Does my ' 77 Chieftain have a converter?

[millertimewinne]

Sent: 10/23/2006

Hi,

I hooked my 77 Chieftain to shore power and only the AC circuits would work.  No DC power a'tall?  The coach batteries were removed to be replaced with good ones. Do I have to have the coach batteries installed to have my DC circuits work? I am new to this and I am unsure of how the electrical system works. Thanks in advance for any help!!

[denisondc]

Sent: 10/23/2006

Probably someone with better knowledge will answer, but.... Your Winnie would have come with a converter, to provide 12 volts for the interior lights, stove fan, and furnace. It would get its input power from either the shore power cable, or the genset. My 72 has a converter with an internal relay. If the RV isnt connected to 115 volt power and the genset isn't running, the converter relay just connects the coach batteries to the 12 volt interior fixtures. When the RV is connected to shore power, or the genset is running, that relay disconnects the batteries from the coach lights/fixtures, since the converter is supplying the 12 volts instead. There is also a fuse buried inside my converter. We have had to clean the relay contacts once when it didn't work, and to replace that relay once too.
You converter is likely more elegant than my simple one - which doesn't charge the batteries for instance. The converter would probably be located at floor level, inside one of the cabinets, or under a dinette, etc.
There would probably be a circuit breaker that protects the converter - so look for that too.

[Cooneytoones]

Sent: 10/23/2006

Follow your shore power cord.....See where it goes into the rig and what it is hooked up to.....As Denison said there will be a breaker panel  with breakers and there should be some buss fuses....No, I do not believe you need a battery once you are plugged into shore line for your converter to work all the 12 volt....now that's another issue.....If you have a converter it may not be working properly....but start with checking the fuses and making sure if you you do have one, it is hooked up, it should humm a little when you plug in.

Timmy

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 10/24/2006

If your 77 is like my 26ft 78 chieftain (rear bathroom), the power center is located under the drivers side bunk bed.  There is a drop down panel under the bed to access the two 110VAC circuit breakers for the A/C and 12VDC converter.  Lift the bed up to see the converter box.  Shore power connects in the rear trunk, routed through the bathroom (under the shower) then under the bed (pass the furnace) to the converter.   Additionally, the 12VDC fuses and built in converter battery charger status lights are there.  Behind the panel is the converter electronics and the transfer relay.  Finally, the bulky converter parts (transformer, etc.) are in the box behind that.   When 110VAC power is applied to the converter (via the circuit breaker), the 12 VDC power it puts out energizes the relay allowing the converter to supply the loads.  When AC power is off, the relay is de-energized routing the battery power to supply the 12VDC loads.  The relay can hang up and not transfer (burnt contacts or weak springs).  You can still get replacement relays.   All wiring is routed through the plugs in the bottom of the converter.  The pins are prone to corrosion which can drive you crazy looking for an intermittent problem.  You may find that you have to jumper around some pins once they have corroded.  Most of the rig wiring (fused output from the panel) is routed up through the rear of fridge compartment to the ceiling.

Dave