Onan Opus?

[ajgibb2002]

Hi guys,
Can anyone educate me about the Onan Opus converters I have on my SP?
I can't find a thing about them on the internet or in searching on the
BB forums. According to the data plate the output is 12 volts. There
is an asterisk note to the effect that there is 1 (one) amp "available"
for battery charging. According to my BB book there are two 45 amp
chargers but a charger has to have greater than 12 volts output and to
charge a big battery bank more than one amp would be needed. So what
do I have, DC power supplys or battery chargers?

Austin Gibbons
'91 SP

[Gregory OConnor]

I always understood "converter" to be a device that converts 110ac
voltage to 12v dc for real-time consumption. I understood the
objective to be mainly for that purpose and not for charging
batteries. I believe a converter does not require a battery storage
point for consumption. Many lights and devices like the refer
computer run on 12 volts even when pluged into shorepower so a 12v
dc source is needed with shore power and genset power.

My Xantrex "Chargers" are not "converters" (per say) because they
require a battery to stand between the making and using of 12 volts.

I can only guess that the one amp is to recharge the genset start
battery in lue of an alternator mounted on the onan. It must be that
the 45 amps will 'battery boil' the genset start battery so they
isolate a one amp minimal converted current for battery recharge.



I guess AC came first because you 'convert to DC' then 'invert back
to AC'. Does an egg convert or invert into a chicken????


GregoryO'Connor
94ptRomolandCa



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "ajgibb2002"
wrote:
>
> Hi guys,
> Can anyone educate me about the Onan Opus converters I have on my
SP?
> I can't find a thing about them on the internet or in searching on
the
> BB forums. According to the data plate the output is 12 volts.
There
> is an asterisk note to the effect that there is 1 (one)
amp "available"
> for battery charging. According to my BB book there are two 45
amp
> chargers but a charger has to have greater than 12 volts output
and to
> charge a big battery bank more than one amp would be needed. So
what
> do I have, DC power supplys or battery chargers?
>
> Austin Gibbons
> '91 SP
>

[Fred Hulse]

Austin,
Assuming everything is still original on your SP36:
In the compartment at the right front corner of your coach you have an inverter and on the wall closest to the wheel are two 40 or 45 amp Opus battery chargers which you can plug in or unplug those chargers as you see fit.
Commonly the way to use them is to keep but one charger plugged in and use the other also when the need for more battery charging is present.
The inverter is completely separate from the chargers as a stand alone unit.
I believe your reference in the question is to the chargers and not the inverter.

Fred & Jeanne Hulse
Morristown Arizona
1997 Wanderlodge WLWB41

[ajgibb2002]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Gregory OConnor"
wrote:
>
> I always understood "converter" to be a device that converts 110ac
> voltage to 12v dc for real-time consumption. I understood the
> objective to be mainly for that purpose and not for charging
> batteries. I believe a converter does not require a battery storage
> point for consumption. Many lights and devices like the refer
> computer run on 12 volts even when pluged into shorepower so a 12v
> dc source is needed with shore power and genset power.
>
> My Xantrex "Chargers" are not "converters" (per say) because they
> require a battery to stand between the making and using of 12
volts.
>
> I can only guess that the one amp is to recharge the genset start
> battery in lue of an alternator mounted on the onan. It must be
that
> the 45 amps will 'battery boil' the genset start battery so they
> isolate a one amp minimal converted current for battery recharge.
>
>
>
> I guess AC came first because you 'convert to DC' then 'invert back
> to AC'. Does an egg convert or invert into a chicken????
>
>
> GregoryO'Connor
> 94ptRomolandCa
>
>
> I'm certain that the boxes say "Converter" not "charger". My coach
is at a Cat shop having some warranty work done on prior work
(leaking valve covers after having the 100,000 mile valve adjustment)
so I can't check out exactly what they do just now. How to explain
that there is nothing at all on the web about them?

[Pete Masterson]

Converters normally convert 120 vac to 12 vdc supplying lights and appliances when 120 vac is present. Some converters have combined battery chargers and some do not. 

A converter provides the 12 vdc without the circuit passing through the battery. A battery charger can also provide 12 vdc, but the circuit goes first to the battery, then to the coach 12 vdc wiring.

Inverters change 12 vdc to 120 vac. Many inverters (almost all newer models) also have battery chargers, so also provide 12 vdc, through the battery circuit while they are charging the battery. 

Since the coach is a few years old and since the technology has moved on, it isn't surprising that there's no online reference to the particular device. Since Onan is the manufacturer, you might inquire via their web site to see if any information about the units installed in your coach is available. If you can find a model or serial number, I'm sure that might help them locate any information they might have.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Feb 18, 2008, at 10:35 AM, ajgibb2002 wrote:

<snip>

I'm certain that the boxes say "Converter" not "charger".  My coach 

is at a Cat shop having some warranty work done on prior work 

(leaking valve covers after having the 100,000 mile valve adjustment) 

so I can't check out exactly what they do just now.  How to explain 

that there is nothing at all on the web about them?