Power Converter

[Chester Taje]

When i am plugged into shore power my convertor fan seems to run alot..My question is---Does the fan run because battery charger is working or is fan used to cool convertor reguardless of battery charging side.

[Byron Kinnaman]

It's cheape to just turn on the fan when power is applied than all the stuff to make it turn on and off.

[Suz]

Ches, I am no expert but I do have practical experience. My old converter fan ran all the time. It was old, and I assumed, underpowered. This made it run hot so that it ran almost all the time, even when I wasn't using the 12V system. When I upgraded, the new one is larger and much more efficient. It seldom runs. When the weather is hot AND I'm using a lot of 12V lights, it kicks in once in a while, but it runs very little. And, yes, the fan is to keep the converter cool while it's "converting." If you have nothing on that is 12V, then it shouldn't need to run.

[Chester Taje]

Ches, I am no expert but I do have practical experience. My old converter fan ran all the time. It was old, and I assumed, underpowered. This made it run hot so that it ran almost all the time, even when I wasn't using the 12V system. When I upgraded, the new one is larger and much more efficient. It seldom runs. When the weather is hot AND I'm using a lot of 12V lights, it kicks in once in a while, but it runs very little. And, yes, the fan is to keep the converter cool while it's "converting." If you have nothing on that is 12V, then it shouldn't need to run.

Thats what i thought.Thanks Suz.

[Pete Dumbleton]

I believe the older converters and the transformers inside created heat even when not actually servicing a load; the newer converters seem to be much more efficient in that regard, so I would expect the fan to run less.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Ches, I am no expert but I do have practical experience. My old converter fan ran all the time. It was old, and I assumed, underpowered. This made it run hot so that it ran almost all the time, even when I wasn't using the 12V system.

It's pretty easy to design-build a converter and put a fan in that run when ever the converter is powered. It's more difficult and more expensive to design-build a converter with a thermostate.
[quote]

I don't know about the efficiency of the your newer larger converter, but from what you describe it has a thermostate to turn on the fan when the electronics gets to some predetermined temperature. If you battery has run down a bit, it might run with no apparent 12 things on. Depends on air temperature and current draw from converter.

[Chester Taje]

Hi Byron
This info is good .I now understand it more.Thanks all.

[Suz]

Ches, I just remembered that your Trill has a 12V refrigerator, right? Does this occur when the fridge is on 12V or did you have it on AC -- if you have a choice of AC or DC?

[Suz]

Byron, while it very well may be true that my new converter has a thermostat, it also runs much cooler than my other one. I seldom get any heat off of this one.

I'm not quite sure I understand this statement:

If your battery has run down a bit, it might run with no apparent 12 things on.

I thought the converter only ran when it was converting 110 to 12V. My never runs when I'm running off of the battery. It only runs when it needs to convert the power.

I agree with the draw. I suspect it was his 12V fridge that was causing it to run.

[Chester Taje]

Ches, I just remembered that your Trill has a 12V refrigerator, right? Does this occur when the fridge is on 12V or did you have it on AC -- if you have a choice of AC or DC?

Only DC Suz

[Byron Kinnaman]

Byron, while it very well may be true that my new converter has a thermostat, it also runs much cooler than my other one. I seldom get any heat off of this one.

I'm not quite sure I understand this statement:

I thought the converter only ran when it was converting 110 to 12V. My never runs when I'm running off of the battery. It only runs when it needs to convert the power.

I agree with the draw. I suspect it was his 12V fridge that was causing it to run.

Most converters also charge the house battery. Without knowing more about your converter I can't say whether the fan would come on when charging the battery or not in your case.

[Suz]

[b]Most converters also charge the house battery. Without knowing more about your converter I can't say whether the fan would come on when charging the battery or not in your case.

You're right, of course, Byron. A good friend reminded me of that ... which I alrealy knew, I just had one of those "moments." Thanks for the correction.

Now that you mention it, though, I don't seem to remember it coming on when I'm charging the battery, only when I'm running a light or something similar. It's about time to plug her in and charge up the battery and with the outside temps approaching 100* it won't take long to find out.

Ches, my guess is that yours ran because you had your 12V fridge on.

[Chester Taje]

You're right, of course, Byron. A good friend reminded me of that ... which I alrealy knew, I just had one of those "moments." Thanks for the correction.

Now that you mention it, though, I don't seem to remember it coming on when I'm charging the battery, only when I'm running a light or something similar. It's about time to plug her in and charge up the battery and with the outside temps approaching 100* it won't take long to find out.

Ches, my guess is that yours ran because you had your 12V fridge on.

You are probably right.I will either find another way to cool convertor or run strickly from battery and only plug in a battery charger.This fan is noisey.

[Byron Kinnaman]

You are probably right.I will either find another way to cool convertor or run strickly from battery and only plug in a battery charger.This fan is noisey.

I would suggest simply replacing the fan. Mine runs all the time is very quiet. The battery charger method will work just fine except it's a bit more hassle.

[Chester Taje]

I would suggest simply replacing the fan. Mine runs all the time is very quiet. The battery charger method will work just fine except it's a bit more hassle.