart converter? On paper is there anything I should know about or might have to retrofit?

For excellent advice and fair prices have a look here:

https://www.bestconverter.com/

^^^^^ This!!

[wa8yxm]

In most cases most converters are 3 wires in (HOT/Neutral/Safety ground) and Two + optional chassis ground out (Positive and negative) Replacement is straight forward.

Magnetek 6300 (and possibly others) had two Positive wires.. When replacing them you tie them together (one was for "Battery" and the other for loads like lights that do not care if they get pure DC or not) but you can simply tie them together)

The Best Converter site has videos and other files that talk about the job.

[pianotuna]

Rodneyranch wrote:
Thank you all so much! Truly.
Anything I should know about replacing with a smart converter? On paper is there anything I should know about or might have to retrofit?

For excellent advice and fair prices have a look here:

https://www.bestconverter.com/

[Rodneyranch]

Thank you all so much! Truly.
Anything I should know about replacing with a smart converter? On paper is there anything I should know about or might have to retrofit?

[HappyKayakers]

Fried capacitor in the converter. Replace

[ScottG]

There's a large ceramic power resistor in your particular convert and it has finally burned out. Not only is it not charging your battery at all now, it may actually be discharging it.
Time to replace the converter.

[pianotuna]

replace the converter.

20 minutes may not be long enough to be able to tell if the fridge was working on DC.

[ken56]

I agree with wa8yxm.....do yourself a favor and replace that converter with the Progressive Dynamics brand. If yours is original to the trailer then it likely is not a smart converter that controls the charging and monitors battery condition properly.

(wa8yxm.....formerly from Davison....in Woodridge Farms)

[wa8yxm]

Without smelling the smell I don't know if it was hot dust or hot wires.
But I'd replace that fan..

Or better yet what model converter do you have.

I like progressive Dynamics 9200 for stand alone or 4600 to replace converters that are part of the power distribution system... But I'm biased.