Power Converter Question - why does the fan run?

[wohlers2]

So we took our New-to-us Starcraft out for the first time this past weekend, and noticed (how could we help) that the cooling fan on the power converter spins up fairly frequently.

I'd expect the converter to be working anytime we're using any of the 12-volt lights in the camper, but why does the fan spin up if the only power we're using is the fridge (on AC mode) and an AC nightlight?

I understand that the converter is charging the battery, but with a full charge on the battery and no power drain coming from it, does the fact that the converter fan kicks in every 20 minutes or so mean there's a problem with our battery?

Can someone explain how this system works?

Thanks!

--Carol

[wavery]

The power converter is always "On" when you are plugged in to 120v current. The fan in yours may be heat activated and turns on when a certain temperature is reached.

It doesn't necessarily mean that your battery is bad but that could cause the fan to come on more frequently. If you're not using the battery, you could just take off the negative battery cable while you are plugged in. See if that makes a difference. You may also want to check the water level in your battery and keep it topped up with distilled water and keep the battery top clean. If you look in the battery and see the battery plates are dry, you may want to buy a new battery. They can seldom be recovered once they have gone dry. Dirt on the battery top will conduct electricity and cause a drain on your battery.

The other thing is, you may have dust or something in the fan. When the fan is running in our converter, we can hardly hear it.

[Tim5055]

wavery hit the nail on the heat - it's heat.  The conversion of 110v AC to 12v DC creates heat inside the converter.  The fan runs to remove the heat.

It's kind of like the fan on the back of your computer, it's just keeping things cool.

[wohlers2]

Thanks for the great info.  We'll check the battery and see.

The fan isn't too loud, we are able to tune it out for the most part, but were surprised since this is the third camper we used this season (2 rentals and the used Starcraft) and the other two didn't have the same fan noise.

[AustinBoston]

Thanks for the great info.  We'll check the battery and see.

The fan isn't too loud, we are able to tune it out for the most part, but were surprised since this is the third camper we used this season (2 rentals and the used Starcraft) and the other two didn't have the same fan noise.

Wait 'till you find out what the furnace fan sounds like...  :eyecrazy:

Austin