Do I have an converter on my 2004 Horizon?

[Heating man]

I recently purchased a 2004 Itasca Horizon 40AD . The unit has a 2000 watt inverter but I do nor know if it has a converter. I thought they all had converter but I see no mention of it in the wiring diagrams. If I do have one could anyone tell me where it is located.

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by Heating man

I recently purchased a 2004 Itasca Horizon 40AD . The unit has a 2000 watt inverter but I do nor know if it has a converter. I thought they all had converter but I see no mention of it in the wiring diagrams. If I do have one could anyone tell me where it is located.

No, you don't have a converter. Your inverter/charger supplies 120V from the batteries in the absence of shore power or generator and supplies 12V DC to the batteries and coach when connected to shore power or generator.

[Stevegd007]

Yes you have a converter/charger (120v to 12v) it is mostly found inside your RV. Mine is under the Stove, on the right side of the unit, on the floor with cables running to the battery compartment. When plugged into shore power, if it's fairly quite you normally can hear a small fan tuning at certain times.
But if are talking about a inverter (12v to 120v) you have that also, most likely in a compartment near your batteries!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

No, you don't have a converter. Your inverter/charger supplies 120V from the batteries in the absence of shore power or generator and supplies 12V DC to the batteries and coach when connected to shore power or generator.

Hey Chris,
As you know, mine is almost like the OPs coach only, it's 36GD. It came with a
Dimensions 2000 watt Inverter/Charger. And your explanation of how the system works is EXACTLY how I would have answered. There are NO STAND ALONE converters on our type of coaches. There is ONLY the Inverter/Charger, period.

The OP should have the same Dimensions Inverter/Charger unless it's been changed.

Now, there's been a few threads about this for a few years and, its' been mentioned that part of that Inverter/Charger IS a converter. But, in all the reading of the innards of both the old Dimensions unit I had, and the one I replaced it with, a Magnum 2012ME MSW 2000 Watt Inverter/Charger, there's ZERO mention of any CONVERTER built into those Inverter/Charger units. This is how I understand the design and labeling of of them.

Now, if there's some form of a converter INSIDE those Inverter/Chargers, I'd like to find written word that states that so I'll know. (And so will the OP of this thread)
Scott

P.S. Also, as I understand it, about 99% of most gas coaches out there WILL have a Converter or, a Converter/Charger. But, since many of them have limited carrying capacity for extra batteries, they WILL NOT have an INVERTER/CHARGER. They might have a smaller inverter (for TV/VCR/DVD) etc.

[Heating man]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

Hey Chris,
As you know, mine is almost like the OPs coach only, it's 36GD. It came with a
Dimensions 2000 watt Inverter/Charger. And your explanation of how the system works is EXACTLY how I would have answered. There are NO STAND ALONE converters on our type of coaches. There is ONLY the Inverter/Charger, period.

The OP should have the same Dimensions Inverter/Charger unless it's been changed.

Now, there's been a few threads about this for a few years and, its' been mentioned that part of that Inverter/Charger IS a converter. But, in all the reading of the innards of both the old Dimensions unit I had, and the one I replaced it with, a Magnum 2012ME MSW 2000 Watt Inverter/Charger, there's ZERO mention of any CONVERTER built into those Inverter/Charger units. This is how I understand the design and labeling of of them.

Now, if there's some form of a converter INSIDE those Inverter/Chargers, I'd like to find written word that states that so I'll know. (And so will the OP of this thread)
Scott

P.S. Also, as I understand it, about 99% of most gas coaches out there WILL have a Converter or, a Converter/Charger. But, since many of them have limited carrying capacity for extra batteries, they WILL NOT have an INVERTER/CHARGER. They might have a smaller inverter (for TV/VCR/DVD) etc.

Thanks fire up I do still have the Dimmensions 2000 watt inverter in my coach. Did the one in yours fail or did you just want a better inverter? and is the magnum a better inverter than the Dimmentions? I read somewhre on here that the dimmensions would over charge AGM batteries if you had those. The set up stevegd007 talked about sounds exactly what I had with my 2002 sunncruiser. The converter was under the stove and I would here the fan run every now and then, but I only had a 150 watt inverter for the TV.

[Mudfrog]

On an inverter/charger assembly, i believe that the battery charger portion is actually a converter. It takes 120 volts and converts it down to 14+ volts to charge the batteries. I'm guessing the one or the other terminology is employed to keep down confusion.

[FIRE UP]

Thanks fire up I do still have the Dimmensions 2000 watt inverter in my coach. Did the one in yours fail or did you just want a better inverter? and is the magnum a better inverter than the Dimmentions? I read somewhre on here that the dimmensions would over charge AGM batteries if you had those. The set up stevegd007 talked about sounds exactly what I had with my 2002 sunncruiser. The converter was under the stove and I would here the fan run every now and then, but I only had a 150 watt inverter for the TV.

Our coach, as stated, is an '04 also. We purchased it in May of '11. At that time, it had 40K on the clock. So, the coach was 7 years old and 40K when we picked it up. We owned it for about 2-3 years when, I had determined that the Charger side of that Dimensions unit, had gone south for the winter, never to return.

So, my diligent significant other, immediately cruised around on Amazon, Ebay, and Craigslist for "Inverter/Charger". Low and behold, she found a 6 month old, Magnum 2012ME MSW Inverter/Charger for $700 on C/L. We immediately called on it and set up an appointment to go see it. The gent had pulled it from his 6 month old coach 'cause his wife had medical issues that, needed equipment that needed PURE SIGN WAVE electricity to run on. So, the MSW Magnum had to go.

Well, the Dimensions unit is called a "Quasi-Sign wave" unit which, I'm pretty sure it just a fancy term for MSW. So, since we had no need for Pure sign wave technology, we offered the gent $600 for it, he said "yep" and we went home with it.

If that Dimensions unit had not quit on the battery charging side, it would still be in there. I really had/have no desire to try and top what that one did.

Now, as for the Dimensions unit, it's a good unit, without a doubt. I don't know if you'd had a chance to scan over any books that may have come with the coach, providing any did (seems like some previous owners either EAT the coaches books or, simply throw them away or, loose them).
But, if you don't have any, you can dial up the Dimensions 2000 watt Inverter/Charger on the net and find the owners manual.

It will explain EXACTLY how the battery charging system works, how many levels of charging it puts out, how to adjust it for the different kinds of house batteries it will be charging, and more. It's good reading for folks that have that unit so that you know and understand, the "what/why/how/when" it's doing its battery thing. Good luck.
Scott

[wa8yxm]

If you have a 2,000 watt or larger inverter FACTORY installed then it is likely a dual purpose box, Inverter and Converter/charger in one. It should be hooked DIRECTLY to the batteries bypassing any disconnects (This is one wat to tell, not perfect but may work). If your inverter is AFTERMARKET as mine is you may also have a converter, However it may be disabled. My Converter is on the HOUSE side of the battery disconnect so even if I turn the batteries OFF lights still work on shore power. But if I disable it and enbable the charger side of the Inverter.... Well. Then lights do NOT work if batteries are in DISCONNECT (Store) mode.

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

If you have a 2,000 watt or larger inverter FACTORY installed then it is likely a dual purpose box, Inverter and Converter/charger in one. It should be hooked DIRECTLY to the batteries bypassing any disconnects (This is one wat to tell, not perfect but may work). If your inverter is AFTERMARKET as mine is you may also have a converter, However it may be disabled. My Converter is on the HOUSE side of the battery disconnect so even if I turn the batteries OFF lights still work on shore power. But if I disable it and enbable the charger side of the Inverter.... Well. Then lights do NOT work if batteries are in DISCONNECT (Store) mode.

Unless a previous owner has modified the OPs coach in some sort of way, his coach is/came the same way as many of ours with that era diesel, battery and Inverter/Charger setup. His Dimensions Inverter/Charger is in the electrical/shore power compartment and, is tied directly to the house batteries, across the bedroom and on the other side of the coach, directly behind the right rear duals.
There "should" be, a 100, 200 or 300 amp fuse, directly above the house batteries that at least ONE of the positive 4-0 gauge leads goes through, on its way to the Inverter/Charger. ONE of the 4-0 gauge negative leads to right to that Inverter/Charger too.
There is no BIRD system for charging those house batteries. Only the Inverter/Charger charges them while on shore power or, the "Auxiliary Battery Boost" solenoid does when the engine is running.

Scott

[RV Vagabond]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BROWlbF-3GI&t=3s