Important warning for Conqueror owners

[racingjason]

The other day I was working on my Compact and I came across a couple of wiring issues that concerned me. I would advise every Conqueror owner who has not inspected the wiring in their battery charger/inverter to do so.

The first issue was with wires off of the transformer. They are very rigid and were pushed up against the back of the cabinet probably during assembly. The external sheath and the wire's insulation had been worn right through and likely would have shorted out sooner than later.

Similarly, the cables that run from the unit to the battery were pinched at the back of the cabinet and starting to rub. The half-moon shaped slots that the cables are supposed to run through were misaligned between the two layers of sheet metal. (It looks like one of the pieces was installed upside down.) Anyway, either issue could have had some nasty consequences so please take a look.

 

[fubar]

Pictures?

 

[racingjason]

Here are a few pics as requested. One shows the rubbed wires off the transformer and the next shows a general shot of the unit. Notice the slot where the cables run down to the battery and how the slot on the charger portion is offset to the left. It appears that the shelf that the assembly sits on was upside down when they formed the edge breaks. Anyway, a few minutes with a die grinder and a new slot is now in place. As for the transformer wires, I just bent them inwards so they could not touch the back of the cabinet.

 

[WMac]

The other day I was working on my Compact and I came across a couple of wiring issues that concerned me. I would advise every Conqueror owner who has not inspected the wiring in their battery charger/inverter to do so.

The first issue was with wires off of the transformer. They are very rigid and were pushed up against the back of the cabinet probably during assembly. The external sheath and the wire's insulation had been worn right through and likely would have shorted out sooner than later.

Similarly, the cables that run from the unit to the battery were pinched at the back of the cabinet and starting to rub. The half-moon shaped slots that the cables are supposed to run through were misaligned between the two layers of sheet metal. (It looks like one of the pieces was installed upside down.) Anyway, either issue could have had some nasty consequences so please take a look.

Thanks for the info Jason, Ill take a look at mine. Ive been completly thru it with the exception of the electrical cabinet.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Wow, scary stuff. You should try to put a grommet or something in those holes.

 

[Borrego60]

Yikes!

 

[XJBANKER]

That is one area of my trailer that I have not looked at and it seems that it is somewhere that I should take some time. Thanks for the warning Jason.

 

[fubar]

Good timing. I have a mostly free weekend. Nothing like a little grinding and grommet shopping on a sunny weekend.

 

[red_5]

Great job on the alert!

I checked mine whilst in process of connecting a charge circuit from the tow rig and the wiring at the transformer was in contact with the bulkhead.

That could have eventually lead to some nastiness on shore power, including the possibility of a short to ground via someone touching an energized trailer...:Wow1:

 

[Honu]

my wiring I went over and cleaned up areas like in the back tail light area were rubbing where the lic plate light that was smashed between the pole box and frame ?


also replace your fans !!!!!! mine gave out and I had a mess of smoke pour out lucky I was their !!!! the maker of the box said The fans cycle life is aprox 4-5 years and then they should be renewed.

so might be worth getting new fans ! I imagine they are just basic fans you can get at computer parts places easy enough ?

 

[Hilldweller]

The first issue was with wires off of the transformer. They are very rigid and were pushed up against the back of the cabinet probably during assembly. The external sheath and the wire's insulation had been worn right through and likely would have shorted out sooner than later.

Mine rubbed through and shorted out on the way to Overland Expo 2010; I discovered it in Las Cruces when I went to charge the battery for the first time on the trip. I finally took it all apart over the weekend and the transformer is fried.
I had brought my Die Hard charger as a back-up though.

Now comes the task of installing a different (better) charger.