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Old 12-29-2018, 09:23 AM   #1
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Bad Converter

I’m new to RVs and bought a used 2016 Forest River Wildwood 26BHXL.
My converter is bad and it’s model number WF-8955PEC. We were told it’s a 30amp but I can’t find a 30 amp converter. Someone told me that the amp is the last 2 numbers. So is it a 55amp??? My outside sticker above my power cord says 30amp. I found a 35amp converter just like mine same model number but 35 amp. Will it work and not blow my circuits?? Help plz!!!
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Old 12-29-2018, 09:26 AM   #2
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I can't answer your specific questions... but the amp rating of your Wildwood is not the same as the amp rating of your converter. Those are apples/oranges numbers. A 30amp trailer can have a 55amp converter, etc.
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Old 12-29-2018, 09:42 AM   #3
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You have a 55 amp converter. Replace it with an equivalent Progressive Dynamics unit. Contact Randy at Bestconverter.com for help. Great guy great company
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Old 12-29-2018, 09:44 AM   #4
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Your converter is a 55A model. As mentioned you are confusing the 120VAC current capacity of your RV (30A) with the 12VDC current output capacity of your converter. As long as you are replacing the converter you may want to look at a Progressive Dynamics Part Number BD 1255 MBA. It is about $50 more but a much higher quality converter and a direct replacement.
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Old 12-29-2018, 09:55 AM   #5
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... AND we've seen reports of "bad converters" only to learn there was some other problem. Please get a second opinion on your "bad converter" before you spend money to replace it. There's a possibility you only have blown out Reverse Polarity fuses.
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Old 12-29-2018, 10:00 AM   #6
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How do you know your converter is bad?
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Old 12-29-2018, 10:43 AM   #7
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Quote:
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How do you know your converter is bad?
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Old 12-29-2018, 10:55 AM   #8
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... AND we've seen reports of "bad converters" only to learn there was some other problem. Please get a second opinion on your "bad converter" before you spend money to replace it. There's a possibility you only have blown out Reverse Polarity fuses.
And here are the links to various troubleshooting trees to make sure it is a bad converter and not something else, like a blown fuse, bad wiring or bad battery.

However given the WFCO track record, replacing it with a PD unit, regardless, you will be ahead of the game.

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Old 12-29-2018, 01:08 PM   #9
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I thought my converter was bad but found out that it had two blown fuses. I replaced them with two 40 amp's and problem solved.
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Old 12-29-2018, 01:25 PM   #10
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I thought my converter was bad but found out that it had two blown fuses. I replaced them with two 40 amp's and problem solved.
Were you recently working on your batteries and had the wires disconnected?

Those two 40 amp fuses are most likely the "Reverse Polarity" fuses that are designed to blow before any damage can be done when batteries are hooked up in reverse, even for just a millisecond.

Can also blow under other circumstances so it's a good idea to carry a couple extra. They're inexpensive to buy but priceless if you don't have when needed
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Old 12-29-2018, 01:40 PM   #11
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And here are the links to various troubleshooting trees to make sure it is a bad converter and not something else, like a blown fuse, bad wiring or bad battery.

However given the WFCO track record, replacing it with a PD unit, regardless, you will be ahead of the game.

Aaron

Just an observation but every manufacturer of electronic equipment has a failure rate (%). If the majority of RV's leave the factory with WFCO Converters it only stands to reason we read more "Bad Converter" stories on Forums. Is the WFCO the best available? No, but there are lots and lots of them in service and never see a problem.

My main reason for replacing mine with a PD converter was to upgrade.

WFCO converters have a 3 stage charge "algorithm" and Progressive Dynamics units (among others) have 4 stages. WFCO says three is enough and make a fair case for three being enough on their website as does Progressive Dynamics for their 4 stage process.

FWIW I wonder how many "cooked batteries" using WFCO Converters were actually batteries with bad cells which can happen not only on older batteries but new ones as well, regardless of how well maintained the batteries were.
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Old 12-29-2018, 01:56 PM   #12
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Just an observation but every manufacturer of electronic equipment has a failure rate (%). If the majority of RV's leave the factory with WFCO Converters it only stands to reason we read more "Bad Converter" stories on Forums. Is the WFCO the best available? No, but there are lots and lots of them in service and never see a problem.

My main reason for replacing mine with a PD converter was to upgrade.

WFCO converters have a 3 stage charge "algorithm" and Progressive Dynamics units (among others) have 4 stages. WFCO says three is enough and make a fair case for three being enough on their website as does Progressive Dynamics for their 4 stage process.

FWIW I wonder how many "cooked batteries" using WFCO Converters were actually batteries with bad cells which can happen not only on older batteries but new ones as well, regardless of how well maintained the batteries were.
Agreed!

Over the years I've seen and read about maybe 30 bad WFCO converters, yet there are hundreds of thousands that work perfectly fine.

This forum especially, gives them an unfair track record.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:14 PM   #13
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You don't have your location in your profile or sig, but if you were close enough to me and your converter really is bad, I have a 8955PEC that I would let you have.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:44 PM   #14
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Agreed!

Over the years I've seen and read about maybe 30 bad WFCO converters, yet there are hundreds of thousands that work perfectly fine.

This forum especially, gives them an unfair track record.
Nice try, but the WFCO converters are pretty much China junk. I have had several go bad in the last 10 years. And, yes they pretty much routinely fry batteries of left hooked up. Many mfg. of high quality Rv's have gone to Progressive units as OEM.
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Old 12-29-2018, 02:54 PM   #15
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China junk.
When I was a young kid in the 1950's I heard the above statement only it was Japan(ese) rather than China.

Look where Japan stands in the electronic's market today and strangely enough, much of their 'stuff" is made in Chinese factories, marketed as made in Japan when assembled into final product.

FWIW, I've seen my share of "American Junk" too. Lots of it came from Detroit.

BTW, this post was typed on a really nice Dell 15-7559 Laptop with 2.6 ghz Core i7 processor, 1Tb Hard Drive, 8 Gb Ram, 8 gb SDD. Geoforce GTX dedicated Graphics Card by NVIDA. It's actually a "re-badged" Alienware laptop as Dell now owns Alienware. Made in China. Only issues with the Laptop is Windows 10 and it's twice annual updates that are made right here in the USA.

China Junk? OK, if you say so. Guess I'll go back to watching my 4k 55" Flat Screen TV that's been trouble free for several years. It too was made in China.
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Old 12-29-2018, 03:02 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by rsstill View Post
I’m new to RVs and bought a used 2016 Forest River Wildwood 26BHXL.
My converter is bad and it’s model number WF-8955PEC. We were told it’s a 30amp but I can’t find a 30 amp converter. Someone told me that the amp is the last 2 numbers. So is it a 55amp??? My outside sticker above my power cord says 30amp. I found a 35amp converter just like mine same model number but 35 amp. Will it work and not blow my circuits?? Help plz!!!
Since you are a new member and obviously uninformed about your electric system in your trailer please get a second opinion from an experianced person.

As stated before, the 30 amp sticker on your trailer has nothing to do with your converter. You trailer has a 30 amp 120 volt AC service. You converter is a 12 volt elcetric device. Think of it as a battery charger. It supplies 12 volts to your rig (lighting and control wireing) while charging the batteries at the same time. The 30 amp service panel supplies 120 volt to your AC systems (refridgerator, WH, electric outlets, Microwave, A/C etc.

Let us know what you figure out.
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Old 12-29-2018, 03:25 PM   #17
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I agree with the other comments already made and suggest the following to help you understand how appliances in your RV works. New to RV's helpful hints by wmtire
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Old 12-29-2018, 03:52 PM   #18
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You say that you cannot find a 30 amp converter, did you look on Ebay. I took the model number you gave"WF-8955PEC", went to Ebay and found several brand new converters of that model number for $144.99. You will find that Ebay can be your best source of parts for RV's. Good luck with your repairs and happy camping.
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Old 12-29-2018, 04:23 PM   #19
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You say that you cannot find a 30 amp converter, did you look on Ebay. I took the model number you gave"WF-8955PEC", went to Ebay and found several brand new converters of that model number for $144.99. You will find that Ebay can be your best source of parts for RV's. Good luck with your repairs and happy camping.
Once again---

The WF 8955 is a 55 ampConverter

The Trailer is 30 amp but only on the 120 Volt shore power side.
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Old 12-29-2018, 04:25 PM   #20
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Agreed!

Over the years I've seen and read about maybe 30 bad WFCO converters, yet there are hundreds of thousands that work perfectly fine.

This forum especially, gives them an unfair track record.
Quote:
Originally Posted by garbonz View Post
Nice try, but the WFCO converters are pretty much China junk. I have had several go bad in the last 10 years. And, yes they pretty much routinely fry batteries of left hooked up. Many mfg. of high quality Rv's have gone to Progressive units as OEM.
Need to go talk to repair shops. I had to replace 3 WFCO converters on my TT in less than 3 years. Actually it would be 4 because one was DOA. I do RV repairs on a part time basis for a repair shop, WFCO converters and bad batteries are two of the main issues. Along with bad wiring from the manufacturer and sucky control boards.

On the ones I had, the last one that should have been replaced under warranty was refused by WFCO they claimed it had been exposed to a power surge. I KNOW better because I use an EMS at all times.

Plenty of people replace their batteries every 2-3 years because they believe that is what you have to do, on my PD equipped RVs I get 5+ out of most of my batteries. And they aren't particularly high quality batteries to begin with.

I had a buddy of mine that is an Electronics Engineer who does power packs for servers take a look at the WFCO and the PD, in his words; the PD was a more robust unit and very well designed. The WFCO is cheap and built to a low price point.

The main reason WFCO is OEM is because it is cheap. I have a buddy that works for an RV dealer near me, he has been there close to 20 years, he can't recall EVER replacing a PD unit, but has replaced many WFCO units.

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