Need help with Powermax pm3-55LK

[jclashelley]

Replacing my old converter in Jayco pop up. I need some basic tutoring on how this is actually supposed to be ran. I get the concept. The powered converter converts the 120 to 12v. I know I can wire the battery into lugs and charge the battery or keep it maintained. However we want to look at it. Then I could run my 12v wires to my lights, and my fridge. Here is where my brain gets confused. At that point, I then only have a 12 volt system and anything on the breakers pre battery are dead if I am unplugged from shore power. Now be gentle you all. If i wanted to run the 12v system devices, like my lights, without a battery I can. It converts the power to run them and that is how I have tested the unit first. Right now I just have one light hooked to lugs on the converter. How can I wire it, or should I, to make it run on either? Say, my battery is dead and I don't want to unplug everything and remove battery cables and plug the 12v wires from lights to converter. Also, This is where I know I will get eye rolls from ya, can I wire a outlet that is 120 only to where it runs off the converted system and say run a fan or something like that? I know I couldn't run a heater. Someone help me understand what it is should be my ultimate goal and what I should expect to accomplish with my converter?I will try and post pics below of unit and how I have wired my system so far.

[jclashelley]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8aD8AwPkft7wp2JU6

Unit
Wired to one light switch
Breaker, power coming into it. Power going to converter
Power from breaker powering converter

[bankr63]

Just wire your battery and feed wires for the 12V panel to the same lugs on the back of the unit. When the converter has AC power, it will be the primary source and will power the lights and other 12V fixtures as well as maintain the battery because it is putting out more voltage than the battery (as long as current draw is under 55A). When there is no AC power to the converter, the power runs from the battery to the panel through those same lugs; the converter is "dead" and does not power anything.

Some converters will provide separate lugs for the battery and the panel feed, but this one does not according to the manual: https://powermaxconverters.com/wp-co...anual-2018.pdf

ETA: looking at the picture, you do not have anything attached to chassis ground on the converter. This should be wired back to a common ground point at all times.

[jclashelley]

Very good details. Yes I have a lug for ground but haven’t grounded it yet. I’ll place the converter and mount and ground it.