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05-19-2020, 06:54 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Englewood
Posts: 6
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Fan running at Power Center
When we plugged in our travel trailer this spring, we noticed a noise that sounds like a fan and traced it to the power center control box. Cannot determine why it is running. Any ideas?
2018 Keystone Cougar 27RES
2019 RAM 2500 Big Horn
John and Connie Maeran
Colorful Colorado
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05-19-2020, 07:03 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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The converter, which converts shore power to battery power & charges your batteries, has a cooling fan that runs when the converter is under a load.
Unless you disconnected your batteries during storage they are likely very low, once you plugged the RV into shore power the converter immediately went to working hard to charge them back up. Be sure to check the water levels (should be done at least a couple times a year) in the batteries, if when removing the caps you can see the plates add distilled water to cover them.
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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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05-19-2020, 07:45 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,758
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Like Danny said, most likely the battery. If you let it set uncharged, in the cold the battery may be damaged beyond just filling with distilled water. I'd suggest removing the battery and have it load tested by a competent person. If the battery has a shorted cell it can damage the converter.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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05-19-2020, 07:54 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Englewood
Posts: 6
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Thanks for your help. We had the trailer connected to electricity most of the winter, only had it off for about 30 days. The service panel indicates the battery is fully charged, the water levels were good, when we checked and the slide operated fine. Fan is still running. Hubby is going to put the battery on a trickle charge to see if it needs charging.
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05-19-2020, 08:20 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Picacho, Az
Posts: 6,809
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmaeran
Thanks for your help. We had the trailer connected to electricity most of the winter, only had it off for about 30 days. The service panel indicates the battery is fully charged, the water levels were good, when we checked and the slide operated fine. Fan is still running. Hubby is going to put the battery on a trickle charge to see if it needs charging.
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The converter, if working properly, will charge your more efficiently than a trickle charger. Unplugged for 30 days with only the factory disconnect off, if it was, your batteries were most likely very low with the parasitic draws from CO/LP detector & the other items that do not get disconnected by the factory disconnect.
If you are running several lights, the fridge, the water heater or any other 12 volt item the fan will run til the converter cools down.
If it seems to be very noisy it's possible it's full of dust or if the previous owner had pets could be hair.
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Full-timed 10+ years
Sold '13 Redwood FB
Traded '13 GMC Denali DRW D/A
Replacement undetermined
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05-19-2020, 08:31 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,695
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What all do you have on when the converter fan is running? Have the batteries ever been depleted? That fan motor typically indicates the converter is trying to supply power to "something" whether it's trying to replenish depleted batteries or supply power to something else and the batteries.
Our converter used to run a lot from just turning on a lot of lights when opening up the trailer. They were all incandescent at that time. Replaced them all with LEDs and that stopped that. With an 18 I don't know what kind of lights it came with.
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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05-19-2020, 09:50 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Englewood
Posts: 6
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thanks for the info! We turned off everything including the fridge and the fan kept running. Checking out the battery charge.
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05-31-2020, 12:50 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
Our converter used to run a lot from just turning on a lot of lights when opening up the trailer. They were all incandescent at that time. Replaced them all with LEDs and that stopped that. With an 18 I don't know what kind of lights it came with.
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We notice frequently while camping that we can turn on a single LED light (in addition to anything else DC that may be going on in the background, like the fridge board, the thermostat, etc.) and that fan will start running; turn the light off again, and the fan stops. We just accept that the fan is doing what it's supposed to.
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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05-31-2020, 02:13 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,695
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LHaven
We notice frequently while camping that we can turn on a single LED light (in addition to anything else DC that may be going on in the background, like the fridge board, the thermostat, etc.) and that fan will start running; turn the light off again, and the fan stops. We just accept that the fan is doing what it's supposed to.
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I would think one LED fixture would not kick in the converter on its own. When I replaced the incandescents in my old trailer (38 if I recall) it made a huge difference. Prior to changeout if I turned on one light the converter kicked in. After changeout I could turn on all of them in the living room and bedroom and it never kicked on. Of course that was on fully charged batteries and nothing else running but the "background" stuff.
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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05-31-2020, 10:23 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Roy
Posts: 51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmaeran
Thanks for your help. We had the trailer connected to electricity most of the winter, only had it off for about 30 days. The service panel indicates the battery is fully charged, the water levels were good, when we checked and the slide operated fine. Fan is still running. Hubby is going to put the battery on a trickle charge to see if it needs charging.
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Whenever you're plugged into shore power, your batteries are going to read full.
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05-19-2020, 08:24 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 1,005
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If you're plugged into shore power, the battery level indicator is going to show you the voltage being applied to the battery by the converter, not the charge on the battery.
The converter (and batteries) also provide power to all the 12V DC items in the trailer. This includes the lights, the furnace, the water pump, etc. If you have a large DC load, the converter will have to work harder and the fan will come on.
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2022 Cedar Creek Champagne 38EL - "Big Bertha"
2019 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali HD 6.6L Duramax TD, CC, 4WD, DRW - "Mr. Beefy"
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05-19-2020, 09:52 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Englewood
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkEHansen
If you're plugged into shore power, the battery level indicator is going to show you the voltage being applied to the battery by the converter, not the charge on the battery.
The converter (and batteries) also provide power to all the 12V DC items in the trailer. This includes the lights, the furnace, the water pump, etc. If you have a large DC load, the converter will have to work harder and the fan will come on.
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Good to know! thanks for weighing in. All the responses are very helpful in our learning curve. This is only our 2nd season.
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05-19-2020, 08:46 AM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,758
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Yet the converter charge the battery. It's far more powerful and sophisticated than an inexpensive trickle charger. After it's had had a chance to charge (may take 24 hrs), then keep an eye or ear out. If there is nothing on inside (i.e. lights, fans, fridge) than the fan should shut off. I'd still recommend having the battery checked. It only takes one deep discharge to greatly reduce the capacity and the life of a flooded lead acid battery.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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05-19-2020, 09:48 AM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Englewood
Posts: 6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy
Yet the converter charge the battery. It's far more powerful and sophisticated than an inexpensive trickle charger. After it's had had a chance to charge (may take 24 hrs), then keep an eye or ear out. If there is nothing on inside (i.e. lights, fans, fridge) than the fan should shut off. I'd still recommend having the battery checked. It only takes one deep discharge to greatly reduce the capacity and the life of a flooded lead acid battery.
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got it! Good info - thanks. We'll check out the battery capacity.
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05-19-2020, 08:03 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Lisbon
Posts: 551
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If it's a WFCO converter the fan runs based on load. See the attached from WFCO.
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2018 Keystone Cougar 22RBS
2020 Ford F-350 XLT SC SRW 6.7l Powerstroke.
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06-06-2020, 09:09 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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It's a WFCO 8900 series. I cleaned out all the factory gypsum chunks and sawdust in the compartment last July, when I installed the EMS in there, but I didn't actually vacuum the power center fan itself. Then we traveled with two dogs for three months. So I guess I should give that a lick this summer.
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2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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