CONVERTER not working

[Adrian W]

I just noticed that our CONVERTER is not working. I went out to get the battery hooked up and to get it charged and the inverter never kicked on.

Has anyone had a problem with an CONVERTER stopping?

I have "flipped" the circuit breaker switches, several times, they are ON. I have checked the auto type fuses, they are good. I charged the battery with a charger (not hooked up to the trailer) and I have hooked it back into the trailer. It is getting battery power to the 12 v lights now. No power to them before with the 120 v power hooked to the trailer, the 120v light is working and has been with it hooked to the shore power.

Is anything I have missed to do? Do I just need to take it to a RV dealer to get it checked out?

[Pete Dumbleton]

I think you are talking about your CONVERTER (changes shore power 120VAC to 12VDC), not your INVERTER (which changes 12VDC to 120VAC for when there's no shore/generator power.

I would look for internal fuses in the converter, besides the 12VDC fuse block for the lights and appliances.

There are TWO 12VDC fuses in the Scamp wiring between the converter and the battery. On is in the wiring harness within inches of the battery. The other is near the front center of the lower pod . Depending on your setup, it is inside a front storage area or it is under the carpeting behind stairs.

Check the wiring diagram in your Scamp manual and you can see the two fuses.

I would also get the complete unit details (make, model and serial number) get the converter's complete manual online or from a 1-800 number. If that doesn't help, call the unit's tech support number and ask them, preferably from near the converter so you can answer questions.

In fact, take the time to identify ALL your appliances and get their manuals now, before you need them. Even if they are no use to you, a technical friend might understand them.

[Gina D.]

I think you mean your CONVERTER.

I am no help.. it could be a whole bunch a things. You have already do what I would do, then I would ask as well.


edit: SIMILPOST!!!

[Dan Meyer]

Along the lines of what Pete said, there are several fuses between the battery and converter.

One fuse is right at the battery (the black wire is positive - who decided that anyway!?!).
The second fuse is just inside the camper where the wiring from the battery enters the camper.
The third is at the converter fuse panel - in my 2000 Scamp it is the bottom fuse, and is labeled battery.

If you connect a charged battery to your Scamp, do all of the 12 volt lights and accessories work? The answer to this might help us determine more about the problem.

To directly answer youe specific question, yes, I have had trouble with my converter. It was a Magnetec 6720, and is now a Parallax Power 6730. Read all about my converter repair on my web site - go to http://scamp.n0kfb.org/ and click on modifications and repairs.

Keep us posted!

-- Dan Meyer

[Adrian W]

Yes, CONVERTER (I edited the inverter out).

I have checked the two fuses up front, by the battery and the one just inside the closet. Both are good. RE"There are TWO 12VDC fuses in the Scamp wiring between the converter and the battery. On is in the wiring harness within inches of the battery. The other is near the front center of the lower pod...").

Thanks!

[Fred Thomas]

Does anyone know why Scamp places two identical in-line fuses in the same wire?
Wouldn't a single fuse do the job?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Does anyone know why Scamp places two identical in-line fuses in the same wire?
Wouldn't a single fuse do the job?

They're not in same wire.

Once is close to the battery and one is close to where the charge line comes in from the Tow Vehicle.

I wondered if it could be done with one fuse, then concluded after looking at the schematic I came to the same conclusion as Scamp, two fuses are needed.

[Darwin Maring]

Unplug the AC voltage. Connect the battery to the camper and see if the 12DC lights inside the camper work. If they do, you R getting voltage to the lights from the battery. If they do not, you may have an open circuit (Blown Fuse) or broke wire.

If U had lights then Disconnect the battery and the lights should go out. If that is so then power up the AC Voltage and if your Converter is working, the 12VDC lights should come back on. There may be switches on the converter along with fuses for both the AC and DC sides of the converter.

If the lights do not come back on - you will now know that the problem is with the AC/DC system and work it out from there.

You will need to check the fuses in the AC/DC box to make sure they are all good. Do this by inserting a KNOWN GOOD fuse. You find out if the fuses are GOOD by doing a continunity check with a multimeter. You can purchase a multimeter from Harbor Freight for less than $10 and it will have directions on how to use it.

The multimeter is also good for testing the AC and DC side of the converter so you will be able to verify that U R getting 120VAC in and that it is putting 12VDC out.
If you have an open wire someplace, you can purchase a wire tracer from HarborFreight for less than $20 that will allow you to connect one device on the end of the wire and use the other device to follow and track it (Fox and Hound).

[GeorgeR]

This is good site for converter purchases, upgrades, upgrade instructions by users and replacements Bestconverter . They specialize primarily in converters. Good luck.

George.

[Dan Meyer]

I purchased my replacement converter from http://www.rvpowerpartsplus.com/ - They had the best price, and the converter was shipped promptly.

-- Dan Meyer

[Adrian W]

The converter was shot After doing some checking using advise from you guys and from my son (if only he lived nearer) it all pointed to being shot. But hoping something small could be done, I took the Scamp into a dealship service center and had them check it out ($48) and they confirmed it was shot.

I had called Scamp in MN and a new converter is $160 and $59 for a mother board, which is all they said I might need. I looked on some web sites you guys had given but was NOT sure what I was looking for. Therefore, I looked up American Enterprises Converters and found a site. I could have order just a mother board but just in case, I wanted to get it all new, so I have placed an order for a new converter.

They are in Canoga Park, CA. I should have just order one and saved the $48.

Thanks for the replys and advise. Here is the web address if any Scamps need a new converter (hope not):

http://americandirect.ibuilder.com/default...CategoryID=1096

CS2000XL 20 amp Power Converter This unit replaces the American CS1200XL and the Centurion CS2000. MAIN PC BOARD ALSO AVAILABLE- PLEASE CALL!
Price: $95.00/ea.

[Gina D.]

The converter was shot

Did it bleed all over everything? (I'll go to my room now)

At work, when someone describes the problem with their amp as "It blew up", I ask if thousands were killed.

Glad you found the problem, and if you think about it, thats the easiest fix... and not a bad price either.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Umm, Gina, you know enough to know that converters don't bleed when they are shot -- The bullet holes just let the smoke out and without smoke in them, electronic devices just can't work...

[Darwin Maring]

I had a friend in the Army who would wrap solder around the fuse terminals on the device’s called TH-22 and TH-5. I asked him what the heck he was doing and he replied, just wrap enough solder on the thing so it would not blow, plug it in and replace anything that smokes and it works every time. He was the best TH-22/5 repairman I ever knew.

Unfortunately that will not work today with all of our miniature circuits.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I had a friend in the Army who would wrap solder around the fuse terminals on the device’s called TH-22 and TH-5. I asked him what the heck he was doing and he replied, just wrap enough solder on the thing so it would not blow, plug it in and replace anything that smokes and it works every time. He was the best TH-22/5 repairman I ever knew.

Unfortunately that will not work today with all of our miniature circuits.

Of all the trouble shooting methods this the absolute worst for the following reasons;
1. No guarantee "root cause" part will smoke.
2. You'll probably kill several other parts.
3. Any circuit boards around could have the traces burned up.
4. It's possible to do damage to parts that will fail later.

DON'T Try it.

P.S. Thanks Darwin for pointing out a real life example why fuses aren't consider good circuit protection.

[Richard S.]

I had a CS2000XL converter in my Scamp 16 that constantly had the overload light on with no overload present. I drilled out the crummy pop rivet install that Scamp did and took the converter out and apart. I found that the large toroid coil (doughnut coil) had two leads broken out of the pc board. I soldered them back in place and now the converter works again. Things tend to get shaken loose in a trailer and loose parts are always something to look for.