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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / August 2004voltage regulator
regarding: Autofmer Voltage Regulator Has anyone used this item and does it really work? The item is sold by Camping World. Thanks > regarding: Autofmer Voltage Regulator > > Has anyone used this item and does it really work? > The item is sold by Camping World. > > Thanks You are probably talking about the Hughes Autoformer. There is so much snake oil out there, I also tend to be very skeptical. However in our travels I have been in many parks where the voltage does drop dangerously low, so we bought one. It seems to work great, when park voltage drops it goes to work and gives you around a 10 % boost in voltage. I was motivated to buy after some friends burnt out wiring to thier AC unit in a park with voltage problems. Rig was under warranty but they wouldn't handle it as it was not a manufacturer defect and it ended up costing them a good chunk of money. The Autoformer is also supposed to shut off if voltage gets so low it can't bring it up to a reasonable level. Dave Would you buy a pump to put on the water supply if you didn't get enough water? These autoformers solve the problem for you but make it worse for others. > Would you buy a pump to put on the water supply if you didn't get > enough water? These autoformers solve the problem for you but make it > worse for others. That was one of the questions I had of the vendor before I purchased. They have documented proof at Hughes, covering the fact for park owners that it does not further deplete the voltage in the park and does not steal electricity. I am not an electronic engineer, but that was what I was told and shown at the booth. I have also found that you are seeing these units used on from 10 to 30 % of rigs in parks now, at least the ones we hit in our travels as full timers. Dave I see where "Dave Woodruff" <woodyd8688@starband.net> contributed concerning autotransformers: >They >have documented proof at Hughes, covering the fact for park owners that it >does not further deplete the voltage in the park and does not steal >electricity. I am not an electronic engineer, but that was what I was told >and shown at the booth. Bafflegab does not become truth because some slick presenter makes it appear that way. A transformer that boosts voltage does so at the expense of increased current draw on the input. Therefore, transformers INCREASE current draw. It cannot be otherwise. Will ---- the Curmudgeon of Sill Hill I post to help rv'ers and annoy the snot out of morons, idjits, fools and bozos - - and to irk their ilk. Often, I do both at once. If you feel annoyed, check your status. > That was one of the questions I had of the vendor before I purchased. > They have documented proof at Hughes, covering the fact for park owners > that it does not further deplete the voltage in the park and does not > steal electricity. That's not correct- the autoformer trades current for voltage- if your rig is drawing 30 amps @ 120 volts, and the power sags, the autoformer will draw more current to keep the voltage at 120 volts- how much more depends on how low the voltage is. In most parks, the voltage is low because it is inadequate for the load- the autoformer is increasing the load, exacerbating the problem.  SignatureChris Bryant http://bryantrv.com snipped > That was one of the questions I had of the vendor before I purchased. They > have documented proof at Hughes, covering the fact for park owners that it [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Dave As far as I know they are lying then. What happens when the boost transformer kicks your voltage up, the voltage on the other side goes down to compensate. There is only so much "juice" available to use and when one hogs more by cheating with a boost transformer, it cheats the rest of the users. HD in CNY >From: HDinNY error@error.com >Date: 7/5/2004 9:48 AM Central Standard Time >snipped >> That was one of the questions I had of the vendor before I purchased. They [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >with a boost transformer, it cheats the rest of the users. >HD in CNY The real problem lies in the RV park not those selling and using boost transformers. If the RV park supplied what they advertised, electrical service (as opposed to substandard electrical service), there wouldn't be a market for the Hugh's transformers. Ron in Oklahoma snipped > The real problem lies in the RV park not those selling and using boost > transformers. If the RV park supplied what they advertised, electrical service [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Ron > in Oklahoma Yes and no. Yes it is the "fault" of the rv park it has low voltage. Yes that a rig using lots of power is going to be shorted by that insufficient power. Many of these parks are from the era of 20 amp sites. Toss in sometimes two ac's, the electric heaters in the newer 120ac/propane water heaters, the microwave units, the electric hot pads some people use to "save" on propane and the original power supplies are wanting. It costs a lottabucks to upgrade the electric facilities and many campgrounds are going on a shoestring budget. So the real deal on the use of the Hughes auto transformer is it will short the neighbors. It doesn't "solve" any problems as when the overload becomes too great, the service breakers will trip and no body gets power. HD in CNY > snipped > > The real problem lies in the RV park not those selling and using boost [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > the service breakers will trip and no body gets power. > HD in CNY We were at a campground in Louisiana a couple years ago and the owner told me that he wanted to upgrade the tent sites to have electric, but the quote he received was $10K per site. Sure would take a lot of rentals to pay for that. Ed snipped > We were at a campground in Louisiana a couple years ago and the owner told > me that he wanted to upgrade the tent sites to have electric, but the quote > he received was $10K per site. Sure would take a lot of rentals to pay for > that. > Ed Sounds reasonable. I'd think that would be for 20 amp sites. Just think if he was going for 50/30/20 amp sites. Wire sizes go up, outlet box cost goes up and labor cost goes up. Plus, he'd probably have to upgrade his main service. It ain't cheap, especially when competition is driving site prices. HD in CNY >From: HDinNY error@error.com >Date: 7/5/2004 7:10 PM Central Standard Time >snipped >> We were at a campground in Louisiana a couple years ago and the owner told [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >Plus, he'd probably have to upgrade his main service. It >ain't cheap, especially when competition is driving site prices. Guess it is all in how you look at it HD. From my perspective a RV park that can't supply 120 volts on a hot summer day is out of the competition. We have stayed at places where the voltage was in the 110-112 volt range, but we won't stay there again regardless of their rate. Ron in Oklahoma snipped > Guess it is all in how you look at it HD. From my perspective a RV park that > can't supply 120 volts on a hot summer day is out of the competition. We have > stayed at places where the voltage was in the 110-112 volt range, but we won't > stay there again regardless of their rate. Makes sense for you. If your needs when camping include high power consumption then by all means gravitate toward the parks with upgraded facilities. Just keep in mind some parks are just barely hanging on and the costs to upgrade are not compensated by the expected revenue. HD in CNY Hi HD Hey just remember some of us folks live in a really hot and humid climate! Without AC we would die in these MH or trailers. That place I stayed in NY just barely hit 105 volts. I was nervous about running anything. Found out later the 2 sites I stayed in up Nawth had poor electric service. But down here (South) I feel that any park that expects people to stay there had better have good electrical service if they want to stay in business. Needless to say this is "my personal opinion". I use my books to check out the parks and what they have available. I don't mind roughing it but down here we would have to run the genny 24/7 just to have a modicum of comfort! Those who do not upgrade regardless of their reason will not stay in business very long as people want to be able to use utilities in their RVs'. While it may be expensive and a lot of work, they will have to improve or close. SignatureLee in NE FL HD in CNY said > Makes sense for you. If your needs when camping include high > power consumption then by all means gravitate toward the > parks with upgraded facilities. Just keep in mind some parks > are just barely hanging on and the costs to upgrade are not > compensated by the expected revenue. > HD in CNY snipped >Those who do not upgrade regardless of their reason will not stay in > business very long as people want to be able to use utilities in their RVs'. > While it may be expensive and a lot of work, they will have to improve or > close. Don't disagree Lee. Just making the point all campgrounds are not destination places. If there isn't enough business to support upgrading a park, it's either close the park or stay open and stumble along. I agree with both you and Ron. Just that when traveling some folks get ticked when they stop for one night and get charged for a full service site. If the campground has spent the big bucks to upgrade facilities, we need to be willing to pay for them. If the campground has low voltage with no load, they deserve to close. It's up to them to make sure they have the proper voltage and distribution lines for whatever kind of service they are providing. If they can give 30 amp service at acceptable voltage, they are doing a good job as far as I'm concerned. If I pull in (not gonna happen) with two 15,000 btu ac's, electric heaters out the wazzoo, washer and electric dryer and a bunch of other electrical convenience items, I'd expect 50 amp service and to pay for it. That's all I'm getting at. HD in CNY >From: HDinNY error@error.com >Date: 7/6/2004 5:55 PM Central Standard Time >snipped >>Those who do not upgrade regardless of their reason will not stay in [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >items, I'd expect 50 amp service and to pay for it. That's >all I'm getting at. Our 5er has a 27,500 btu basement heatpump and a 13,500 btu roof top a/c. I expect to be able to run both of these plus microwave, hot water heater on electric, TVs etc. with acceptable voltage. We always select parks that have 50 amp service and expect them to provide the 50 amps at 120 volts. If they charge a few more bucks than the 30 amp 110 volt place down the road that is OK with me. We don't 'camp' to rough it, we use our rv to travel and want all the comforts where ever we stay. Ron in Oklahoma snipped > We don't 'camp' to rough it, we use our rv to travel and want all the comforts > where ever we stay. > > Ron > in Oklahoma Understood Ron. Some don't feel that way though and complain about paying the high price for the full service 50 amp sites. HD in CNY That 50 amp service is more like 100 amps at 120 volts. When you plug in a 50 amp plug, you have "two" 120 volt circuits, each at 50 amps which gives you a total of 100 amps of power to use. For what you have, you need it too. George >Our 5er has a 27,500 btu basement heatpump and a 13,500 btu roof top a/c. I >expect to be able to run both of these plus microwave, hot water heater on >electric, TVs etc. with acceptable voltage. We always select parks that have >50 amp service and expect them to provide the 50 amps at 120 volts. If they >charge a few more bucks than the 30 amp 110 volt place down the road that is OK >with me. >Ron >in Oklahoma It is more then that George when we plug in the roof top a/c. It is on a separate electrical hookup and is not part of the 50 amp trailer service. The roof top a/c has its own breaker box with a 30 amp cord attached. I can plug it in a 30 amp outlet or a 20/15 amp outlet using an adapter. Works most anywhere as long as they have more then just the 50 amp outlet. I have even thought about plugging the roof top a/c into the 15 amp outlet on the side of the trailer. Unfortunately that plug is on the same circuit we use for the coffee pot so we would have to make a choice, coffee or cool air! Ron in Oklahoma >From: wwemu@cwnet.com >Date: 7/6/2004 9:51 PM Central Standard Time >That 50 amp service is more like 100 amps at 120 volts. When you plug >in a 50 amp plug, you have "two" 120 volt circuits, each at 50 amps [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >>Ron >>in Oklahoma > snipped > > The real problem lies in the RV park not those selling and using boost [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > the service breakers will trip and no body gets power. > HD in CNY Devils Advocate: What other options do you have if the voltage goes low?? Perhaps killing ALL the power IS preferable, no? Inquiring minds want to know. -- John - Dat waskelly wabbit won't survive dis hand gwenede. snipped > Devils Advocate: > > What other options do you have if the voltage goes low?? Perhaps killing ALL the > power IS preferable, no? > > Inquiring minds want to know. To me, yes. HD in CNY who'd change campgrounds > > regarding: Autofmer Voltage Regulator > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Dave |
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