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Topic ClosedPotential converter problem

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DavMar View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Potential converter problem
    Posted: 17 Aug 2018 at 1:24pm
Originally posted by Tibof

   BTW, the WFCO failed due to a ceramic resistor falling right out!  WFCO says they don't see that and something must have been done to it.  Riiiight.  My son says he got up in the night and took the converter out and wiggled the resistor until it fell out.  He threw the resistor on the compartment floor and then he put the converter back and went back to bed.


Tibof, seems your son had the same experience as I and many other have had with the shoddy WFCO converters. Why Forest River even uses this manufacture after so many complaints is beyond me?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2018 at 7:01pm
DavMar, I totally agree with you, but I do remember furpod telling me that “you get what you paid for” when I was going on about the quality of the FR R-Pod.Actually he even added that he was thru with me.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2018 at 11:32pm
How many converters have failed?  How many have been installed? I would be interessted in the numbers you have to prove your case.  in Tibof's case the converter was way out of warranty. 
Keith-N-Dar
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DavMar View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 10:07am
Originally posted by Keith-N-Dar

How many converters have failed?  How many have been installed? I would be interessted in the numbers you have to prove your case.  in Tibof's case the converter was way out of warranty. 


I believe if count up the number of people who have posted on this forum on the failures of WFCO converters it is more then obvious this company now has a problem. One that could easily be solved by a more generous use of silicon caulk to anchor the ceramic power resistors to the circuit board which would prevent their leads breaking off from vibration. I spent my career working on electronics in a very heavy vibration environment so not to brag but I think I'm a bit qualified to make a diagnosis and judgement. No matter who manufactures a converter or how long you have had it there is no excuse for this type of fault, period! Tibof has a valid complaint whether or not his converter was in or not in the warranty period. We all may agree to disagree here on this or other issues concerning our R-Pods that part of what an open forum is all about. In the end it's about helping each other out with what ever problems we encounter on out campers I would hope everyone would agree with? One can only hope some one from Forest River is also viewing these posts and comes to the conclusion they have a problem they need to address.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 10:23am
Inother words you don't have data.  You have an opinion.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 10:33am
Originally posted by Keith-N-Dar

Inother words you don't have data.  You have an opinion.


Let see I think you can count as well as I can, yes? When numerous forum user post they have a problem then I think that gives you a good indication there is a problem. Yes, I do have a OPINION, indeed, its an opinion from spending over thirty years repairing electronic circuits that are used in a high vibration environment. Which I believe may give me some validity to make an opinion but I guess you believe otherwise? So please tell me and everyone else what your opinion is and your qualifications to come to such a conclusion.

Peace 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 3:21pm
I have not looked at this power resistor on our WFCO converter, but if it is getting hot, it may be undersized or need a heat sink attached. I've worked in the computer/electronics industry for over 40 years, and have seen lots of power resistors get too hot and then work themselves loose.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 3:52pm
Me either, but agree with you. Lot of experienced folks on this board. Justified in having an educated opinion. Personally I have had no issues with my WFCO convertor, when I do. I'll fix it. When that happens, I'll probably have an opinion.:)
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 3:55pm
Hi GlueGuy....Is there a schematic with the parts you mentioned. I am electrically challenged and will not be able to find them. Thx 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2018 at 4:38pm
Originally posted by Keith-N-Dar

How many converters have failed?  How many have been installed? I would be interessted in the numbers you have to prove your case.  in Tibof's case the converter was way out of warranty. 
The WFCO converter has a two year warranty.  We can debate the meaning of "way out" but given the age of the Pod in question, we are looking at 3 years at most on this one, ie. a year beyond the deadline.  I was told by WFCO that they can go beyond the two years, but they wouldn't define what that meant.  But, OK, lets accept the strict deadline of the warranty.  As you may know from my spoiler issue, if it is a product defect (as with the spoiler), my view is that a good company stands behind the product rather than blame the problem on the owner or some unseen force. In another conversation with WFCO, I was told that the problem was probably due to a thin or cold solder joint. That's a product defect.  Given the minimal cost WFCO has in one of those foreign made converters, they could easily meet the consumer of a bad product half way (and still make money and a strong reputation that's worth money). Prove the case?  Even the small sample that shows up in this forum (which is actually empirical data) is sufficient mathematically to verify a wide range of failures.
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