Converter Owner's Manual by Progressive Dynamics for 1973

[McCowans]

I found an owner's manual for our 1973 Newell Converter (model PD-711) on their website at the following link:

http://www.progressivedyn.com/servic...s_manuals.html (http://www.progressivedyn.com/service_discontinued/discontinued_prod_owners_manuals.html)

Marcey McCowan

[fulltiming]

Marcey, thanks for posting the link. The more resources such as this one that we can find, the more folks will be helped. Good work!!

[Capnted]

There are a bunch of new Progressive Dynamics Converter Chargers on eBay that have updated chargers--70 watt for around $150. IMHO it's better to save your batteries with a 3-stage charger than try to keep the old one running.

[chockwald]

Hey Ted, I think you meant 70 amp, not watt. I got the 70 amp to replace the battery boiler that came with the coach. It is a 3 stage with an additional desulfating mode. Works great, and I have not lost a battery in 2 years.

[prairieschooner]

Personally I would think twice about a Converter or Power Supply. They are Noisy and I don't mean to your ears but Noisy in the System.
We simply monitor our 12 Volts by a Volt Meter and then Charge the Batteries accordingly. I would much rather spend the $$$$$ on SOLAR Panels than that thing, I eliminated ours:thumbsup:.
just my thoughts

[jwe648]

So you replaced the converter charger with solar.. I'm not clear.. you have a inverter without a charger? or just use the solar for dry camping? I had two Heart Freedom 458 2000 watt Inverter chargers on the ole 74` the converter/charger was removed. When I rewired the panel I removed one of the Inverters as it was an overkill.(the previous owner tried to run the a/c on the batteries) It would have been ez to add solar for dry camping..
I have a spare w/ new boards & remote if someone is looking.. PM me if interested...

[Capnted]

At least, Clarke, I used a unit of measure for electricity! I didn't, for example, say I bought a "70 ounce converter", or a "70 banana converter". My 70 AMP, 1250 WATT converter is installed, humming VERY quietly, and I can tell my batteries are much happier. To my surprise I found 4 humungous ones in the '83! I disconnected two in separate compartments & still measured 12 volts at the converter. I was pleasantly surprised to find two more up front.

Solar is next because we may leave the "new" Newell in the frozen north this winter & I want to keep the batteries up. Has anyone turned on the battery merge & used one solar panel for house and engine batteries? How many bananas of output would I need?

[prairieschooner]

OK Jimmy I'll try,
Our '82 is mostly 12 Volts DC for the Lighting, Ventilation and Controls for Heaters, Refrigerator, etc. so my way will not work for the newer coaches.
The older Power Converters that I am talking about are basically a 12 Volts DC Power Supply. Allot of older boats used these as well but some were electrically noisy, I mean that they produced a static type signal on some frequencies.
The HEART Power Inverter produces a cleaned DC Power and was used early on for Back-Up Power for Computers. Yes our HEART Power Inverter does have the Charge function, I just do not leave it on in either function, I turn it OFF all together unless needed. I monitor our DC Voltage and if it gets Low then I use the Charging function and only for an hour or so. Flooded Lead Acid Golf Cart type 6 Volts DC Batteries can take up to 90% of the Charge or the Bulk Charge rapidly the Absorption and Float Cycles take much longer.
We have 3 Solar Panels and the BLUE SKY Regulator. These Panels put out enough DC Power to keep our '82 with 12 Volt Power as long as the Sun is out. I actually had to shut them down last winter while we at the Desert because I though that we may have been producing too much and I do not like boiling the House Batteries.
We have 4 TROJAN T-105, 6 Volts DC Batteries wired in Series to produce 12 Volts DC for the House needs (Golf Cart Type) plus the two size 8D Engine Starting Batteries. After a little over 3 years of service I have only added water to the Battery Cells once.
We lived aboard our Sailboat for 18 years and this is very similar to how I managed my DC System. I am sure that is isn't for everyone and if you are using AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) type Batteries this may not work at all.
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