Running 2ac's on 30amp

[Bob Denman]

If they would/could install higher efficiency electrical devices: it could be used as a great marketing point!

[Beau388]

Standard rating for A/C is 80 F degrees inside and 95 F outside at 115V. For desert conditions the inside is 95 F degrees and outdoor 115 F outdoors with a voltage of 103.5 volts. The Coleman mach 15 is rated at 1,650 watts standard (14.45 amps @ 115 amps) and 1,900 watts desert (18.36 amps @ 103.5 volts or 15.83 amps @ 120 volts). Very seldom will you see the standard 120 volts at the pedestal. Typical will be 118 V during the late night and 110 V during the hot afternoon at the RV park. Generally the older the park, the lower the voltage. The more RVs is the park the lower the voltage. State and local public parks have the lowest voltages because of they have older infrastructure that has not been upgraded.
My coach has a 1.7 cuft Whirlpool, (14 amps @120 volts) and came with a 30 amp service (50 amp service was not available as an option until March 2016). No chance of running the microwave and the A/C at the same time on a hot day with 112 V volts at the power center.

[Bob Denman]

The first chore of mine is to plug in my EMS. I wait until I see what sort of reading I'm getting before I leave the pedestal.
You're right: most parks show 118 volts.
But I've seen as high as 122, and as low as 114.

[Pete'sMH]

Get one of these for about $10 and keep it plugged into a convenient outlet so you can keep an eye on park voltage. I’ve seen 107 during a hot day and 122 in the same park on the same day at night. I keep it in the bathroom and it’s just right for a night light as an added bonus. Autoformer is a bit pricey but is a useful addition to any coach.[ATTACH]26171

[mrgscooter]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Also lots of time people have the water heater running on electricity and forget that it can use 6A or so.

That's a great point I didn't think about the water heater. Also didn't consider the power consumption at higher temperatures, in my case it was upper 80's outside. Given everything I was a little lucky.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

...Autoformer is a bit pricey but is a useful addition to any coach.[ATTACH]26171

If you already have a "surge protector" hard-wired into your electrical system: how would you add the AutoFormer? (Assuming that you could...)

I like the idea of a plug-in voltage meter; but I'm not sure if I have a spare outlet anywhere in the RV.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by mrgscooter

That's a great point I didn't think about the water heater. Also didn't consider the power consumption at higher temperatures, in my case it was upper 80's outside. Given everything I was a little lucky.

And if you have an absorption fridge on automatic it can use nearly 4A. And if your batteries are in need of a charge the converter might be drawing several amps as well. It adds up. Or it can be limited to suit your needs.

[OldWEB]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you already have a "surge protector" hard-wired into your electrical system: how would you add the AutoFormer? (Assuming that you could...)

I like the idea of a plug-in voltage meter; but I'm not sure if I have a spare outlet anywhere in the RV.

The "AutoFormer" is the name of the plug in voltmeter... Hughes Autoformers. Had me going too.

[OldWEB]

A step 'up' from a plug-in voltmeter would be this style of monitor. This is a very simple one and you can go a step up and have them monitor your total power usage, which could be helpful in a site that charges for power. BTW this one is for a 30A shore power and will read 120V.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you already have a "surge protector" hard-wired into your electrical system: how would you add the AutoFormer? (Assuming that you could...)



I like the idea of a plug-in voltage meter; but I'm not sure if I have a spare outlet anywhere in the RV.

You can hardwire an autoformer - as I did because I didn’t like the idea of leaving a several hundred dollar device outside. I believe Hughes recommends putting it downstream of a surge protector. The particular plug in voltmeter that I like happens to be sold by he Hughes Autoformer company but, of course it is not the autoformer.... just to be clear.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you already have a "surge protector" hard-wired into your electrical system: how would you add the AutoFormer? (Assuming that you could...)

I like the idea of a plug-in voltage meter; but I'm not sure if I have a spare outlet anywhere in the RV.

You can hardwire an Autoformer in front of your EMS inside your coach or you can plug in an Autof0ormer at the ped. Where ever you put it to must be before the EMS.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by OldWEB

The "AutoFormer" is the name of the plug in voltmeter... Hughes Autoformers. Had me going too.

Not the name of the voltmeter. It the name of the company. Hughs Autoformers. The name of the voltmeter is a voltmeter.

[OldWEB]

Originally Posted by cavie

Not the name of the voltmeter. It the name of the company. Hughs Autoformers. The name of the voltmeter is a voltmeter.

Back at ya.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

If you already have a "surge protector" hard-wired into your electrical system: how would you add the AutoFormer? (Assuming that you could...)

I like the idea of a plug-in voltage meter; but I'm not sure if I have a spare outlet anywhere in the RV.

The Hughes auto transformer is made to plug in directly to the pedestal. It comes with a security cable. Most used an extension cable and permanently mount it in a basement compartment and hard wire it to the transfer switch.

Watts is equal to amps times volts. The cut-over point for the extra coils in the transformer is 113 volts. Less say your A/C is drawing 1500 watts @ 120 volts (12.5 amps) and the campground voltage drops to 110 volts so the A/C needs 13.6 amps to keep running. Heat in the motor varies logarithmically with amperage. The transformer kicks in and the voltage to the coach increases by 10 volts back to 120 volts and the A/C now draws 12.5 amps but primary stage of the auto-transformer is still drawing 13.6 amps @ 110 volts from the pedestal.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by cavie

You can hardwire an Autoformer in front of your EMS inside your coach or you can plug in an Autof0ormer at the ped. Where ever you put it to must be before the EMS.

So shore power is currently hooked to my surge protector. I would just have to slip the AutoFormer in front of the surge protector, so that shorepwer hooks into it first?

[OldWEB]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So shore power is currently hooked to my surge protector. I would just have to slip the AutoFormer in front of the surge protector, so that shorepwer hooks into it first?

Myself, I will not become part of the problem.

RV autotransformers

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So shore power is currently hooked to my surge protector. I would just have to slip the AutoFormer in front of the surge protector, so that shorepwer hooks into it first?

Actually, I forgot, the autoformer contains a replaceable surge protector within it. It would be an EMS that you might want to add. I don’t though.

[Bob Denman]

Now it sounds as if I'd be replacing the current onboard system...
I'd consider that.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So shore power is currently hooked to my surge protector. I would just have to slip the AutoFormer in front of the surge protector, so that shorepwer hooks into it first?

PED, Autoformer, EMS.RV.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by OldWEB

Myself, I will not become part of the problem.

What problem would that be?