How do you know if your RV converter is bad?

What is an RV Converter?

How do you know if your RV converter is bad? To know if your RV converter is bad or not, you need to know what one is in the first place. When you pull into a campsite, you connect your campervan to the power outlet box. From this, you typically receive a 230 Volt AC if in the United Kingdom. In America, you are more likely to find a 120 volt AC. An RV converter essentially turns the AC voltage into a 12 volt DC power. This allows all appliances to run off of the 12 volt DC current. If the converter didn’t convert the 230 volt AC current, it would short circuit and blow the fuses in everything it touched. Basically, it would break your electrics. So it’s critical to maintain your converters.

How do you know if your RV converter is having problems?

With any electrical system, there is likely to be some obvious signs and some not too obvious. For example, if you have no power at all. Secondly, lights may be flickering or dimming, suggesting a constant current isn’t being produced. The converter may be responsible, or it could be the battery. Fault finding is a process of elimination. A problem such as a loose wire or overheating can easily be detected by hand. Electrical systems may seem daunting to a novice, but this article will help identify common issues as a start point to resolve the issue.

Three things to check how well your converter is working

1.The battery

The most obvious place to start is the battery. DC Batteries, over time, lose capacity and their charging ability. Overtime charging and discharging the battery will eventually render it useless. Please remove the battery from the system and test it. Connect a digital multimeter and test the battery. You are looking for a charge reading of around 12.5volts. Above this is a healthy battery; however, the battery may be damaged if it is lower.

2. Voltage supply box

Using the digital multimeter, test the AC power at the voltage box. If you are hooked up to a supply box not delivering its capacity, your converter can’t deliver its full potential. This is an issue that needs to be brought up with the site the voltage box is at.

3. The converter

A converter’s job is to turn and AC current into a. This is how they do it. If it’s not doing this successfully, the power output could be lacking. To test how well the converter works, connect the digital multimeter to the battery and the DC distribution panel. Again you are looking for a 12.5-volt reading; anything lower implies it’s not working effectively.

Five Checks you can do before consulting an auto electrician.

1. A flat battery

You can scratch your head thinking, where has the power gone. An obvious explanation can be found if you are a summer camper. When stored away over the winter, the battery can get flat. It’s known as self discharged. This is far more common than you may think, so it’s worth checking. It’s an easy fix as you can recharge the battery or buy a new one.

2. Blown fuses

A common problem can be blown fuses. The great thing about this fix is that it is cheap and quick to do. Whether a 5 amp fuse or 40 amp fuse has gone, it can be replaced. It’s a good idea always to have replacement fuses in your campervan, especially if you go off the grid.

3. Check the circuit breakers

Check if any of the breakers have tripped. Suppose they have simply put the switch back on. Give it time to cool off before you do this.

4. Check for overheating and the cooling fan

An overheating converter will not work effectively. Sometimes the cooling fan extractor intake can be clogged up with dust if it is clear out. Let it cool down and unplug it. Check the fuses, circuit board or for any damage. Converters warm up as they work, but there could be an issue if it’s burning up.

5. Check the circuit board

Any damage to the circuit board can hurt the converter. Damage to the likes of the resistors can result in fluctuating voltage or even complete failure. Any damaged wires can also have a negative impact reducing the effectiveness of the converter.