Converter

[ted saxton]

We were camping this weekend and the converter was not charging the battery when plug into the AC at the RV park. It does charge when plugged in the vehicle or the solar panel. Don't know what happened . I have checked all the fuses and wiring and everything looks alright. Only solution I can come up with is to replace the converter. Is this something we can do ourselves or leave to the professionals ? Also how do you take it out ? (Saw wiring diagram in document ) Any answers would be appreciated
Thanks
Ted Saxton

[Bill K]

Check your 120v plug, mine comes UNPLUGGED.
Also my converter has a fuse on the converter.

Bill K

We were camping this weekend and the converter was not charging the battery when plug into the AC at the RV park. It does charge when plugged in the vehicle or the solar panel. Don't know what happened . I have checked all the fuses and wiring and everything looks alright. Only solution I can come up with is to replace the converter. Is this something we can do ourselves or leave to the professionals ? Also how do you take it out ? (Saw wiring diagram in document ) Any answers would be appreciated
Thanks
Ted Saxton

[Parker Buckley]

Only solution I can come up with is to replace the converter. Is this something we can do ourselves or leave to the professionals ? Also how do you take it out ? (Saw wiring diagram in document ) Any answers would be appreciated

Ted,

I recently upgraded the converter in our '04 Scamp, which means replacing the charging module. The new ones (like yours) have a three-step charger which is much better than the old ones. It cost $75 for the new module, which required drilling out two pop rivets (which I converted to #10 bolts). It was very simple to do, with only about five wires to connect. They are cut to the right length, stripped, and tinned. The color coding makes it very easy to hook up correctly. If you don't find an obvious cause, I suggest calling Americn Enterprises service at 818 598 8580. You'll get to meet Carlos. BTW, he said many of the charger failures are due to the $12 fan failing, resulting in the charger overheating. Good luck.

Parker

[Harry Young]

I have had many converters fail even when their own internal fans worked fine because they are installed in tightly closed boxes filled with extra camping stuff.

I vent problem units out or add additional venting into the closed areas...These guys are rated to about 95 F. The really high end units shut down to protect themselves from this issue now.

Happy Camping Safe Trails.

Harry

[Dan Meyer]

After replacing my converter twice in two years, I gave up and installed a much cheaper 10 amp automatic battery charger.

-- Dan Meyer

[ted saxton]

Ted,

I recently upgraded the converter in our '04 Scamp, which means replacing the charging module. The new ones (like yours) have a three-step charger which is much better than the old ones. It cost $75 for the new module, which required drilling out two pop rivets (which I converted to #10 bolts). It was very simple to do, with only about five wires to connect. They are cut to the right length, stripped, and tinned. The color coding makes it very easy to hook up correctly. If you don't find an obvious cause, I suggest calling Americn Enterprises service at 818 598 8580. You'll get to meet Carlos. BTW, he said many of the charger failures are due to the $12 fan failing, resulting in the charger overheating. Good luck.

Parker

Parker,
Thanks for your fast reply. I was wondering when the squirrel blew out the electrical transformer out last Thursday if that might of also blew the module out?
Well I'm going to try and replace the module and I still need know how to get the module out ?

Thanks
Ted Saxton

[ted saxton]

After replacing my converter twice in two years, I gave up and installed a much cheaper 10 amp automatic battery charger.

-- Dan Meyer

Dan,
Where did you hook the battery charger up? On the battery or to the wires going to the battery in the electrical compartment?
Ted Saxton

[Dan Meyer]

Dan,
Where did you hook the battery charger up? On the battery or to the wires going to the battery in the electrical compartment?
Ted Saxton

I disconnected the AC to DC conversion circuit in the converter, and installed the battery charger in its place.

-- Dan Meyer

[Parker Buckley]

Parker,
Thanks for your fast reply. I was wondering when the squirrel blew out the electrical transformer out last Thursday if that might of also blew the module out?
Well I'm going to try and replace the module and I still need know how to get the module out ?

Thanks
Ted Saxton

Ted,

It requires drilling out the two rivets on the left edge of the converter. These rivets go through the charge module (which is in a vertical slot) and the left mounting holes of the actual converter. I got my new charge module before taking anything apart, and it all made sense. One minor detail. The module slides into a very small track cast into the plastic on the top and bottom of the converter housing. The module itself has a thin plastic sheet of insulating material attached against the back side of the circuit board. The slots aren't quite wide enough to get that thin plastic sheet in there also, so the plastic sheet stays outside the slots while the board slides in easlity. This will make sense when you see it.

While you have the board out, you can access the fan in case you want to check it or at least blow it out.

Forgot to mention that this all begins with removing the front cover, which is held on by a single screw right in the middle. And don't forget to remove the 110V power and disconnect the battery before starting!

Parker

[ted saxton]

Ted,

It requires drilling out the two rivets on the left edge of the converter. These rivets go through the charge module (which is in a vertical slot) and the left mounting holes of the actual converter. I got my new charge module before taking anything apart, and it all made sense. One minor detail. The module slides into a very small track cast into the plastic on the top and bottom of the converter housing. The module itself has a thin plastic sheet of insulating material attached against the back side of the circuit board. The slots aren't quite wide enough to get that thin plastic sheet in there also, so the plastic sheet stays outside the slots while the board slides in easlity. This will make sense when you see it.

While you have the board out, you can access the fan in case you want to check it or at least blow it out.

Forgot to mention that this all begins with removing the front cover, which is held on by a single screw right in the middle. And don't forget to remove the 110V power and disconnect the battery before starting!

Parker

thank you i did every thing you said it works fine
ted saxton

[Ruth C.]

Does anybody know if Parker's module replacement instructions would work with the 2008 Casita converter, too? The two 30 amp fuses won't go in without sparking, possibly due to accidentally switching the polarity when the battery was reconnected recently.
Thanks,
Ruth