318 SAB Fuse panel fan

[Thoth1987]

Very sorry if this has been asked. Search wasn't bringing anything up! When I turn on the main room lights[all 4 sets w/ the switch near the door] I can hear the little fan going right below my fuse panel. It slows down and sounds weak and depressing. I'm thinking it may need new bearings. I'm unsure how to pop off the face plate to have a peek. Does anyone have experience doing this? Or am I wrong and it's just a variable speed and doesn't need to be going fast in the first place?

2013 318 SAB

Thanks!

[JRTJH]

The fan you hear is in the converter/charger. It provides 12 VDC (converted from 120VAC) to power the trailer 12 VDC systems (lights, furnace fan, refrigerator/water heater control boards, stereo, TV antenna amplifier, etc. As you increase demand on the converter/charger by turning on more 12 VDC equipment, the rectifier in the converter gets warm. There is a variable speed fan located in the end of the housing that helps cool the rectifier circuits. It speeds up/slows down depending on the amount of DC power required. More lights, faster fan speed/more noise. Less 12 volt demand, slower fan speed, less noise.

[Thoth1987]

So the fact that it sounds inconsistent and weak is likely just it adjusting to what's actually in demand? And not that it's dying?

[limit4]

Sounds like it is fine. Our 2013 x lite sounded just as you described.

[JRTJH]

So the fact that it sounds inconsistent and weak is likely just it adjusting to what's actually in demand? And not that it's dying?

If it gets louder (or seems to run faster) the more 12 volt items you turn on (increased demand for power) and it gets softer (seems to run slower) as you turn those 12 volt items off, then yes, that's the intended function and nothing's wrong. Think of it as "engine noise with your tow vehicle". Idling in a parking lot versus towing up a hill with the trailer at full weight behind you: There's a significant difference in how the "cooling fan behind the radiator" sounds......

[hankpage]

These fans are also prone to drawing in dust and require occasional cleaning especially if you have pets. I use "canned air" type electronics duster to blow out the fan and converter at the beginning of each season. Be sure you are NOT connected to shore power at the time. JM2¢, Hank

[bobbecky]

With our rig, which originally had incandesant bulbs in all the fixtures, we could turn all of them on and the fan would run at top speed. Once we replaced all the bulbs with LEDs, almost never hear the fan run.