ntelli power 9000/9100 to Replace Atwood 55 Amp Converter

[5thwheeleroldma]

My Atwood 55 amp power converter seems to have gone out. Can't find the same unit on the internet and this Intelli Power 9000/9100 seems to be better. Any reason why this would not just slip in place and work fine in my HH 5th wheel? It has 60 amp output instead of 55 amp, but this should be good anyhow?

I suspect I ran into some reverse polarity in a campground on this winter trip. The Intelli Power says it has protection for that, which would be good.

Was also thinking of buying the charge wizard (about $25) which plugs into the converter and supposedly makes charging more effective??

[wa8yxm]

What RJ said. I too have never heard of reverse polarity blowing anything other than me (or some other human) and I've had a rig with reversed wiring so .. Well, it would like to knock me on my keister but that's the only damage.. I fixed it proto (There was an extension cord and adapter. SO long as I used the cord and adapter the original owner made,, no problem but if I used my own (Commerically made) cord I got shocked, Turns out he'd hooked the white wire to the dark screw and the black wire to the bright screw, on both the adapter and the cord plug (He made the adapter from a standard extension cord by simply cutting the plug off and attacking the twist lock outlet to the resulting pigtail, then he cut put a new plug on the cord,, I had to fix both).

I have heard of repair people saying things that are provably false in order to make it look like the bad hardware is YOUR fault. When in fact it was a warranty issue... That I have heard of many times. IF they think you do not know about this stuff they blow more smoke than your converter did when it blew.

Now: There is one part in poorly designed converter that MIGHT blow if you plugged into reverse polarity.. but note the POORLY DESIGNED.. Can't happen if it is well built.

Oh, and you would likely never knew it blew. since it's a RFI suppression device. Not critical to the operation of the unit.

[RJsfishin]

Yes, camgrounds could very well have reverse polarity, the hot and the neutral reversed, and your tester will show that. But I have never heard of reversing the hot and neutral (same as turning the plug 180 deg) causing any damage in ac voltage system.

[5thwheeleroldma]

I've ordered the PD9260CV, so that is underway. Reverse polarity: don't know, don't especially care, but thanks for advice. About 15 years ago my first 5th wheel was blowing power converters on almost every trip; I asked the repairmen and the parts people later on what the heck was wrong. They said lots of campgrounds had reversed their polarity, not knowing, and that that would blow them every time. They even sold me a polarity testing device. I am in no way an electrician; but I can positively tell you lots of them failed on me and that was the reason given.

Appreciate the help.

[wa8yxm]

First I assume you mean the Intellapower 9200 line (9260) and a better converter you will be hard pressed to find (I have not been able to find one that is better).. So yes, I highly recommend it.

Second: Reverse polarity means different things depending on the system you are talking about

on the 12 volt side of life the 9200 has reverse polarity fuses that will blow to protect the unit.

on the 120 volt side, it could not possibly care less if the polarity is reversed as it's non-polarity sensitive,, Same for your existing converter by the way.. What is Polarity sensitive on the 120 volt side of life is YOU.

Reverse polarity on the 120 volt side of things,,, can kill you. Wont hurt the RV any, or any of the 120 volt applances.. but it can KILL YOU.

[5thwheeleroldma]

American RV has a Progressive Dynamics, PD9260CV, that says it has a built in charge wizard, for $172. Sounds like a good deal as that is about the price I've been seeing for the converter alone, and you have to buy the charge wizard separately for around $25.

[ScottG]

I second (or third?) the PD9260 converter. Three stage charging, long life and no worry of damaging batteries when left connected indefinitely.

[OnaQuest]

5thwheeleroldman wrote:
My Atwood 55 amp power converter seems to have gone out. Can't find the same unit on the internet and this Intelli Power 9000/9100 seems to be better. Any reason why this would not just slip in place and work fine in my HH 5th wheel? It has 60 amp output instead of 55 amp, but this should be good anyhow?

I suspect I ran into some reverse polarity in a campground on this winter trip. The Intelli Power says it has protection for that, which would be good.

Was also thinking of buying the charge wizard (about $25) which plugs into the converter and supposedly makes charging more effective??

What in the world do you think the term "reverse polarity" means?

You did not run into any "reverse polarity" in a campground. Reverse polarity protection, in the case of this converter, means that, if you accidentally install your battery backwards or hook the battery wires to the converter backwards, that fuses will blow before any damage is done. It has nothing to do with campground power.

The Intellipower 91xx/92xx are still very good converters.

[BFL13]

Yes you can replace that Atwood with a PD converter and Charge Wizard or Pendant.

Or you can do the same thing with a PowerMax unit. They also offer a choice of deck mount , lower-portion only replacement of the charger, or replace the whole power centre with a 60amper included:

http://www.bestconverter.com/PowerMax-Boondocker-Converters-_c_154.html

http://www.bestconverter.com/Boondocker-Main-Board-Assembly-for-WFCO-8955_c_196.html