Adding additional outlets

[Riwright]

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Also, one thing you'd want to consider is the charge output of the converter in the TM. You don't say what model TM you have, but if it's an older model, the max charge output in those converters (like mine) is about 6 amps. You would be running your genny a long time to charge 2 batteries with so little current.

Dave

I have an older 3124KS. The converter is not multiphase. I plan to replace it with a Progressive Dynamics 4600 series. The guy at bestconverter.com says it is an easy replacement for what I have. Not sure what amp rating I will get, either 45 (current one is 45A) or 55. Not much price difference. The house batteries are 2 Costco marine batteries that came with the TM. No AH rating listed but they look to be Group 27 so that would put them in the 100AH range. If I get the 45A converter then I can charge the bank at C5 which should be sufficient. For the aux battery I am lookin at the 35A Powermax Boondocker.

So, RiWright's last post is the only one I can find talking about the Power-Max converter/charger.

I'm getting tired of my WFCO 8955 not properly charging my 2-6V batteries. It just sits at 13.7V no matter what. I can get it to drop down to 13.2V if I unplug *all* the DC fuses. Very useful . But I've never seen it go into bulk mode .

So I bring along my "real" charger for bulk charging and unplug the batteries when not using them. Or I used to, except this winter down in Florida I got lazy. And by the time we got back to Ontario the water was almost down to the plates as we were on 110V most of the time and so the WFCO was feeding 13.7V to the batteries most of the time. I used to think that the 13.2 to 13.7V difference didn't matter, but now it's pretty clear that it does.

So back to the Power-Max. They make drop in replacement boards for the WFCO 8900 series. http://www.bestconverter.com/WFCO-Po...ent_c_196.html. My Smart battery charger was cheaper, but this thing would be soooo much more convenient, and better for my two 6v's.

Has anybody done this upgrade?

[rickst29]

But the PD 4600 has been very popular as a WFCO upgrade path, and upgrade instances are pretty well documented on TMO. If/When my WFCO blows up, I intend to pay the $40 extra for PD (in comparison to "PowerMax"). Over on the Good Sam's Board, some have suspected that WFCO and PowerMax products have a relationship- see: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...g/1/page/3.cfm halfways down.

"No, nothing nasty, and nothing wrong with going to market under several brands. BUT, if you are looking to replace a WFCO with a unit with better charging features, the PowerMax may not be the way to go...."

Perhaps this is "next generation" WFCO?

[Riwright]

I installed both the Progressive Dynamics PD4655 55 Amp Converter Upgrade Section ($205.00) and the PowerMax PM3B-35 ($139.00).

They each charge their own battery banks.

Both converters work well but I do like the PD4655 better and would recommend it for the replacement. Both are 3 stage chargers and do a good job of moving from 13.6 down to float voltage (13.2) when on AC for extended periods. It does take a while, like a day or more, but they do move to 13.2.

However the Powermax is reluctant to move into bulk charge mode (14.4), Perhaps I have just never drained the battery so far that the converter thinks that it needs 14.4 but I have never seen it higher than 13.6.

The Progressive dynamics seems relutant to move into 14.4 mode but it does have a little button that lets you move into different charge modes. Sometimes I only want to run the generator an hour or so and I want to get as much juice as I can into the batteries. I hit the button and it goes into bulk mode. Very handy.

I have seen the Progressive Dynamics move into 14.4 on it's own but the batteries have to be lower than I normally run them.

They sell a thing called the "charge wizard." All it does it give you remote access to the little button. I never installed it, I just open the panel.

The guy at Bestconverter.com tells me that both the Power-Max Boondocker (diff model from yours) and PD4655 are direct replacements for my WFCO and work similarly. But to get the over-ride button on the PD4655 (to force it into boost) I need to (optionally) replace the WFCO fuse board.

Anyway, will look into getting the PD4655 just to be sure to get something that's NOT using the WFCO charging algorithm.

But right now the shipping across the border is killing me. This may have to wait until next winter when we're in Florida.

Thanks for the help folks.

[Riwright]

The new fuse board is nice. A red LED shows you which fuse is blown.