converter question from a beginner

[dereks57]

I have a 68 30' international that i just purchased. I have been tracing all the systems to see how they work, and where they are and lead to. Getting a good handle on that. Thank you all for the help and patience with us newbies. I am looking to getting a intellipower 45 amp converter/charger(PD9245C). Is this unit sufficient enough to run the camper 12v system, or go with a 60 amp? Most if not all camping will be where hookups are available, or have a generator if necessary. Also, do people have more than one battery in there AS, and would the bennefit be longer 12v while not plugged in?

The camper has a electric jack, but the previous owner has put two clamps on the wires and carried a battery in the back of his truck. I dont know if this was a standard option when new, but i dont see any wire coming from the back where the battery is. Is there any conduit so to speak that goes under the chasis from the back to the front? If not, how have people chose to run those wires?

[Doug C]

I can't be of much help, but for comparison's sake, my 1992 25' Airstream has two batteries. It came with a 50-amp converter which I'm swapping out because it's too noisy. The converter shop recommended I install a 60-amp Powermax Boondocker.

[Wazbro]

If you have a battery 45 amps is way more then almost anyone would need unless you install a high power stereo system. The only benefit of 2 batteries is longer run time when not plugged in, 2 batteries sometimes don't survive as long as 1 battery and when 1 dies it often takes the other with it.

[TG Twinkie]

45 amps should be enough for the trailer. If you are powering the original equipment. Even if you do some moderate upgrades. A 45 amp converter will charge more than one battery at a time, it will just take longer.
I bought a PD9245 just last week on eBay for $120.00, including shipping. It was for a friend. The 9245 I bought over 3 years ago has worked flawlessly for over 3 years.

[Melody Ranch]

Hi Neighbor....The 45 will do OK for you. I do find 65 converters for the same price on EBAY. keep an eye open if you want to go that way. The battery set up out of the truck is bogus. Clean up that installation when you add the new PD converter.

[TG Twinkie]

The electric jack is usually powered by the same +12 volt wire that provides power to the breakaway switch on the tongue. Be sure to fuse the wire going to the jack.
The power for the breakaway switch comes from the "house" battery.

[jump]

Here's a stupid question for ya ... whats the difference between a converter and an inverter? If one needs to be replaced, can I replace it with the other? Why would I need one over the other?

[aftermath]

A converter "converts" 110 V to 12 V to power almost everything in your coach. It also charges the batteries whenever you are hooked up.

An inverter is only used when you do not have access to shore power like when you are out boondocking. It will change your 12 volts into 110 V to run the TV or charge up your cell phone.

I have one of these built into my 25FB and have used it only once as it will drain your battery down rather quickly.

They are not interchangeable

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

The electric jack is usually powered by the same +12 volt wire that provides power to the breakaway switch on the tongue. Be sure to fuse the wire going to the jack.
The power for the breakaway switch comes from the "house" battery.

On my Argosy, the wire from the battery(at the fuse panel) going to the tongue is color Blue. I added a 30 amp fuse at the fuse panel. Some would question the fuse in the breakaway switch line, but I would rather replace a fuse than run a new line the length of my trailer if a short occurs.

[TG Twinkie]

There is no such thing as a stupid question. We have all been where you are. So ask away!

[dereks57]

i think i will only be going back with one battery, but thinking of putting a 12v car stereo system(nothing special) in as well so we can have some music while hanging under the canopy. Buying a 60 amp isnt an issue, just want to make sure there is not an issue. I guess the question is, Is more than needed ok

[rogerdodger]

Yes, it is ok. I have the 9260 with one battery, and it works just fine.

[Doug C]

"Buying a 60 amp isnt an issue, just want to make sure there is not an issue. I guess the question is, Is more than needed ok" [/QUOTE]

I'm wondering the same thing. My trailer came with a 50-amp converter. How high in amps can I go when buying a new converter without having to upgrade a lot of wiring, etc.? I don't want to go nuts here with overkill. I'm just wondering. Since I'm getting a new converter, are more amps better? If so, how high amperage is reasonable for my trailer? Right now the main battery cables are #6. The white and the red cables that actually hook to the converter are #8.

(I'm deciding between these: Powermax Boondocker 60, IOTA DLS 55, and PD Intelli-power 9260C 60-amp. Best I can tell, the PD Intelli-power is the only one that's at least assembled in the US.)

Thanks for any education on this.
Doug

[Skater]

Originally Posted by Doug C

"Buying a 60 amp isnt an issue, just want to make sure there is not an issue. I guess the question is, Is more than needed ok"

I'm wondering the same thing. My trailer came with a 50-amp converter. How high in amps can I go when buying a new converter without having to upgrade a lot of wiring, etc.? I don't want to go nuts here with overkill. I'm just wondering. Since I'm getting a new converter, are more amps better? If so, how high amperage is reasonable for my trailer? Right now the main battery cables are #6. The white and the red cables that actually hook to the converter are #8.

(I'm deciding between these: Powermax Boondocker 60, IOTA DLS 55, and PD Intelli-power 9260C 60-amp. Best I can tell, the PD Intelli-power is the only one that's at least assembled in the US.)

Thanks for any education on this.
Doug[/QUOTE]

You can basically go as high as you want. In most situations, electricity is "pull", not "push". That is, the item USING the power dictates how much is pulled through the wire (up to the capacity of whatever is supplying the power, in this case your converter). Since you aren't going to be USING any more* power than you were before, it really doesn't matter if you go to a larger converter. I put a 60 amp converter in place of the 32 amp in the B190, for example. That was overkill.

*One exception: If your converter is charging the batteries, then it is sort of "pushing" power. In that case you could theoretically exceed the wire rating with a large converter. Most likely that would happen if your batteries were bad and the converter were trying to charge them at the full 60 amps or whatever (yikes). For this reason, I wouldn't go too much larger than what you have now - 50 amp to 60 amp shouldn't be a problem (to determine the theoretical max, you'd need to figure out the gauge of your wire and the length of it from the converter to the batteries, which is probably through the distribution block, then use one of those tables).

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by dereks57

I have a 68 30' international that i just purchased. I have been tracing all the systems to see how they work, and where they are and lead to. Getting a good handle on that. Thank you all for the help and patience with us newbies. I am looking to getting a intellipower 45 amp converter/charger(PD9245C). Is this unit sufficient enough to run the camper 12v system, or go with a 60 amp?

A 45 amp converter/charger should be sufficient, unless you are upgrading to one of the variable-capacity water pumps, which draw around 20a all by themselves. If you do end up adding a second battery, then a larger converter would provide somewhat shorter charging times, which sometimes matters to people who try to charge batteries by running a generator an hour at a time.

Most if not all camping will be where hookups are available, or have a generator if necessary. Also, do people have more than one battery in there AS, and would the bennefit be longer 12v while not plugged in?

Adding batteries is a common mod, and the larger trailers now come from the factory with two. The benefit is, as you say, longer 12v operation without being plugged in, particularly when running the furnace.

Originally Posted by Doug C

"Buying a 60 amp isnt an issue, just want to make sure there is not an issue. I guess the question is, Is more than needed ok"

You can run a larger converter as long as the wiring between the converter and the batteries is large enough to handle the current without overheating. For a 60 amp converter you would want 6 gauge wire or larger for the entire run.

I'm wondering the same thing. My trailer came with a 50-amp converter. How high in amps can I go when buying a new converter without having to upgrade a lot of wiring, etc.? I don't want to go nuts here with overkill. I'm just wondering. Since I'm getting a new converter, are more amps better? If so, how high amperage is reasonable for my trailer? Right now the main battery cables are #6. The white and the red cables that actually hook to the converter are #8.

The #8 wiring is marginal for 50 amps and will tend to overheat at the terminals unless the terminals are of unusually high quality. If you replaced it with #6 you'd be good to 60 amps.

Originally Posted by dereks57

i think i will only be going back with one battery, but thinking of putting a 12v car stereo system(nothing special) in as well so we can have some music while hanging under the canopy. Buying a 60 amp isnt an issue, just want to make sure there is not an issue. I guess the question is, Is more than needed ok

More than needed is ok as long as the wiring is large enough to handle it. Even with only one battery the battery will easily take 30a while charging and if you have all the lights on and the furnace running you can hit another 30a.

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

The electric jack is usually powered by the same +12 volt wire that provides power to the breakaway switch on the tongue. Be sure to fuse the wire going to the jack.
The power for the breakaway switch comes from the "house" battery.

Yes this is how I hooked up my power jack on our '66. But be certain you include an inline fuse.

Neil