12 Volt Converter Charger - Weekender Van Life

We had a 12 Volt Converter Charger leftover from a dismantled build, instead of leaving it sit unused, we decided to use it as part of the simple electrical system in our Ram ProMaster.

A 12v Converter Charger is a great way to keep your RV or Van batteries topped up if not using solar or engine power via a DC-DC charger. Parked in the shade or don’t have a solar charging setup in your RV or Van, a 12v AC to DC Converter Charger could be just what you need.

Keep reading to see how we go about… (video 👇👇)

Installing an intellipower Charge Wizard RV Battery 12v AC to DC Converter Charger In Our Ram ProMaster Conversion Van

12V Converter Charger Install – Video

12 Volt Converter Charger VS Inverter Charger

When choosing an RV AC to DC charging system there really only two choices, an Inverter Charger or a Converter Charger. If you plan to prioritize 120v volt house loads then the Inverter Charger is the best option. An Inverter Charger will charge your batteries and automatically switch 120 volt loads to the mains power when plugged in. When unplugged or Off-Grid an inverter charger will switch on its inverter to feed the 120v house circuits as required.

A Converter Charger does not supply AC power. Instead it converts AC voltage into DC for charging and use by the 12 volt loads in your 12 volt van or RV electrical system. This is good for those who don’t have a need for AC house power, or if you only use AC loads when plugged into mains power.

What Are The Benefits Of Using A 12v Converter Charger?

Different charging modes and ability for extended charge times is good for overall battery health.
Charge anywhere there is 110 mains plug-in.
Keep batteries topped up when not driving(DC-DC) or parked in the shade(Solar) on
Use power hungry devices without fear of draining your auxiliary batteries.

12v Converter Charger FAQs

What does a 12v converter charger do? Basically, a Converter Charger takes 110 Volt mains power and converts it to a 12 Volt DC for charging and supplying power for your RV battery circuit and loads.

Is a converter the same as a battery charger / What is the difference between a converter and a charger? Simply put, yes and no? A Converter Charger can charge batteries as well as supply adequate current to run house loads while charging. A battery charger is designed only to charge a battery.

Can a converter charge a car battery / Will a converter charge a battery? Yes, a converter will charge a battery and depending on the model can include similar battery maintenance features as most dedicated battery chargers.

Do I need a fuse between battery and converter? Yes. While it doesn’t necessarily need a dedicated fuse or circuit breaker, all feeds from the positive side of the battery should be protected from excessive load in some way. We use these simple Inline Manual Reset Circuit Breakers as our main fuse.

How do I know if my RV converter is working / charging my battery? Monitoring your battery’s voltage is an easy way to see if an RV Converter Charger is working. You can do this with a basic Digital Voltage Meter Display but by far the best way to get complete information when monitoring your 12 Volt Battery Systems is with the use of a Battery Monitor With Shunt. Installing a Battery Monitor is high on our list of upcoming projects. Stay tuned for that.

Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power 30 Amp Converter/Charger with optional Charge Wizard

Our Progressive Dynamics, Inteli-Power, 9100 Series 30 Amp Converter/Charger is an AC to DC Power Converter as well as a 12 volt DC Battery Charger. It features a built-in Total Charge Management System (TCMS). TCMS monitors and ensures connected batteries are properly charged and maintained by automatically selecting one of the four charging modes.

Charge Wizard Controller Indicator Lights and Modes.

If the battery Is low, and we need to charge up quick, we can hit it with the boost mode with the optional Charge Wizard Controller. The controller has a single light to indicate the current charging mode. Either, boost, normal, storage or equalize.

Our unit is well used but still working. It runs quiet and cool. No need to look anywhere else.

12 Volt Converter Charger – Design Thinking

Some thoughts directly relating to installing our 12v, 30 Amp 110 Volt to 12 Volt DC Power Supply Converter Charger for RV.

Mounting Location

When deciding on the mounting location for our converter/charger we had two priorities in mind. Easy access and easy viewing. Being able to access and view your electrical systems is the best way to catch small problems before they cause a bigger issue. The mounting location will be behind the sliding door right alongside our existing DC-DC charger.

Easy Removal For External Use

We occasionally use this converter/charger to charge and maintain our DIY Portable Power Station. Because of this, we need to make it easy to remove for external uses. To facilitate this we will use threaded inserts and thumbscrews. The charger will simply screw in and out, with a stove bolts into threaded inserts. The electrical wires will be easy to disconnect by using Anderson Quick Connect Plugs.

Anderson Quick Connect Plugs

To enable easy disconnecting and reconnecting of the charger power cables, we will use Anderson Quick Connect Plugs. Commonly used for forklift chargers, they offer a good, reliable connection, they are easy to install and relatively inexpensive. Having had good experiences using Anderson Quick Connect Plugs on our Van Conversion Battery Isolator project, we decided to use them again.

Cable Entry / AC Port Plug Power Inlet

Running a cable entry into the van by slamming in the door is one option, but a better way to get the cable into the van is with an AC Port Plug Power Inlet. This gives you a male socket to plug in a common 15amp electrical cord.

AC Port Plug – Future Uses

Mains power heating system. A van is an easy way to level up your comfort levels with year round camping. Installing a heater, like a Webasto or Espar and sub zero camping becomes fun and actually looked forward to. The plan is to add a small less than 1000w heating element to our current Van Heater Air Duct System for a handy plugin heat option for winter adventures.

NOCO Genius AC Port Plug

There are a few different options on Amazon, but the most common and well reviewed AC Port Plug Power inlet is the NOCO Genius AC Port Plug. Featuring easy plug and play install there is no hardwiring required. It has a low profile design for clean aesthetics and a waterproof cap to keep water out when not in use. We Install the NOCO Genius AC Port Plug as the Power Inlet for this project.

12v Converter Charger Wiring Diagram

I took a few moments to make things easier with the connection of our 30 amp Progressive Dynamics 12 volt RV Power Converter Charger by drawing up this simple Wiring Diagram.

Now For The Fun Part – Installing an intellipower Charge Wizard RV Battery 12v Converter Charger In Our Ram ProMaster Conversion Van

Installing A 12V RV Battery Converter Charger

The Tools

The Parts

The How: Step-1 Design and Build Mounting Bracket

Instead of installing inserts directly into the mounting surface I chose to quickly build a simple mounting bracket. Cut from a scrap piece of cedar fence board left over from my recent Cedar Planters Project. Next, we added the 3/16 inserts, followed by two coats of OneStep Stain and Polyurethane for a quality long lasting finish 😎.

#ProTip. I always use some Gorilla glue on the inserts to lock them in. We don’t want the insert coming out when removing the converter.

Step-2 Install Converter Charger In Desired Location

Installing the mounting bracket was pretty simple. First we removed our CF-25 from the fridge housing enclosure portion of the Van Fridge Sink Unit. Then we used ¾” construction screws to screw the mounting bracket in from the back side.

Step-3 Power Wiring and Quick Connect

As mentioned in the design notes, we wanted the ability to quickly remove the converter for use outside the van for charging our DIY Portable Power Station, as well as allow plugin access To do this we installed an Anderson Quick Connect.

Don’t forget the ground. In the event of an internal short circuit, the Progressive Dynamics Inteli-Power 30 Amp Converter/Charger must be grounded via a separate wire. To facilitate this, our Chassis Bonding Wire has one end connected to the Grounding Lug on the converter and the other to the chassis via a grounding bolt located close by.

Step-4 Install NOCO Genius AC Port Plug

Installing the NOCO Genius AC Port Plug is very easy, as the ProMaster has the perfect spot to install it in the rear bumper side end cap. This plastic panel is quickly drilled with the specified 2” hole saw and the included screws go in like …

After the port plug was installed we fished the connector lead up into the van through a convenient access hole located right behind the ProMaster rear bumper side end cap. We then use ⅜” Split Flex Wire Loom to cover the port plug leader and connected cord on portions located within the panel cavities.

#ProTip. All cables run inside van walls and cavities should be protected by wire loom.

Step-5 Plug🔌 N Charge🔋 – Our 12 Volt Converter Charger Is ✅

Last up, we terminate the leader cord with a new 15amp straight blade connector. Plug in the converter charger and port plug and it’s time to charge.

12V RV Battery Converter Charger – Good For Vanlife?

If you don’t have or don’t plan on getting solar, using your roof area for utility or lounging. Then installing a 12 Volt converter charger is going to give you peace of mind knowing you can properly charge and maintain your batteries.

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12V Converter Charger Install

Keep reading to see how we go about… (video 👇👇)

Installing an intellipower Charge Wizard RV Battery 12v AC to DC Converter Charger In Our Ram ProMaster Conversion Van

12V Converter Charger Install – Video

12 Volt Converter Charger VS Inverter Charger