If you have had a travel trailer for a decent amount of time, you will probably end up replacing the power converter at some point.

The expected lifespan of a 12-volt converter is 5 to 10 years under normal conditions.  Normal conditions probably means normal use.  Since out Travel Trailer is always plugged in, we probably exceed normal use.  So, we were probably lucky to get 8 years out of our unit.

It’s not surprising that our unit failed because on our last trip I noticed that the fan had been running a lot longer than usual.  That probably was an indication that the converter was getting hot.  I even mentioned to Tammy that I thought the converter might have an issue.

If you are nearing the 10-year mark on your travel trailer don’t be freaked out if your converter fails.  If you have an older RV, who knows maybe the converters were built better then, and you might go longer…just saying.  We live in a world of disposable parts – and my opinion is that is unfortunate.  I could tell you how things were back in the dark ages, but that would be a lot like the stories of walking to school in the snow, uphill both ways.

So let’s get back to the issue at hand.

As a word of caution, never do a repair you are not comfortable with.  There is no shame in having an RV tech (mobile or otherwise) fix your RV. This is a pretty straight forward process that almost everyone can do, if your even slightly handy. I would say this job took me maybe 90 minutes from start to finish.

Keep in mind, you may not have the same converter as mine so the tools needed may be different. So everything I am showing you is specific to my Imagine trailer. Also, the task is much easier if the converter is in an easily accessible spot.  Mines not in a great spot but it could be worse, maybe.

If you haven’t watched my video on counterfeit converters, please click here to view it.

Cut AC power to the travel trailer.

Turn off the 12-volt cutoff switch or disconnect the battery.

Turn off breaker to converter, just to be super safe. Remove the power Center to get to the converter (if your unit is like mine)

Verify no power to 12-volt system using a multimeter.

Next, Remove the ground using a #2 square drive.

Remove the negative using a 5/32 hex key– attach a wire nut.

Remove the positive using a 5/32 hex key– attach a wire nut.

Loosen Screws and remove the old converter.

Replace with the new converter.  Remember the fan should be facing the bottom if you’re mounting on the wall.  In addition, the fan should never be up against a wall or on the floor. – the fans’ whole purpose is to cool the unit. Blocking the airflow will lead to premature failure.

Reverse the steps listed above.

Check the converters charging status.

See, that wasn’t so bad.  On a 1-5 difficulty scale, I would give this a 1, or maybe a 2 if the converter location is horrible.

I have to admit that I am very disappointed in the way Grand Design mounted the converter to the wall. Only one side of the converter was screwed into a stud. The other side only had a top screw, which was useless because the bottom had no screw which left it unsupported. In addition, that side had no wood behind the cheap panel. That left nothing to really screw securely into. I will probably put a wood strip back there in the future. It really should have been mounted to the deck.

In reality, the converter should be placed somewhere easily accessed for removal so that you don’t need to bump a slide out to get to it. Say this had happened at a campground, I might not have even been able to get to it. There is not a lot of thought given to owners when these are constructed.

As a word of caution, never do a repair you are not comfortable with.  There is no shame in having an RV tech (mobile or otherwise) fix your RV.