Got a converter question - Page 2

mobilemechanic · 05-13-2022, 12:37 PM

I'm sorry I didn't realize the difference, my apologies, my shore cord has a 110v plug in on it, the shore cord comes into my camper, not a disconnect like they have nowadays, that's what I'm looking to upgrade, but I was told that my converter may not handle the 30amp shore cord, sorry about all the confusion

**Flybob** · 05-13-2022, 12:48 PM

It appears that the confusion is due to the volts and amps references. Your RV is ( as are most all) 120V AC. This can be supplied from a 20Amp outlet, a 30A outlet or a 50A outlet in the pedestal. The current capability (amps) of the outlet is simply the max amount of current available before the pedestal breaker trips. Because you have higher current available does not necessarily mean you can use it as that will be determined by the protection device in the TT. If you are simply trying to add the convenience of using a 30A plug, then the best solution is get a 30A cord and plug to replace your current one. In all likely hood, this will only add the convenience and not allow for any added loads in the TT. You will need the new cord anyway of you upgrade the converter in the future. My recommendation would be to replace the converter with a modern one as it will increase load capacity as well as provide much better charging of your batter as new convertors have multi-level charging.

sdelam · 05-13-2022, 12:49 PM

You can replace your shore cord with a 30a cord if you like, its just way overkill for that converter. Nothing dangerous about it though.

Edit to add: Just remember the circuit (shower power) will be fused at 30a and not 15/20 amp. Not any different than using an adapter though.

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 12:53 PM

As long as your power cord is going into a circuit breaker or fuse, you can run a 50 amp power cord into there if you want to. The converter is still only going to draw 6.2 amps from the AC side. You are still going to have (likely) only a 20 amp main breaker. If you went to 50 amps for the power cord, you would need to cap off one of the hot legs. The other hot leg would go into the 20 AMP main circuit breaker in your panel. The white neutral leg would go to the common neutral buss bar, and the ground would go to the ground AC buss bar.

You could supply 1000 amps to the converter if you wanted to, and it would only draw 6.2 amps. As long as there was a 20 amp fuse or circuit breaker in the path before the converter.

Now, if your power cord goes directly to the electrical outlets, without any fuses or circuit breakers in between, then you need to stick with the 20 amp standard 3-prong power cord, and plugging it into a 30-amp or 50-amp receptacle through an adapter is a bad idea.

What you do not mess with is voltage. High voltage is what will fry the converter - not what amperage of receptacle it is plugged into.

mobilemechanic · 05-13-2022, 12:54 PM

What kind of converter would y'all recommend on a budget, I will be also upgrading my old propane furnace to that of an electric one, so I know I will be upgrading the electrical, my camper currently has a smaller circuit breaker box and a separate fuse box with the old glass fuses, they will be upgraded to blade fuse boxes, just a little info on my camper, the ac has a slow blow round fuse

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 12:56 PM

Progressive Dynamics converter:
https://www.progressivedyn.com/

If you are going to upgrade everything, just get a complete Progressive Dynamics power center and have everything in one unit. If your RV is currently wired to handle only 15 or 20 amps, you do not need to upgrade all the wiring in the RV - you only need to upgrade the power panel and connect your old 15 or 20 amp wiring to 15 or 20 amp individual circuit breakers.

mobilemechanic · 05-13-2022, 01:19 PM

By using this setup, how would I replace the round slow fuse for my ac?

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

By using this setup, how would I replace the round slow fuse for my ac?

Your shore power cord would go into the new power panel and connect to the main circuit breaker which would be 30 amps. The glass fuse on the AC side would be completely eliminated.

All other AC loads in the trailer, including the converter, would then be wired to the 15 or 20 amp branch circuit breakers.

mobilemechanic · 05-13-2022, 01:34 PM

This is a picture of my current converter and fuse panel, and yes my camper is this old, but still no current water leaks, the previous owner started upgrading the sewer, newer toilet 2018 Era, new tanks down below, I added a hot rod to the cast iron water heater, just doing what I can afford on a tight budget

**bikendan** · 05-13-2022, 01:39 PM

Just for information, the OP has a 41 year old Skyline Layton trailer.

Sent from my SM-G781U using Forest River Forums mobile app

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 01:42 PM

I wish I would have seen your posting about a month ago, I had a complete power center with converter I would have sent you for just a little more than postage. Anyway... here's a WFCO powercenter with converter for $150:
https://www.amazon.com/PowerMax-PPC-.../dp/B07LFYF4NF

You would need to add circuit breakers.

mobilemechanic · 05-13-2022, 01:57 PM

Would this work as a new fuse box, I'm asking all these questions because y'all have more information about this, I do a lot of automotive work, but I want to make sure I get a good one though

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Would this work as a new fuse box, I'm asking all these questions because y'all have more information about this, I do a lot of automotive work, but I want to make sure I get a good one though

Yes. That is the standard DC distribution fuse panel found in modern power centers. Looks like $9 on ebay.

D W · 05-13-2022, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Would this work as a new fuse box, I'm asking all these questions because y'all have more information about this, I do a lot of automotive work, but I want to make sure I get a good one though

That's fine for the 12V side, but what concerns me is the 120V side. You have no service panel. No circuit protection inside the unit. The converter appears to be hot wired relying solely on the pedestal circuit breaker for protection. I also see several romex wires spliced and taped. This should at a minimum be inside a J-box. Aside from the converter and hot rod in the water heater, it is unclear what other 120V loads you may have. At full load, your converter is rated at 8 amps powering the 12V side. Guessing that your hot rod resistance is around 10 ohms, it would have a current draw of 12 amps. Whether your power cord from the converter will handle the load should be a major concern. I understand being on a tight budget, but I wouldn't sacrifice safety for economy.

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D W

That's fine for the 12V side, but what concerns me is the 120V side. You have no service panel. No circuit protection inside the unit. The converter appears to be hot wired relying solely on the pedestal circuit breaker for protection. I also see several romex wires spliced and taped. This should at a minimum be inside a J-box. Aside from the converter and hot rod in the water heater, it is unclear what other 120V loads you may have. At full load, your converter is rated at 8 amps powering the 12V side. Guessing that your hot rod resistance is around 10 ohms, it would have a current draw of 12 amps. Whether your power cord from the converter will handle the load should be a major concern. I understand being on a tight budget, but I wouldn't sacrifice safety for economy.

I completely agree. I would do a complete power center and be done with it.

Larry-NC · 05-13-2022, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

I completely agree. I would do a complete power center and be done with it.

Unless there's some emotional value to keeping it "original."

NavyLCDR · 05-13-2022, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Unless there's some emotional value to keeping it "original."

Yes, but installing a circuit breaker to keep it safe, I would think, would be a small non-original emotional sacrifice to make in order to make it safer. An unsafe electrical system, especially on the AC side, may cause emotional attachment to be all that is left of the trailer.

dedobias · 05-16-2022, 06:51 PM

It says 6.3 A at 120v right on the label. 40 amps is at 12v.

garywilson · 05-16-2022, 08:18 PM

To your original question, the only advantage I can think of to putting a 30A plug on it would be when using a pedestal with a cover... an adapter might keep you from closing the cover.

I'd really be tempted to put a breaker on it, though...unless the converter has an appropriate fuse.

Chuck_S · 05-17-2022, 07:03 AM

Just looking at the photos my guess is this trailer has no internal 120vAC wiring and everything is 12vDC run off the converter and battery. If this is true there is nothing to be gained with any of the proposed modifications, including the power cord change. The more modern fuse block noted earlier would be more convenient to eliminate the glass fuses. A $10 adapter from Lowes is all that's needed. Marked up to $15.76 at Camping World 'cuz it's "RV" stuff. Which he probably already has.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CAMCO-15-Am...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

-- Chuck

You may also like: