Converter makes noise when in shore power - Fiberglass RV
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Old 10-10-2010, 08:25 PM   #1
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Name: Tom
Trailer: Scamp 16'
North Dakota
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Converter makes noise when in shore power

Returned from a camping trip today with my 2008 Scamp 16' Side Dinette (Shower/Toilet), when i left the campground i opened my fresh water tank drained to empty the fresh water tank. I left the demand pump on and did not discover this until I returned home three hours later. Pump was running but not hot, turned it off.
Disconnected TV and emptied the trailer. Attached shore power via a orange 10' extension cord, like I did last trip. I heard a noise (like a fan turning with a playing card in it/or clicking, same pitch and tempo) from the American Converter, Centurion 3000 S,A,de C.V.. Looked at panel and discovered breaker #6 (15 Amp) "Not Marked" was blown. Reset, still noise.
Unplugged shore power, noise continued, Replugged shore power
Disconnected battery, noise continued, Reconnected battery
Tripped Breaker #1 (30 Amp) Main, noise slowed and faded to stop, reset breaker noise returned
Tripped Breaker #2 (15 Amp) 12 Volt, noise slowed and faded to stop, reset breaker noise returned
Tripped Breaker #3-6 (15 Amp), noise continued
Breaker #3 Privacy Side, #4 Door Side, #5 Air, #6 not marked
Can anyone tell me what breaker #6 is?
Is the noise from the converted normal?
I have not heard it before, but only owned the trailer 10 days, and this is my second trip with it. Both tripes were to the same campground, and my pre/post trip procedures have been the same. Please provide me some advice, I plan another trip this weekend, help I'm obsessed with Scamping!
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:24 AM   #2
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Trailer: 2009 Scamp 16 ft / 2003 Durango
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Tom,
Please don't take this the wrong way, but check your paperwork for the trailer ( I am hoping you got it ) and look for a piece of paper with the listing of breakers and what there for. ( NOTE may not be accurate )

I had to go through my list and make a new one. (

I have a 2009 SD so if you don't find a list let me know and I will scan my list and send it to you. It may or may not be correct.

Bill K

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Originally Posted by Tezha View Post
Returned from a camping trip today with my 2008 Scamp 16' Side Dinette (Shower/Toilet), when i left the campground i opened my fresh water tank drained to empty the fresh water tank. I left the demand pump on and did not discover this until I returned home three hours later. Pump was running but not hot, turned it off.
Disconnected TV and emptied the trailer. Attached shore power via a orange 10' extension cord, like I did last trip. I heard a noise (like a fan turning with a playing card in it/or clicking, same pitch and tempo) from the American Converter, Centurion 3000 S,A,de C.V.. Looked at panel and discovered breaker #6 (15 Amp) "Not Marked" was blown. Reset, still noise.
Unplugged shore power, noise continued, Replugged shore power
Disconnected battery, noise continued, Reconnected battery
Tripped Breaker #1 (30 Amp) Main, noise slowed and faded to stop, reset breaker noise returned
Tripped Breaker #2 (15 Amp) 12 Volt, noise slowed and faded to stop, reset breaker noise returned
Tripped Breaker #3-6 (15 Amp), noise continued
Breaker #3 Privacy Side, #4 Door Side, #5 Air, #6 not marked
Can anyone tell me what breaker #6 is?
Is the noise from the converted normal?
I have not heard it before, but only owned the trailer 10 days, and this is my second trip with it. Both tripes were to the same campground, and my pre/post trip procedures have been the same. Please provide me some advice, I plan another trip this weekend, help I'm obsessed with Scamping!
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:36 AM   #3
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Name: Tom
Trailer: Scamp 16'
North Dakota
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Not taken the wrong way. Here is the list that came with the trailer;
Breaker #1 (30 Amp) Main
Breaker #2 (15 Amp) 12 Volt
Breaker #3 (15 Amp) Privacy Side
Breaker #4 (15 Amp) Door Side
Breaker #5 (15 Amp) Air
There is no breaker #6. Any help is great, any ideas on the noise?
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Old 10-11-2010, 07:54 AM   #4
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It sound like the cooling fan in the converter.

Scamp must have changed brand of converter, my 2009 has a
Intelipower 9100

My converter is held in with four screws. turn off the power and take it out and see if anything is hitting the fan blades. ( you may want to just reach in there and feel around for anything stuck in the fan guard before taking it out )

Bill K

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Originally Posted by Tezha View Post
Not taken the wrong way. Here is the list that came with the trailer;
Breaker #1 (30 Amp) Main
Breaker #2 (15 Amp) 12 Volt
Breaker #3 (15 Amp) Privacy Side
Breaker #4 (15 Amp) Door Side
Breaker #5 (15 Amp) Air
There is no breaker #6. Any help is great, any ideas on the noise?
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Old 10-11-2010, 08:18 AM   #5
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Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,996
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Just a thought, but have you actually physically checked the fans themselves for any obstructions in and around the blades? (lint, toothpicks, small debris, etc.)

If something is sounding like a baseball card in the spokes, and only occurs when the unit is on, it would be the first thing I would check.

The second thing I would do is deep-six that Centurion and put in a new modern converter. Centurions are not known for being anything but problems and headaches. If you don't believe me, just google these converters and add problems. They seem to be problematic for quite a lot of folks.

A good place for converter info is: BestConverter - Converters, Inverters, Electrical Supplies, Electronics
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Old 10-12-2010, 05:22 PM   #6
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The fan is quite now, but something is loose in the unit. Plus it runs at all times when shore power is plugged in. Is the verdict that my converter is dying. My Scamp is a 2008 and only used about three times, before I bought it two weeks ago. Hard to believe the converter is dying already. Any suggestions on a replacement?
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Old 10-12-2010, 05:43 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tezha View Post
The fan is quite now, but something is loose in the unit. Plus it runs at all times when shore power is plugged in. Is the verdict that my converter is dying. My Scamp is a 2008 and only used about three times, before I bought it two weeks ago. Hard to believe the converter is dying already. Any suggestions on a replacement?
When these things fail, it is commonly a broken or loose heatsink on the board, take another look, if it it is you may be able to fix it before it overheats.
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Old 10-13-2010, 06:34 AM   #8
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Tom, I know some folks have had and used the converters that you have without any issues/problems. Our 2007 Scamps converter crapped out after a year or so and we replaced it with the Progressive unit that Scamp now uses. Probably the best thing we've done to our Scamp. My recommendation---toss your current converter and install a Progressive which you can buy from Scamp or perhaps find cheaper on-line. Good luck and thanks for you long service to our great country. Ron
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Old 10-13-2010, 12:24 PM   #9
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If you decide to replace the converter, I'd be happy to take the junk one off your hands. It would be interesting to take one apart and see if I could fix it.
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Old 10-13-2010, 02:52 PM   #10
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Does anyone know if the American Converter, Centurion 3000 fan runs all the time when on shore power? Also I found out to day that a piece of the circuit board broke off and that was hitting the fan blades.
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