Forum Discussion

mrgreetis's avatar
mrgreetis
Explorer
Sep 24, 2014

Relocate WFCO converter?

I have one of those infamous WFCO8955 converters. I would like it to do the normal multi-stage charging on my pair of Costco 6V batteries. I have read through a bunch of posts on how to "force" it into boost mode (14+V), but don't feel comfortable soldering to one of the circuit boards.
A general idea of what I want to do is this:
1) Move charger part of the converter as close as possible to the batteries. Probably the front storage area in my TT.
2) use larger wire between charger and batteries (maybe #2 battery cables).
3) extend 120 V AC from old location to new location, probably with romex, either 12 or 10 gauge wire.
4) run wire between the 12V output of the charger back to the fuse panel in the original location, unknown size at this point.

A number of the recent posts about the Cheapowatt, Meanwell, and Megawatt power supplies and this post from June 2012 were a big influence in maybe doing this,
June 2012 post

Can any of you make suggestions about this plan or any improvements? Any additions or removals from it? Anything I forgot?

An additional benefit is that I can put my PSW inverter in the same location and just "jumper" it from the charger's battery connections. Then hardwire the output to a special outlet for the DW's CPAP machine.

Thanks in advance for any input!!!
Mike
  • On the new TT:
    There was a spare breaker slot in my WFCO so I put the converter on its own circuit.
    Next I tapped off a 120V outlet in the bedroom and ran 14ga Romex through a switch to a duplex outlet in the front pass-through.
    There's now a deck-mount IOTA-55 w/ IQ4 mounted to the ceiling of the pass-through. It's a 3' wire run to the batteries on the tongue.

    So - now I can run on either the WFCO or IOTA by turning each one on or off with the switch or breaker. The WFCO is still intact so I'm using the AC and DC distribuition on it. The IOTA is better for charging off a generator than the WFCO. And I have a back-up converter should one die.
  • No need for 4. The existing DC fuse panel to battery wire will be your new converter-fuse panel wire plus the shorter converter-battery wire you will have sharing with the inverter input wires

    I am wondering if that would also make it real easy to trigger boost in the WFCO by operating the inverter briefly when turning on the WFCO.
  • I would get something like the Power Dynamics 9200 series. Leave the existing 120 volt and 12 volt distribution panels in place. Wire the output into the existing system.
    Check the size of the conductors going to the batteries. Make sure they are at least one size larger then the output of the new converter.
    You could call Best converter. I believe you can get a replacement converter section that has the bells and whistles.
  • I know it costs more money and I still recommend just replacing the WFCO with a PD4655 in the existing location. Truth is the WFCO may still not work as expected after all the work you do.

    If the inverter is 400w or less you can mount it in behind the electric panel (space permitting). $50 transfer switch will send power down a branch circuit of choice to power what you need.