Replacement Converter/Charger for a 1976 Robinhood Lazy Daze Motorhome

Question

Question:

Hi, I have a 22’ vintage 76 Robinhood Lazy Daze motor home and I live off grid. I have recently added a BattleBorn 100 amp lithium ion battery. During summer months my 200 watt Renogy suitcase solar setup keeps the battery charged, but with the changing of the seasons, less sunlight, they don’t charge the battery to full charge. I knew I might need to replace the converter/charger anyway, but I’m not sure what my options are, I don’t know enough about them to make the best decision. I can’t locate any information on the existing controller/charger and I also have no wiring schematics. It charges the battery via the generator but only up to the 13.6 V range and so I’m trying to find a viable solution. I am including a few photos. One that shows the device plate with specs, another showing the wiring and fuses underneath the plate, and one showing the other side of the unit. The unit I was looking at on your site is the PD9130LV. Now a few questions. It appears that if I bought this unit then I would need to install a fuse panel separate from the new controller? Is it possible to leave the old controller intact to power the 12V system and just add the new unit strictly as a battery charger? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

asked by: Bernie D

0

Expert Reply:

Thanks for reaching out!

You can technically keep your current converter on your '76 Robinhood Lazy Daze motorhome and use the new one solely for the battery bank, but I recommend just changing everything over at the same time since you'll already be in there. This will give you more work on the front-end of things but it saves you from having to dig back into the system if your older converter decides to bite the dust.

The cool thing about the Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power RV Converter and Battery Charger # PD49RR you were looking at that there is a parallel feature you can use in the future if the need arises. So instead of buying and installing a whole new system you're just adding onto this system.

If you already have DC power for some applications on your motorhome then you should already have a DC panel so all of your DC wiring is protected by fuses. This panel will either be a standalone unit or it will be combined in a controller center like part # PD4135K which actually has a converter/charger built-in.

Hopefully this clears things up for you! Let me know if you have any other questions!

expert reply by: Jon G

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Converter on 1976 Robinhood Lazy Daze Motorhome
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Converter Wiring Box on 1976 Robinhood Lazy Daze Motorhome
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Converter Specs Tag on 1976 Robinhood Lazy Daze Motorhome
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Answer 1

When going from your current Powertek PDC3009 to the Progressive Dynamics #PD4135K you will need to use a transfer switch like the Go Power Automatic Transfer Switch - Plastic Case - 30 Amp - 120V #34264403. I attached a picture of how these two…

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Answer 2

While we have no way of knowing what converter is in a Dutchmen Adirondack trailer, you can use the following: - Progressive Dynamics 9300 Series RV Converter Charger #PD49RR

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Answer 3

We do have a 30 amp, 12 volt power converter, including one that can be used for either lithium or non-lithium batteries: - Progressive Dynamics 9300 Series RV Converter Charger - 12V - 30A #PD49RR

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Answer 4

It looks like the WFCO 8935 is a 35 Amp converter, so you're not going to be able to install the Progressive Dynamics #PD9245C because it is rated for 45 amps. Adding a higher amp rating converter to your system could potentially cause…

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Answer 5

We have two options that match the 30 amp converter you are replacing with the difference being what type of batteries you have. If they are lithium batteries you would need the Progressive Dynamics part #PD9130LV which charges at the higher…

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Answer 6

I recommend going with the 30 Amp Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power RV Converter and Battery Charger #PD9130 to replace your 3230 power converter. This isn't a direct replacement so I've attached a photo of the wiring diagrams from…

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Answer 7

I don't have a fool proof way of selecting the proper charge converter amperage rating because it is not based solely off the battery capacity but rather this combined with the load the trailer uses. Therefore, the best option would be to go…

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Answer 8

On a 30 amp trailer with lithium batteries you will want to stick with the Progressive Dynamics 9300 Series RV Converter Charger #PD49RR. Only the amperage output is higher on the 40 amp converter; the efficiency is exactly the same for both.

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Answer 9

You can replace your older WF-8735P converter with the Progressive Dynamics #PD9130LV converter and lithium battery charger. Yes, you could upgrade to a 60 Amp converter, but you would then have to replace your power center for larger service and…

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Answer 10

So smart alternators are one that typically have a lower voltage charge when the vehicle is accelerating and then a drastically higher voltage when the vehicle is coasting. This is a way to minimize the load on the engine when needing the power of…

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Answer 11

I did some research and the highest amps you can go with 6 gauge wire over a 28 foot stretch is going to be under 35 amps. I recommend using a 30 amp charger/converter. The Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power RV Converter and Battery Charger item…

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Answer 12

I don't have a fool proof way of selecting the proper charge converter amperage rating because it is not based solely off the battery capacity but rather this combined with the load the trailer uses. Therefore, the best option would be to go…

view full answer...