Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-08-2015, 10:27 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Replacing junk Wyco converter: Wiring ?

So my Wyco 55a converter has the problem that most have and it won't go into boost mode. Even with a pair of 6v GC2 batteries. Even if it did work properly I would like higher than 14.4v for charging.

My 2014 FR Stealth has the converter just below the fridge so probably 12 - 13 feet from the batteries (including slack). My converter has 6awg wire going to the batteries. The ground has a few inches of 6awg connecting to a ground block just behind the converter. The ground block attaches to the frame. The battery also has a 6awg ground cable that attaches to the frame. The positive wire is 6awg that goes directly to the battery (there might be an in-line 30a re-settable breaker close to the battery)

I plan to install either a PD, Iota, Powermax or Xantrex converter/charger (haven't decided yet). The new converter will be either a 55a or 60a unit. Am I fine using these with my stock wiring? I really don't want to run new wires. I do plan to clean up the frame paint under the grounds.

Thanks.



probably doesn't matter but I have the factory 4000w Onan generator and 160w Go Power solar with 30a charge controller.
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 11:13 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
deep cycle batteries have fewer and thicker plates. they do this so they are better adapted to smaller current flows in or out compared to automotive style batteries. thats why 14.4 volts aside from an equalization charge.
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 11:23 AM   #3
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Go with the progressive dynamics.
6 awg will be fine.
I went with the 9200 series 70 amp from a 55 amp wfco


TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "2 nights"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 12:30 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
you got 6 gauge to the batteries? bump to 50 amp breaker.
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 12:31 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Thanks for the replies.

Rethinking this and looking at the Interstate battery specs they want 14.4v for bulk charging. The crazy part is they want 15.3v for absorption. No converter charger can do this.

I think I'll get the PD 70amp unit so I can force it to 14.4v for fast bulk charging to 80% and then let my Blue Sky solar take over for the absorption at 15.3v. When in storage the Blue Sky will maintain the batteries.
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 12:52 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crockett View Post
you got 6 gauge to the batteries? bump to 50 amp breaker.
I'll check but it probably is a 50a breaker. It's the one on the left in the photo. The one on the right is 30a for the solar charge controller.

__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 01:02 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS View Post
Go with the progressive dynamics.
6 awg will be fine.
I went with the 9200 series 70 amp from a 55 amp wfco


TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "2 nights"
Thanks Turbs. Does the 9200 PD unit install below the Wyco distribution unit. Is there enough room?
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 01:06 PM   #8
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammick View Post
Thanks Turbs. Does the 9200 PD unit install below the Wyco distribution unit. Is there enough room?
When I installed mine years ago I had to modify the wfco case a bit to get it to fit.
15 minutes.
I just replaced one for a friend a year ago and had to mod the case more then mine to fit his wfco case.
Dremel or die grinder worked with ease.
The lower back of the case needs opened up so the converter will slide all the way back into the housing.
With that being said, if room allows behind your distribution center I'd mount it outside of the distribution center and mount it on the floor behind.
You "may" have to buy longer cables from distribution center to converter but the converter would remain cooler outside of the case.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "2 nights"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 01:51 PM   #9
Moderator Emeritus
 
Dave_Monica's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,327
Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS View Post
With that being said, if room allows behind your distribution center I'd mount it outside of the distribution center and mount it on the floor behind.
Some camper installations now have the breaker/fuse panel and converter as separate units so no issue doing that.

Dave
__________________


Nights camped in 2013 - 55, 2014 - 105, 2015 - 63
Dave_Monica is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 01:51 PM   #10
Phat Phrog Stunt Team
 
TURBS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Monica View Post
Some camper installations now have the breaker/fuse panel and converter as separate units.

Dave
True. He may find his seperate all ready.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "2 nights"
TURBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 02:04 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Learjet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 263
I think you mean WFCO
__________________
-2017 Ram Cummins, Aisin DRW 3.73, 4x4
-2015 Wildcat 317RL
-B&W Companion , MorRyde pinbox
Learjet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 03:11 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammick View Post
Thanks for the replies.

Rethinking this and looking at the Interstate battery specs they want 14.4v for bulk charging. The crazy part is they want 15.3v for absorption. No converter charger can do this.

I think I'll get the PD 70amp unit so I can force it to 14.4v for fast bulk charging to 80% and then let my Blue Sky solar take over for the absorption at 15.3v. When in storage the Blue Sky will maintain the batteries.
I looked all over the interstate site for this and all i could find was a 14.7v aborbtion rate for the "U" series deep cycle and none for the GC2-XHD you would probably replace with...can a guy get a link?
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 05:25 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Crocket PDF file attached with battery and charging specs. I have the Costco batteries which are the GC2-RD 208ah battery. The GC2-XHD have the same charging specs.

Learjet, yes WFCO. Thanks. Not sure why this forum only allows editing posts for a short amount of time.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Interstate GC2 charging instructions.pdf (147.1 KB, 37 views)
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 07:42 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
appreciated...news to me. dont know of a converter to accommodate you better than the new switch modes (a.k.a smart charger).
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 09:42 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
I have exhausted my search for a converter/charger that is capable of giving the 15.3v absorption charge required by my Interstate 6v GC2 batteries. It doesn't exist. When dry camping I will only use the converter on generator power to bulk charge to 80% and let the solar take over which will provide 15.3v absorption and hold it for two hours.

Will the PM boondocker 55w converter really provide any benefit over the WFCO 55w converter for bulk charging to 80%? I'll never let these batteries get below 50% and most likely won't go below 80% assuming I start the evening with a full charge.

My converter will most likely only come into to play during a string of cloudy days.

How many more amps will a PM boondocker put out during bulk than the WFCO?

Oh and I'm not sure the 75a PM boondocker is a good idea for a 208ah bank.
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 10:27 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
ive sold the pd 9100 series for years. had maybe one fail. power max is relatively new. centurion was probably the only coverter with a worse rep than WFCO. so your old converter wasnt the worst
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 10:53 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 147
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crockett View Post
appreciated...news to me. dont know of a converter to accommodate you better than the new switch modes (a.k.a smart charger).
Do you meant the PD converter with charge wizard?
__________________
FR Stealth 2313
Chevy 2500HD Duramax
hammick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-09-2015, 01:01 AM   #18
Senior Member
 
Crockett's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 847
Yeah...parallax was going to come out with a fully automatic for years then PD did it finally with the 9200 series. I shied away for that reason but the 9200 have been out for a while and Ive heard of no issues and are they are endorsed well here so Id prolly go with that. You have some selective charging choices with that as well with the pendant option.

Edit: you shouldnt need over the 70 amp. PD put a 20 amp plug on their 80 amp unit though it only draws 1300 watts, 50 more than the 70.
Crockett is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2015, 12:35 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 4,549
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammick View Post
So my Wyco 55a converter has the problem that most have and it won't go into boost mode.
How do I determine whether I have the problem before I find myself on the road with a dead battery?



Sent from my phone using Tapatalk.
__________________
TV: 2021 Ford F-150 4WD XLT Crew w/ 3.5L EB & HDPP, payload: 2,416#.
RV: 2020 Rockwood Mini-Lite 2507S, Propride 3P hitch w/ 1400# spring bars

Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

chriscowles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-11-2015, 12:41 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 4,549
Quote:
Originally Posted by hammick View Post
... When dry camping I will only use the converter on generator power to bulk charge to 80% and let the solar take over ...
I don't have solar and don't expect to but how do you tell when your converter switches from bulk to absorption?



Sent from my phone using Tapatalk.
__________________
TV: 2021 Ford F-150 4WD XLT Crew w/ 3.5L EB & HDPP, payload: 2,416#.
RV: 2020 Rockwood Mini-Lite 2507S, Propride 3P hitch w/ 1400# spring bars

Camping nights: 2021, 52; 2022, 99; 2023, 88; 2024, TBD (Est: 80+)

chriscowles is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
converter, wiring

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:12 AM.