12v converter problem

[rickyp52]

My 1989 Sea Ray 220 Sundancer has a problem with the 12v converter. When I plug in the 120 v shorepower and turn on the switch to the 12v converter, I hear a rather loud humming noise, which I assume is the converter, and the 12v lights in the cabin don't work. I want to check out the converter, but I'm not sure where it's located. Does anyone know where it might be? Is it accessable in behind the shorepower panel? Thanks for any input you might have.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: 12v converter problem

RickyP, did you try following the hum. I think what you are talking about is an inverter, not a converter. An inverter inverts AC current to DC current (i.e. 120VAC to 12VDC). A converter converts, usually from one voltage to another, like 24VDC to 12VDC, or visa-versa. There are units that do both and are referred to as an inverter/converter. Ok, so someone lacks imagination. I am presuming you have a 120VAC to 12VDC inverter.<br /><br />Normally inverters need ventilation and a dry environment so they usually aren’t near the bilge or anywhere that gets wet. They’re not ignition protected so the engine compartment should be off limits, too. Many inverters have leads for battery charging that are permanently attached to the inverter so you are limited how far the unit can be from the batteries, probably 10-ft or less.<br /><br />Follow the shore power input. The inverter is usually installed soon after the 30amp circuit breaker, but before the AC panel, somewhere near the batteries, but not in the bilge or engine area. Be aware your boat may be equipped with a galvanic isolator, and if so that will be between the inverter and the 30amp shore power breaker. The isolator will be a small box with one (green?) wire coming and going.<br /><br />It is possible for the inverter to be installed after the panel, but it won’t be far from those batteries. <br /><br />Hope that helps. God luck!

 

[rickyp52]

Re: 12v converter problem

Thanks 18rabbit. While I am certainly no expert on the subject, I always thought that a converter had higher voltage in and lower voltage out and an inverter had lower voltage in and higher voltage out. Given your description of things, I think I will look first underneath the aft cabin area. The hum seems to be located in that area. Thanks.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 12v converter problem

When you say converter are you sure you don't mean battery charger, on the older boats they tend to be a unit with a ferro-resonant tranformer inside, thus the hum. If you have 12v lights in the cabin and most boats do then they should work off the battery and the charger should keep the battery topped up. You may have a tripped breaker or blown fuse somewhere, did they work before?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: 12v converter problem

Inverters go AC to DC and/or DC to AC to operate AC appliances (like an air conditioner) when on a boat.<br /><br />Converters that lower voltage are called step-down converters. Converters that increase voltage are step-up converters. Probably named by the same guy with a like of imagination that come up with “inverter/converter”.

 

[rickyp52]

Re: 12v converter problem

Or could I have a dead battery? Or would the battery switch being turned off make them not work? As you can see, you guys are not trying to help a genious here. I do think my battery switch may have been off.<br /><br />Let me ask this question then: on my electric panel in the cabin, I have a main switch and then 3 smaller switches below that. One is for the fridge, one for the outlets, and one says converter. What would the converter do?

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 12v converter problem

Definitely the battery switch being off would make them not work because they should be 12v. I hate to get hung up on this converter terminology but I still think in this case they are refering to your battery charger which should be 120 volt AC input and 12v DC output. With all switches on, I assume the hum goes away if your the converter switch off?

 

[rickyp52]

Re: 12v converter problem

The humming sound does go off when the converter switch is off. The humming sound doesn't seem to be coming from the battery charger. The charger is located in the engine hatch on the starboard side. The noise is coming from farther forward on the port side of the boat. I'm not positive but I think the charger and converter are two separate things. Maybe someone else could shed some light on this?

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: 12v converter problem

I guess anything is possible, you said before that you only have 3 switches plus main on your power panel, is your charger in the bilge hardwired or plugged into a receptacle, if it's hardwired there should be a switch/breaker on the power panel to allow you to turn it off. No idea why you would have a converter and a charger, but back to the original question, your 12v cabin lights should work when you have the battery switch on.