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Topic ClosedTheory on failed Power Converters & possible fix
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Joined: 17 Jul 2016
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Posts: 43 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Theory on failed Power Converters & possible fix
    Posted: 28 Sep 2016 at 10:20pm
The history:  
Brand new 2017 180 and the power converter goes bad.  I took it to Camping World in Cedar Falls, IA (very nice people, highly recommended) for warranty repair.  They verify it is bad and replace it.  Short time passes, along with roughly 4,000 towing miles, and converter goes bad again.  Could still get a warranty replacement but I'm not much for repeating bad history.

The theory:
I had been plugging in to known power drops at facilities I have visited many times in the past, so in addition to having a history of good power, I also metered the last one where the converter gave up the ghost.  Power was within spec.  My theory is this; the tray which supports the converter in the power center has quite a bit of movement and I believe it simply vibrates the converters to death.  As I cover a LOT of mileage, a large portion on midwest secondary roads, I'm seeing it more frequently than most.  On average, a converter about every 3,500-4,000 miles at this point.

The fix:
Eliminate the wiggle factor.  I simply cut to size a piece of blueboard insulation I found on property and wedged it underneath the tray, along with a piece of two-sided tape to hold it in place, which eliminated the wiggle.  You could use anything else that would fit snugly underneath the tray.  To access (in a 180) simply remove the seat cushion and using a phillips screw driver, remove the wooden cover and it's all right there.  

One step further:
I also swapped out the bad converter for a new Progressive Dynamics 9260.  It's a bit of overkill but I have had good luck with them in the past and I no longer trust the factory converters.  The swap is very easy and straight forward.  If you decide to go this route, install a female plug utilizing the power wires currently running to the factory converter and at that point the 9260 becomes plug and play.  I simply used good, two-sided tape to hold the new converter in place in the newly de-wiggled tray.  So far, so good.
Former 2017 rPod 180 owner
Now in a 2019 Little Guy MAX
Full timer who logs more than 35,000 miles per year.
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 12:58am
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. 
Randy & Sandra
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 12:59am
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. 
Randy & Sandra
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Posts: 12 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 1:00am
Oh, we have a 2017 Rpod!!LOL
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Posts: 63 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Sep 2016 at 7:36am
Thanks for the tip, Chet...I need to try and locate my converter and check this out. Also glad to hear of your cw experience. That is the closest repair facility to me and my purchase experience on a previous camper was not good...glad to hear I could still consider them for service.
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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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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: 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: 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: 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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