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RPOD 190 Converter Model

Printed From: r-pod Nation
Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: r-pod Reviews and Information
Forum Description: We will be reviewing each of the 7 r-pod floorplans in great detail, including photography
URL: http://www.rpodNation.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4684
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 4:35am
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Topic: RPOD 190 Converter Model
Posted By: GCRicker
Subject: RPOD 190 Converter Model
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2018 at 12:39pm
I'm looking to buy an Rpod 190 in the near future and was looking at one last weekend.  The one I was looking at had a converter with the model number of WF-8735P.  Looking this model up on the WFCO website, it says this model only produces 35 Amps.  However, the R-Pod brochure and other posts on this forum, say RPods have a 55 Amp Converter.  Do the 190's only need 35 amps?  Is it an option to get the bigger?



Replies:
Posted By: Lark
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2018 at 8:37am
Yes Go with the 55 amp, that's what is standard.   Camper world has a after market unit with a 3 stage battery charger and does not cause RF   A better unit to install if your going to put one in.

lark  R-179


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Lark


Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2018 at 8:38am
It is not a factory option to get a larger one.

FR changed to the smaller one recently.

"All specifications are subject to change.. blah blah blah." fine print on the back of the brochure, and on the website.

from the FR website directly:

http://www.ForestRiverInc.com" rel="nofollow - Forest River, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. All information contained on this website is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, during the model year, it may be necessary to make revisions and Forest River, Inc. reserves the right to make changes without notice, including prices, colors, materials, equipment and specifications as well as the addition of new models and the discontinuance of models shown on this website. Therefore, please consult with your Forest River, Inc. dealer and confirm the existence of any material, design or specifications that are material to your purchase decision.


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Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295 http://www.rpodnation.com/some-of-our-mods-so-far-with-pics_topic2786.html" rel="nofollow - FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB


Posted By: GCRicker
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2018 at 4:54pm
YouTube videos have me so confused about converters.  Here are my questions...  Will the current factory option WF-8735P converter "fully" charge my battery after a few days of the Rpod being plugged into shore power?  Will the current factory option WF-8735P converter shorten the normal life of a Lead Acid battery because I didn't get a bigger converter?  Thanks for the replies.


Posted By: Lark
Date Posted: 16 Apr 2018 at 6:45pm
The converter that comes with it will "fully" charge your battery.  However. the after market charger has 3 levels of charging, at 14.4 for high charge 13.6 and a float charge of 13.2  This is much better for the battery for long life and also is needed if you install a Jellcell type battery.  ( camping world part number 58324  55 amp)  I don't know why they downsized except to cut costs, or of course all interior lights are now LED which take less current to operate.  I'm going to up grade from the 55 amp single stage to the better, mainly due to the RF hash it causes on my Ham radio.

Lark F-150   2015 R-179


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Lark


Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2018 at 8:43am
The WF-8735P has a three level charging system.  It will charge your battery and it won't take days.

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Mike Carter
2015 178


Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2018 at 8:32pm
Originally posted by GCRicker GCRicker wrote:

YouTube videos have me so confused about converters.  Here are my questions...  Will the current factory option WF-8735P converter "fully" charge my battery after a few days of the Rpod being plugged into shore power?  Will the current factory option WF-8735P converter shorten the normal life of a Lead Acid battery because I didn't get a bigger converter?  Thanks for the replies.


Your charger will work fine. It will raise the voltage as needed, trading for amps.. (Ohm's Law and all that). It will charger your battery to 80% +/- at a higher rate, then lower the charge rate, as do ALL chargers, creeping up to 100%. It will not, in any way shorten the life of the battery. 99% of batteries that "die an early death" are murdered by their owners. The other 1% are stolen, so no one knows how their life goes. Or, very very rarely, a battery breaks internally.

If you do your part even a 2/6A charger can keep your battery going a long long time.


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Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295 http://www.rpodnation.com/some-of-our-mods-so-far-with-pics_topic2786.html" rel="nofollow - FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB


Posted By: Lark
Date Posted: 21 Apr 2018 at 8:54am
It looks like the best deals for converters is on Amazon.  Batteries need to be put in a above freezing location with a "smart charger" during non use.  The more you deep discharge a battery, the shorter the life.  Jellcells will last longer but are much more expensive.  Marine batteries for trolling motors will take more cycles.  The most common battery size put in RV's is a group 24.  I changed to a group 27 which will run longer.  If you install dual batteries, make sure they are the same age otherwise they won't take a balanced charge

Lark R=179


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Lark


Posted By: GCRicker
Date Posted: 02 May 2018 at 1:08pm
If I'm getting off topic for this particular forum, I apologize. 
 
From what I can tell, you can't replace the WF-8735P with something like Progressive Dynamics 9280 (80 amps), because there is no extra space where the all-in-one WF-8735P is in the RPOD.  I found a post that said you could put a second converter, like the Progressive Dynamics 9280, up in the front storage (Close to the battery), and just turn off the breaker going to the old converter.  I may do that, since I plan on buying a generator and will want fast battery charging.
 
 


Posted By: Lark
Date Posted: 02 May 2018 at 1:35pm
Greetings:

You didn't say if you are going to upgrade to dual batteries or a larger single.  You can only charge a lead acid battery so fast.  Anything else will cause it to use water, and shorten it's life.  A deck mounted charger will work fine, but the 80 amp rating is for load, not so much for charging rate.  It's your money, good luck.

Lark   2015 R-179


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Lark


Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 May 2018 at 2:58pm
If you are going to deck mount, just buy the converter you want, and deck mount it right behind the 8735, just move the wires from the one, to the other.

EDIT.. Looking at the 190 floorplan pictures, it would appear you would have to put it to the side, rather then behind. No issue.


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Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295 http://www.rpodnation.com/some-of-our-mods-so-far-with-pics_topic2786.html" rel="nofollow - FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB


Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 02 May 2018 at 7:20pm
Need some help understanding.  Both these converters charge in a conventional 3 stage way.  Both charge at same voltage.  What does multiple batteries have to do with post?  That doesn't change what converter does.  The converters will charge at their capability.  What in an RPod environment would call for an 80A converter?  A Rpod is a 30A compatible RV, what benefit do you get from a 80A converter?  Doesn't matter about a generator, that's a shore power device.  I don't suggest telling the OP he's offtrack and agree it's his money, but what does this provide or correct?  Maybe I'm missing something.  I'll bet both these converters operate at same amps on charge circuit, otherwise they would as Lark pointed out overcharge a single battery.

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Mike Carter
2015 178


Posted By: GCRicker
Date Posted: 03 May 2018 at 11:02am

It is very confusing Mike and you get different answers from different people.  Since I will be using the RPod mainly for dry camping, I will be buying an inverter so I can watch TV and cook in the Microwave during the evening.  This will drain the battery really fast.   I need to charge the battery (or batteries) as quickly as possible by plugging the RPod into a generator during the day.  My original understanding was an 80 Amp Converter will charge a depleted battery 2.3 times faster than a 35 Amp Converter.  However, I think you and furpod are saying that I'm incorrect, and that they will both charge the battery at the same rate. 

 
I'm going to go to the RV dealer this weekend and hopefully get them to tell me what I need to do.  I'll share with everyone what they tell me.


Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 03 May 2018 at 2:57pm
GCRicker, The converters both 35 and 80 amp have 3 stage regulated charge circuitry.  Many generators are built with unregulated charge circuits.  Adding an inverter will allow the use of certain appliances and will require a shore power source to recharge the batteries.  You could also add solar but it works much slower.  Your standard converter should work fine.  I think your mods should be along lines of solar, multiple batteries and a good generator source.  Happy Trails.

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Mike Carter
2015 178


Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 03 May 2018 at 4:42pm
Originally posted by GCRicker GCRicker wrote:

It is very confusing Mike and you get different answers from different people.  Since I will be using the RPod mainly for dry camping, I will be buying an inverter so I can watch TV and cook in the Microwave during the evening.  This will drain the battery really fast.   I need to charge the battery (or batteries) as quickly as possible by plugging the RPod into a generator during the day.  My original understanding was an 80 Amp Converter will charge a depleted battery 2.3 times faster than a 35 Amp Converter.  However, I think you and furpod are saying that I'm incorrect, and that they will both charge the battery at the same rate. 

 
I'm going to go to the RV dealer this weekend and hopefully get them to tell me what I need to do.  I'll share with everyone what they tell me.


A 80A charger won't charge any faster then a 35A charger.. batteries don't work like fuel tanks. You can only recharge at a percentage of the batteries capacity. and the battery charge rate slows considerably as it approaches 100%. Charging from, say, 50% SOC, the battery may take 4 times as long to get from 80% to 100%, as it did to get from 50% to 80%. When boondocking, we often don't get back to 100% SOC for a whole trip.. but we keep up enough to not fall below 50% SOC...


-------------
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295 http://www.rpodnation.com/some-of-our-mods-so-far-with-pics_topic2786.html" rel="nofollow - FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB



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