Parallax Power Center

There is a lot of discussion on this subject.  To be honest it overwhelms me.

Phoenix installed 110V to 12V converter/chargers in their rigs through most of model year 2006.  These came with a single house battery.

Late in the 2006 model year, Phoenix changed from a single house battery to 2 batteries to support 12V to 110V inverted power.  The inverter/converter of choice at the time was the Tripp-Lite RV2012UL.  Tripp-Lite has since replaced it with model MRV2012UL.

I don't know the year Phoenix changed inverters, but the Tripp-Lite unit was installed at least through model year 2008.

I wonder how the Tripp-Lite MRV2012UL compares to all the talk of converters and inverters today.  If our Tripp-Lite fails one day, my plan would be to replace it with the MRV2012UL, or possibly Tripp-Lite APS2012.  But I wonder if doing so, I would miss out on benefits of significance that are a complete mysterious to me.  I wonder why everyone avoids the Tripp-Lite option.

Well, I don't know what happened in my case, but my 2008 never had any type of inverter.  It came stock with only a 45amp Parallax 7445 converter.  Maybe the original owner special ordered it without an inverter or something.  In any case, I can verify that the Progressive Dynamics PD9245CV Inteli-Power 9200 is a direct replacement for a Parallax 7445, and it works fine with two 12V AGM's.

If had a Inverter/converter combination, I don't know what the best replacement would be, but I would be concerned if it doesn't have a trickle-charge mode.  I like to leave my coach plugged in at home, and I like to stay in full-hookup campgrounds for several days at a time.  That Parallax burned up two perfectly good batteries when I first got the RV and didn't know that I was supposed to avoid leaving my RV plugged in for extended periods.  I don't think I've seen a single-stage automotive battery charger since I was a teenager, but apparently RV manufacturers think a two-stage charger is an extravagance in a motorhome.  If you ask me, this gets back to the quality discussion. 

My 2019 PC 2552 which was built for the Hershey RV Show came with 2 Trojan 6v AGM batteries. The converter is built into a Progressive Dynamics Power Control Center Model PD4500. It is a 3 stage nonprogrammable unit with the following stages: Boost Mode 14.4 VDC for rapid charging, Normal Mode 13.6 VDC when batteries are in use but at or near full charge, and Storage Mode 13.2 VDC for batteries that are fully charged but haven't been used in the last 30 hours. Also when in the Storage Mode quote "the voltage will periodically increase to 14.4 VDC to help prevent sulfation of the battery plates".

The Trojan VRLA AGM battery spec sheet recommends that the charging voltage be between 14.1 and 14.7 VDC and the float voltage should be 13.5 VDC. It does not mention raising the voltage periodically to prevent sulfation.

Progressive recommends this converter for either wet cell or AGM batteries.

The power inverter is a separate Xantrex Pro Inverter model XM 1800.

So far everything is working very well.

Very timely post for me. I’ve been researching batteries and converter/chargers for a while now.

My 2004 PC 2350 has an Elixir ELX-45 converter and a single 12v battery mounted in a compartment over the driver side rear wheel well. From the inside the battery box is under the large wardrobe cabinet beside the fridge. There’s a slide out tray in the battery box. The converter and breakers and fuses are below the fridge.

The Boondocker 1245 PC is supposed to be a direct replacement for the ELX-45 and is a 3 stage charger, so that’s what I have decided to get. I’m currently looking at a pair of Lifeline AGM batteries which I believe will fit in the battery box once the pull out tray is removed. To do any amount of boondocking we really need 2 batteries.

Lithium batteries would be great but the cost is extremely high and I don’t know if the alternator would be compatible with them.

Very timely post for me. I’ve been researching batteries and converter/chargers for a while now.

My 2004 PC 2350 has an Elixir ELX-45 converter and a single 12v battery mounted in a compartment over the driver side rear wheel well. From the inside the battery box is under the large wardrobe cabinet beside the fridge......

I’m currently looking at a pair of Lifeline AGM batteries which I believe will fit in the battery box once the pull out tray is removed. To do any amount of boondocking we really need 2 batteries.

If your battery compartment can handle two-6V AGMs, I recommend them over a pair of 12V AGMs.  We have two 6V AGMs and they have been performing exceptionally well, four RV seasons years so far.  Unlike both sets of 12V conventional batteries we had before, these seem to discharge and recharge uniformly like they are one really big 12V AGM battery.

You mentioned Lifeline AGM.  If you pursue 6V AGM, Sam's Club has the Duracell brand for around $180 each, and that is what we have.  But not every Sam's Club carries them.  CLICK HERE to see them.  Sam's Club also sells deep cycle 12V AGM.

12V or 6V, regardless of your choice, going AGM will work well in your 2004 limited space compartment because you never have to check fluids.  Hook them up and never touch them again until you have to replace them.  But you already know that.

Ron, thanks for the reply.

I have looked at a pair of 6v but they are all taller than the 12v. I don’t think I would have enough room above them to easily connect the cables. And yes, AGM is the only way I can utilize the existing battery box because of the no maintenance feature. If I can’t use the battery box, things become a lot more complicated because I would have to find a new place for the batteries.

I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge and willingness to share on this forum. Thanks!

I have looked at a pair of 6v but they are all taller than the 12v. I don’t think I would have enough room above them to easily connect the cables.

John, since you've been doing some research on the batteries I'm sure you're up to speed on this--but remember that you have more flexibility with the AGMs.  I don't know how tight the dimensions are that you're working with, but the AGMs can install in any position (in addition to upright) if that would help with the space.

Mike

Ron, thanks for the reply.

I have looked at a pair of 6v but they are all taller than the 12v. I don’t think I would have enough room above them to easily connect the cables. And yes, AGM is the only way I can utilize the existing battery box because of the no maintenance feature. If I can’t use the battery box, things become a lot more complicated because I would have to find a new place for the batteries.

I really appreciate the wealth of knowledge and willingness to share on this forum. Thanks!

FWIW, I took out the battery tray and (2) group 31 trojan AGM fit in just fine!  Hook them up in parallel, with the positive feed off one battery and negative off the other to ensure even charge/discharge.

FWIW, I took out the battery tray and (2) group 31 trojan AGM fit in just fine!  Hook them up in parallel, with the positive feed off one battery and negative off the other to ensure even charge/discharge.
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That’s great to know because that’s the plan!  Thanks!

Folks, thanks for this discussion....very informative and helpful. I now believe this is the root of my battery issues, I checked them after reading this and had to add two 16oz bottles of water to each one...so yes they are getting cooked. I just assumed the rig had a multi stage inverter???

Folks, thanks for this discussion....very informative and helpful. I now believe this is the root of my battery issues, I checked them after reading this and had to add two 16oz bottles of water to each one...so yes they are getting cooked. I just assumed the rig had a multi stage inverter???

Yes, given that you have a 2018 model, I too would have assumed it had a multi stage charger. My PC is 15 years old, so no surprise there.

TOM, I believe there may be a malfunction of your charger since you have a newer unit.  Perhaps go thru the literature to determine which converter/charger you have.  Just sitting in storage with occasional checking might have resulted in batteries going close to dry.  I do not stay plugged in, but check fluid in batteries every couple months anyway.  Were your batteries toast or will they hold a charge now?

I replaced my old batteries that needed monthly water fill with distilled with AGM when I did service late last fall and discovered I had to shut off power by door (12V) and the unit on wall which has small hard to read board... I read the book that came with it and not a mention of what to do with AGM installed. So far I seem to have power when I am on the road. I don't bet on it yet since I have not been on road enough to measure what I have to work with. I do know it is nothing like the battery charger unit I had in the Allegro Bus... which never needed adjusting.... I think this one does not have anything automatic. Certainly not the driver.... so my new guessing game is on.

TOM, I believe there may be a malfunction of your charger since you have a newer unit.  Perhaps go thru the literature to determine which converter/charger you have.  Just sitting in storage with occasional checking might have resulted in batteries going close to dry.  I do not stay plugged in, but check fluid in batteries every couple months anyway.  Were your batteries toast or will they hold a charge now?

Actually I have a separate thread discussing my issue. Not sure if my batteries are toast, I have the coach unplugged from power and currently have a smart (Optimate) charger on my batteries. My inverter is a Xantrex PRO XM 1800...I googled it and it states that it is a “smart” charger including low battery voltage alarm and low battery voltage shut off.

Honestly, I just wat to be able to plug this coach into a 20amp garage receptacle to charge the batteries, but can’t cuz something in the coach trips my GFI. Turns out it’s the breaker left of the main in the coach which is labeled “Inverter Power”, there is another breaker labeled “20A Main Inverter”.
Tom

Tom B, If you have a power problem and possible short, that is the first thing to fix.

Also I know this was addressed somewhat on another post but I'm hoping to simplify here:

Inverter
   TAKES power from DC 12v battery
   Changes DC current to AC current so standard plug-ins work
   Inverter ONLY needs to be turned on when rig is not plugged in
   Inverter alarms are to tell you there isn't enough power in the battery for it to take
   Panel inverter information can tell you battery charge level as well as how much inverter is taking from the battery at any given time.
   Some items use so little power they won't show on the panel (think of a 50 gallon barrel that leaks one drop every few seconds. You only have a one cup measure so each drop seems insignificant and doesn't show up on your measurements but eventually it will drain the barrel.)

Converter
   Pushes power into the batteries
   Converts/Changes the AC shore power into DC so it can be stored in the batteries
   Converter only runs when rig is plugged in and the battery is less than fully charged
   The fan on the Converter runs to cool it. If you hear the fan, something is drawing 12v battery power (this is assuming we are starting from a charged battery)

Standard RV refrigerators will use DC or AC. If RV is plugged in, it uses that AC power and doesn't draw down the batteries. If not plugged in, it switches to propane but still uses a small amount of power from the batteries. The inverter does NOT have to be on to do this.

Inverter enabled outlets - certain outlets can be run direct from shore power OR from the batteries. The inverter must be on to get power from the battery to these outlets when you are not plugged in.

The inverter needs power to run even if it isn't powering anything else. If you are not plugged in and the inverter is left on, it is feeding off the batteries. When we dry camp we only turn the inverter on if we need power at those inverter enabled outlets or to run the entertainment system.
   
Hope this clarifies instead of confuses.

We carry the "RV Owner's Handbook" by Gary Bunzer, "The RV Doctor" and refer to it when we are trying to troubleshoot systems or understand basics. Most of his info should be on his website also but we don't always have signal so the book rides along.
   

We carry the "RV Owner's Handbook" by Gary Bunzer, "The RV Doctor" and refer to it when we are trying to troubleshoot systems or understand basics. Most of his info should be on his website also but we don't always have signal so the book rides along.
As a gift, I received a copy of "Are you RV Ready" by Jeffrey E. Boyer.  Well written and containing excellent information.  I have referred to this book more times that I would have expected. Would recommend adding this guide to your RV documentation.