WFCO WF-8900-REP Series User manual

Operator’s Manual
Distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada by
ARTERRA DISTRIBUTION
[phone]
Warranty: [email protected]
Fax [phone]
www.wfcoelectronics.com Power PROs Technical Support
[phone]
WF-9900 Series
Converter Replacement Kit
WF-8900-REP Series

SAFETY INFORMATION ........................................................................................................... 3
KIT FEATURES ................................................................................................................................ 3
PERFORMANCE FEATURES ...................................................................................................... 4
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Tools Needed .................................................................................................................................. 4
Step-by-Step Instructions ............................................................................................................ 4
DC Fuse Board ................................................................................................................................ 5
TROUBLESHOOTING INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................................... 6
GENERAL INFORMATION
Reverse Battery Protection ........................................................................................................... 6
Automatic Cooling Fan ................................................................................................................. 7
Over-Temperature Protection ...................................................................................................... 7
Electronic Current Limiting .......................................................................................................... 7
Short-Circuit Protection ................................................................................................................ 7
CIRCUIT PROTECTION
DC Fuses ......................................................................................................................................... 7
OPERATIONAL FEATURES
ree-Stage Smart Charging ......................................................................................................... 8
Absorption Mode ............................................................................................................................ 9
Bulk Mode ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Float Mode ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Converter Output Voltage ........................................................................................................... 10
Reverse Polarity Fuses .................................................................................................................. 10
Troubleshooting Flow Chart ....................................................................................................... 11
GENERAL COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Agency Listings ............................................................................................................................. 11
SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 12
WARRANTY INFORMATION ....................................................................................................13
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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GENERAL INFORMATION
WF-8900-REP Kit Features
e WF-8900-REP Converter Replacement Kit allows easy upgrade of existing power centers.
Technicians can easily remove the lower section of certain power center brands and slide in the
WF-8900-REP unit. is exchange upgrades the old single stage charger to a high performance
three-stage charging powerhouse.
e WF-8900-REP Kit contains all the necessary parts needed for the conversion:
• Metal mounting frame with preinstalled WF-9800 Series deck mount converter/charger
• Nine-circuit fuse panel with two preinstalled reverse polarity fuses
• All required mounting fasteners

OPERATIONAL FEATURES
WF-8900-REP Performance Features
e WF-8900-REP Converter Replacement Kit provides all of WFCO’s performance
standards:
• Quiet Operation
• Filtered Power
• Overload Protection
• Short Circuit Protection
• FCC Class B Approval
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
Installing the WF-8900-REP Kit
Tools Needed for Assembly:
• Safety Glasses
• Large and Small Straight Blade Screwdriver
• #2 Phillips Screwdriver
• #2 Square Drive Screwdriver
• Pliers
• 1/4” Nutdriver
• 5/16” Nutdriver
Step-By-Step Installation:
Before beginning installation, Make sure no AC power is coming into the RV from
either the Shore Power cord or an on-board generator. Remove and set aside the
Reverse Polarity Fuses located on the fuse board to disconnect the converter section
from the rest of the RV’s DC power.
In order to install the WF-8900-REP Kit, you must rst remove the existing
converter section in your power center. is kit can be used on several dierent products.
Your power center may dier slightly in the removal process.
Removing the original converter section:
Removal of the original power center is divided into 3 segments:
• Removing the AC (110 volt) side of the converter
• Removing the DC (12 volt) side of the converter
• Removing the converter MBA (Main Board Assembly)
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5
Removing the AC (110 volt) side of the converter:
1. Drop the front door down and turn o 30amp main breaker.
2. Remove all screws holding the front door assembly on.
3. Remove (2) screws holding the metal plate that covers the AC breakers.
4. Remove the converter neutral wire (white wire) from the neutral bus bar.
5. Remove the converter ground wire (green wire) from the ground bus bar. Note: some
converters may not have ground wire attached to the bus bar.
6. Remove the converter hot wire (black wire) from the breaker provided for the converter.
Note: sometimes removing the breaker from the stab bar may make this step easier.
Removing the DC (12 volt) side of the converter:
7. Record the fuse locations and wire locations o the old fuse board.
8. Remove all the output circuit wires from the fuse board.
9. Remove the (2) screws that old the fuse board to the converter mounting bracket.
10. Turn the fuse board over to the back side and remove the red wire, white wire and blue wire
from the fuse board.
Removing the converter MBA:
11. Remove the (4) screws holding the converter (MBA) frame to the housing.
12. Slide the converter MBA and frame out of the housing.
Note: e new WF-8900-REP comes with a new fuse board and hardware package.
Installation of the WF-8900-REP is divided into 3 segments:
• Installing new converter (MBA) Into housing.
• Installing the DC (12 volt) side of the converter
• Installing the AC (110 volt) side of the converter
Installing new converter (MBA) into housing:
1. Position the new converter and frame in front of housing and remove the (2) screws hold the
converter to the frame (this make routing the wires easier).
2. Carefully install the frame and converter into the housing and route wires from the converter
through the holes in the frame and the housing.
3. Once all wires are routed correctly replace the (2) screws that hold the converter to the
frame.
4. Attach the fame to the housing using the (4) screws provided.
e WF-8900-REP DC Fuse Board
Figure 1

6
Installing the DC (12 volt) side of the converter. Refer to Figure 1 Above:
5. Route the red wire from the converter up behind the mounting bracket for the fuse
board and connect it to the lug on the fuse board marked CONV POS.
6. Route the white wire from the converter to the fuse board and connect it to the lug on
the fuse board marked BATT NEG-.
7. Connect your wire coming from the battery positive to the lug on the fuse board marked
BATTERY POS+.
8. Connect your wire coming from the battery negative to the lug on the fuse board
marked BATT NEG-. NOTE: In some applications where the items in the RV are not
grounded to frame you may have to run an 8 AWG wire from the BATT NEG- lug on
the fuse board out the back of the housing and connect it to an additional bus bar
(customer will have to purchase). en connect the wire from the battery negative and
any negatives from the DC items to this bus bar.
9. Attach the fuse board to the mounting bracket using the (2) screws provided.
10. Make sure you have the (2) 30amp reverse polarity fuses in place and connect all the DC
output wire (as recorded) to the fuse board along with the correct fuse locations.
Installing the AC (110 volt) side of the converter:
11. Connect the neutral (white wire) from the converter to the neutral bus bar.
12. Connect the converter hot wire (black wire) from the converter to the breaker for the
converter.
13. Connect the ground wire (green wire) from the converter to the ground bus bar.
14. Replace AC cover plate using the (2) screws provided.
15. Replace the door assembly using the screws provided
16. Turn all breaker on and apply 110volt power to the RV. Test for operation.
TROUBLESHOOTING INSTRUCTIONS
Troubleshooting the WF-8900-REP Series
Refer to the WF-9800 Series Troubleshooting Guide for the WF-9800 Series Deck Mount
found on page 11 of this manual.
GENERAL INFORMATION
WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger Safety Features
Reverse Battery Protection
e WF-9800 Series Converter-Chargers will charge the 12-volt house battery if installed.
A battery does not have to be installed for WF-9800 Series Converter-Chargers operation.
When a battery is installed, two reverse polarity fuses are installed to protect the converter
circuitry. e fuses are located on the rear panel of the enclosure near the AC power cord
(refer to Figure 2 below). is feature prevents permanent damage to the converter from a
battery connected into the circuit backwards. In addition to protecting the converter-
charger, the reverse polarity fuses are the main connection between the converter-charger
and the DC fuse board of a distribution center.

Automatic Cooling Fan
e cooling fan in the WF-9800 Series Converter-Chargers is incremental and is controlled
by the current drawn out of the converter to the applied load. e on-board microprocessor
increases fan speed as the total load increases and decreases fan speed as the load decreases.
Unlike traditional temperature-controlled fans, the load-controlled fan provides better
component cooling by avoiding temperature spikes which can lead to premature
component failure.
Over-Temperature Protection
If the internal temperature of the converter exceeds a critical point, it will shut down. is
protects the unit from excessive heat that may damage sensitive components. e unit will
restart once the temperature inside has dropped.
Electronic Current Limiting
In the event that the output current exceeds the maximum rating for the WF-9800 Series
Converter-Charger, the output current will remain constant, but the output voltage will
begin to drop. If this occurs, the unit will recover once loads are reduced.
Short-Circuit Protection
Should a short circuit occur in the RV, the WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger will drop
the voltage output to zero volts. If the short-circuit condition is removed and no other fault
conditions are detected, the converter will resume normal operation. However, short-
circuit conditions are dangerous, and an RV will require inspection by a qualied service
technician.
CIRCUIT PROTECTION
WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger Fuses
DC Fuses (12 Volts)
e DC fuse receptacle on the rear panel of the WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger has
space for 1 (one) or 2 (two) Reverse Battery Protection fuses (see Figure 2 above). ese
fuses should be replaced with ATC or ATO automotive type fuses, such as Littelfuse type 257
or Bussmann type ATC. Each converter model requires a dierent Amperage value fuse as
follows:
WF-9835 – (1) 40A
WF-9845 – (2) 30A
WF-9855 – (2) 35A
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Figure 2

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OPERATIONAL FEATURES
Converter Operation Modes
ree-Stage Smart Charging
e three-stage “smart” charger continuously measures the battery voltage output and regulates
the amount of charge using three modes of operation; Absorption, Bulk, and Float.
3-Stage Charging
WFCO converters of every style have become the favored brand for power conversion and
electric distribution in the RV industry. ey provide RV owners wth an ecient and cost-
eective method to use an AC power source and provide power to DC components inside the
RV, while charging accessory batteries at the same time.
Smart Engineering: ree Stage Charging is Better
WFCO’s automatic three-stage converters handle every charging need for the RV while
extending the battery’s life. Well-maintained batteries should never need more than two-stage
(Normal and Trickle) charging. Our third stage (Bulk) is provided for the rare times a battery
needs extra power for charging.
RVs are frequently sold with at least one 12 VDC accessory battery installed. is battery is
normally a deep-cycle battery that has the ability to sustain a slower drain of power. RV owners
nd this useful when powering loads such as lights, radios, and refrigerators without being
connected to AC power or running the motorhome engine. As soon as the RV is connected to
AC power, the converter begins charging the battery as needed, while, at the same time,
providing 12 VDC power to loads such as lights, radios, and refrigerators.
When the RV is connected to AC power, users frequently use the lights, refrigerators, fans,
and other electronics as they would in their home. RV users also expect the battery to be fully
charged when they want to disconnect from power and move the RV, or when they are dry
camping and turn o their generator.
Figure 3

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Absorption Mode:
is is the default, or normal operation, providing an output of 13.6 volts DC. Because RVs
today are designed with converters sized to provide ample DC output power for all DC
loads in normal usage, an RV will rarely require anything other than Absorption Mode.
When a WFCO converter is connected to a battery in Absorption Mode, power is available
for charging that battery whenever the converter output is greater than the voltage level of
the battery. If the battery is at or near fully charged, the current draw from the converter to
the battery may be very small. On the other hand, if the battery were to be fully discharged,
the current draw from the converter to the battery may be quite high.
Testing has shown that a completely discharged battery (11.9 VDC) connected to a WFCO
converter in Absorption Mode with an output of 13.6 VDC and having a 20 Amp lighting
load connected to the converter will charge the battery to its fully charged level of 12.7 VDC
in fewer than three hours. Adding more DC loads will lessen the amount of current
available and will lengthen the time required to charge the battery. Batteries with damaged
cells will also require additional time to charge and may never reach a full charge voltage.
Because of the relationship between voltage and amperage, once the converter reaches its
maximum rated operating current level, any increase in the DC load will start to decrease
the voltage output level. When the output from the converter reaches a preset level, the
converter will go into Bulk Mode.
Bulk Mode:
is is designed to charge a signicantly discharged battery in a little less time than
Absorption Mode. e microprocessor in WFCO converters continuously monitors the
DC line voltage. When the microprocessor detects the preset voltage level, it will boost the
converter voltage to 14.4 VDC. e increased voltage will help the battery charge faster,
while still providing power to the DC appliances in the RV.
In Bulk Mode, it may not be possible to observe the 14.4 VDC output because of the
voltage-current relationship. To measure the 14.4 VDC, reduce some DC loads while
monitoring the voltage at the converter output. As the DC loads are removed, the voltage
will begin to climb until 14.4 VDC (nominal) is shown on the meter.
As the battery continues to charge, the current drawn by the battery will gradually decrease.
WFCO converters are designed to drop out of Bulk Mode when the total amperage draw
from the con-verter reaches a preset point, indicating the battery is charged. If the
amperage draw stays above the preset point, the converter will stay in Bulk Mode for a
maximum of four hours. ese features have been implemented to protect and extend the
life of the battery.
Float Mode:
is is the third stage of converter operation. is mode is designed to provide a trickle
charge to the battery. If the converter observes no signicant variations in current draw for
approximately 44 continuous hours, it will drop the output of the converter from 13.6 VDC
to 13.2 VDC. is lower voltage will keep the battery charged while the RV is not in use.
is also helps preserve the life of the battery, while keeping it charged and ready for use. A
change in DC current will cause the converter to exit Float Mode and return to the default, or
normal, Absorption Mode.
Note: e converter, while in Float Mode, will continue to supply a trickle charge to the
battery. If the RV is in storage for thirty (30) days or more, be sure to check the battery and its
uid levels.

Converter Output Voltage
Before checking the WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger output voltage, disconnect the
battery cables at the battery. Make sure the converter is plugged into an AC source (105-
130 Volts). Check the converter output voltage at the battery with a voltmeter. Place the
meter probes on the discon-nected battery cables; place the Positive (red) meter probe on
the + Positive red battery wire and place the Negative (black) meter probe on the
-Negative black wire on the battery cable (Figure 3). Be sure you have good connections
at the cables. If the voltage reads 13.6 - 14.4 VDC (+/- 0.2) with no load, the converter is
functioning properly.
If the converter output voltage at the battery reads 0.0 VDC, or if the battery is not
charging, check for an open inline fuse in the battery wire circuit. One may have been
installed by the RV manufacturer. Also check for loose wiring connections.
Reverse Polarity Fuses
If there is no DC output coming from the WF-9800 Series Converter-Charger output lugs,
rst check the reverse polarity fuses on the rear panel. en, visually inspect the fuses for
any breaks in the fuse element. If no breaks are found, use a continuity tester to check for
continuity. If the reverse polarity fuses are blown, it means the RV battery was accidentally
connected in reverse, either at the battery or at the converter. Investigate the connections
and reconnect the cables properly. Replace the fuse with the same type and amperage
rating as the original.
IMPORTANT: ese fuses protect the converter from damage if the RV battery is
accidentally connected in reverse. A reversed battery connection, even if for only a
second, will cause these fuses to blow.
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Figure 4

Figure 5
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GENERAL COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Agency Listings
UL
e WF-9800 Series Converter-Chargers are UL-Listed, and cUL-Listed (Canadian).
FCC Compliance Class B
NOTE: is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. ese limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is
operated in a commercial environment. is equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy, and if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case
the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
If the above checks have been made but the converter output still reads 0.0 VDC, the
converter is not functioning properly.

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Figure 6

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CONSUMER LIMITED WARRANTY
for WFCO Electronic Products
WFCO extends, to the original owner, a Two Year Limited Product Warranty. is
warranty is in eect from the date of original purchase for a period of two (2) years. is
limited warranty is extended specically for and is limited to Recreational Vehicle
application and is only valid within the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and the
Provinces of Canada. WFCO warrants, to the owner, that its products are free from defects
in material and workmanship under normal use and service based on its intended use and
function. is warranty is limited to the repair or replacement, at WFCO’s discretion, of any
defective parts or defective assembly. Any implied warranties of merchantability or tness
for intended use are limited in duration unless applicable State Law provides otherwise. You
may have other rights as specied by each individual state.
EXCLUSIONS and LIMITATIONS
e OEM warranty specically does not apply to the following:
• Any WFCO product that has been repaired or altered by an unauthorized person;
• Any damage caused by misuse, faulty installation, testing, negligence, accident or any
WFCO product installed in a commercial vehicle;
• Any WFCO product, whose serial number has been defaced, altered or removed;
• Any WFCO product, whose installation has not been in accordance to the WFCO
written instructions;
• Any consequential damages arising from the loss of use of the product including but not
limited to: inconvenience, loss of service, loss of revenue, loss or damage to personal
property, cost of all services performed in removing or replacing the WFCO product.
Specications are subject to change without notice or obligation.
• Any WFCO Electronics products sold through unauthorized Internet sources
(Example: eBay) will be excluded from all warranty coverage oered by Arterra
Distribution / WFCO.
CONSUMER WARRANTY CLAIM PROCEDURE
Upon determination and validation by an authorized OEM dealer that a WFCO product has a
defect, a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) number will be required before the product can
be returned. e RGA number can be requested by completing the Warranty Information Fax
Sheet and appropriate Troubleshooting Form found at www.wfcoelectronics.com. Once these
forms have been completed, email the forms along with Proof of Purchase to
[e-mail] or fax the three documents to the Warranty Department at
[phone]. Aer receipt of the forms, an RGA number will be issued. is number shall
appear on all correspondence with warranty service. Upon validation of the warranty, WFCO
shall replace the product with a like product. e RGA number shall be placed on the outside
of the carton used to return the product for ease of identication. Do not mark directly on
the product. e product must be packaged properly to avoid further product damage which
could cause a non-warrantable condition.
WARRANTY ASSISTANCE
e consumer may contact the selling Dealer or OEM for warranty assistance.
e consumer may also contact Arterra Distribution, exclusive distributor to WFCO
Products at: [phone] or Fax [phone].

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WF-8900-REP DIMENSIONAL DRAWING
Figure 7

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