Inverter vs. Converter

[Kyle241]

Okay I admit not to not being an 'electronics' guy. Can someone explain to me in laymans terms what the difference is? I am planning on changing my converter as per good recommendations from this forum to the Progressive Industries Intelli-Charge 9245. Mine is located in the compartment right by the stairs which is good but it states it's an inverter not a converter.

Call me confused...

Tks.
Kyle

[Kyle241]

Okay I admit not to not being an 'electronics' guy. Can someone explain to me in laymans terms what the difference is? I am planning on changing my converter as per good recommendations from this forum to the Progressive Industries Intelli-Charge 9245. Mine is located in the compartment right by the stairs which is good but it states it's an inverter not a converter.

Call me confused...

Tks.
Kyle

[FrontRangeRVer]

Inverter will change 12 volt DC power to AC...although a modified sine wave.

A Converter will change AC power to 12 volt. This is what you need to change out if you have the Magnatek converter.

Our converter is under the fridge, and our inverter is under in the basement storage near the front door.

[Loren]

Kyle,
Reading your and FrontRangeRVer's posts lead me to believe that you have a separate converter and inverter, and I believe you are looking at the inverter. Some of the bigger [and more expensive!] inverters have converter/chargers built into them.
Two suggestions: 1- take a look aroundand see if you can find a converter under the fridge, outside compartments, behind cupboard doors, etc.
2- Take the name, model number, and any other information off the 'inverter' you have found and let us know what it is. Maybe we can find info on the internet about it.
Loren

[Kyle241]

Loren,

It's a WIN-12W6R3T from Dimensions. It does state it's an inverter. I have checked under the fridge in the compartments (unless I missed it) and still have not located the converter yet. I believe I have a separate converter because the manual refers to it but of course doesn't tell you where it is. I'll keep looking.

Again thanks for the help everyone!

Kyle

[tomsm]

Kyle - the Winnie diagrams show it under your stove. Take out the drawer just above the floor and you should find it there.

[Kyle241]

Thanks Tom. I actually found it just before logging back in and reading your message. Exactly where you state. What diagrams are you referring to? Are they on the Winnebago site? I tried looking through the documentation they provided (e.g. manuals) and did not see any schematics.

Thanks,
Kyle

[John Hilley]

Here is the link to Winnebago Electrical & Plumbing Diagrams and other useful information Manuals & Diagrams

[tomsm]

Kyle - John has given you the link - if you go in through the Winnie home page, just look for "Resources". After you choose wiring diagrams and select your year and model, select "12V Body wiring Installation" (or something like that). The particular diagram that showed your converter location was on pg. 4 of that pdf.

It's amazing the amount of documentation that Winnie provides online...

[John_Canfield]

A "Converter" simply powers the 12V devices in your coach and usually doesn't do a good job (if at all) of charging your batteries. A "Charger" or "Intelligent Charger" or "Three Stage Charger" is designed to power your 12V devices and do a fair to an excellent job of charging and maintaining your batteries.

An inverter converts 12VDC (or 24VDC) to 120VAC. This AC could be in the form a square wave (okay for most AC devices, but not all), or a sinusoidal (sine) wave which is exactly what your power company produces.

[FrankO]

I think you will find your Inverter is a 600Wer that only powers your entertainment outlets -- TVs, Sound System and the Ant control box.

Frank O.

[Kyle241]

Thanks everyone. All of you are great in sharing your knowledge and this site is a godsend for those who are 'new' to RV'ing.


Kyle

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
A "Converter" simply powers the 12V devices in your coach and usually doesn't do a good job (if at all) of charging your batteries. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not true at all! John must be talking about the single stage Parrallax/Magnatek junk that WInnie uses.

There is not a better converter/charger than the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 92XX series with the 3-stage charger. This unit will automatically charge your batteries on one of the 3 stages, and also desulfates them. You can plug in the pendant and monitor what stage you are on, and also manually select what stage you want for your batteries to charge

[Bob/Becky D - VA]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">There is not a better converter/charger than the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 92XX series with the 3-stage charger. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I would not agree with this statement.

Check out the Xantrex converter/chargers that are standard on many high-end coaches and yachts.

[Pubtym]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
A "Converter" simply powers the 12V devices in your coach and usually doesn't do a good job (if at all) of charging your batteries. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not true at all! John must be talking about the single stage Parrallax/Magnatek junk that WInnie uses.

There is not a better converter/charger than the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 92XX series with the 3-stage charger. This unit will automatically charge your batteries on one of the 3 stages, and also desulfates them. You can plug in the pendant and monitor what stage you are on, and also manually select what stage you want for your batteries to charge </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Other forum readers..please review my post today/27 Oct/on this same subject. Could save you money and breakdowns.

http://irv2.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2486094452/m/...561010944#2561010944

[John_Canfield]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
A "Converter" simply powers the 12V devices in your coach and usually doesn't do a good job (if at all) of charging your batteries. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not true at all! John must be talking about the single stage Parrallax/Magnatek junk that WInnie uses.

There is not a better converter/charger than the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 92XX series with the 3-stage charger. This unit will automatically charge your batteries on one of the 3 stages, and also desulfates them. You can plug in the pendant and monitor what stage you are on, and also manually select what stage you want for your batteries to charge </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Huh In the lower end RVs, there is only a CONVERTER which simply powers the 12 volt devices. My statement stands.

[FrontRangeRVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
A "Converter" usually doesn't do a good job (if at all) of charging your batteries. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


John, I know that the "lower end RVs" have a converter and that a converter "powers 12 volt devices", but I am just curious where you find that "converters are not good battery chargers"?

I do agree that SOME converters are not good battery chargers.....The Parrallax converter is a lousy single stage charger but the Progressive Dynamics is an excellent 3-stage charger with a desulphate mode, and you can manually change to what mode you want to charge the batteries with at any time.

Progressive Dynamics Converters

For John, and from the PD website:

The new PD9200 Series RV Converter/Chargers have our patented Charge Wizard built-in to provide you with the most advanced RV battery charging system on the market today. The Charge Wizard is a micro-processor controller that constantly monitors your RV battery voltage and then automatically determines which one of four modes of operation is best suited to recharge or maintain optimum battery condition. The four modes are BOOST, NORMAL, STORAGE and DESULFATION. The Converter Status Remote Pendant will show you which mode the converter is operating in.

The Indicator Light on the Converter Status Remote Pendant will display the mode of operation as follows:

Light "ON"� all of the time – Indicates the unit is in the BOOST MODE and the converter output voltage is 14.4-volts and is in the process of recharging the battery up to 90% of full charge as fast as possible. This mode is usually automatically selected after dry camping

Light Blinks Rapidly (every 2-3 seconds) – Indicates the unit is in the NORMAL MODE and the converter output voltage is 13.7-volts. In this mode, the converter is safely completing the charge of the RV battery.

Light Blinks Slowly (every 5-6 seconds) – Indicates the unit is in the Storage Mode and the converter output voltage has been lowered to 13.2-volts. In this mode the RV battery is fully charged and the converter is maintaining the charge, without causing gassing or water loss.

The Manual Switch...

The Manual Switch allows the operator to check to see if the Charge Wizard is operating properly as follows:

Press and hold the Manual Switch and shortly the Indicator Light will remain "ON"� all of the time, indicating the unit went into the BOOST MODE. Continue to hold the switch and shortly the Indicator Light will start blinking rapidly (every 2-3 seconds). This indicates the unit went into the NORMAL MODE. Continue to hold the switch and the unit will go into the STORAGE MODE, and the Indicator Light will start blinking slowly (every 5-6 seconds). Once the switch button is released, the Charge Wizard will again read the RV battery voltage, and after some period of time, automatically select the proper mode of operation.

The Desulfation Mode

The DESULFATION MODE is only active when the Charge Wizard is in the STORAGE MODE. During this mode a timer in the micro-processor automatically switches the Charge Wizard to the BOOST MODE for 15-minutes every 21-hours. This higher voltage causes some slight gassing, and mixes up the battery electrolyte to prevent battery stratification, and the resulting sulfation of the plates, which is the leading cause of loss of battery power.

Note: When no 120 VAC power is applied to the RV through the Shore Power Cord, or Generator, the Indicator Light will remain "ON" at all times. This indicates that the Charge Wizard is monitoring the battery voltage.