Parallax/Magnetek 7345 RV Converter/Charger Replacement

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whemme
Posts: 2115
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Parallax/Magnetek 7345 RV Converter/Charger Replacement

Post by whemme »

This is a re-post of a topic originally posted back on June 6, 2005. It details the replacement of an original Parallax/Magnetek 7345 or earlier 6300 series single stage charger/converter with a modern Progressive Dynamics PD9160A or PD9260C 3-stage charger/converter.

However, installation of a PD9160A or PD9260C is labor intensive and no longer recommended since the much easier to install Progressive Dynamics PD4655V Charger/Converter is now recommended and the procedure to install that unit is covered by two separate posts on this Coach Modification section.

PARALLAX/MAGNETEK 7345 RV
CONVERTER/CHARGER
REPLACEMENT WITH 3-STAGE PROGRESSIVE DYNAMICS PD9160A

REDUCE COACH BATTERY CHARGING TIME AND ELIMINATE BATTERY OVER-CHARGING WITH RESULTANT WATER LOSS!

This is a detailed procedure including 20 photos used in my 2002 Born Free 26' Rear Side Bed motor home to remove my existing single stage Parallax/Magnetek 7345 Charger/Converter section and replace it with a 3-stage Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter and the optional Charge Wizard.  
Also, Progressive Dynamics has more recently made available the equivalent PD9260C Charger/Converter that now includes the Charge Wizard function built in and is the same physical size as the PD9160A unit.
NOTE:  If you are removing a 6300 series charger/converter rather than the 7345 unit described in this procedure, it can be done but further instructions needed to complete the procedure properly must be complied with and are described at the very bottom of the procedure detailedbelow.



                     Parallax/Magnetek 7345 Charger/Converter Conversion to 3-Stage
                     Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter


REDUCE COACH BATTERY CHARGING TIME AND ELIMINATE BATTERY OVER-CHARGING WITH RESULTANT WATER LOSS!

This is a detailed procedure including 20 photos used in my 2002 Born Free 26' Rear Side Bed motor home to remove my existing single stage Parallax/Magnetek 7345 Charger/Converter section and replace it with a 3-stage Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter and the optional Charge Wizard.
  
Also, Progressive Dynamics has more recently made available the equivalent PD9260C Charger/Converter that now includes the Charge Wizard function built in and is the same physical size as the PD9160A unit.

NOTE:  If you are removing a 6300 series charger/converter rather than the 7345 unit described in this procedure, it can be done but further instructions needed to complete the procedure properly must be complied with and are described at the very bottom of the procedure below.

                                  Parallax/Magnetek 7345 Charger/Converter conversion to 3-stage Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter

In the described procedure below, the lower charger/converter section of a Parallax/Magnetek 7345 system is replaced with a 3-stage Progressive Dynamics Model PD9160A Charger/Converter along with the Charge Wizard option.

Of all of the various units available from Progressive Dynamics, the PD9160A was chosen because its smaller size and dimensions fit well into the emptied lower case of the 7345 and provides sufficient space on the right end to allow good air movement for the cooling blower.

                                                                                                          CAUTION!

Before starting any of this modification work, make sure of two things. First, make sure that your RV is not connected to any shoreline AC power and also verify that the coach generator is not running.  And second, disconnect the (-) negative terminal lead to your coach batteries. If you have two or more coach batteries, make sure that the negative (-) terminal leads to all batteries are disconnected.

                                                                               TOOLS REQUIRED
1) T10 Torx screwdriver
2) T15 Torx screwdriver
3) Medium size flat blade screwdriver
4) Medium size Phillips screwdriver
5) 1⁄4” nut driver
6) 5/16” nut driver
7) 3/8” nut driver
8] 5/32” Allen wrench
9) AMP Super Champ terminal crimping tool (or equivalent)
10) Waldon HT1921 wire stripping tool (or equivalent)
11) Diamond MS543J wire clippers (or equivalent)
12) 3/8” AC or DC electric drill
13) #11 wire size or 3/16” drill bit
14) #7 wire size or 13/64” drill bit
15) 3/8” drill bit (or deburring tool)
16) 100 degree counter sinking bit
17) ADEL Tool Co. metal nibbler tool (or equivalent)
18) RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED: DC Digital Voltmeter with at least 0.25% accuracy

                                                                             PARTS REQUIRED
1) 15” length of black #8 AWG battery cable
2) 17.5” length of red #8 AWG battery cable
3) Qty 1 AMP blue crimp ring tongue terminal for #14 AWG Wire and #10 stud hole
4) Qty 1 AMP red crimp ring tongue terminal for #8 AWG Wire and #10 stud hole
5) Qty 2 AMP blue 1⁄4” male spade type crimp terminals 
6) Qty 5 #6 x 3/8" Phillips oval head sheet metal screws
7) Qty 3 AN507-1032R12 or MS24693-274 (or equivalent) #10 x 3⁄4” long countersunk flat head Phillips screws
8] Qty 3 AN363-428 or AN364-428 #10 self-locking nuts
9) Qty 1 #10 internal stack lock washer

                                                                 MODIFICATION PROCEDURE

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Using a T10 Torx screwdriver, remove the 4 lower brown torx screws as shown in the Photo #1 above. Then unlatch the upper-hinged door latch and remove this door and cover and set aside along with the 4 screws.

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1) Using either a flat blade screwdriver or a 5/16” nut driver, remove and retain the four lower screws shown in the locations with the red here as shown in Photo #2 above.

2) Then use a 3/8” nut driver to remove and retain the two screws shown in the locations with the yellow here fastening the metal cover plate over the 5 AC circuit breakers.

3) Then use a 5/16” nut driver to remove and retain the two screws shown in the locations with the blue here fastening the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel.

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1) Refer to both Photo #3 and Illustration #4 above.

2) Use a screwdriver to disconnect the large white #10 AWG (-) DC wire from the lower right backside corner metal terminal of the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel. This terminal is the same Terminal “D” Battery Negative shown in Illustration #4 except is located on the backside of this panel. 

3) Use a 5/16” nut driver and Phillips screwdriver to remove the large blue #10 AWG (+) DC wire terminal from the #10 Blue Feeder Connection.  Temporarily reinstall the removed hardware (nut, screw and washers) back into this hole on the metal plate in the same order as removed. 

4) Refer to Photo #4 below for picture of disconnected results.

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1) This photo shows these two blue and white DC wires disconnected.

2) Now unplug the black and white AC leads at their blue terminal connectors from the extreme front right side corner of the lower charger/converter section.  The black #14 AWG lead is the hot side 115 VAC, 60 Hz input to the converter from either the shoreline power or the generator. The white #14 AWG lead is the neutral side 115 VAC, 60 Hz power connection. 

3) Gently pull the disconnected #10 AWG white and blue DC leads down thru the black plastic grommet so that they are free from the upper section of the system.

4) Carefully pull the lower charger/converter section out of its mounting location approximately an inch or two.

5) Then gently pull the disconnected #14 AWG white and black AC leads up thru the black plastic grommet so that they are free from the lower section of the system.

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1) Along the top forward edge and near the front of the chassis note that the two black and white AC leads are fastened with two white nylon retaining clips. Carefully remove both leads from both of these clips so as to not damage them. They will to be reused latter to re-fasten these same two leads. 

2) Now the converter/charger section can be completely removed from the system. Photo #5 above shows this section removed.

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Photo #6 above shows the removed lower converter/charger section. The innards of this system will now be removed and this case modified and prepared to mount the new Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter.

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1) Using a #11 drill bit, drill out the 5 rivets fastening the top cover to the main chassis of the Parallax/Magnetek charger/converter section. Drill just deep enough to take the head off of the rivets. Do not drill too deep and enlarge any of the holes in either the top cover or the chassis itself.

2) Then using the same #11 drill bit, drill out the 2 long rivets fastening the cooling blower to the top cover being removed. Leave the wire screen covering the fan ventilation hole in the top cover in place.

3) Photo #7 above shows the charger/converter section with the top cover removed.

4) Photo #8 below shows the top cover removed from main chassis and with cooling blower also unfastened.

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1) In this procedure the internal electronics of the charger/converter section will be completely removed from it’s chassis and discarded.

2) An internal metal plate along with the circuit board must be removed from the chassis. To remove the metal plate, use a #7 drill bit to drill out a total of five rivets, two on the right side of the chassis identified with a red here shown in Photo #9 below and three more on the bottom of the chassis.

3) Then remove quantity eight T15 Torx screws holding the green circuit board to the bottom of the chassis.

4) Also, drill out from the bottom side of the chassis a white nylon expansion rivet holding the center of the circuit board to the chassis.

5) Then remove the charger/converter electronics from the chassis.

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The removed charger/converter electronics to be discarded is shown in Photo #10 below.

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Photo #11 below shows the bare chassis now ready for modifications necessary to mount in the new Progressive Dynamics PD9160A Charger/Converter.  The eight threaded spacer standoffs used to mount the green circuit board are retained - they do not need to be removed.

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1) Photo #12 below shows the bottom of the chassis with the open front of the chassis facing forward towards the bottom of the photo.

2) Mark the position of three holes to be drilled in the bottom of the chassis in the three locations as shown marked with a green felt tip pen. Carefully measure the hole locations using the dimensions shown in Photo #12. The dimensions are all from the precise edges of the chassis.

3) Once these three hole locations are correctly determined, indent the three locations with a drill punch. 

4) Using a #11 drill bit, carefully drill a hole at each of these three locations.  Deburr the three holes by hand with a 3/8” drill bit.

5) Using the 100 degree countersink bit, countersink these three holes from the bottom so that a #10 countersunk flat head screw will fit flush with the bottom of the case.  This step is important for the case to mount and fit properly back into the system.

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1) The new Progressive Dynamic PD9160A Charger/Converter as shown in Photo #13 below will now be modified to install in the chassis.

2) Prepare 15” length of black #8 AWG battery cable and 17.5” length of red #8 AWG battery cable by stripping off 3/8” of insulation from both ends of both the red and black cables.

3) Insert a stripped end of the red cable into one of the two (+) terminal receptacles and tighten with 5/32” Allen wrench not to exceed 50 lb-in of torque.

4) Insert a stripped end of the black cable into one of the two (-) terminal receptacles and tighten with the allen tool not to exceed 50 lb-in of torque.

5) Take the AC power cord with 3-prong plug on the end and measure the cord from the grommet where the cord enters the chassis of the unit.  Carefully measure off a 16” length of this cord from the chassis end and cut the cord at this point and discard the free end of the cord.

6) Carefully strip off 2.0” of the outer jacket insulation on the end of this cord.

7) Then carefully strip off ¼” of insulation from the white, black, and green leads protruding from this end of the cord.

8] Install and properly crimp on two ¼” wide male spade terminals on the white and black leads.  These two spade terminals must be compatible with the existing two female terminals on the ends of the black and white AC power leads shown in the lower right corner of Photo #5.

9) Install and properly crimp on the blue AMP #14 AWG terminal with a #10 stud size hole in it onto the remaining green lead.

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1) In this next procedure, the Progressive Dynamic PD9160A Charger/Converter will now be mounted in the previously modified chassis. Refer to Photo #14 below. 

2) The PD9160A has three slotted holes on its metal bottom plate. With the PD9160A inserted into the chassis firmly against the left side and back walls of the mounting chassis, insert two AN507-1032R12 (or equivalent) screws from the bottom up thru the two slotted holes on the left side of the PD9160A. Then install and tighten lightly two #10 self-locking nuts on these two screws. 

3) Then insert a third AN507-1032R12 screw up thru the one remaining slotted hole on the right side of the PD9160A. Then install a #10 internally stacked lock washer on the protruding end of this screw. 

4) Insert the AMP terminal on the end of the power cord green lead onto this screw on top of the lock washer. 

5) Finally, install and tighten a #10 self-locking nut onto this screw with just enough torque to cause light deflection of the bottom plate of the PD9160A around the slotted hole area. 

6) Then tighten the two #10 nuts on the left side with just enough torque to cause light deflection of the bottom plate of the PD9160A around the slotted hole area. 

7) Dress the AC power cord above and near the rear of the PD9160A. The result should be what you see in Photo #14 above. 

8] Install the Progressive Dynamics Charge Wizard P/N PD9105 by inserting the connector on the end of it's cable into the PD9160A per the factory instructions provided.  

9) Coil up the excess length of the Charge Wizard cord using provided wire wraps as shown in Photo #15 below so that approximately a 10" length of cord attached to Charge Wizard itself sticks out of mounting case.

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1) Install the top cover to the chassis using quantity five #6 x 3/8" Phillips head sheet metal screws.

2) Even though the photo shows the red and black battery cables passing thru the plastic grommet located on the front right
corner of the top cover - do not dress those cables thru that grommet hole yet at this time.

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1) With the red and black battery cables and the Charge Wizard cable sticking out of the front opening of the mounting case, slide the case into the bottom of the system until leaving the case sticking out approximately 1.5 inches.

2) Attach the #14 AWG white and black AC leads under the two white nylon retaining clips located along the top front edge of the case in same manner as previously attached. Make sure that these two leads run parallel to each other and do not cross each other.

3) Then pass these two leads down thru the black plastic grommet located in the front right corner of the case cover.

4) Plug together the black AC power lead from above with the female ¼” spade terminal into the corresponding male ¼” spade terminal on the black lead from the PD9160A power cord.  

5) Plug together in a similar manner the two white AC power leads.

6) Then fully insert the PD9160A charger/converter case into the system mount and install and tighten the 4 mounting screws using the 5/16” nut driver as shown in Photo #16 below.

7) Carefully insert the free end of the black #8 AWG battery cable up thru both of the black plastic grommets and insert the stripped end of the black cable into the back side Terminal D Battery Negative terminal on the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel as shown in Illustration #4. Make sure that all of the wire strands are fully inserted into this terminal and then tighten securely with a flat blade screw driver.

8] Carefully insert the free end of the red #8 AWG battery cable up thru both of the black plastic grommets and behind the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel. With the red cable sticking out of and above this panel as far a possible, install and crimp on securely the AMP Blue Crimp Terminal for #8 AWG Wire and #10 stud. Crimp this terminal on the red battery cable in such a position that the terminal can be fastened to the back side of the #10 Blue Feeder Connection on the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel as shown in Illustration #4.  

9) Now route this red cable to the right side and above the metal mounting bracket for this panel with the red cable passing through the U shaped slot near the top of this bracket. This metal bracket can be viewed located behind the blue #10 AWG cable in Photo #16A below.

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10) Bend as necessary this large terminal so that it will fit and connect properly to the #10 Blue Feeder Connection.  Then remove the #10 Blue Feeder Connection hardware and connect the red cable terminal to the metal back plate of this panel.  Make sure that the #10 internal stack lock washer is placed between the red cable terminal and the metal plate and tighten the hardware securely.

11) Carefully dress both black and red battery cables so that when the DC distribution/fuse circuit panel as shown in Illustration #4 is folded back and attached to its mounting bracket that the cables do not cause excessive force against the panel nor are the cables pinched against anything.  

12) As the panel is carefully folding back into place against it’s mounting bracket, it probably will be necessary and desirable to carefully pull some of the excess length of both the red and black cables back down into the lower PD9160A converter/charger case. 

13) Once it is determined that the red and black cables are attached, routed and dressed properly, then attach and secure the panel to the it’s mounting bracket with the two mounting screws previously removed.

14) The results should look like Photo #16 above.

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1) In order to locate the Charge Wizard outside of the system enclosure, it is necessary to notch a corner out of the hinged door of the system.  Refer to Photo #17 above.

2) Use the ADEL Tool Co. metal nibbler tool (or equivalent) to notch out ¼” x ¼” of the metal on the hinged cover as shown. This area is on the lower right side of the hinged door right next to the hinge.

3) After this cover/door assembly is modified, attach it back onto the system with the 4 brown colored torx screws previously removed. Make sure that the cord for the Charge Wizard passes thru this notch in the cover in a manner that will not pinch or cut this cable as the door is opened and closed in the future.

4) With the door to the system closed and latched use the fastening tape provided on the back side of the Charge Wizard to attach it to the upper right corner of the door as shown in Photo #18 below.

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                                                                  SYSTEM CHECKOUT

1) Reattach (-) negative battery terminal leads to all coach batteries.

2) Connect the coach to AC shoreline power.  

3) Make sure that the battery cut off switch in the driver’s foot well area is turned on.

4) Using an accurate DC voltmeter attached to the (+) and (-) coach battery terminals, place the Charge Wizard in all three of it's modes per the manufacturer's instructions.

                                                                                NOTE 
                                             The voltmeter readings below assume that the coach 
                                                batteries are already fully or nearly fully charged.

5) In the BOOST mode with the green indicator on the Charge Wizard showing a solid indication, the voltmeter should show +14.4 VDC.

6) In the NORMAL mode with the green indicator on the Charge Wizard flashing about once per second, the voltmeter should show +13.6 VDC.

7) In the STORAGE mode with the green indicator on the Charge Wizard flashing slowly approximately once every 5 seconds, the voltmeter should show +13.2 VDC.
 

                                                                              YOU ARE DONE!

                                                                                        Prepared by:

                                                                                    William R. Hemme
                                                                                    Spencer, IA 51301
                                                                                      712-270-2364
                                                                                 whemme@earthlink.net
                                                                                        June 6, 2005

                               SPECIAL EXTRA PROCEDURES REQUIRED TO CHANGE OUT A
                     MAGNETEK/PARALLAX 6300 SERIES CHARGER/CONVERTER

 
1) When removing a 6300 series charger/converter, you will find a AWG #10 blue wire was connected to the top center terminal on the upper fuse panel (the #10 blue Feeder Connection shown in Illustration #4 above).  A AWG #10 red wire was connected to the upper right corner terminal (Terminal "C" Battery Positive) and a AWG #10 white wire was connected to the lower right corner terminal (Terminal "D" Battery Negative) on the fuse panel. 
 
2) The blue wire previously supplied the left side 6 fused circuits with unfiltered +12 VDC power and the red wire previously supplied the right side 3 fused circuits with filtered +12 VDC power. The white wire supplied the (-) neutral connection between the fuse panel and the old charger/converter section.
 
3) If the connections to this older style fuse board are left done as instructed above for the removed 7345 converter/charger, only the left side 6 fused circuits will will work and the right side 3 fused circuits will no longer have +12 VDC power to them.
 
4) This can be rectified by either of two methods.
 
   Method A: Remove the existing split circuit type fuse board assembly and replace it with a new fuse board assembly where all 9 fused circuits are tied together.  Such a new fuse board is available from BestConverter.com for a cost of $25.00. It can be looked at and ordered from their website address link that follows: http://www.bestconverter.com/Magnetek-F ... 7-108.html
 
Remember, if using this method, that the new fuse board must be equipped with the two upper 30-amp fuses that the old board did not have.  The remaining fuses can be transferred from the old board to the new board.
 
   Method B: Using a red AWG #10 jumper wire, jumper together the upper center and upper right side terminals on the existing fuse board.  This will tie together the left side 6 circuits and the right side 3 circuits so that the +12 VDC power coming from the new PD9160A (or PD9160C) Charger/Converter via the red AWG #10 power cable connected to the top center terminal on the old style fuse panel will now power all 9 fused circuits properly.
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Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad

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