Burned up converter

[Kiowa]

Attached are three photos of my converter. It burned up and I'm not quite sure why. I was able to replace it and now I want to know how I can make sure it's working properly. That, and why it may have burned up to start with.

Thanks, everyone.

[vasnipe]

Kiowa,
Question, was the cooling fan that is pictured there functional?
If the cooling fan fails the converter can overheat and fail.
A make and model would help in diagnosis.
Some of the WFCO's have cooling fans that "get tired" and quit and then the unit overheats and lets the "magic blue smoke" out.


Chris in Virginia

[rick42wood]

Most electrical smoke is caused by the over syndrome. Overheated, overloaded, over wetted, over aged.

[Frank-VA]

Originally Posted by vasnipe

Kiowa,
Question, was the cooling fan that is pictured there functional?
If the cooling fan fails the converter can overheat and fail.
A make and model would help in diagnosis.
Some of the WFCO's have cooling fans that "get tired" and quit and then the unit overheats and lets the "magic blue smoke" out.


Chris in Virginia

My converter played out on us going to the FROG Rally in Goshen this year. When the FR Tech checked it out the fan was not running like it was designed to. The converter had some burn spots on the Elec board when they removed it. So they replaced the converter.

[Kiowa]

My camper is a 2011 Micro-Lite XLT 18RK with a WFCO WF-8955PEC converter.

[mike54]

I just had my converter replaced it was a WFCO WF-8955PEC i think mine went out because the fan quit. The new converter I hear the fan coming on when I turn on the lights I don't remember hearing the fan on the old one. hoping this one lasts more than 2 yrs

[Kiowa]

I've not paid that much attention to the fan. I remember hearing it on a fairly regular basis but I can't tell you if it ever didn't come on when it should have. I guess that's the problem. The strange thing is is that I used this camper as my weekday residence for 2+ years. I never had a problem with the converter. The week I towed it home it burned up. I'm wondering if it's something I did.

Asked sheepishly: if the battery were disconnected while towing it, would that cause this problem?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Kiowa

I've not paid that much attention to the fan. I remember hearing it on a fairly regular basis but I can't tell you if it ever didn't come on when it should have. I guess that's the problem. The strange thing is is that I used this camper as my weekday residence for 2+ years. I never had a problem with the converter. The week I towed it home it burned up. I'm wondering if it's something I did.

Asked sheepishly: if the battery were disconnected while towing it, would that cause this problem?

No, towing it without a battery would not do it.
Do yourself a favor and replace it with a progressive dynamics converter.
Wfco's are crap mainly because they use cheap cooling fans.

I added an additional fan to my wfco in my current camper that i manually turn on for this reason.

Replace with a progressive dynamics and you'll be worry free.

Turbs

[Kiowa]

I've read a lot of good reviews about the PD converters. And, from what I understand, they're pretty much a direct drop-in, right?

Question answered: http://www.progressivedyn.com/pd4600...placement.html

[Arefbee]

That almost looks like the bulging capacitor issue from few years ago.
Capacitor plague - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I had to replace the motherboards on about a hundred Dells thanks to that issue. I found the same issue in CF yard lights from Lowes about the same time, on two different devices.

[TURBS]

Also,
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ion-39922.html

[Kiowa]

The capacitor is most definitely bulged on the top. Interesting. I hadn't heard about this problem.

[TURBS]

Replaced my wfco 55. Amp with a 70 amp progressive dynamics a few years ago for the same fan issue.
Then it was mostly a drop in.
Now wfco has changed the case a lil bit.


Turbs