Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Converter replacement

Print Page | Close Window

Converter replacement

Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12796
Printed Date: 16 May 2024 at 2:28am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Converter replacement

Posted By: moro1129
Subject: Converter replacement
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 1:25pm

Hello, I need help identifying the correct converter replacement for my 2016 178 rpod. The 8900 MBA Series shows 55 amp. Am i looking at the right replacement??

Replies:

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 2:39pm

The factory unit is/was probably a 30 or 35 amp charger.

You might need or want more capacity if you have doubled your batteries and need to charge them quickly, but, keep in mind a 55 amp charger can/will pull more from your shore supply or generator.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 3:45pm

It is a WFCO product and is supposed to be 55A max in bulk charge mode but rarely if ever gets there in my experience. Mine gets stuck in a mode sometimes where it cycles in and out of bulk charge mode for a few seconds which is annoying. I would suggest looking at a Progressive Dynamics Charger rather than getting another WFCO. The PD ones seem to have a good reputation but I can’t claim to have any personal experience.

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: PilotPodder
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 7:53pm

I have full video on the replacement process.

https://youtu.be/OjN75eDG8RM - https://youtu.be/OjN75eDG8RM

-------------
Portage, MI — 2017 RPod 179 - sold / 2017 Toyota Tundra — https://johnmarucci.com/r-pod-video-list/ - My RPod YouTube Videos

Posted By: moro1129
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 8:50pm

Thank you John, this video is what's got me this far. I just want to verify that the 55amp will not be too much for the 178 model. I only have 1 battery hooked up.

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 9:55pm

55 amp is the normal converter amperage for the Pod. That's the stock amperage rating.

-------------
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: moro1129
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 10:05pm

Thank you all! Ordered and eager to get it in before my first Rally. Wish me luck. I'm sure I'll watch the youtube video 20 times before I get it right! ~Amanda

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 26 Apr 2019 at 10:14pm

Originally posted by lostagain

55 amp is the normal converter amperage for the Pod. That's the stock amperage rating.

Ah OK....well mine is a 171 and it has the 35 amp converter/charger.

Maybe it's because it does not have a slide so a bit less power is consumed or needed.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 7:04am

Originally posted by podwerkz

Originally posted by lostagain

55 amp is the normal converter amperage for the Pod. That's the stock amperage rating.

Ah OK....well mine is a 171 and it has the 35 amp converter/charger.

Maybe it's because it does not have a slide so a bit less power is consumed or needed.

The latest builds are now using a 35A converter/charger. I do not know the reason why. I had hoped to find out at the minimini rally last fall, but had to cancel at the last minute. Next time I talk to the factory I will try to remember to bring it up..

-------------

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 7:10am

Originally posted by podwerkz

Maybe it's because it does not have a slide so a bit less power is consumed or needed.

The slide shouldn't matter, the battery acts as a buffer to provide the current needed and the battery capacity used by the side is trivial because its only running for a few seconds. The WFCO 55A charger rarely actually produces 55A, it quickly goes into absorption charge mode and the current drops off rapidly.

Anyhow, most flooded deep cycle battery manufacturers recommend a maximum charge rate of only about 10% of the 20 hour capacity rating, so that would be about 20-25A for a 225AH battery bank. And if you turn all the 12V stuff in your pod on at once (except the fridge which you should really never do unless towing) its still only about 15A draw. So your 35A charger is fine.

The real benefit from a higher charge current would be to reduce generator runtime recharging if you are boondocking. Even at 55A the charger is only consuming around 800 watts. Doubling that would recharge a dual battery system in about an hour from 50% and would still run on a 2kw genny.

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 8:21am

Hmmm? Our Pod is a 2009, ancient by RV standards, never had much of a power demand and came stock with a 55 amp converter, which I replaced last year. The price difference between the 55 amp and the 35 amp is inconsequential so it makes sense to go for the better charging capacity. Just say'in.

-------------
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 12:40pm

Originally posted by offgrid

The slide shouldn't matter, the battery acts as a buffer to provide the current needed and the battery capacity used by the side is trivial because its only running for a few seconds.

Yes, the slide motor only pulls current to run it for a short period, and yes, normally with the batteries hooked up and in good condition.

My reference was that maybe the factory installs the 55a converter in the slide models so that the slide will operate for 30 seconds or so, with plenty of reserve, while also powering multiple other 12v items, even with dead batteries or NO batteries.

Since the 35a unit is slightly physically smaller and maybe a pound lighter, maybe the FR designers might just want to keep things tidy if a 55a unit is not really needed because there is no slide motor that has to be powered.

I would assume there is a separate fused line from the 55a converter to the slide motor, but I have not 'drilled down' into a slide equipped r-pod to verify that. My 35a converter certainly does not have that.

Like I said, it's just a guess.

-------------
r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 3:13pm

The slide in mine has a dedicated 30A fuse on the battery buss like all the other 12V fuses. I don't know what current it actually takes, didn't measure it when I measured everything else because I wasn't concerned about its energy consumption.

Looks like lostagain's non-slide rpod also has a 55A and the current product literature implies all the rPods have 55A chargers, so I'm not sure what's going on there.

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 11:35pm

I don't think the short term draw of the slide motors makes a whiff of difference WRT the size of the converter. We frequently run our slide in and out without being connected to shore power, so the converter is not even running. I don't know how much current the slide actually takes, but I may run an experiment to figure it out...

-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 28 Apr 2019 at 5:41am

Its going to be <30A since that's the fuse size. I think podwerkz' point is that FR might want the slide to be able to operate with no battery in place (probably bc batteries are added by the dealer), and a 35A charger might be marginal for that. In practice, no one should really be towing a pod without a battery because the breakaway system won't work without one.

-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Posted By: moro1129
Date Posted: 01 May 2019 at 7:18pm

Happy to report, did this mod myself and was easy with your video. Thanks

~Amanda