Converter

[salem]

My trailer has sit since the first week of January. Today I plugged it in to get ready for a trip next Monday. I noticed the converter is humming. Is this normal? I've noticed it before when camping, but I guess I haven't noticed it when I first plug in to electricity. The converter is only about a year old. Is it just recharging the batteries?

[salem]

Wa8xym:

Really appreciate your effort to allay my concerns. I've always paid attention to your posts. Thanks to all of you who posted.

[wa8yxm]

To the comment "Converters run when first plugged in" delete the word FIRST.
They run WHENEVER they are plugged in but the fan may or may not run, even if it is NOT plugged in, it's a 12 volt fan and on a T-Stat

To the comment "When the hum stops it's bad" may or may not be true, fans turn on and off based on how hot the thing is so once the batteries are full... They stop

Took a look at several WFCO converter products.. They do have a iron core transformer but it's not all that big so But on a "Replaced last summer" I doubt that is the source of the hum.. Fan most likely and simply cooled enough to turn off.

[Sam_Spade]

salem wrote:
I guess it was just charging the batteries.

And I guess you are just going to ignore the advice from a few of us to have your batteries tested ? and to get a meter ??

When was the last time that you checked the water level ???

[salem]

It has stopped humming. Maybe it's always done that when first plugged in to electricity and I just never noticed. I guess it was just charging the batteries. Hey, fellas, thanks for all your comments. Leaving for the coast Monday.:)

[red31]

How long was storage and did you top them off from time to time?

Batteries self discharge.

[salem]

I have two 6v Interstate batteries that will be three years old in May. The converter, a WFCO, was installed last summer.

[cyntdon2010]

Humming is a good thing.... its charging. but if the Humming never stop.
your battery is not holding a charge. I would have battery tested..
good luck

[westend]

The converter is always on when powered with 120V. If it sees a discharged battery and is a multistage charger, it will output the most current it can. After charging for many hours and the batteries are completely charged, the converter will lower it's output and, if a multistage charger, will revert to a float voltage and current.

For more focused advice, you can tell us what converter and how many batteries of what type you have.

[2oldman]

salem wrote:
does the converter normally run for a while when first plugged in?

It runs all the time.

[Sam_Spade]

salem wrote:
My question is, does the converter normally run for a while when first plugged in?

The converter "runs" all the time that it's plugged into shore power; it just runs harder when first connected after a period of battery use or non-use storage.
That makes the hum more pronounced.

But this may also mean that your batteries are getting weak.....because they should not have lost much charge during that time if disconnected.

[Sam_Spade]

salem wrote:
Is it just recharging the batteries?

Everyone who owns an RV needs a multi-meter.
Nobody else can answer this question for you.

IF....you have been in the habit of letting it sit for months without throwing a disconnect switch or manually disconnecting the batteries or connecting a charger/tender......your batteries are probably toast.

There are about a million posts on here about the care and feeding of batteries. Have you read any of them ??

[horton333]

salem wrote:
I always disconnect the batteries when parked at home. My question is, does the converter normally run for a while when first plugged in?

Yes.

[wa8yxm]

There are 3 sources of noise in converters
1: Most all of them have a fan, IF the trailer has been sitting for "Some time" (months) the batteries have self discharged (not to mention parasitic loads that never get shut off) and they are very hungry, in fact they are likely damaged, The converter will work hard to bring 'em back up and thus it will need to fan itself.. NOTE in some installs just sunlight is enough to fire up the fan.

2: Some older converters have big, heavy, iron core, power transformers.. These cores are made up of many many leaves of thing pressed iron, varnished together, well over time the varnish dries and flakes away and when you plug in the leaves vibrate,, and thus hummmmmmmmmm


3: This one is more likely a "HISS" than a HUMM.. it's TROUBLE.

[salem]

I always disconnect the batteries when parked at home. My question is, does the converter normally run for a while when first plugged in?