Converter Humming, probable short

[usmcbecker]

Good day everyone,

I usually don't like coming on a forum and taking up all your time, but I feel like I have hit an impasse with my trailer that I cannot overcome. I have a 2014 Autumn Ridge by starcraft with an electrical issue. I am unsure what is causing the problem. The biggest issue that is driving me crazy is the converter box is humming. Not overly loud, but if there is nothing on, you can hear it all the way in the bedroom. I've pulled all the fuses to see if I could pinpoint where it is with no prevail, it still hummed. I have sanded down the ground points to the frame to ensure a good ground.

The battery won't hold a charge either, even when shore power is or isn't connected. I've charged my battery up and let it sit a day in my garage and it held a charge fine. My power tongue lift keeps blowing fuses as well. The fuse is currently blown as I felt keeping that out of the mix would probably be best until I have found the issue.

Any advice would be much appreciated, since I felt I have done everything in my power to try to locate this possible short without luck.

[westend]

Thanks for posting back with the solutions to your 12 V issues. I'd suggest that you buy an inexpensive voltage meter so that you can keep battery SOC measured.
Good luck!

[usmcbecker]

Alright everyone. I was able to fix the issues. The first was in fact a bad converter. A friend and I were able to knock it out in no time. The second issue was that the battery was in fact bad. It will no longer hold a charge, even if Advance Auto parts says otherwise. The short was coming from a miswired tongue jack, which was causing the blowing of fuses. SO far the converter is converting, and the new battery is battery holding a charge, and not draining. Thank you everyone for your input, it helped me greatly in getting my trailer working as it should.

[dodge_guy]

Do you have a battery disconnect switch? If you do it may be off. Or the inline breaker to the battery may be open. Then when plugged in the converter will always run because there is no battery for back up voltage. When my battery gets loaded (a lot of the 12V is used) the fan/charger will run more. Without a battery it will run all the time. I would check for 12V at the battery connection without the battery hooked up and the trailer plugged into 110V. Then take it from there.

[RedRocket204]

Lots of good testing advice in this thread.

Couple of things though. You mentioned your battery is getting drained. That is actually a normal condition because of propane leak detector and possibly other parasitic devices. So, make sure you don't confuse normal parasitic drain with potentially a non-existent "problem". This condition is exactly the reason many, myself included, have a battery disconnect on their system as the batteries will drain in a week or two without a battery disconnect and not connected to shore power.

Second. A battery holding its charge overnight is not a true test that a battery is good. You would need to load test that battery to know if it was truly a good battery. Any shop that sells batteries can load test your current batteries.

This is not to mention your converter isn't having an issue... but keep in mind if there is a charging or other issue, your batteries could also have been ruined. Isolate the issues and good luck.

[Shadow_Catcher]

X2 on the call Progressive Dynamics, they are in Michigan and responsive.

[westend]

Without a meter and the knowledge of the relationship of the two electrical systems in your trailer (the 120V and the 12V) anything you try to do to diagnose your issues is probably going to make things worse.

Humming is usually a symptom of a device being run out of spec but is most likely loose laminations in a transformer. You could try tightening the fasteners that attach the transformer in the converter to the metal/plastic case.

[opnspaces]

usmcbecker wrote:
Thanks for all your responses. First of all, my converter is progressive dynamics PD4045KA. It still makes noise when the battery is disconnected. The battery did drain even when all the breakers were flipped off, so I was thinking that it may be one of the DC systems, but I am not too sure. As for the fan, its not what's making the noise, and it does move and twitch, but I have yet to see it turn on.

As for the humming, it is something that has started recently. I bought it off the lot a couple of years ago and I would have definitely noticed it before.

Would the fan issue drain the battery even if all the breakers are off?

I think you have two problems, well maybe just one big problem. It sounds like your charger has failed or you have a blown fuse and are not charging the battery. The second issue is that the fan should spin or stop. If it's twitching and not spinning I think it has a problem and might be causing something to overheat and hum. Here's a few tests you can do, hopefully you have a meter of some kind to do some checking.

For the dead battery:

• Unplug the shore power cord from the trailer so you are on battery only.
• If you have a meter set it on the DC scale and go take a reading of the battery by measuring across the terminals and remember or write down the voltage.
• If you look at the picture that RoyB posted you will see two green fuses separate from the other fuses. Those two fuses are your reverse polarity fuses to protect the electronics in case you inadvertently hook up the battery backwards.
• The thick red and black wires right next to those two fuses are the feed to the battery.
• Your board will look different but you will still see the large wires on the board that lead to the battery.
• With your meter put the positive (+) lead on the screw where the red wire connects to the board. Do the same with your negative (-) lead on the black wire and take a reading.
• Your reading should be withing approximately .1 volt from the previous battery reading.
• If you have voltage at the battery and no voltage at the board then you have a disconnect (blown fuse, tripped circuit breaker etc) between the battery and the board and your battery is not getting charged.
• However if you get the same reading between battery and board then your charge circuit is at least complete.
• Now look at your reverse polarity fuses. Notice that right next to the numbers on the fuses are two slots or holes in the plastic.
• With your meter put the negative lead on the negative (black) wire on the board and touch the positive lead to a little slot on the reverse polarity fuse.
• You should get battery voltage on all four slots (two per fuse).
• If any fuse has voltage on one slot and no voltage on the other slot, that fuse is open and needs to be replaced.
• Now plug in the shore power and using your meter measure the voltage on the wires on the board. You should see 13+ volts when on shore power.
• If you get 13+ at the board go check that the voltage at the battery is the same as you measured at the red and black wires on the board.
• If there is a difference of more than approximately .1 volt you have a resistance problem somewhere (probably out on the tongue)where there is a poor wire connection.
• if the voltages at both the battery and charger are 13+ volts, you probably have a bad battery.

Have no meter, unplug the trailer shore power and grab a friend. Wait until it's dark outside. Stand in the trailer, turn on a light and stare at it. Have your friend plug in the shore power. The light should get brighter. 🙂

As far as the humming noise:
My guess is that you have a transformer humming or the fan is stuck. Does the hum reliably happen every time you plug into shore power? Can the fan wires be unplugged off the board? If so try unplugging the fan and see if the noise goes away.

If you have a short (1 foot or so) piece of hose (garden hose, fuel line, radiator hose etc) you can make an inexpensive mechanics stethoscope. When the hum is occurring put one end of the hose in your ear. Place the other end of the hose near the fan and other components in the charger. The hose will allow you to isolate the component that is making the hum.

[enblethen]

The 12 volt system is not protected by breakers. They are protected by the fuses.
I would call Progressive Dynamics on telephone number on the link.Progressive Dynamics

[usmcbecker]

Thanks for all your responses. First of all, my converter is progressive dynamics PD4045KA. It still makes noise when the battery is disconnected. The battery did drain even when all the breakers were flipped off, so I was thinking that it may be one of the DC systems, but I am not too sure. As for the fan, its not what's making the noise, and it does move and twitch, but I have yet to see it turn on.

As for the humming, it is something that has started recently. I bought it off the lot a couple of years ago and I would have definitely noticed it before.

Would the fan issue drain the battery even if all the breakers are off?

[ksg5000]

What model converter? I remember my old Magnetek converter hummed all the time - pretty sure that was common problem associated with ferrite core transformers.

[enblethen]

A shorted battery could cause issues with the converter.
Disconnect the battery and see if hum changes.
What is make and model of your converter?

[SoundGuy]

It does sound from what you've described that you indeed may have a faulty converter HOWEVER before assuming so the next step would be to confirm that by probing with a digital voltmeter.

[RoyB]

Converter/charger units are pretty easy to test using a DC VOLTMETER. Just plug them into 120VAC and the DC OUTPUT should rear 13.6VDC or what smart mode it is in at the time. Your 2014 trailer should have the smart mode multi-Dc Voltage converter/charger unit. I think I see the converter/charger unit under your oven here in the this photo.

The bottom compartment is where the converter/charger module is usally located. If it is bad all you replace is just this module which will have a 120VAC electrical plug or three wires going to a circuit breaker and a + and - cable coming off the DC side of it...

Mine has small led light down the fuse side and if one them gets blown it make a low level TONE not a hum... This is suppose to tell you a fuse has been blown...

They do have a fan built-in and that make have froze up on you making a hum.

Post the model number of the converter/charger unit or at least the housing number it is installed in under the oven...

You should be able to find online photos of those item - just type in the model number into google search - select views for photos.


This is a WFCO series Power Unit showing the two compartments.. The converter/charger unit is in the bottom cpmpaartment


Roy Ken

[newman_fulltime]

fan went out in the converter time for a new one go to adventure rv order /a progressive dynamics or intellitec 45 amp if a 30 amp trailer 65 amp if a 50 amp trailer