Charger/converter for 2017 View

Maverick34

New member
Hey Guys, Does anyone know what the converter is in a 2017 View. I've looked at Winnebago wiring diagrams for the info with no luck. Is it single or multistage? Vendor and part number if u have it. I apologize if this has been discussed before but I ccan't find the info.
TIA
 

Philip53

2021 2500 Sprinter 170, 4 cyl gas
Maverick, you need to let us know which view it is. I have a '17 J model, with the corner bed. On my model the converter is mounted to the floor beneath the bed. You will have to raise the bed and remove the false floor at the rounded corner. It is right behind the breaker panel. Hell of a place to put it--no ventilation and damn hard to get to.
 

Maverick34

New member
Maverick, you need to let us know which view it is. I have a '17 J model, with the corner bed. On my model the converter is mounted to the floor beneath the bed. You will have to raise the bed and remove the false floor at the rounded corner. It is right behind the breaker panel. Hell of a place to put it--no ventilation and damn hard to get to.
Its the 524V. I think its under the bed but just wanted be sure the batteries are getting the most efficient charge for the longest lasting. I might consider Lithium at some point so that comes into play.
 

Geriakt

2017 View 24J
I just removed my Progressive Dynamics PD9245 charger and 2 wet cells in my 2017 24J. Located under the bed. I replaced with Victron 24/3000 inverter charger and Li battery (Tesla). Very fast charging as compared to Lead Wet. Very expensive change over. For the novice I would recommend the Battle Born LiFe, but you really should move to 24 volt system like I did. Before you do read up to see if the PD9245 can charge the Battle Born 12 volt system. If you choose to go Li at 12 volt i think you should still isolate the house battery from the cab battery altinator system. I am using the cab alternator and battery to start my generator, move my slide out and power the 12 volt norcold.
 

gyrogypsy

Member
I have a 2018 24D and have been unable to locate my converter. Assuming that it is the PD9245C model, there is nothing seen on the Progressive Dynamics website that indicate this is usable with Li Ion batteries. I'd like to change over battery type while increasing the solar panel wattage to about 500W. The Zamp 30 can handle this wattage. Looking into solar panel and battery form form factors to minimize overall effort. It would be nice to upgrade the internal wiring, but hesitant about getting into the wall paneling.
 

smiller

2008 View J (2007 NCV3 3500)
I have a 2018 24D and have been unable to locate my converter. Assuming that it is the PD9245C model, there is nothing seen on the Progressive Dynamics website that indicate this is usable with Li Ion batteries. I'd like to change over battery type while increasing the solar panel wattage to about 500W. The Zamp 30 can handle this wattage. Looking into solar panel and battery form form factors to minimize overall effort. It would be nice to upgrade the internal wiring, but hesitant about getting into the wall paneling.
Sometimes you can set a multi-stage charger (such as the PD9245 and others) to operate at a fixed voltage suitable to power a lithium BMS (meaning that the legacy charger simply provides a fixed output and the BMS handles the charging.) If so PD tech support should be able to tell you, might be able to move an internal jumper, etc.
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
Sometimes you can set a multi-stage charger (such as the PD9245 and others) to operate at a fixed voltage suitable to power a lithium BMS (meaning that the legacy charger simply provides a fixed output and the BMS handles the charging.) If so PD tech support should be able to tell you, might be able to move an internal jumper, etc.
I am not sure what you are implying when you say "the BMS handles the charging", but the only thing a BMS in any drop-in/replacement Li battery does is control the over or under voltage states of the battery via an internal relay.
 

smiller

2008 View J (2007 NCV3 3500)
As you know BMS is a broad term and functionality levels can vary from a simple cutout to more sophisticated charging controls. I don't know what type of system is being installed, do you? If something like the drop-in Battle Born then a standard charger can be used, if a more sophisticated standalone BMS is used it may require a fixed power source. Obviously, follow manufacturer's recommendations.
 

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
As you know BMS is a broad term and functionality levels can vary from a simple cutout to more sophisticated charging controls. I don't know what type of system is being installed, do you? If something like the drop-in Battle Born then a standard charger can be used, if a more sophisticated standalone BMS is used it may require a fixed power source. Obviously, follow manufacturer's recommendations.
Then I suggest you refrain from offering ambiguous and potentially misleading information, and for matters that you have no practical knowledge of.
 

billbo

Member
I have a 2018 24D and have been unable to locate my converter. Assuming that it is the PD9245C model, there is nothing seen on the Progressive Dynamics website that indicate this is usable with Li Ion batteries. I'd like to change over battery type while increasing the solar panel wattage to about 500W. The Zamp 30 can handle this wattage. Looking into solar panel and battery form form factors to minimize overall effort. It would be nice to upgrade the internal wiring, but hesitant about getting into the wall paneling.
The PD9425 is in the bottom of the pantry on your rig. remove the drawers from the pantry and unscrew the cover at the bottom inside of the pantry. I cut ventilation holes in the cover on mine and put screen over the holes, the thing was running hot. The first converter died early in ownership, this is number two. Normally you find the converter right behind the power distribution panel and that's exactly where yours is - just remove the cover. If we are parked with shore power I leave the pantry door ajar about an inch for ventilation.

I would prefer a charger for lithium batteries over the PD9245. I would also put in an MPPT controller and locate it near the batteries to help voltage drop, especially if you plan on 500watts of solar. The more current you put on that long 8 ga wire run the more voltage drop you will have at controller output voltage.
 

billbo

Member
BTW, if you are considering 500 watts of solar think about this. At 19VDC, operating voltage of Zamp panels, 500 watts is 26.32 amps, just barely gets your 20% safety margin squeezed in. Now the Zamp controller will convert that into some amps at 13.2 - 14.7 VDC on the long 8 ga wire run. Nearly as I can tell that is about 25 ft one way run, 50 ft circuit. All in a coach only 25ft long? I would plan on around 400 watts max if you plan on keeping the Zamp controller and making some wire changes. All up to you but the wiring drops pretty much straight down from the controller into a large bundle in a plastic conduit, runs to the front and the POS goes into the cavity below the passenger seat to a 30 amp button reset breaker, then to the battery POS red cable. The NEG branches directly to the battery NEG lead, most negative.
 

gyrogypsy

Member
Thanks Smiller. I am leaning towards the Lion Energy Safari 100 Ah LiFePO4 battery. It has a little stronger output (150 A Continuous vs. BB 100 A and 250 A for 60 sec vs. BB 200 A for 30 sec), and a little less length. This will facilitate squeezing two of them into the battery box under the step. I found my converter under the bottom kitchen drawer. I was also happy to find the #8 gauge wiring is less than 2 ft long from the roof junction box to the current Zamp solar charge controller, so lessened worries about voltage drops at 30 Amps(max) from the three HighTec 200 W panels. I will be installing a Victron 100/50 solar charge controller, mostly because I am sure solar cell technology will improve such that I can find suitable form factor panels that I can run at 24 V to take full advantage of the MPPT technology.
 

gyrogypsy

Member
Bilbo, I see your point. Any clue about the difficulty in pulling lager wires from the controller to the batteries?
 

billbo

Member
Well I have been searching for 24volt panels a while because that would be a better solution by far. At this time they appear to be larger than my roof will take. With the 24volt panels operation somewhere around 32-36vdc the voltage drop across the long 8 ga wire becomes far less a problem. The plan would be to install the MPPT controller (Victron if you go that way) near the batteries up front and let the higher voltage traverse the long 8 ga run. In fact if you follow that method the 8 ga should be just fine to a controller up front. Now the challenge - can we find smaller 24volt panels? They seem to focus more on residential market but guys with A class big rigs can find space to mount them. Leaving the solar controller where it is in the 18V24D would require a better wire run, go to 4 ga or pull a parallel 8 ga alongside the OEM pull. My plan would be to remount my two switchable circuit breakers right where the OEM Zamp controller is mounted. That gives control for shutoff to work on batteries etc. and provides a connector point for the roof entry cables to the internal long run NEG wires, just butt splice the POS lines. Then just remake the output cables from the new controller location up front. I think it would be possible to have 2 or 3 ft output from the controller to the batteries - almost no voltage drop there.

A few have reported that the 30 amp button reset breaker under the PS seat does not handle increased load and faults requiring a better breaker, say 40 amps and a real switchable breaker.
 
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gyrogypsy

Member
I considered wiring the three 12V, 200W panels in series to take better advantage of the planned Victron MPPT controller. But besides negating use of my current 12V, 100W portable panel, I have also read where shadowing of a single panel in series more drastically reduces available power then if wired in parallel. Do you believe this to be true? I need to mount two panels along the RV main body length, while the third needs to be mounted transversely.

Any idea how hard to pull larger wires to replace the #8 from the controller to the battery compartment? I think about 25 x 2 ft are used, and at 0.03 ohms and 30 charging amps, that is .9V lost! I am amazed a separate small voltage sensing wire is not used from the battery terminals to the charge controller.
 

billbo

Member
Yes, shading does impact series connected panels more in some cases. The easiest remedy for the long run of 8 ga is to move the controller up front. Otherwise you might consider pulling another complete circuit of 8 ga in parallel with the OEM installed. Almost as good as a 4 ga single run, not quite. I would keep it simple as possible and move the controller. I plan to do solar rework as soon as we get back from our trek to CO to visit our son and mess around SD a while. I can't find 24 volt panels yet that will fit but that would be the best solution with the MPPT controller. Staying with the Zamp and 12 Volt panels moving the controller to the front is by far the simpler solution to help voltage drop since their panels operate at 19 volts. Of course you will need to find the best mounting option up front and do some minor wiring.
 

gyrogypsy

Member
Thanks BillBo. Taking another step in mitigating solar voltage drop, I am now considering use of 4 x 200 W HighTec panels as seen where templates shown. Mechanically, this means:

1. Trimming or else removing the "flying buttresses" from the cab-over sleeping roof. This allows most forward mounting. The panels will be closer to the edge that seen in the photo to clear the roof a/c.

2. Building two aluminum frames to house two panels closely together, at least along tops and bottoms. I will use five roof mounting posts per side.

3. Mount the panels 4" above the roof to allow clearance over the current roof-mounted Zamp connection box. This may help solar gain a bit as these panels are dual sided. I will simply fold the rarely used FM antenna horizontal.

4. Add an aluminum "duvet" side curtain on the mounting frame sides to mitigate airflow under the panels. The current awning and full-length slide-out already turbulates that airflow. A similar curtain will be added to frame fronts. I was planning to do all mounting with 3M VHB tape, but now maybe adding screws into the roof is a good idea?

Electrically the 4 panels will all be in series (80V) via the Zamp connection box. I will disconnect the existing #8 panel output wire at the Zamp controller, and connect it to the existing #8 charging wire that runs to the battery area where I will mount the Victron solar charge controller. I will then add short length of #6 wire (largest allowed by the Victron) to the 2 x 100 Ah battery bank. If wire routing is easy, then I will mount the the Victron battery monitor in the area above the refrigerator, and route the new RJ11 wiring from the charge controller to there. Else I will mount this battery monitor near the steps. I will add panel breakers.

I plan to keep the Zamp charge controller for use with my portable solar array. If there are two #8 wires from the current Zamp controller to the battery box (+ and -), then I will simply use one of these as + and return all solar panel power through chassis ground. This may be a "phase two" project as I may not need supplementary solar!

Thoughts?
 

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Geriakt

2017 View 24J
Thanks Smiller. I am leaning towards the Lion Energy Safari 100 Ah LiFePO4 battery. It has a little stronger output (150 A Continuous vs. BB 100 A and 250 A for 60 sec vs. BB 200 A for 30 sec), and a little less length. This will facilitate squeezing two of them into the battery box under the step. I found my converter under the bottom kitchen drawer. I was also happy to find the #8 gauge wiring is less than 2 ft long from the roof junction box to the current Zamp solar charge controller, so lessened worries about voltage drops at 30 Amps(max) from the three HighTec 200 W panels. I will be installing a Victron 100/50 solar charge controller, mostly because I am sure solar cell technology will improve such that I can find suitable form factor panels that I can run at 24 V to take full advantage of the MPPT technology.
One thing you should also compare is cost per amp hour of Battle Born and Lion. The Lion 100 amp hour battery has been proven to be only 90 amp hours. So with both having a list price of $1000 the BB is a better buy. I have seen Lion Energy as low as $700.
 

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