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StonyRiverDave View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 May 2017
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Posts: 14 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Theory on failed Power Converters & possible fix
    Posted: 10 Sep 2018 at 10:17pm
I just had a converter failure in the middle of a 6 week trip.  On disassembly inspection, I found that the resistor R1 had "fallen off" the circuit board. So I think that the discussions on vibration issues are valid.  We also had the read walls bread free from the platform on this trip and needed repairs.  The excellent repair by ArrKan RV in Edmonton found just a few screws were holding the back together and were too short or broken off. Trans Canada 16 is quite a bouncy 4 lane.
2017 R-Pod 178
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2016 at 7:38pm
Originally posted by ChetC


Actually, on the newer AC units like those in the 180, 12v is required for the digital AC thermostat and the AC will not function without it. I learned that the hard way when the first converter went.  

I assumed that was supplied by the A/C itself, like home systems.  Learned something today.  Smile
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2016 at 12:08am
Yes that was the first thing we checked was the breakers!
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2016 at 12:05am
Thanks Chet!I talked to a service guy today and he said it was probably a bad converter! We are taking it to be fixed! We aren't mechanically gifted to do it ourselves but you gave great directions! Thanks again!

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ChetC View Drop Down
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 11:15pm
Originally posted by techntrek

12 volt power isn't needed for the A/C, so that would lead me to think a circuit breaker or two is tripped, as suggested above.
We've seen very few converter issues on this board, even with pods that have 20,000+ miles on them (like ours did).  It is possible you just ended up on the low end of the bell curve with two bad converters in a row.  


Actually, on the newer AC units like those in the 180, 12v is required for the digital AC thermostat and the AC will not function without it. I learned that the hard way when the first converter went.

It's possible I was unlucky in the converter department but the coincidence of the mileage being very close the same both times is highly suspicious to me, which led to my investigation and theory. I'm not claiming this is a guaranteed issue or fix, I'm just sharing my experience.
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techntrek View Drop Down
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 8:22pm
12 volt power isn't needed for the A/C, so that would lead me to think a circuit breaker or two is tripped, as suggested above.

We've seen very few converter issues on this board, even with pods that have 20,000+ miles on them (like ours did).  It is possible you just ended up on the low end of the bell curve with two bad converters in a row.  
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 6:28pm
Originally posted by rpodnewbies

We are having electrical issues too with our 2016 Rpod 180. The outlets work but the fridge, A/C, slide, lights and radio won't work. Is this something like what your issues were?? I'm not sure where the tray is that you are talking about. 

A bad converter, or more precisely a dead battery, would most definitely cause those issues. All of those items require battery power to operate. 

The fridge uses battery power to run its "processor", even if electric or propane is selected. The AC requires battery power for the thermostat, if it doesn't have sufficient power the AC sounds like it is struggling to start or will not start. The lights, slide and radio are completely run off of the battery. If your converter is bad the battery will not charge and all of those will fail once the battery is drained.

The converter "tray", as I called it, is located behind the main panel. If you open the panel to access the breakers, you will see two Phillips head screws, one on each side. Remove those and the cover panel will tip out at the top. Once it's tipped out, lift straight up to remove the cover. The comverter is located on the very bottom, on a tray held in place with two more Phillips head screws. Make sure all power is off (battery too) before messing with the converter or you may get shocked. 

You can see if your converter is charging or not by simply pressing the Battery button on your monitor panel.  While the tank level lights are hit and miss, depending on a variety of factors, the battery lights should always be accurate.  If all four lights, or more precisely the top most light, is lit then the converter is charging.  If it's not, then the converter has pooped out.  I always, always, always hit the battery button every time I plug in to a new location, just to verify that the converter is charging.  If it is functioning properly, it will always light the top most light when you are plugged into shore power regardless of whether or not the battery is good.  That light is lit by the charging function of the converter, not the level of the battery.  If the top most light is not lit, then you have an issue with the converter.
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 6:14pm
Whoops, I meant to quote not reply...  

See below.
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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 11:47am
Originally posted by rpodnewbies

We are having electrical issues too with our 2016 Rpod 180. The outlets work but the fridge, A/C, slide, lights and radio won't work. Is this something like what your issues were?? I'm not sure where the tray is that you are talking about. 



The converter only converts 120VAC to 12VDC. It has nothing to do with the other 120VAC equipment.

Have you checked the breaker panel to make sure one or more breakers haven't tripped?
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 8:19am
The WFCO 8955 converter/charger has been in use for a decade or more, used in millions of RV's. Other makes are also seeing an uptick in dead ones, and the problem has been traced to a bad batch of transistors.
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