how to replace the charger inverter in a four winds

[wpatters1229]

I have a 2006 class C four winds motorhome and want to start using AGM batteries. The charger inverter is the original one and I want to upgrade it to be able to charge the AGM batteries. Preferable a smart charger. Can I replace the current inverter charger in the same space or do I have to re-do that whole section that is currently under the side of the bed in the back of the rig?

[wpatters1229]

I am just going to leave it alone and replace the circuit breakers. The 20/30 dual breaker. Has always worked just fine until I had to deal with high outside heat. When the heat is not high the A/C works fine. Just not worth the expense to go to 50 amps just for an occasional problem. I also need to figure out if the fan inside the unit is good or bad. I never hear it on.

[deltabravo]

wpatters1229 wrote:
OK I have had the original charger inverter

You have a Converter/Charger, not an INverter/Charger.

They are two completely different pieces of equipment as someone described earlier.

[StirCrazy]

wpatters1229 wrote:
OK I have had the original charger inverter power supply working and the AGM battery is charging just fine. The problem I am having now is that the if I am running my A/C and my Microwave on shore power sometimes either or will trip the breaker. I just think the whole power supply unit is old and needs replacing. It is a Parallx 7300 Series power supply. I am thinking is it possible to change to a 50 amp supply instead of the 30?

One other question. Do these new supplies come with a fan for cooling the unit? The current one to my knowledge does not.

wow this was confusing for a minute, you tagged onto a thread that has been dead for over 15 months.

Yes, it is possible. When I got my camper, it had an old glass tub single stage charging parallax and I upgraded to an intellipower 4000 series power center which is a 30amp panel but the next step up in the series, the 4500 series is a 50 amp input power center. I did have to cut the opening about an inch bigger in one direction and 1/2 the other so just be prepared you may have to do a bit of modification to get it mounted properly.

[time2roll]

wpatters1229 wrote:
OK I have had the original charger inverter power supply working and the AGM battery is charging just fine. The problem I am having now is that the if I am running my A/C and my Microwave on shore power sometimes either or will trip the breaker. I just think the whole power supply unit is old and needs replacing. It is a Parallx 7300 Series power supply. I am thinking is it possible to change to a 50 amp supply instead of the 30?

One other question. Do these new supplies come with a fan for cooling the unit? The current one to my knowledge does not.

The 7300 will chronically undercharge the AGM batteries.

Get a Progressive Dynamics replacement converter. If going 50 amp... may as well get the full 50 amp Progressive Dynamics load center. Only hard part might be pulling new 50a NMB cable from the entrance to the new panel. If access is easy it will be a slam dunk.

https://www.bestconverter.com/Progressive-Dynamics-Converters

[pianotuna]

wpatters1229,

Consider adding a fan to cool the breakers. That solved the problem for a friend in Florida who was experiencing temperatures of 102.

Check by seeing how the breaker feels after running the roof air for several hours, or immediately after the next trip event.

A new breaker may or may not help.

[wpatters1229]

I think I will replace the breaker for the A/C first as that is the only one that seemly trip when the temp outside is in the 90s. I do not run all those other items at the same time. I did once run the M/W and yes it did trip the coach main 30A breaker. But this is just the A/C 20A breaker and it maybe just old and not reliable anymore. I do have it changing an AGM battery and seems to do that just fine. At my home I have the shore power plugged into a 20A circuit to keep the battery charged. Should I use a separate charger for that? I have a small trickle charger for my rig's engine battery that works great.

[pianotuna]

wpatters1229 wrote:
O The problem I am having now is that the if I am running my A/C and my Microwave on shore power sometimes either or will trip the breaker.

One possible work around is to get an inverter/charger that allows load support.

My RV is 30 amps. One should try to keep the load below 24 amps, except briefly (say 5 seconds), even on shore power.

With a load support inverter/charger the inverter will, for as long as there is battery power, draw "extra" power from the battery bank. So I can draw more than 30 amps for some time.

So I can run the roof air and the microwave, without tripping the breaker, if the batteries are charged.

When the battery bank starts to get low--then the breaker may trip. But it takes a fair bit of time for that to happen.

[dougrainer]

wpatters1229 wrote:
OK I have had the original charger inverter power supply working and the AGM battery is charging just fine. The problem I am having now is that the if I am running my A/C and my Microwave on shore power sometimes either or will trip the breaker. I just think the whole power supply unit is old and needs replacing. It is a Parallx 7300 Series power supply. I am thinking is it possible to change to a 50 amp supply instead of the 30?

One other question. Do these new supplies come with a fan for cooling the unit? The current one to my knowledge does not.

You are just hard headed. You keep stating Inverter. YOU DO NOT HAVE AN INVERTER, PERIOD. You have a CONVERTER integrated into what they call a Power Center. That means you have the 120 Breakers and the 12 volt fuses AND the CONVERTER in the same housing. Your problem is as the other poster stated. You are PULLING TOO MANY AMPS on your 30 amp system. The AC in 90 degree weather will pull around 13 to 14 amps. The M/W depending on its Watt rating will pull 9 to 12 amps. Refer 2 amps on 120. IF you have a water Heater that also has 120 besides LP that will pull another 12 amps. Your CONVERTER will pull anywhere from 1 to 5 amps depending on the 12 volt load in the RV. ADD any TV's or other 120 appliances and you will see you are over the 30 amp limit. Most 30 amp RV's CANNOT run a Microwave AND the roof AC at the same time. Changing the Power Center will NOT gain you any advantage. You are limited to 30 amps. Changing to a 50 amp service can be very expensive. I can find NO Parrallax info on using lead batteries versus AGM. The problem with using AGM's in place of Lead batteries is the Converter charge rate. Granted you see NO problems at this point, but usually it takes months or years for the damage to occur to AGM batteries when using a charging system NOT designed for a AGM charge rate. Doug

[opnspaces]

You probably have a 30 amp coach (3 blades on the shore power plug) If 30 amp it is normal to not be able to run two high draw items (Microwave, AC, water heater) at the same time. If you do it will most likely trip the breaker.

To run multiple high draw items you need a 50 amp coach (4 blade shore power plug)

[Grit_dog]

The answer is your issue with blowing the breaker is not at all related to your converter (well technically the converter is also sucking some AC power, charging the batteries or running anything DC that may be turned on like lights or water pump), nor is it related to your inverter/charger thing.
It’s straight AC power from the shore plug to the microwave and AC. And it’s not unreasonable to think you can’t run both of them at the same time without exceeding the 30amps your breaker is kicking at.
Most likely you have no issues at all other than overloading the main AC breaker.
Of course you don’t say “which” breaker but I’m presuming the camper main, not the pedestal main (although it would be the same cause unless maybe a weak breaker, also a possibility with the camper main).

[wpatters1229]

OK I have had the original charger inverter power supply working and the AGM battery is charging just fine. The problem I am having now is that the if I am running my A/C and my Microwave on shore power sometimes either or will trip the breaker. I just think the whole power supply unit is old and needs replacing. It is a Parallx 7300 Series power supply. I am thinking is it possible to change to a 50 amp supply instead of the 30?

One other question. Do these new supplies come with a fan for cooling the unit? The current one to my knowledge does not.

[dougrainer]

CONVERTER---Takes 120 input and outputs 12 volts to run the 12 volt loads on the RV. Secondary function is to trickle charge and maintain the Coach battery once fully charged when plugged into 120 Shore Power

INVERTER/CHARGER----- Connected directly to the Coach batteries and has a hi amp BATTERY CHARGER. NOT CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE RV 12 VOLT SYSTEM. It is connected to the Coach batteries and then the 12 volt connections are connected from the coach batteries to the fuse panel of the RV 12 volt systems. ALSO,(Inverter) certain 120 appliances(usually Microwave and TV/Entertaiment systems), when NOT plugged into Shore or Genset will take the Battery 12 volts and INVERT that current to 120 ac. Not very useful if you only have 1 coach battery, but will work.

INVERTER---- Which you state you have also. This appliance just plain Inverts 12 volt to 120 ac current and usually has less than 500 watts of power. Usually has a cigarette lighter quick plug if they are small Inverters. Doug

[BFL13]

I prefer a deck mount instead of replacing the lower portion (MBA ) with another.

Good price here - note the shipping too

https://www.boatandrvaccessories.com/products/powermax-pm3-60lk-12-volts-60-amp-power-converter-batt...

There are other choices of course.

For the monitor that shows amps, there are many of them too. I have a lower cost one called "Renogy 500Amp" that shows amps and volts like you want for charging AGMs--or any other battery type.

BTW you don't have to yank your existing converter and put the deck mount in there. A deck mount can go anywhere handy--closer to the batteries the better. Does need 120v for it near enough for its power cord to reach.

[time2roll]

The 12 Volt Side of Life