Replaced a Paralax 7355 with PD 4655 converter

[Rrroberts40]

Decided to replace my Paralax 7355 charger/converter in the 2013 23D last weekend and I hope I can put out some info for others that might be considering doing this job. First of all it is pretty easy swap but I did run into a problem that I would like to put forth here. The actual disconnecting of the old unit is fairly easy and straight forward and just follow the install sheet and you are good to go. replacing the unit with the Progressive Dynamics PD65 is easy too, slides right in and bolts up. The electrical connection on the left 120v side is again straight forward other than adding the green wire to the ground buss it is easy to follow. I did have to remove one of the 2 black wires from the bottom of the breaker and then wire in the new black converter wire into the wire nut. I changed the yellow wire nut made for two wires to a red made for three wires and again no isssues. Now for the problem the new DC fuse block is supposed to replace the original one which will enable the LED light that tells you what charging mode the unit is in and allow you to press the button to send the PD 4655 into max charge mode to quick charge your batteries. The problem: the heavy wires that go to the batteries to charge them are just plain too short to reach the connections on the new board by 2-3 inches. I guess I could have added wire or run new wires but since the trailer is so new and I didn't want to do that I called Progressive Dynamics and asked them if I could use the original fuse board...yes it will work just fine and all 4 charging stages work the same all you lose is the led notification light and the ability to quick charge the batteries...that was what I did and it seems to be working just fine and is much easier/better than splicing in wire in that tight area or running new heavy wires to the batteries. Hope this help anyone that is trying this job.

[Rrroberts40]

PS One additional thing, you will need to put a eye connector on the black DC side wire from the new PD4655 and use the original bolt to attach it to the top of the original board where the original converter BLUE was attached. The white wire that comes from the new the PD4655 converter attaches in the same spot the original white wire was connected. I have double checked the voltages and the Pd4655 originally began it charging at the standard 13.6 rate as my batteries were mostly charged up and in 3 days dropped down to the correct 13.2 rate to maintain the batteries just like it was designed to do...it works great with the original board.

[idroba]

I replaced the Paralax 7355 with a slightly smaller (45 amp vs.55 amp) PD 4645 last summer. Since I was not replacing a 55 amp with a 55 amp, I figured I might have to do some minor changing vs. the instructions supplied with the new PD 4645. I can't tell you now specifically what I did but do know that with some wire re-routing I was able to use the new fuse panel they supplied and I did not have to lengthen any of the wires.

This is not to counter anything you said Rrroberts, just my own experience. However, it was not the same swap out you did, and I have been doing electrical stuff for many years and have no issues with changing some wire locations for my convenience.

The most difficult thing I found was that Airstream pinched some wires on their part of the factory install, and correcting the problems they created took me more time than It should have. When I inspected their clamps the wire insulation could have easily broken down with time causing a major short. It took me a while to correct that. I can only hope that was an individual issue with my specific trailer, and not a general problem with how AS builds things.

[Lucky Dog]

Thanks for that info, Rrroberts40. I am waiting for the FedEx truck to drop off my new PD4655 to replace the original Paralax in my '09 23' FC. I'm glad to hear it was a pretty straight forward swap and good to know the option to use the original board in case I run into the same problem. Thanks for the post.

Rich

[jaojamjab]

I just received my PD4655 and don't think it's straightforward. I guess I need more pictures as the instructions that came with it aren't very good. I couldn't figure out where the extra wires went and the board that comes with it is totally different and difficult to maneuver. Can anyone post pictures of how the wiring is supposed to look?
Thanks,
Julie

[Rrroberts40]

Originally Posted by jaojamjab

I just received my PD4655 and don't think it's straightforward. I guess I need more pictures as the instructions that came with it aren't very good. I couldn't figure out where the extra wires went and the board that comes with it is totally different and difficult to maneuver. Can anyone post pictures of how the wiring is supposed to look?
Thanks,
Julie

Are you replacing a parallax 7355? If so I just did this job and can help.

[Rrroberts40]

Let's assume you are replacing a Paralax 7355.
#1- Make sure you unplug your trailer from shore power and disconnect your neg battery cables (both) and shield them I used leather gloves but make sure they don't move around and touch the posts in any way.
You remove the 4 torx screws at the bottom of the cover that is over the converter and fuse/breaker unit. Remove the 2 screws on the left AC side plate where the breakers are. You will see a white wire going to the buss on the left side of the opening and on my trailer a black wire that goes to the bottom of a 20 amp breaker. Note that black wire has a crimp on connector that also has a 3-4 inch wire that goes up to a yellow wirenut. I cut the one black wire that goes to the converter and left the other short wire crimped into the pinlike end and reinstalled it into the 20 amp breaker. pull those two wires out thru the hole in the bottom of the metal encasement. Now on the right DC side you need to make a choice here. There is a blue wire that goes to a 1/2 long bolt and nut at the top of the fuse plate and two screws that hold that fuse plate into the encasement. Remove those 2 screws and tip the fuse plate outward at the top and unscrew that bolt that holds the blue wire onto the plate. Then on the back side of the plate unscrew the white wire that goes down to the converter and pull those two wires out thru the hole in the encasement. Now is where you will need to decide if the 2 heavier battery wires are long enough to reach around the back and to the top of the new fuse plate that comes with the new PD4655. Mine were not. These wires are much heavier guage that the other two one is red housing the other white. If there is little or no slack in these two they will not reach and unless you want to pull the whole assembly out of the wall and see if you can get slack I would just use the old fuse plate. So remove the 4 screws from the old converter and pull it out and feed the 4 wires out as you go. So if you have decided you don't have the slack just leave the fuse plate in place and slide the new PF4655 in where the old unit was making sure you feed the wires back thru the encasement holes as you go. There will be three wires now on the left AC side one black, one white, and one green. The other 2 wires that go into the DC side are one black and one white instead of the originals where one was blue with a wire eye in the end and the other one is the same white. Now on the left AC side replace the yellow wire nut with a red one and put the black wire in with the other two already there making sure the are even and wire nut them together. Now still on the left side put the white wire back in where you removed the old white wire on the left side buss. Now the green wire is new there wasn't one on the old setup. It needs to go in the ground buss at the top of that opening..it looks similar to the buss where you put the white wire in but there will be several copper wires that have no insulation on them. If you have an open spot put it in that one..I did not so I put it in with the smallest guage ground wire in the buss..now these three wires on the AC side were all way too long so I did cut them down and resoldered the ends to make it so it was cleaner although you could be careful and route those wires and keep them the same length..personally I would cut them and resolder prep the ends. Now on to the right DC side. If you choose to use the old fuse plate like I did you are almost done. You will need to hit the hardware store and get a crimp on eye to put on the end of the black wire like the original blue wire had...do not shorten the wire you will need all the length..make sure to route the wires behind the plate and watch out for the mounting area behind the plate when you screw it back down and not to pinch the wire in there. then attach the white wire in the same place the original white wire went and you're good to go...the battery wires should still be attached where they were...if you removed them just re attach them where they were.If your battery wires had enough slack run them around the back of the fuse plate and into the proper spots on the new board. They are well marked. If you use the new plate you do not need to add the eye to the black wire. Put the 4 screws in the new converter and reinstall the cover plate with the 4 new screws that come with the kit as they are slightly smaller than the original ones.

[Lucky Dog]

Jaojamjab

Here are a couple of pictures from my installation. I did read and re-read the instructions a couple of times before I started, to familiarize myself with everything. Unlike Rrroberts40, I found plenty of slack available in the main battery (red-pos/white-neg) wires behind the panel that houses the converter, accessed thru the door where my water pump is located. I loosened the clamp that holds the wires to the housing, pulled thru what I needed and re-tightened the clamp. I put a few turns of electrical tape around the wires where they would contact the edge of the housing.

There are two groups of wires in the new unit: 3 wires (green, white, black) to the AC side and 2 wires (white, black) to the DC side. Keep them grouped and positioned to the proper side of the unit as you work.

The main pos and neg battery wires are thick and pretty stiff and a little tough to work with but with the little extra slack provided, I was able to get them in place on the new board with out too much trouble. I then installed the new DC board and transferred the wires from the old board to the new board one at a time, in the same order. I found that easier than having two boards flopping around in the same space. Yes, there are more than enough connectors, I just lined them up in the same sequence as the old board. Numbers don't match to the old circuit description but they are all in the same order by circuit and color as the old. Route the black-pos and white-neg converter wires to the back and over the top of the new DC board. They are thinner and pretty easy to work with.

On the AC side were the three wires (green, black and white). Only question I had was about two black wires going to the breaker (converter and pigtail wire). Instructions said not to, but I called Randy at BestConverter where I purchased the unit and he said it was OK to have both go to the breaker, as it was originally in my unit.

So, overall, not too bad. Take your time, check and re-check your work. That's what worked for me.

Rich

[jaojamjab]

I did get it in, hopefully I did it right. I will post pictures after the holidays. Thanks for your replies. I am living full time, in my trailer for the last 3 months. I just replaced my batteries, because it seems that if I turn off the battery disconnect, I don't get power to run my refridge and propane doesn't work to heat my water without it on. Even though I have solar panels to charge the batteries and a trickle charger my batteries can't keep up. Any suggestions on this problem? I'm glad I switched the converter but why doesn't the water heater, inside lights and refridge work without the battery's when plugged into shore power?
Thanks,
Julie

[carver 1]

I recently did the changeover and added the pendant so I could see the charge status without opening the access door to the unit. I find it helpful to just look down the center isle when entering to check battery charge status.

[jaojamjab]

Hi Rich,
Is that black and white wire connected to the circuit board from the new converter?
I'm just checking cause I connected the black wire to the breaker and the white wire to spot where it says converter. I'm hooked up to shore power and when I turn the battery disconnect off I'm getting power to all of the lights but not to the refrigerator or the furnace. If I turn the switch on it causes the 30 amp fuses to blow. Help!
Julie

[Sparkygus]

Good morning!

I'm thinking I also need to replace the 7355 in our trailer. For the past three months we've been full-timing in our trailer in our carport as our house is being remodeled. In the past couple of days, the interior lights' intensity has dimmed. This morning, while listening to the radio, I turned on the overhead lights and the radio quit. The lights were very dim. Turning off the lights caused the radio to turn back on.

A 110V AC lamp and my computer remained on just fine. The 110V AC circuitry seems just fine.

I physically disconnected the batteries from the trailer. My previous experience with the trailer (we bought it new) is that disconnecting the batteries would still allow the 7355 to power the DC items. So it looks like the converter has failed/is failing.

I plan to order a new converter today. The problem is I leave tomorrow for eight days on the road. I hate leaving my wife here to live in the trailer without adequate DC power.

Does anyone have any stop-gap solutions?

Thanks,
David

[idroba]

Originally Posted by Sparkygus

Good morning!


I plan to order a new converter today. The problem is I leave tomorrow for eight days on the road. I hate leaving my wife here to live in the trailer without adequate DC power.

Does anyone have any stop-gap solutions?

Thanks,
David

Shut the circuit breaker off for the old Paralax converter and hook a regular maybe 10 amp battery charger to the batteries out on the tongue. You should be OK until your new converter comes and you have time to install it.

[Sparkygus]

Thanks, idroba! I'll give that a shot. I'm searching for a retailer here in Southern CA that has a PD4655 in stock. I'd like to get the swap done today.

Does anyone know of a Southern California/Orange County distributor that sells to the public that might have one in stock?

[daveswenson]

Originally Posted by Sparkygus

Thanks, idroba! I'll give that a shot. I'm searching for a retailer here in Southern CA that has a PD4655 in stock. I'd like to get the swap done today.

Does anyone know of a Southern California/Orange County distributor that sells to the public that might have one in stock?

If you can't find one locally, Best Converter can probably overnight one to you.

4600 series Upgrade Kits

[Alphonse]

Rroberts40,
Nice post, thanks for kicking it off.

Rroberts40 and Lucky Dog,
What made you want to change the Paralax out to begin with? Smarter and more effective charging system?

Thanks a million for taking the time to post specifics and insights here on the install. This is very valuable and adds in a very big way to the Forum.

[jaojamjab]

I finally figured out my problem. The black positive wire was somehow hooked to something in the back of the converter, so I thought it was attached to something in the back. I was able to free it and install properly.
Thanks again to everyone who chimed in.
Julie

[Rrroberts40]

Originally Posted by Alphonse

Rroberts40,
Nice post, thanks for kicking it off.

Rroberts40 and Lucky Dog,
What made you want to change the Paralax out to begin with? Smarter and more effective charging system?

Thanks a million for taking the time to post specifics and insights here on the install. This is very valuable and adds in a very big way to the Forum.

I changed mine out for one simple reason: I wanted to be able to leave my trailer plugged in most of the off season and not worry about boiling the batteries. Now I am not foolish enough to believe and can plug it in for 3 months and walk away so I will continue to watch the water level etc but I know that the original Paralax converter will boil the batteries if I leave it alone too long. I have faith the PD4655 will give me more leeway and time between checks etc...
Rrroberts40

[Lucky Dog]

Julie
Glad you got it figured out. Sorry I didn't get back to answer sooner. Work still gets in the way..

Alphonse
Ditto what Rrroberts40 said. You are correct, the PD4655 is a "smarter" converter, with better charging capabilities. An upgrade from the original Paralax.
Rich

[Rrroberts40]

I hate to say it once again but for what an Airstream costs it should have a PD4655 installed originally...jus sayin'...