Forum Discussion

certified106's avatar
certified106
Explorer
Jul 08, 2014

Amerilite Converter and Questions??

Just as a preface this is not my camper but rather it is my BIL's. Last fall his converter went out and wouldn't charge the battery. I helped him trouble shoot the issue and we narrowed it down to the converter. He ordered a new one and replaced it in April. He went on one camping trip over memorial day and it worked fine. He then went camping with us this past weekend and on the first night it went out again with the same scenario of not charging the battery or putting out 12 volts. we ran down the road and bought him a battery charger and he was able to finish out the last three days by charging his battery manually.

My question is, Am I missing something?? I checked the voltage at the campground and it was fine. He had the site right next to me and mine was fine all weekend also. Do you think it could just be a crappy converter manufacturer?

I also wonder if something is wrong at his house where he plugs it in and it is causing issues. I should probably go over to his house and check the voltage to ensure it is good where he is plugging in. I know he keeps it plugged in and is running the AC and fridge before leaving so maybe the voltage is dropping to low and the converter is heating up? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated as I am kind of at a loss as to why it has gone out so many times.
  • scottykrug's avatar
    scottykrug
    Explorer
    Jul 11, 2014
    Ouch, glad you didn't get a fire. A thought came to mind. These things can get hot (obviously) when pulling a lot of current. If the muffin fan seized up, there would be no cooling and the effects might have been cumulative over time. Does the old fan turn?
  • certified106's avatar
    certified106
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2014
    westend wrote:
    What about the battery?
    I would also be checking the wiring from the converter to the battery and the wiring from the converter to the distribution panel. Something in the trailer is causing what appears to be a short.


    The battery has not been checked yet but it charges and holds a charge when it's on the travel trailer just fine. For example we charged it up one day on the trip and didn't have to charge it until two days later and that was with using the camper lights and and everything. It seems like if the battery had issues it wouldn't hold the charge that long or the inline fuses would trip.

    Also the circuit board for the converter has inline fuses on it and those have never burnt out but the two different components between the two converters have melted down. Also the other printed circuit board that holds the fuses for the different lights and accesories has never looked hot or had a blown fuse. I am really puzzled by this one.

    I looked at the wiring inside the trailer and everything seemed good and tight. I couldn't find any corrosion or bad connections either. Like I said I am really scratching my head here.
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2014
    What about the battery?
    I would also be checking the wiring from the converter to the battery and the wiring from the converter to the distribution panel. Something in the trailer is causing what appears to be a short.
  • certified106's avatar
    certified106
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2014
    So I went over there tonight and even with everything plugged in and running the. Voltage was 117 so that shouldn't have been the problem. Pulled the converter out to check the solder joints as was suggested and the control board for the converter was fried. You can see black all over the board and a bunch of resistors, capacitors, and heat sinks appear to have gotten quite crispy. He still had the intended old converter so I pulled it apart and the control board on it was fried also but in a completely different place. Not sure what to think at this point other than to get a different brand of converter.
  • scottykrug's avatar
    scottykrug
    Explorer
    Jul 09, 2014
    Another direction you might look at. When we bought our Amerilite used everything checked out fine. Within a few months of use, the converter died in the middle of the night on a trip. Got home, took the board out and found a cracked solder weld. Re sweat it and it resumed working. One year later the same thing happened again. I replaced it with a progressive dynamics unit that fit in the wcfo box. Haven't had a problem since.
  • certified106's avatar
    certified106
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2014
    I was kind of thinking a shorted battery the day that it occurred also. When he went to buy a battery charger I had him take the battery to have it checked however at that point it was to dead to check. Later on when the battery was hooked to the charger he got an overheating alert two or three times from the charger. He is going to take the battery in and have it checked now that it is charged.


    Wow, I don't know why but it never crossed my mind to check the cells to make sure they are full but I will mention that also. Thanks for the great advice if anyone thinks of anything else keep the ideas coming
  • bid_time's avatar
    bid_time
    Nomad II
    Jul 08, 2014
    My converter (Iota) has two fuses right in the top of it. I would check those fuses if your converter has them also. I believe those fuses are for polarity (not sure going from memory), so if those fuses are blown that would mean you have a polarity issue going on.
  • krobbe's avatar
    krobbe
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2014
    X2 on the shorted battery.
    If he is running the AC, fridge and converter at the same time on a 15 or 20A circuit or with too small extension cord, then the voltage drop is too much.(The AC, fridge, microwave, stereo, TV, etc are also at risk). Also, clean and grease the battery terminal and ground connections on the frame with a conductive grease to prevent corrosion and provide a good clean path for the converter's output.
    For someone without electrical knowledge/understanding, installing a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C Electrical Management System will go a long ways to protect everything from shore power issues.

    What I like most about it is I can see at a glance what my load is. AC draws(13A), water heater(11A), fridge(3A), microwave(14A), toaster oven(9A), small coffee pot(4A), converter(1-12A), all 7 LED lgt fixtures on(1A), all 7 halogen lghts on(bath, bedrm, dining table)(4A).
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Jul 08, 2014
    The battery may be suspect. This is a typical senerial of a battery having a shorted cell probably due to battery fluids being boiled off by a single stage 13.6VDC converter.

    When the cells short out in the battery this puts a hugh load on the converter. This should blow some fuses in-line between the converter and the battery terminals. Sometimes it just makes the converter fail.

    I would check the battery fluids, and find all of the fuses between the converter and the battery terminals. There should be a in-line fuse real close to the battery and two additional fuses back on the 12VDC Distribution panel labeled REVERSE POLARITY. Any one of these fuses will keep the converter from charging your battery. Only a couple of thing can cause these fuses to blow one being having the battery terminals wired up wrong or sorted cells in the batteries.

    A fully charged battery should read 12.6-7VDC at the battery terminals with the converter not connected to shore power. When you turn ON the converter these same DC VOLTAGE readings should jump up to 13.6VDC telling you the converter and all the inline fuses are working normal.

    Roy Ken
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2014
    I would suspect the connections to the battery, a DC short, or the battery itself. I would definitely be checking the DC side.

    I know some of these converters have an internal fuse on the PCB. It may be that a short or bad battery is resulting in a draw of current over what the converter can produce. That would result in a blown fuse or the failure of the converter.

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