Feedback on Power Issues

[ARD]

Neal, I love you buddy, but some things are just plain wrong.

AMEN! Just ewwwww.

 

[ARD]

I am a huge fan of the Autoformer. Originally I chainlocked it to the power pole. There is a wiring kit sold by Hughes which allows you to keep everything in the electrical Bay. When I bought the Newmar, I had them rewrite this at the factory. A good mobile tech can do this, if you are not comfortable doing it. It involves disconnecting the current power cord from the transfer switch and wiring it to the box in the kit, then replacing the original cord with a much shorter one.

One must take a picture of the wiring before starting, so as to put the new cable in correctly. The trickiest part is that the wires must be torqued to specification. W should all learn to check these and retorque them yearly, or have it done at the yearly service.

The Autoformer must be plugged directly into the power pole. The surge protectoor or ems gets plugged into the Autoformer.

To get up and running quickly plug in externally as mentioned above. However, I would get a good bicycle (steel) chainlock (i.e. Python or better) and chain bother the Autoformer and ems to the power pole.

One more suggestion. I perch everything on a few, when plugging into the pole so the equipment does not sit in standing water. I also drape a cut open large garbage bag over the setup (secured with gorilla tape to minimize rain exposure.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. I really appreciate it. ?

 

[J&JD]

@ARD neal has his set up in the cord bay but it appears to be more than a trivial installation. From what I have read and what everybody says above is sage advice. I am in the process of ordering one myself. Good luck!

@Neal,
would you post a picture of your internal mount of the Autoformer. I already have the surge protector mounted in the power compartment and wonder where you found room.

 

[Neal]

@Neal,
would you post a picture of your internal mount of the Autoformer. I already have the surge protector mounted in the power compartment and wonder where you found room.

My coach is in storage so I can't get a pic right now. It's just left of the cord reel in between it and the progressive EMS. I'm not sure what that black thing is hanging down that your EMS control is attached to. I had to do a little reorganizing moving the coax connection, etc. If you take the specs of the Hughes AF and measure the rectangle maybe cut out a piece of cardboard you can experiment.

 

[CoreyinWP]

Here you go

 

[Neal]

That sure looks familiar!

 

[CoreyinWP]

Had it in my photos...thanks for sending it to me...two years back!

 

[J&JD]

Here you goView attachment 2726

Man, it sure gets crowded in there! Thanks.

 

[CoreyinWP]

Nothing that a pizza with pineapple can’t solve ?

 

[Neal]

Only a few select peeps would I share my tip of rubbing pineapple on the 50A plug prongs to improve electrical flow!

 

[MapNerd]

Only a few select peeps would I share my tip of rubbing pineapple on the 50A plug prongs to improve electrical flow!

Why don’t you just go ahead and plug into the pineapple directly @Neal? Who didn’t make a lemon battery as a science project as a kid? Same principal, and pineapples are coach sized!

 

[Neal]

I sense some pineapple envy going on here...

 

[MapNerd]

I Dole know what your talking about.

 

[Neal]

 

[J&JD]

Friends don’t let friends put pineapple on pizza. It’s just not right....or maybe un-American or un-Italian or un-somthing. ?

 

[Neemer]

Friends don’t let friends put pineapple on pizza. It’s just not right....or maybe un-American or un-Italian or un-somthing. ?

Very Hawaiian though, according to Dominos.

While we’re on that topic, guess where I couldn’t find Hawaiian bread?

 

[ARD]

Continuing Saga: I received my Autoformer today (yay!), but didn't have a chance to deal with it due to a very sick dog who just got diagnosed with mmm. ? Then tonight my generator came on and when I looked at the control panel, it said I had a brown out on L2 with 60 v. Tested the pedestal with my Fluke (I know how to use it now!) and I'm good at the pole with 120v, 119v on L1, L2, respectively. Tomorrow I'll get the autoformer hooked up and then try to figure out a Plan B. ??

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Renee: so sorry to hear that one of your dogs is ailing. We'll keep all of you in our prayers for a good outcome.

@TJ&LadyDi

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Tested the pedestal with my Fluke (I know how to use it now!) and I'm good at the pole with 120v, 119v on L1, L2, respectively.

Remember that with your Fluke multimeter, you were testing an unloaded voltage. It could still be bad at the pedestal when any kind of load is applied. If the power at the pedestal really is OK, then I would start suspecting the cord reel contacts or the transfer switch. Hopefully, it is just a park power issue. Are others in the park experiencing any issues? I'd ask around.

TJ

 

[ARD]

Remember that with your Fluke multimeter, you were testing an unloaded voltage. It could still be bad at the pedestal when any kind of load is applied. If the power at the pedestal really is OK, then I would start suspecting the cord reel contacts or the transfer switch. Hopefully, it is just a park power issue. Are others in the park experiencing any issues? I'd ask around.

TJ

Oh dang. The control panel is showing 119v, 118v. Another DSDP came in today and I talked to them tonight after I checked my pedestal. They didn't have an issue with power. I am concerned that it might be "me" since the generator has not been coming on during prime power usage hours. I'll call a RV mobile tech to come check the transfer switch. I refuse to believe it is my reel. I just got a new one last year. ? How do you determine if the transfer switch is bad?