Forest River Inc makes dozens of travel trailers and fifth wheels brands. Search any RV trader magazine, and you will see a variety of trailers for sale by Forest River.
Regardless of the Forest River brand, many of the trailer specifications and components are very similar to each other. Things like black water capacity and fresh water capacity are similar from one trailer to the next. Also, electrical components such as the battery and RV converter are in the same location.
This post will review the typical location of a power converter in a Forest River RV, including
- Under a dinette table
- Under a bed
- Pass through storage
- Open living space
The key to the RV converter location is to have it in an accessible area where it can be serviced. And to have good ventilation to allow the fan to eliminate the heat generated from converting shore power into battery power.
Table of Contents
Power Center
Your power converter is part of the power center of your trailer. It works hand in hand with your battery to provide the necessary dc power for what runs off the battery in your trailer.
Your power converter acts as a charger for your battery. It provides 12 volt power to keep your battery in top condition. Even when connected to shore power, you will need your power converter operating properly to give the 12 volt power to charge your RV batteries.
Since your converter is key to your RV battery and most of the power in your trailer, the first spot to check is your power center or control panel. Your control panel has an overall width of 12″ and an overall length of 14″. A push-button latch usually controls the door.
Once you push the latch in and open the panel, you will see the complete power center of your trailer. Here is where all of your breakers and fuses are housed. This is the distribution panel for your trailer wires to go to appliances such as your air conditioner and all the led lighting. The panel should also be labeled to see which fuses and breakers feed the appliances.
Control Panel Tip
Here is a quick control panel tip. All of your breakers, provide ac power. This is for things such as your air conditioner and microwave. And the fuses provide all of your dc power, that is, for things such as your LED lights.
Since your power converter is dc power and works with your battery, the fuses are where your power converter will be located.
Power Converter Location
In a Forest River RV, the power converter is built into the control panel. And since converters generate heat, they will be in an accessible area with good ventilation.
The control panel or breaker panel is usually located at floor level and is in an open area for ventilation. The first step is to look for the control panel cover. This is usually a brown plastic panel.
To ensure that the breaker panel has a built-in converter, check if there are vents at the control panel. If there are vents, this is where the converter is located.
When transferring ac shore power into dc battery power, the converter will produce heat. Knowing this, the converter manufacturer has built a fan, similar to a computer, to get out the generated heat. Since there is heat and a vent, the converter will usually be located in an open area of your RV. Here are some potential areas to check:
- Under a dinette table. A dinette table usually has bench seats. Bench seats are great for sitting and for storage in your RV. My RV bench seats have all our extra paper towels and paper plates. This is a good spot for manufacturers as this is an open spot for the converter to be accessed and has ventilation to keep it cool.
- Under the bed or couch. Another great spot for Forest River to put a converter is under the bed or couch. Like the bench seating, under a bed or couch gives an area with access and ventilation for the fan.
- Pass through Storage. Walking from the living area to a bedroom or bathroom is another area where this converter can be. This is a good central location for wires to be pulled by the manufacturer. There is not much access in a pass-through area, so your converter may be in another location unless there is a good void space to access the panel.
- Open living space cabinet. Sometimes, in a living space, you will see the control panel and vents at one of the cabinet faces. This will be low and just off the ground. You may have a false panel in a cabinet to gain access to the converter. When getting behind the control panel to see the converter, check for a false panel secured by screws or clips.
Location Tip
If you cannot find the converter, here is a quick tip for using sound. When your converter is operating (charging the batteries) it will generate heat and need to ventilate. As we reviewed, that heat is removed by the use of a fan. And that fan makes a noise you can usually hear in a quiet camper. So if all else fails, and you can get your travel trailer quiet, listen for the fan running, and that will be your power converter.
Keystone RV Converter Location
Another major travel trailer brand, the Keystone RV Company, has its converters in similar locations. Regardless if you have a fifth wheel, Class A, Class B, or even a Class C, the power converter will be located in an accessible area with ventilation to remove the heat generated.
Final Thoughts
Whether you have a Forest River or a Keystone travel trailer, your power converter will be built-in with your break panel. It will be in an open area with easy access and good ventilation. Usually, areas such as under a dinette table, under a bed, or even open in a living space cabinet are common locations.
Tony is an avid camper and RV traveler. He fell in love with camping on his first RV trip with his wife over 25 years ago. Tony loves sharing lessons learned and tips about RV maintenance and safe traveling.
