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jmacstack
10-21-2009, 01:45 PM
I just received my 9280. After looking at the narrow bay that it will go in to replace the boiler, the task feels a bit daunting. I have to change the electrical receptacle because mine doesn't accept the 9280's blade configuration. That's easy. My breakers are all 20 amp so I should be fine just changing the receptacle. The part that seems the hardest is the giant junction box right in front of the current charger as well as the shore power cord rack which are all in the way. I'm wondering from those who have stood in these shoes, did you have to remove the cord rack to gain better access to the bay? I am assuming that the only wire I have to add is an additional ground wire. I am planning on removing the old battery charger and putting the 9280 in its place. Any advice would be very helpful. I will try to post some pics of the current set-up. Thanks Again, Jennifer

chockwald
10-21-2009, 02:30 PM
Jennifer, thanks for the pictures.....they really are worth several thousand words. That being said, this is a very tight space with a lot of stuff in the way. I was blessed with a pretty roomy area to work in, had no power cord rack in the way, and no junction box, and it was still difficult. No doubt you will need to remove the cord rack, and the old boiler is probably pretty heavy, so you might have to remove the junction box just to pull it out. That may give you enough room....I'm not sure most of us guys, except maybe Richard, could maneuver in that tight space. Does the "hot" (red) wire go into that junction box, or into that little black box next to the electrical outlet? You are right on the extra gound wire. I had to replace my outlet, too, to accomadate the blade configeration of the power cord.

encantotom
10-21-2009, 06:22 PM
some partial advice. the square box you are calling the junction box is actually the transfer switch that is controlled by the switches up at the drivers area that say shore, generator. the 3 position switch.

it has the main shore and gennerator power coming into it and i have totally redone mine inside with new relays, switches and neon indicator lights. i would recommend NOT removing it as it would be way more work to undo and reconnect with a very high chance of causing some problems. if you open it up and look inside you will see what i mean.

if you have to have the room, you might consider taking out the cord reel, but i have not done that since my setup is very different. i am one who without much concern will take things apart. having said that, sometimes it causes more work than the discomfort of just working around it.

i have the schematics for the transfer switch along with part numbers posted here on the site here http://www.newellclassic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=896&highlight=transfer+switch

i have just noticed the pictures are not showing up and i am havng problems with my web site, so will fix that when i can. i can email the pictures if you need them let me know.

Richard and Rhonda
10-21-2009, 11:18 PM
Hi Jen,

I replaced a boiler in the exact same config you have for an owner here in Fort Worth. First take off the cord reel, it will give you more room than you imagine. Second, I think you will find the boiler is either just sitting on a piece of plywood or bolted to a piece that will come out. Unplug the boiler and get it out as far as you can and then you will have more working room to unwire it.

Toughie will be putting the inverter back in the same space if it's foot print is larger than the bottom of the bay. If it is you will have to mount in on the side of the bay, I would cut a piece of plywood slightly bigger and mount the inverter to it, use a boatload of industrial velcro on the plywood and the bay wall, wire it up and stick the plywood to the wall. Voila.

prairieschooner
10-22-2009, 03:18 AM
Ok, the Box houses the Relays that allow you to switch from Shore to Generator from the Driver's Seat, a very valuable feature! This allows you to turn on the AC Generator and then Switch to the Generator Source and run the Air Conditioners while Traveling down the road.
Think about installing the Battery Charger closer to the Batteries. The 9280 looks to have an 80 Amp Output, look at this Chart;
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/westadvisor/10001/-1/10001/Marine-Wire.htm you will see how large a Cable you will need to supply the 80 Amps the distance away from the Batteries (From the Batteries to the Source and then back to the Batteries 35' away = 70'). If you choose a 10% Voltage drop then the 13.6 Volts that you are paying for turns into 12.24 Volts under load (13.6 - 10%)
This would allow you to use a smaller Battery Cable in order to keep the Voltage Drop to a minimum.
The HEART Power Inverter/Charger on our '82 is mounted at the forward Bay and just above the House Batteries. The Size of our Cables keep our Voltage Drop to the 3% Range, much more desirable to me.

jmacstack
11-14-2009, 02:22 PM
I have installed my new Progressive Dynamics battery charger and all is working well. Good thing I'm small because working in that space was a bit cramped. There was a hole cut in the floor under the old charger so I covered that with a piece of aluminum, caulked and screwed it to the floor. Thanks for the advice. Jennifer