Magnetek Series 900 Model 950 50 Amp converter / charger Specs & Features?

[Driver1]

Hi,

On checking the Magnetek web site, I find they sold off some businesses and don't seem to offer specifications information on the related products.

Does anyone have the specs and features list for the Magnetek Series 900 Model 950 50 Amp converter / charger? This is the model I find in my 1998 Excella 1000 30' and I'd like to know just what I have vs. something like the Inteli-Power PD9260CV.

Other questions about the unit are; first that on it's label it says "Chassis Bonding Terminal". It also says on an attached sticker "Option P". What do these mean?

I should mention that the Magnetek seems to be working properly under my current usage. I am planning on changing my usage to include much more frequent charge/discharge cycles and some much longer periods plugged in to shore power.

Any help will be appreciated.

Walt

[DEITZ645]

Driver1,
I had the exact same model converter / charger in my 1987 34' Excella 1000. It was working properly, but there was an audible hum that was driving me crazy. I just replaced it with a pretty much silent inteli-power PD9260C from BestConverter.com

http://www.bestconverter.com/60-Amp-RV-ConverterCharger_p_84-171.html

Randy's price is the best I found and he is a member of this forum. The chassis boding point you mention is just the grounding terminal. There should be a copper grounding wire attached there that grounds out to the trailer frame / chassis. I have no idea what the "Option P" sticket is all about. I too wondered about that

[Driver1]

Hi Carl & Elaine,

I understand the Inteli-Power PD9260C is a really good unit. I'd seen your posts and thought I'd like to know more specifically what I'd be throwing away vs. something newer (I'm not bothered by the audible hum you mentioned and Lyn, my wife with much better hearing, has not mentioned anything there). There's always something newer and sometimes it makes sense to move to it. I'd just really like to know specifically what I have & what I'd get that's improved if I install something newer. For example, I don't know if Magnetek included multiple charging stages with this unit in 1998 (My guess based on various readings is NOT -- but I can't discern that for a fact based on what I've read).

Thanks for responding DEITZ645!

Walt

[Driver1]

HI,

The statement "Magnetek 950 which charges at 14.4 volts constantly" in the following thread is the first specific I've seen about the 950 model that indicates it does NOT have multiple charge stages:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...g/18774907.cfm
Open Roads Forum
Topic: Intellipower 9200 series.yeah or neys
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted By: stan909 on 12/06/06 11:52am
Maybe I should just keep my Magnetek 950 which charges at 14.4 volts constantly(that'
s why I'm buying the new converter) and just switch it off after a few hours.Let the solar charge the rest of the day.Just kidding.I'm getting the 9260 with pendant.Thank's again one and all.

Best Regards,
Walt

[DEITZ645]

Driver1,
I had the Magnatek on a mulit-meter for about an hour and it always stayed at 14.3 +/- 0.2 volts. So the unit is OK, it just doesn't have the milti-stage charging and the humming was driving me bonkers. I think the big benfit of the multi-stage charging is to keep your batteries from boiling away and becoming stratified. So with the new inteli-power I will be saving both my sanity and hopefully some money when it comes to battery longevity.

If you do decide on the inteli-power I would suggest bestconverter.com. Like I said he is the least expensisive I found and he sends the pendant along at no extra charge.

[Driver1]

Hi Carl & Elaine,

Thanks for staying with me. Yes I'm nearly certain to go with the PD9260CV and to buy it via bestcoverter.com. It's just that I like to go slow, gather the data, and think through the variables when I do something like this. We both understand, I think, that the 1 hour test you did was good but not long enough to be a proof unless the battery was 90% or more charged. But, it is consistent with what we expected and the earlier statement I found.

On another subject, I hope we meet someday. I looked in your profile and photo galery. You're in the same area where I grew up (HS in Boyertown, Penn State at State College). We both do software (Excel/VBA custom aps. for me) - interesting. But, I do have 20+ years on you Carl. That 34 footer sure is pretty and comfortable looking. Oh, and we get ice out here in Oregon too.

Best Regards,
Walt

[Skater]

Originally Posted by Driver1

That 34 footer sure is pretty and comfortable looking.

Off-topic, but I can't help myself: although I've been in my parents' 34' many times, including camping with them on several occasions, the first time I was inside it after I got my B-van, I said, "Holy cow! It's a mansion in here!" Funny how the perspectives change.

Back to the converter for a moment: Part of why I wanted to replace my converter was that it likes to pump 14 volts into the battery continuously. Replacing the converter is one thing you could do, but another thing that would be cheaper would be installing a battery disconnect so that you aren't charging the battery all the time. Only thing is that you have to remember to disconnect them, and I know I wouldn't. (Then my converter started putting out a whopping 11 volts, so I had to replace it.)

Also, if you are replacing the converter with a three-stage charge model, I recommend that you buy decent AGM deep-cycle batteries the next time they're due for replacement. Bestconverter.com sells some, but I bought an Optima Blue Top locally (for about $200, which I think was a little high) to put in mine. The AGM batteries require no maintenance, which is another thing I was bad about checking!

However, AGM batteries are more sensitive to overcharging, so if you aren't careful with a non-three-stage converter, you're more likely to trash them.

[Driver1]

Hi,
Post #9 of this thread has a URL leading to this information:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...tml#post131573
*******
Information for the 700 / 900 series Ferro-resonant Converter/Charger "out of production" Parallax or MagneTek branded products.
http://www.parallaxpower.com/775_900...ner_Manual.pdf
http://www.parallaxpower.com/775_900...20brochure.pdf
http://www.parallaxpower.com/775_900/floatsystem.pdf
http://www.parallaxpower.com/775_900/Ferro_FAQ.pdf
http://www.parallaxpower.com/775_900/900series.pdf
*******
Some key specifics from these sources are:
Model 950 DC Output -
Full Load 12.0 volts
No Load 14.1 volts
Float 13.8 volts

Some conclusions (I'm NOT an electrician - please correct me if I'm wrong):
1) The Model 950 won't charge as fast as the Inteli-Power 9200 series due to the 9200 series Boost mode 14.4 volts vs. the No Load 14.1 volts of the Model 950.
2) Battery life improvement with the Inteli-Power 9200 series is partly due to the lower 13.2 volts Storage mode vs. the Model 950's Float at 13.8 volts (Less electrolysis activity - water loss).
3) Battery life improvement with the Inteli-Power 9200 series is also partly attributable to the Desulfation mode which the Model 950 does not address.
4) the hum of the Model 950 was an inherent characteristic of the Ferro-resonant design, though it's intensity probably varied between units.

Best Regards,
Walt

[David_1]

Could u please help me im gona get the converter u suggest but what kind of batteries should get my sister has a 94 kingsley 34' 5th wheel what should she get for batteries and what to do for charging the batteries

[David_1]

Also when my sister was having some work done on it the edit that helped her put a conector on a negative wire crempt it he actually crempt to hard broke to many strains of wire and the converter got swapped put a 4 amp on there a much smaller converter cut the wires way to short on the 50 amp magnetek 900 series model 950. My sister hooked up a battery charger when i open the door to the batteries the negative white wire was melted so was negative termenal on the battery the white wire was on i don't know what else could be wrong besides the converter being fried