Circuit breaker/fuse panel fan operation

Kentsb

When connected to shore power does the cooling fan run continiously?

pthomas745

If it is charging the battery, yes, the converter fan runs.

Kentsb

I would think after several hours the battery would be fully charged and the fan would shut off.

Denny16

Not necessarily, depends on how far discharged  the battery was.
cheers

MuttonChops

The WFCO Power Center on-line theory of operation document says . . .

   Automatic Cooling Fan:  The microprocessor in the converter monitors the current drawn
    by appliances and battery and increases the fan speed as current draw increases.  This cools
    the converter components as required by the load.

So if your Fan is on all-the-time the converter is drawing high current or has an internal failure.

Sharon_is_SAM

@MuttonChops - While on shorepower, if there are a lot of DC appliances running (lights, fan, frig, etc) it sounds like It will run the fan more as well.  Is this correct?

Kentsb

I know batteries vary for many reasons, but it seemed like it took more than six hours to charge the battery and the fan to shut off. All that was running was the frig.

Sharon_is_SAM

How depleted was the battery?  

Kentsb

I think it was about 1/3

Denny16

Sharon, to answer your first question, yes, the higher the load on the power converter from charging and/or other 12 volt devices being used, the fan will come on according the the load to keep it cool.
cheers

MuttonChops

Kentsb said:

I know batteries vary for many reasons, but it seemed like it took more than six hours to charge the battery and the fan to shut off. All that was running was the frig.

I do not know what type/style Fridge in a '21 CS-S.
That said; it is not unreasonable for the converter to have a high enough current demand while charging a "1/3" low battery and running Fridge if on 12-Volts to require fan cooling.

Remember: For lead-acid battery useful capacity is only 1/2 of
                   rated capacity so a 1/3 low battery is indeed low.

Sharon_is_SAM

Also, the converter can take longer to charge a battery than solar or a dedicated charger.  @Kentsb - effectively, the converter ends up splitting the current between the appliances and the battery, so it takes longer.  It’s a good idea to get a better battery monitor than the KIB.

Denny16

A good battery monitor is the Victron Smart Shunt or the Victron 715 wHitch includes a monitor display. 

Cheere

Marceline

The "2way" fridge in the clamshell is really wired to run on DC power, so when the trailer is connected to shorepower the converter fan generally kicks on when the fridge compressor is running. I think that there's a way to truly run the fridge on 110 power, but I think that it involves getting another power cord for the fridge and wiring an outlet back there for the fridge.

Mouseketab

Marceline said:

The "2way" fridge in the clamshell is really wired to run on DC power, so when the trailer is connected to shorepower the converter fan generally kicks on when the fridge compressor is running. I think that there's a way to truly run the fridge on 110 power, but I think that it involves getting another power cord for the fridge and wiring an outlet back there for the fridge.

My 2-way on my 07 CS only has a 12V connection. So it is either running off the converter on shore, or running off the battery in transit (with a charge line)

Bayliss

@Kentsb, and others, just to add to this discussion, I just finished watching a WFCO training video regarding operation and troubleshooting of the power center/converter (link to video included below.)  At around 15:45 on the video, the presenter explains that while the fan on the WFCO cools the 12V circuit board, it is load based, not temperature based.  Therefore, the fan will turn on, and remain running, as long as the converter is drawing a certain 12V load threshold.  They don't say what the load threshold is, but presumably it is pretty low.  Thus, the fan will likely kick on, and remain on, whenever you are running the water pump, turning on lights, the radio, etc.  If the power draw (i.e., load) drops below the pre-determined threshold, the fan will turn off.  Also, I learned that even without a load, when you first plug in the trailer 120 VAC power, the fan will briefly turn on, then off (due to charging of the circuit board capacitors.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_Qyur-fsAw&feature=emb_rel_end

Verna

Thanks, @Bayliss. That explains why my converter fan didn’t run (that I heard) the one night I was plugged into 110V after being on solar power since early December, which was 8 months. I was using very little power, even though on shore power, since I was so used to boondocking and conserving power.