In Line Fuse for upgraded converter

[vwii]

We recently installed a 300AH lithium battery and upgraded the WFCO converter/charger with the auto detect technology to charge the LION battery correctly. WFCO said in order for the charger to recognize the LION battery we need to A: replace an inline fuse on the charge cable bolted on the chassis with a 60A fuse. Where is this fuse located?

Step 2 is to drain the LION battery to 10-20% (or even to zero, when its BMS should shut down to protect itself), then reconnect to shore power and the charger should then recognize the LION batter and charge appropriately.

[BLPeace1]

I’m no expert by any means but I believe, based on my call to Airstream support, the fuse is on the positive wire that attaches to the battery. I was told that my 2019 Classic has a 100amp fuse. I’m in the process of installing and working on getting my WFCO to detect. I have completed my first charge to 100% and the converter still indicates AGM. My batteries were at 40% when I started so I may have to discharge them and recharge. Not sure how I like this auto detect method.

[DCPAS]

Our 2019 had a MRBF type 100 amp fuse directly on the positive battery terminal connected to the converter. If you have the same, it would look like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DMM6871N...hlbWF0aWM&th=1

[JeffKim]

I still have some bitterness about the WFCO AD and can never resist a chance to take a swipe at it. Hopefully you'll have better luck. It's a solution looking for a problem. It took draining batteries and several tries to get it to recognize my lithium batteries. I've heard others have the coveted blue light (LiFePO4) reverting back to green.

The last straw was that it wouldn't output more the 18A, so I replaced it with a Victron Phoenix 50A which works great and I have Bluetooth monitoring and set up. The previous WFCO version had a switch from lead acid to lithium, I don't know why that wasn't adequate.

[waninae39]

Each battery should have its own fuse/breaker.

Mount on the +ve side. All -ve tied common and then through shunt

[JeffKim]

Originally Posted by vwii

A: replace an inline fuse on the charge cable bolted on the chassis with a 60A fuse. Where is this fuse located?
.

Yes, I'll second that there's a MRBF on the terminal. If so, are they going to send you a 60A? They aren't the easiest thing to find and $16 on Amazon.

This seems weird like some sort of black magic. The charger is a 50A so what difference does 60A fuse make? It's not a resistor. Also in between there's a 50A Type II breaker in the bus bar in our trailer (I'd assume the same in yours). Maybe someone with more electrical knowledge than me would know.

[BLPeace1]

I guess my next step is to drain the batteries and attempt to auto detect again. Under the lead acid profile it took over 24 hours to bring my batteries from 50% to 100%. Is that normal?

[vanderwielen]

Originally Posted by vwii

We recently installed a 300AH lithium battery and upgraded the WFCO converter/charger with the auto detect technology to charge the LION battery correctly. WFCO said in order for the charger to recognize the LION battery we need to A: replace an inline fuse on the charge cable bolted on the chassis with a 60A fuse. Where is this fuse located?

Step 2 is to drain the LION battery to 10-20% (or even to zero, when its BMS should shut down to protect itself), then reconnect to shore power and the charger should then recognize the LION batter and charge appropriately.

Your original battery fuse was located directly on top of your old AGM fuses. It's a square little cube that, at first, does not look like a fuse. Fuses are mean to protect wiring, not the load. But in the case of a lithium battery, current can flow in either direction. It is generally accepted to place the fuse as near to the batteries as possible.

Class T fuses are the recommended choice due to their high current interruption capacity, which is crucial for handling the potential short-circuit currents lithium batteries can produce.

[vwii]

Talked with WFCO again, and the tech said the fuse I was looking for was only required for 2016 and newer model years. Ours being a 2014 means we don't have one. He said they automatically tell people to swap out the fuse because few people have convert rigs that are older than 2016. Go figure!

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by vwii

Talked with WFCO again, and the tech said the fuse I was looking for was only required for 2016 and newer model years. Ours being a 2014 means we don't have one. He said they automatically tell people to swap out the fuse because few people have convert rigs that are older than 2016. Go figure!

That's because most people don't have Airstreams, many other brands have trouble lasting long enough past 10 years old to be worth changing to lithium after that.