Boondocker Retrofit for WFCO converter

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Exactly!

There is no switching, and there are no diodes to control where power comes from. The converter's output is higher than the internal voltage of the battery, so it all comes from the converter.

My old Boler does physically switch (with a relay) the battery off when the converter is on. It is a completely obsolete four decade old design.

Thank you for clarifying. Like two pumps in parallel of unequal pressure on a system....the stronger one wins. So if a faulty converter decided to put out a voltage lower than the battery voltage the power to the trailer appliances would be from the battery. One of my previous comments certainly caused confusion: "When the trailer is no longer plugged in the current is allowed to flow out of the batteries and feed the 12V circuits." Now I understand there is no physical switching or diodes "allowing" this to happen in modern converter design. It is the simple fact that the battery voltage is now higher than zero voltage from the inactive converter. It sounds like we have finally pieced this all together!

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Thank you for clarifying. Like two pumps in parallel of unequal pressure on a system....the stronger one wins.

Both sources are electron pumps.

[C&G in FL]

It all makes sense now. The explanation I got several years ago was something to the effect that when the converter is running on 120v, it doesn't allow current from the battery to flow to the 12v lights/appliances. This has been informative. I'm very glad there are members here who are more technically oriented on converter operation than me.

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

This has been informative.

I agree.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

It all makes sense now.

Wow Carl, you are sure looking smarter yourself now. Never too old to learn, eh?

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Wow Carl, you are sure looking smarter yourself now. Never too old to learn, eh?

Yes, but unfortunately the senior moments are becoming senior minutes!

[Kountrykamper]

I received the Progressive Dynamics kit and installed it today. I took about 45 minutes like Carl mentioned because I cleaned up some wires and had to decide where to mount the remote. I ended up installing the remote behind the converter door next to the breakers.

It is a very nice upgrade kit that is only 5 wires to install.

Is it any any better? Time will tell but I can now control the charge voltage if I want. I can say the fans are much quieter and I can not even hear them run.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

I received the Progressive Dynamics kit and installed it today. I took about 45 minutes like Carl mentioned because I cleaned up some wires and had to decide where to mount the remote. I ended up installing the remote behind the converter door next to the breakers.

It is a very nice upgrade kit that is only 5 wires to install.

Is it any any better? Time will tell but I can now control the charge voltage if I want. I can say the fans are much quieter and I can not even hear them run.

Thanks for the report. This is definitely on the radar as an easy replacement for the stock WFCO with some better features.

[Kountrykamper]

It was hard to take any pictures of the install because of having the power off and working with a flashlight. This is a picture of the remote installed in the panel.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

It was hard to take any pictures of the install because of having the power off and working with a flashlight. This is a picture of the remote installed in the panel.

The lack of light is somewhat of a problem. I ran an extension cord through the compartment storage hatch and plugged a desk lamp into it. That way, I was able to disconnect all power sources yet still have adequate light. I threaded the plug of the remote through the back of the case and installed the remote on the framing of the driver's side dinette compartment. I think I like what Tom did better. Relocating the remote should be a 10 minute job. Trouble is, I can't leave anything alone. I will probably tinker with other stuff thereby stretching a 10 minute job into a couple of hours. I

[skiman]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

It was hard to take any pictures of the install because of having the power off and working with a flashlight. This is a picture of the remote installed in the panel.

How long is the cord on the remote? I tried to find it on the PD info but could not.

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by skiman

How long is the cord on the remote? I tried to find it on the PD info but could not.

I folded it up and tie wrapped it so I'm not sure but at least 24".

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by skiman

How long is the cord on the remote? I tried to find it on the PD info but could not.

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

I folded it up and tie wrapped it so I'm not sure but at least 24".

Like Tom, I folded up the excess. I agree, it is at least 24" and it may be 30" or 36", but I don't think it was any longer than that.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by skiman

How long is the cord on the remote? I tried to find it on the PD info but could not.

This website lists the cord as 55" long. The question is do you trust it since others that have installed it have said they think it is quite a bit shorter? Could contact PD to be sure is it is critical for your install. Also, maybe there is a way to extend it if needed.

Progressive Dynamics 9200 Series Remote Pendant - Power Converters - Electrical

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by skiman

How long is the cord on the remote? I tried to find it on the PD info but could not.

I have two Progressive Dynamics 9260C converter/chargers. Only one came with the remote pendant; its cord is a little over 55 inches long.

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Also, maybe there is a way to extend it if needed.

The cord appears to be a common four-wire flat telephone cord, with a common modular connector. A common telephone extension cord won't work because the accessory jack on the PD (ad the plug on the end of the pendant) is the 4-pin 4P4C as used for telephone handsets, while normal phone cords use the wider (6-position) 6P4C/RJ14... but I assume that a handset cord and a modular coupler would work.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I have two Progressive Dynamics 9260C converter/chargers. Only one came with the remote pendant; its cord is a little over 55 inches long.


The cord appears to be a common four-wire flat telephone cord, with a common modular connector. A common telephone extension cord won't work because the accessory jack on the PD (ad the plug on the end of the pendant) is the 4-pin 4P4C as used for telephone handsets, while normal phone cords use the wider (6-position) 6P4C/RJ14... but I assume that a handset cord and a modular coupler would work.

The Progressive Dynamics replacement/upgrade for the WFCO is a PD4655-MBA. While I am not familiar with the 9260C converters, I can say with 100% certainty that the remote that came with my PD4655-MBA does not utilize a 4P4C plug for attachment. If one visits the Progressive Dynamics website and looks at the 4600 series, there is a PDF that discusses modification (length extension) of the remote's cord. While PD refers in this document to the termination as a "phone plug," the photo of the plug is accurate; it is not the modular plug used on phone handsets.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by C&G in FL

The Progressive Dynamics replacement/upgrade for the WFCO is a PD4655-MBA. While I am not familiar with the 9260C converters, I can say with 100% certainty that the remote that came with my PD4655-MBA does not utilize a 4P4C plug for attachment. If one visits the Progressive Dynamics website and looks at the 4600 series, there is a PDF that discusses modification (length extension) of the remote's cord. While PD refers in this document to the termination as a "phone plug," the photo of the plug is accurate; it is not the modular plug used on phone handsets.

Ah, good catch. Early Charge Wizards were external devices; models (such as my PD9260C) with built-in Charge Wizard use a Converter Status Remote Pendant which appears to be just a switch and light, on a flat cord and modular plug. If you use one of the 9200 series converter/chargers, you get that pendant and it just plugs in.

The 4600 series converter/chargers are packaged differently, and are offered as replacement units for other brands of power centre. However, they do have Charge Wizard built-in, and it appears that the same pendant (as for a 9200) is supplied, as well as a wiring harness. It looks like they are still using the old connector (from before Charge Wizard was built in) on this series. The Pendant Modification Instructions for use with the PD4600 Series Unit show a flat modular cord, and say to cut off the telephone plug and splice it to half of the supplied harness; what is cut off is a modular plug, while what is spliced on is not. The illustration does not show the cut-off parts of either the harness or the pendant cord; the spliced-on plug in the modification instructions and the socket on the DC board shown in the PD4600 Series Installation & Operation Guide appear to match. If you can crimp a modular connector on the supplied harness, or splice any length of flat phone cord (with modular plug on the other end) to it, then you can leave the pendant's phone cord with modular plug intact, and use a coupler to join the cords.

It appears that the modification instructions are not just to extend the pendant cord: they describe the modification which is required to use the pendant at all, since it comes with the wrong plug for the 4600 series units.

It appears that PD changed the remote plug at some point, and didn't bother either to change the connector of the 4600 series or to stock two variants of the pendant with different connector styles, but instead they give buyers a couple of incompatible parts and an instruction sheet. How many RV owners who buy a "plug in" replacement even own a soldering iron, let alone are confident making this four-splice connection?

[Brian B-P]

It looks like you don't even need the pendant with the PD4655-MBA, let alone need to extend it. According to the PD4600 Series Installation & Operation Guide, this kit replaces not just the converter/charger section, but also the DC distribution board. The new board has a Wizard Mode button and light on it. Use of the remote appears to be optional, and is not even mentioned in the manual.

I don't know how long the supplied harness (with the 4600-compatible end) is, but if an alternative might be to run this cable to a phone jack in the panel of the cabinet, and plug the (unmodified) pendant into that.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

I received the Progressive Dynamics kit and installed it today. I took about 45 minutes like Carl mentioned because I cleaned up some wires and had to decide where to mount the remote. I ended up installing the remote behind the converter door next to the breakers.

Tom, the documentation says that you need to cut the supplied harness and pendant cords, and splice them together to get something that will plug in. Did you need to do this, or did your pendant come with the correct plug to plug right into the converter?

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

It looks like you don't even need the pendant with the PD4655-MBA, let alone need to extend it. According to the PD4600 Series Installation & Operation Guide, this kit replaces not just the converter/charger section, but also the DC distribution board. The new board has a Wizard Mode button and light on it. Use of the remote appears to be optional, and is not even mentioned in the manual.

I don't know how long the supplied harness (with the 4600-compatible end) is, but if an alternative might be to run this cable to a phone jack in the panel of the cabinet, and plug the (unmodified) pendant into that.

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

It looks like you don't even need the pendant with the PD4655-MBA, let alone need to extend it. According to the PD4600 Series Installation & Operation Guide, this kit replaces not just the converter/charger section, but also the DC distribution board. The new board has a Wizard Mode button and light on it. Use of the remote appears to be optional, and is not even mentioned in the manual.

I don't know how long the supplied harness (with the 4600-compatible end) is, but if an alternative might be to run this cable to a phone jack in the panel of the cabinet, and plug the (unmodified) pendant into that.

Wrong. The installation guide you apparently viewed on-line is out of date, PD's fault. The PD4655-MBA no longer requires replacement of the dc distribution board. The remote pendent now allows control of the charging mode which previously was controlled from the replacement dc distribution board. There is a You Tube video on line which shows upgrade of the WFCO with the latest version of the PD4655-MBA. One point the individual in the video makes is that the board no longer needs to be replaced. And the fact that the board no longer needs to be replaced was already stated in an earlier post (35).