Converter

Finley · 12-09-2019, 08:50 PM

I have a 2016 cougar 327 res 5 th wheel and I was wounded if anyone could tell me where the converter is located. My lights are getting really dim and I don’t have enough juice to light my furnace. Thanks for any advice

GHen · 12-09-2019, 10:19 PM

I don’t have a cougar, but should be in the main living area, probably behind a 9” x 9” or so metal door. Could be near the floor or in a cabinet near the door.

Sounds like your batteries are going dead, are you plugged into shore power? If so, you may have a blown fuse somewhere.

wiredgeorge · 12-10-2019, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finley

I have a 2016 cougar 327 res 5 th wheel and I was wounded if anyone could tell me where the converter is located. My lights are getting really dim and I don’t have enough juice to light my furnace. Thanks for any advice

A quick look at a for sale unit shows the converter under the pantry to the right of the refrigerator. Are you on shore power? If so, the battery seems like a likely culprit. Get it load tested.

travelin texans · 12-10-2019, 07:53 AM

I'd have the batteries checked before spending $$ on a converter.

Finley · 12-10-2019, 09:47 AM

Thanks. I have brand new batteries put in. I took the Panel box off because I thought the converter would be under there but no luck. I wonder if I have to go through the basement. I am on shore power. Thanks for any advice.

**flybouy** · 12-10-2019, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finley

Thanks. I have brand new batteries put in. I took the Panel box off because I thought the converter would be under there but no luck. I wonder if I have to go through the basement. I am on shore power. Thanks for any advice.

Not trying to play semantics but looking for clarification.
" I have brand new batteries put in." Did you install the new batteries or someone else? What voltage are the batteries (6 or 12) and how are they connected (series or parallel). If the connection isn't correct, or if you reverse the polarity you will blow the reverse polarity protection fuses in the fuse panel (on some models these fuses are on the converter itself).

"I took the Panel box off". What did you "take off"? Typically the converter is behind the panel where the breakers and fuses are located.

GHen · 12-10-2019, 12:49 PM

I agree with above, the panel with the fuses is the converter. It’s all part of the same unit. You can’t or don’t need to access the converter, leave that to a service guy. You probably have a simple problem that we can help you with.

Are you plugged into 110 volts?

Are any fuses blown? Those are 12 volts.

Are any breakers tripped or turned off? Those are 110 volts.

MarkEHansen · 12-11-2019, 08:54 AM

The age of the battery doesn't guarantee it's usefulness. Batteries can be defective, damaged in transit, etc.

FlyingAroundRV · 12-11-2019, 11:17 AM

If you don't already have a volt/ohm meter, you would do well to get one. They don't cost much, are readily available at most of the big box hardware stores and are very useful for troubleshooting issues around your trailer.

First check, put the meter leads on the terminals of the battery(s) while plugged into shore power. You should see something over 13 volts at the batteries. If not then disconnect from shore power and use the ohm function to start testing fuses in the panel. Put the ohm meter on the lowest range, remove a fuse from the panel and measure the fuse across its contacts. You will either get a reading of some kind or no change from when the leads aren't connected to anything. If no change from disconnected, the fuse is bad.

If all your fuses look good (not blown) then you're in advanced troubleshooting territory and may need the services of an RV tech.

Finley · 12-12-2019, 06:45 AM

Thanks everyone for the info. I personally hooked the new batteries up myself and they are correct. I checked all the fuses in the panel box and they were all good. I think I found the converter behind the panel box with all the breakers. Now I am going to test the fuses on the converter.

ChuckS · 12-12-2019, 07:14 AM

If that’s one of the built in stand alone circuit board converter.. nit in its own enclosure I’d replace it regardless... they are..my opinion...junk...let us know how the reverse polarity fuses checked out.

SCGatl · 12-19-2019, 08:25 AM

Had a similar issue, that was easily resolved by shutting off the main circuit breaker, waiting a minute or two, then turning it back on again.

Check your DC fuses of course. If they are all good, then try to shut off all AC circuit breakers, reset all the AC load breakers, then turn back on the main AC breaker.

That will reset your converter, which could be in shut down mode.

This worked for me....

wtxknight · 12-19-2019, 09:50 AM

Im having the same issue, changed batteries three times checked fuses battery still draining.
My converter is under the kitchen sink with the distribution panel...

travelin texans · 12-19-2019, 11:21 AM

Check the factory battery disconnect, if it's turned to "disconnect" the battery will not charge.

wtxknight · 12-19-2019, 12:15 PM

I have looked for that haven’t been able to seem to find that!

**chuckster57** · 12-19-2019, 12:46 PM

Not all coaches have a battery disconnect. If your batteries are fully charged, disconnect the trailer leads. Then after an hour LOAD TEST them. If they pass hook them back up. Then test for voltage while plugged into shore power. If you don’t get 13VDC+ then your looking at converter issues.

If you have the voltage, are the batteries going dead while plugged in?

MarkEHansen · 12-19-2019, 01:18 PM

That may be ambiguous to someone new at this...

Disconnect the cables from the battery and let the battery sit for an hour and then test it's voltage (using a volt meter). It would also be a good idea to have the battery load tested at a local auto parts store (most will do this for free).

If the battery checks okay, then reconnect the cables and plug the trailer into shore power. Once that's done, check the voltage at the battery now (with the cables attached). You should see the "battery charging" voltage, which is around 13+ volts.

If you're not seeing 13+ volts, check the breaker in the breaker panel - it will be the one marked "CON". Flip it all the way off and then back on - and recheck the voltage at the battery.

Also, given your trailer has the white and black cables, make sure you have the white cable attached to the Negative post on the battery and the black cable to the Positive post on the battery.

wtxknight · 12-19-2019, 02:16 PM

I’m charging it with a battery charger to 13.3 at night and checking it in the morning it’s reading 12.4 and that’s on shore power. Checked all fuses they’re good!

MarkEHansen · 12-19-2019, 02:29 PM

If it's on shore power and you're only reading 12.4 volts, there's something wrong with the converter. Did you check the breakers (and other things I mentioned in my post)?

**flybouy** · 12-19-2019, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wtxknight

I have looked for that haven’t been able to seem to find that!

Looking at the pictures you posted the terminals on the wires that are attached to the resettable fuses look pretty corroded. I'd suggest removing, cleaning and reinstalling all of those including the ground on the frame.

In your last post don't use a separate battery charger while connected to shore power. They work off of reading the battery's voltage so if you have 2 chargers connected they will read each other's output voltage and "think" the battery is charged.

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