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Post Info TOPIC: HUGHES AUTOFORMER!
TRAILERKING


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Well since there has been so much talk about the quality assurance of power to the coach, do any of you run a HUGHES AUTOFORMER?

http://www.autoformersdirect.com/

It's getting to the point that one has to be a power-line contractor. biggrin



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bjoyce


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Yes. Mostly it is useful in 30AMP situations in older campgrounds with old wiring, allowing us to run appliances like air conditioners without stressing them. In about 11 years we have needed it only a couple times in 50AMP. Membership campgrounds are notorious for weak 30AMP power, but we have also encountered such power in commercial campgrounds and a couple public ones.

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TRAILERKING


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How do you connect yours? Between shore power and EMS or between EMS and transfer switch. I am thinking the first option.



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el Rojo and Pam


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Yes we have one too. Like Bill said we use ours when we are plugged into 30 Amp (our rig is 50 Amp). We can run both AC's on 30 Amp service with it and still have 118 volts at the AC outlet. We do however have to turn an AC off to use the microwave. It also has some surge protection built in, but I plug the Surge Guard into the shore power and then the autoformer and then the coach to the autoformer.

Two AC's in the summer in Texas makes a difference.

Red

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Bill and Linda


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TRAILERKING wrote:

How do you connect yours? Between shore power and EMS or between EMS and transfer switch. I am thinking the first option.

Your thinking correctly: Between shore power and EMS.  Otherwise the EMS can trip out on low voltage

If I am not mistaken, the Hughes, if you follow the electrical code and instructions, must be “plugged in.”  They can’t be “legally” hard wired in a coach according to the manual.



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TRAILERKING


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Bill and Linda wrote:
TRAILERKING wrote:

How do you connect yours? Between shore power and EMS or between EMS and transfer switch. I am thinking the first option.

 

Your thinking correctly: Between shore power and EMS.  Otherwise the EMS can trip out on low voltage

 

If I am not mistaken, the Hughes, if you follow the electrical code and instructions, must be “plugged in.”  They can’t be “legally” hard wired in a coach according to the manual.

 My thoughts exactly. I will install the hardwired EMS first as soon as I get it. The HUGHES I'll likely get later down the line as it will be a "Plug-In" option anyway.

Thanks for your input............Greatly appreciated.



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el Rojo and Pam


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I also bought a chain to chain the autoformer to the pedestal. I just make the chain tight enough so it can't be slipped over the top of the pedestal.

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TRAILERKING


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I was thinking to have it inside the coach compartment then extension cord out to the pedestal.

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el Rojo and Pam


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TRAILERKING wrote:

I was thinking to have it inside the coach compartment then extension cord out to the pedestal.

 That would work too.



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bjoyce


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If you have not bought both you might look at http://www.powermasterrv.com/products.html.  (On edit I found out the first product is not that well made, but found an alternative.)



-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 10th of February 2014 10:12:14 AM

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bigboomer


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We have the Hughes Autoformer and use it between the shore and EMS and it has been a great purchase. This past summer we were at the end of the line at a campground and the voltage was dropping between 100 and 105 consistently and tripping the EMS but once we hooked up the Autoformer problems went away and our appliances ran so much better.

 

 



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TRAILERKING


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Good info. and feedback.

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Bill and Linda


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OK, this prompted the following as pertains to the opposite of what the Autoformer does – boost voltage.  Most of us who travel more carry 50 amp and / or 30 amp extensions. Including the 30 feet of 50 amp on the automatic reel mounted in the coach, I have a total of 75 feet of 50 amp cable and another 30 feet of 30 amp cable. I’ve needed it all many times. Now, you ask, what does this have to do with this thread?  It has to do with voltage problems and how to deal with them in a pinch at the other end of the problem – high voltage.

The Autoformer is a voltage boost or step up device.  But what happens when you have, as I have several times, a consistent 135-138 volts due to being on the “high leg” of a power pole transformer.  Well, connect all that cable and you get enough voltage drop to get down a few volts.  Many times below the danger level, ~132 volts, of the Progressive Industries EMS trip point.  Once I even went over to 30 amp service and used all 105 feet of cable including the 30 amp extension cable and it got me down to 130 volts even when not under load.  It’s that I/R drop thing of wire that does the trick.

Having the PI EMS with the read out in the rig with accurate readouts and the fact the EMS is protecting the rig, regardless of using an Autoformer for boost or cable to create a voltage drop, that makes all this flexibility possible and safe, IMO.

Just a suggestion for those that might have these kind of situations.



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Alie and Jims Carrilite


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Bill- I had not thought about using the extensions to make a drop in voltage. Knowing how many times I sized wire for long runs in yachts because we always fought voltage drop verse weight verse literally the bulk size of the wire, it makes sense.
Remembered me somethin' new today already!

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bigboomer


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Great point Bill on the high end voltage and you are spot on with the read out in the coach with the PI EMS...it is great to monitor exactly what each appliance draws and also to see how the line voltage drops as the draws are added.



-- Edited by bigboomer on Monday 10th of February 2014 12:41:07 PM

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RonC


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Bigboomer,

Although this is an old post ... I just gotta tell you that your haul rig is AWESOME.  I'll bet that wheelbase makes for a smooth ride and a BIG turning radius, but going down the road ... wow, what a sight to see.



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Cummins12V98


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I built this 50A AutoFormer into our last DRV and now this current DRV. These really do the job!

<a rel=i.imgur.com/Qn6UleRl.jpg">

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