Quick Progressive Dynamics PD4045 Question

[GabbyB]

Question for the group:
I just re-hooked up my battery to the new Progressive Dynamics 4045 convertor/charger and got a little spark. Do not remember that happening the first time and I don't know if that's normal. The 12V circuits have not been hooked up yet but I have a new ground to the frame for the battery and the 120 system hooked up and grounded and it works. I believe the charger is working, too, but there's no indication, like the fan running.
Progressive Dynamics is closed now.
The only in/output from the battery is going to/from the convertor.
Anybody remember what theirs does?
Michael

[Carl V]

If you may have reversed the battery wires, this usually blows a protection fuse (indicator LED will come on). I never tried it but I guess this would cause a little spark. Check that first.

I guess a little spark is not impossible even with the correct wire polarity, depending on the converter's and battery's respective voltages when you connect the battery.

Connect some 12V branches with the battery disconnected and you'll know if the converter section works or not. Easy to test with a multimeter as well, at the 12V fuses.
If you don't have any 12V draw, the fan is very quiet, or may not be running at all. Mine is a PD4135, similar.

[Johnny M]

When hooking up the converter or doing any electrical work for safety reasons I would (1) unplug shore power (2) disconnect the negative battery terminal. Make necessary connections then reconnect battery and shore power.

[GabbyB]

Yesterday I disconnected the battery while test running the Galley fan using shore power, everything connected. When I took the battery loose it got very quiet behind me, the fan had shut off.
Today, however, everything seems to be working as promised. I got a little spark when I connected the battery initially but no fuses have been blown and when I disconnect the battery the convertor is taking up the slack. PERHAPS, the breaker for the convertor wasn't on, but I don't think so.
The MaxxAir fan, two lights, galley fan and stove light are all operable and I am happy.
If the guy comes by to put my windows back in this afternoon as promised I will be Very happy

[stevebaz]

Originally Posted by GabbyB

Yesterday I disconnected the battery while test running the Galley fan using shore power, everything connected. When I took the battery loose it got very quiet behind me, the fan had shut off.
Today, however, everything seems to be working as promised. I got a little spark when I connected the battery initially but no fuses have been blown and when I disconnect the battery the convertor is taking up the slack. PERHAPS, the breaker for the convertor wasn't on, but I don't think so.
The MaxxAir fan, two lights, galley fan and stove light are all operable and I am happy.
If the guy comes by to put my windows back in this afternoon as promised I will be Very happy

In my Scamp it is extremely rare that the Progressive Dynamics PD4045 fan ever comes on. The battery would have to be drained very low. My battery is always plugged in to the converter at home and when camping I am on 120 volt AC or my solar panels are plugged in keeping the battery up. So my PD4045 doesn't really work very hard. If you don't have solar then the battery would drain down a whole lot more when remote camping but if your tow vehicle charging system works good even then the converter will not work very hard when you get home and put the system on charge.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by GabbyB

Question for the group:
I just re-hooked up my battery to the new Progressive Dynamics 4045 convertor/charger and got a little spark. Do not remember that happening the first time and I don't know if that's normal. The 12V circuits have not been hooked up yet but I have a new ground to the frame for the battery and the 120 system hooked up and grounded and it works. I believe the charger is working, too, but there's no indication, like the fan running.
Progressive Dynamics is closed now.
The only in/output from the battery is going to/from the convertor.
Anybody remember what theirs does?
Michael

FIRST response to your question about small sparking when hooking the converter up. If the battery needed a bit of charging that would explain the spark, I get a small spark everytime I connect my battery because of the propane detector.

Ground or negative connection to frame at the battery is NOT a good idea. You don't want current flowing through the frame. Therefore only one electrical connection to the frame should be made. That one is the green wire from the shore power cable (it's a safety ground and required). All other connections to the frame should be avoided. Why? Current flowing when dissimilar are in contact with each other can cause heavy corrosion and connection failure.

[stevebaz]

One area you have to watch with not connecting the battery to the frame is how the trailer brakes are wired. Scamp screwed the ground for the electric brake pucks to the frame instead of running to the battery. In the event of a breakaway switch and disconnect the trailer from the tug you either have to have a battery ground to the frame or you have to rewire the ground on the trailer brakes to the battery. I have seen allot of 7 pin grounds going direct to the frame and tail light and side marker lights going ground to the frame. You can wire around these issues but in practice it just isnt done. Right or wrong your just going to see it if you look enough.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

One area you have to watch with not connecting the battery to the frame is how the trailer brakes are wired. Scamp screwed the ground for the electric brake pucks to the frame instead of running to the battery. In the event of a breakaway switch and disconnect the trailer from the tug you either have to have a battery ground to the frame or you have to rewire the ground on the trailer brakes to the battery. I have seen allot of 7 pin grounds going direct to the frame and tail light and side marker lights going ground to the frame. You can wire around these issues but in practice it just isnt done. Right or wrong your just going to see it if you look enough.

Unless somebody has messed with the wiring the ground to frame for the brakes is obtained through the converter. Since the converter has metal and connected to 120VAC it's required to have the safety ground attached to the metal. Negative of the converter is also connected to it's metal chasis therefore completing the circuit.

FYI that's standard electronics configuration.

[GabbyB]

Grounding to the frame from the 12 volt system was as instructed by PD. They asked for two wires, one from the common 12 volt bus via the battery ground terminal and the green wire from the 120. That combines with the already existing 12 V ground from/to the tow vehicle frame which powers the tail light system. So lots of grounding going on, but the systems don't seem to get confused, the current finds its way back to the battery that sent it?