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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / January 2006Trailer electrical set up for regular building?
OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. I have seen many posts talking about the electrical converters in trailers and such. So, then, could I just buy the "Set up" but hook it up in a small storage building? Reason I ask, is that when I relocate, I doubt that they'll be willing to hook regular electric to a small building with no panel to direct the voltage too. Plus, while I do have a 5K generator I don't want to use it unless I had to..Maybe for the big power drains. I'm wanting this just to run a fan and maybe a coffee maker and a light or 2. So, can it be done and who should I contact to buy the set up? Thanks! Hi Gene, First, let's get some terms straight. A converter is a device that changes 120V AC current into 12 V DC current that is used to charge batteries and/or operate other 12V equipment. An inverter takes 12V DC current from the batteries and changes it into 120V AC current that can be used to operate standard AC appliances such as your fan and coffee maker. Note that the voltages can be different but these are the most common used. Also, power companies commonly run in "construction power" to a temporary location. The panel may be located on a pole or small building. You provide the service panel and they hook up the service. Check with your local electric utility. Otherwise, check out <www.outbackpower.com> This is just one of many suppliers of the type of service you desire... Good luck with your project. George >OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >Thanks! >Hi Gene, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >coffee maker. Note that the voltages can be different but these are >the most common used. OK, thanks for the info..Helps alot! Now, what battery would be recommended for this? Also, is it better to have the batteries lined up in sequence or to just drain one at a time? >>Hi Gene, >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Also, is it better to have the batteries lined up in sequence or to >just drain one at a time? You need a good deep cycle battery system. There are several that fit the bill but a lot of folks like the Trojan brand. Many people have found that the Golf cart batteries at Sam's Club are made by Trojan and are available for around $50 each. These are 6 volt batteries. Takes two in series to give you 12 Volts. They are rated at 225 Amp Hours. If you want greater capacity, just put more pairs in parallel with the first pair. When you parallel batteries, the current capacity is additive. Series, the voltage is additive. It is best if you only use fifty percent of the capacity before recharging. Though you can discharge a deep cycle to 20%, the life of the battery is decreased. Best battery life is when discharge is kept to 50% or less. Having all batteries in the bank the same will give the best service. It is much more convenient to use all the batteries in the bank at the same time rather than using one, then changing to another, etc. Depending upon your usage, you may not have to run the generator for several days at a time. A lot of calculation goes into this. Another web site is <www.amplepower.com> Read the 12Volt Primer. There is much information on the web. Do a search on living off the grid or living on 12 volts, or solar power. You will find much info and can tailor your system to what you really need. George >>>Hi Gene, >>> [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > >George Wow George, thank you so much....Excuse me, I have lots of reading to do now! > >>>Hi Gene, > >>> [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > Wow George, thank you so much....Excuse me, I have lots of reading to > do now! Another site: http://www.batteryfaq.org >You need a good deep cycle battery system. There are several that fit >the bill but a lot of folks like the Trojan brand. Many people have [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >your usage, you may not have to run the generator for several days at >a time. OK, regarding Sams Club, none closer then about 450 miles...So I'll be looking off elsewhere. However, I must say that it looks quite workable and set up is not out of reach for an idiot like myself. In addtion, I thank you for your explaintion about series and parallel. I knew "Something" about it, but as always, "Something" leads to accidents and considering the amount of money I'll be laying out, the fewer "accidents" I have, the more I'll save. > OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Thanks! I cannot understand enough about what you are going to do or want to do so as to help you. What do you mean by relocate? What do you want with a converter in a storage building? What kind of power do you have running to the storage building. I suspect that you are wanting to have a place that you can connect your RV to power. If this is correct, you must obtain a circuit breaker panel, suggest a 100amp or less, along with a meter base box. Have a 30amp weather proof receptical installed for plugging in the RV. If every thing is of the outdoor type you can hang it on a power pole. If you are going to have a camper support facility or building such as a portable building, you might want to mount all except the meter base and 30amp plug inside. You will have to check with the building inspection department of your local government for code requirements. There are local code requirement for just parking an RV, let alone obtaining power, water and sewage.  SignatureBILL P. Just Dog & ME >> OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. >> [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > local government for code requirements. There are local code requirement > for just parking an RV, let alone obtaining power, water and sewage. Conversely, if the OP wants 12v DC service in a building, there are tons of resources for building a 12v system with inverter to operate off the grid. Google will provide hundreds of resources. SignatureDave Thompson >> OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. >> [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> >> Thanks! >I cannot understand enough about what you are going to do or want to do >so as to help you. What do you mean by relocate? What do you want with a >converter in a storage building? What kind of power do you have running >to the storage building. Sorry, I wondered if I wasn't totally clear on this... I scrapped the idea of towing a trailer. I am moving to the midwest (God help you good people!) I don't want to run the gen alot for little reason (Just for a fan?) and so I was looking at finding a electrical set up which would let me use batteries to covert to 120V and use them and charge them with the gen. How's that? Regarding the storage buildings. I have found by buying 3-4, I can have a place large enough to live in till I have the house built and later use them for storage. This would be less then the cost of a trailer out there. >>> OK, here's a question I do believe anyone here could answer. >>> [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > >This would be less then the cost of a trailer out there. Most power companies will run you a temporary drop to temporary pole. You will need one when construction starts anyway. It's usually 60-100 amp and any electrician can install you a couple of receptacles to use any way you wish. SignatureFrank Tabor "Gene" <Gene@nowhere.com> wrote in message > Regarding the storage buildings. I have found by buying 3-4, I can > have a place large enough to live in till I have the house built and > later use them for storage. I wonder if the local building department would give you a certificate of occupancy? They might not notice at first but, eventually, it could be condemned. SignatureChris Cowles Gainesville, FL >"Gene" <Gene@nowhere.com> wrote in message >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >occupancy? They might not notice at first but, eventually, it could be >condemned. Well...This place is quite removed from city, suburb and basically any local govt interests, except for paying of land taxes, they have no concern of what one lives in out there... As an aside, I lived in Oregon and had a friend live out a old tent (Govt surplus) for a little over a year. Now this was right smack in the middle of the suburbs. Everyone thought he was nuts as the local land zoning laws were sure to nail him..Nope, they left him alone as he'd done his homework and got a 18 month "Temp Residence" certificate... He had the house built in a year. So no local laws were violated. I find most cities have this type of "Legal Exemptions" but usually the people with the kind of money to put up a house rarely would live in something that rugged... But he liked it. :) |
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