Converter fan noise July 30, 2018, 12:17:15 am We are newbies. We have been preparing our recently purchased ‘91 LD for our first camping trip. Tonite I turned out the interior LD lights to go back in the house, and I heard what sounded like a fan running. The sound was coming from the converter. Can someone tell me why it came on? We were worried about it so we unplugged the rv from the shore line, but the sound continued. We didn’t want to leave it running that way so first we removed the fuses one by one (and then put them back in place) trying to find the one that was for the inverter, but the fan noise coniinued. So we turned the converter’s circuit breaker switch off. We would like to know if that fan sound is suppose to happen as a normal operation of the converter’s. It was not a humming sound like is heard in my previous rv. It was a fan sound. It was definitely coming from the converter’s. We have recently had a solar panel installed. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it but thought it might help for you to know that. Photo attached... showing switch on the far left which we turned off. Please tell me your thoughts on this. Thankyou again for your help.
Re: Converter fan noise Reply #1 – July 30, 2018, 03:52:42 am Hi Carrie. I can only tell you about what I know about my converter. The converter changes 110v AC, your normal stick and brick house power, into 12V DC, to trickle charge your batteries, and to provide 12 volts for the devices in the motorhome that run on 12 volts. Lighting, waterpump, vent fans, and the logic board for the refrigerator run on the 12 volts from the converter when you are plugged into campground power, or when your generator is running. The converter loses some power in the translation, and loses it as heat. The fan will switch on and off to keep the converter cool. It is in a confined space, and excess heat could damage the electronics that run the converter. In cold weather it might not come on much, but it's been so hot around here lately, that the fan might run quite a bit, just from ambient heat. Better converters are multi stage, and will charge your house batteries at a high rate called bulk charge, then taper off to a lesser charging rate, and then switch to a float rate; just enough to keep them charged, but not overcharge the batteries. These may provide up to 75 amps, and in some, the fans run all of the time. It is normal for it to run. By unplugging, the converter will be in a low power state, and the fan will shut off when it cools down. When I'm camped with hookups, I almost never hear the fan, and If I do, I'm comforted by the sound knowing that it won't overheat. When I was working I would check on the fans in my equipment every month or so. Many times I had to replace multi thousand dollar sub-assemblies ruined by a $20 fan that had quit, but no one noticed wasn't running. Imagine if your house refrigerator never had the fan or compressor running. RonB 2 Likes
Re: Converter fan noise Reply #2 – July 30, 2018, 10:41:11 am What I have learned with my 2016 MB... It came with a 75(?) watt converter that is not "smart" so the fan runs constantly and not as needed to cool. The smart converters have a lower wattage output so maybe that is one reason the 75 was used. And maybe a fan that runs constantly is considered safer then one that relies on a temperature switch ? Some people pull the dumb one and put in a smart one and get by with the lower wattage.I need help on this one - if the breaker to the converter is turned off (at times) will you still have 110 in the coach with shore power? I realize you are not going to get a battery charge from the converter but should still get it from solar? So, is this a safe way to operate the system by using the converter as needed and by pass it otherwise to avoid fan noise at times especially at night. Frank
Re: Converter fan noise Reply #3 – July 30, 2018, 01:16:42 pm Hi Frank. The 'smart' in converters refers to the stepped ability to switch charging current to the batteries. Bulk high current, tapered, float and equalizing. 75 Amp in a 2016 is high on the list of power capability. The maximum available for your batteries and at the same time provide 12v dc. power to the coach for lighting and the like. Especially good for four (or more) batteries. Older converters might have a max capability of 30 - 45 Amps. Those older ones are the 'dumb' ones and will overcharge your batteries if you let them. Switching the converter off at night will stop the fan. The converter has no connection or affect on your 110 vac, other than using 110vac. to provide 12vdc. to your rig. You will be draining your batteries instead of charging them. In yours the fan runs constantly to protect the converter from overheating. I believe that the maker improved their safety margin by having the fan run all of the time, and thought no one would care about that. If you are plugged in you've got plenty of power to run a small fan. It might be a question of product liability if the fan didn't come on someday and cause a fire. We are talking about almost a kilowatt of power handling in a small cubic area, with poor venting capability. The fan is a crucial safety item mitigated because of normally a small demand of power. Batteries would only charge at that high rate for a short time. Lazy Daze's have modest power requirements overall. If it bothered me, (it doesn't) I would put in a very quiet fan to run all the time, and a thermal switch, with a bigger fan to run when it was really necessary. RonB
Re: Converter fan noise Reply #4 – July 30, 2018, 02:08:13 pm Thanks for the info. I'll continue to use my "noisy" converter sparingly in situations where significant battery drain is not an issue such as when the sun is shining. However, I am still careful to keep the battery charge above 75% when possible.I do like having this option of turning turning off the converter under the right conditions. It saves me the cost and trouble of replacing it with smart fan model.Interesting how what is loud to some is not even noticeable to others. Frank
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Topic: Converter fan noise (Read 185 times)
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