WFCO WF-8900 Converter

[joel1839]

I have a Sunline Solaris T2363 and the 12v side is completely shot. I recently obtained a new WFCO WF-8900 converter to replace the factory converter. The WF-8900 has one 30Aac main breaker and holds a maximum of five 20Aac breakers. The DC side has a 30Adc main circuit and eleven 12Vdc circuits with reverse battery protection fuses.

Having never replaced one of these before, is there any "hidden knowledge" that I need to know before doing so? Also, in swapping all of this out, would it be beneficial to install new breakers as well or just use what I currently have in the camper?

[JohnB]

There is one thing to watch out for, the white wires.

The AC common wire is white

The DC negative wire is white on most of the circuits coming back from the devices.

Make sure you keep track of which is which. Take pictures, and mark them if needed before you take them off the terminal strip. You do not want to put the DC neg white wire onto the AC common terminal strip. Or visa verses. Doing so will upset the grounding system and trip most any GFIC wall outlet you ever plug into. Plus is has some saftey concerns mixing them up by accident.

On the breakers, unless they have been abused and are not cracked or damaged you can see right now, I would reuse them as long as they fit nice and tight in the new convertor. Good breakers have lasted a long time.

Look for black marks on the screw terminal of the breakers, sometimes these get loose from towing down the road and may arc when powered up. It still may be OK but be on the lookout as that one may have been abused this way and have issues some time down the road.

Hope this helps and good luck.

John

[krazedave]

When I replace a converter in a customers trailer the first thing I do is write the function of each circuit on the new converter just like on the old one. Then as I disconnect each set of wires I label them, like 30amp main, 20amp air conditioner, etc. Then the same with the 12volt side, and yes do not get the 12 volt grounds and120 volt neutrals (white wire) mixed up.

[Gene]

The T2363 doesn't have much depth to mount a converter box. The Centurion in mine is only about 5 inches deep and the back is close to the shower/tub. The depth of the WF-8900 series box is 9 inches, it may be too deep to fit in the T2363.

[mainah]

Both the DC and AC grounds are grounded to the camper frame. You should have no DC wiring in the AC side of the panel at all. Your camper panel is wired as a sub panel it has an isolated neutral wire it must go to the insolated buss bar they will be white it is very important that they are not grounded, the green or bare copper go to the grounded buss bar. The #14 wires are 15 amp and should be landed on the 15 amp breakers the #12 is generally used for the AC circuit and should be landed on the 20 amp breaker. Sunline uses a white - wire for a DC neutral (or ground) it will be a stranded wire the AC wiring will have a solid conductor. Breakers are cheap a Home Line breaker is less than $5 they should fit your box but I agree there is probably nothing wrong with you ones you have.