Power Converter Question on a 2004 Fleetwood Bayside

[FD Truckie]

Hope someone can help me.  Just bought our first PUP (a used 2004 Fleetwood Bayside from a private individual), and I have a question I am hoping that someone can help me with.

We had our maiden voyage this weekend in our back yard, and I noticed that the fan on our power converter kept running after being plugged in for about 15 mins.  I read in the owners manual that the cooling fan should only run if there is a high draw on the power system.  At the time, we didn't have anything that sould have been drawing power (i.e. - nothing plugged into the camper, no lights were on etc.).

The owner told me that the battery may need a charge, the manual was a little vauge, but it seems that the converter will actually charge the battery if it needs it then shut down?  Is this correct and could this be the draw on the converter that is making the fan constanly run?  

Any ideas, suggestions would be much appreciated!!!!!!

[Skydivn Bill]

I have a '02 Bayside - pretty much the same PoPuP.  The converter fan is probably running because you charging the battery.  

Blue Skies

Skydivn Bill

[mike4947]

Yup, the converter was charging the battery. Also depending on the location of the converter the fan may run all the time. It's there to cool the transformer. Some produce more heat that others and it depends on what's packed around it or how much ventilation the area has.

[Steve-o-bud]

The owner told me that the battery may need a charge, the manual was a little vauge, but it seems that the converter will actually charge the battery if it needs it then shut down? Is this correct and could this be the draw on the converter that is making the fan constanly run?
 
Any ideas, suggestions would be much appreciated!!!!!![/QUOTE]
The "converter" is actually nothing more than a 12 volt DC power supply, with a 120 volt AC (shore power) input. It runs in parallel with the battery, and the entire 12 volt system (including the 12 volts supplied from the tow vehicle.
 
It actually doesn't shut down when the battery is charged. What actually happens is if the battery is discharged, the battery will be at a low voltage. The 12 volt converter will supply charging current to the battery, (and will provide current to all other 12 volt items, such as the fridge, and lights). As the battery charges, it will draw less and less current. At full charge, the battery will continue to draw a slight amount of current. Over the long haul, this is not good for the battery, it is better for the battery to be charged, and discharged, but not trickle charged for long periods of time.
 
When you are on the road, and plugged into the tow vehicle, the tow vehicle and the trailer's 12 volt systems are in parallel, and the tow vehicle supplies some amount of charging current to the trailer's battery. It will also supply the 12 Volts DC to the fridge, and other items that are not controlled by the galley cut off switch.

[AustinBoston]

At full charge, the battery will continue to draw a slight amount of current. Over the long haul, this is not good for the battery, it is better for the battery to be charged, and discharged, but not trickle charged for long periods of time.

This depends on the converter.  Our converter (a replacement unit built by World Friendship Co.)  charges at two levels (and will only go the full 25 amps for 4 hours, regardless).  After sensing a full charge, it goes into "maintenance" mode where it will charge at the lower level for up to ten minutes every 48 hours.

If it senses current draw on the battery, it goes back into "normal" mode.

Austin