Noise under fridge. Breaker Fan?

kwilkins · 08-17-2014, 08:36 AM

On another thread I asked about leaving our 2010 Sunstar 32k plugged in while not using the RV, it's in a garage. Last night I had the RV plugged in and I believe the only thing on was the lights on the microwave and the lights on the gauge panel. No overhead lights were on, nor the fridge, hot water heater, water pump, etc.

There was what sounded like a fan under the fridge cycling on and off. It would run for around 5 minutes and then turn off, and then back on again within the hour. I removed the access panel below the fridge and could see the hot water bypass, a speaker, a bunch of wires, and what looked like a metal box behind the area where the breakers are. I'm guessing there was a fan in that metal box, but I couldn't really see well due to the tight location.

Does anyone know if there is a fan that blows on the breakers? Does that make sense? Could it be something else? I'm concerned with leaving the RV plugged in when not in use if a fan or something else is going to be constantly cycling on and off.

Thanks for any advice you can offer on this.

Ken

Tom N · 08-17-2014, 09:12 AM

Converter, 110v to 12v. Charges batteries and provides 12v to the coach when plugged in to 110v.

-Tom

emiddleb · 08-17-2014, 09:12 AM

Betting that the metal box is your converter, and if so, yes it does have cooling fans. Probably charging your batteries among other things.

Dsouthw524 · 08-19-2014, 05:02 AM

We leave our coach plugged in always except when on the road with no problems and have for several coaches. The converter uses the fan to cool as it makes 12 volts. We replaced our converter to a multi-phase model several years ago and reduced the use of water in the batteries. the side effect is that the converter is quieter!

kwilkins · 08-19-2014, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSouthw524

We leave our coach plugged in always except when on the road with no problems and have for several coaches. The converter uses the fan to cool as it makes 12 volts. We replaced our converter to a multi-phase model several years ago and reduced the use of water in the batteries. the side effect is that the converter is quieter!

Thanks for the information.

Wizard · 08-19-2014, 06:40 AM

Mine on a previous coach was so noisy I had to replace the fan, made a big difference

wa8yxm · 08-19-2014, 07:01 AM

Another thing about that fan.. It is thermostatically controlled.

I have both a converter and an inverter/converter on this rig.. I normally disable the converter section of the inverter because I like the PDI 9100+Wizard better.. (I do occasionally use both however)

I was in the compartment where the inverter hides the other day and the fan was fanning... The inverter is in standby, The converter is disabled, so all it's doing is passing a couple amps to the TV's and computers and such... But the sun heated the compartment enough to activate the fan.

There is a secondary fan on the compartment too that also is T-stat controlled.

GG1 · 08-21-2014, 07:08 AM

They can be a pain to replace because it looks like Winne builds the coach around them. I had to replace mine on a previous coach it was under the fridge with no access panel. Had to remove a speaker and work with a mirror behind the converter with one hand then cutout a notch in the wood that held the speaker to remove the converter. When I called their tech line they told me I have an access door. Yeah right, GREAT IDEA WINNEBAGO!