What Power Converters ?

[Losthwy]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

As far as I know the only 240 Volt system is in some very large RVs. Those that require a 50 Amp service. The 12 volt system and 120 Volt system in all cases are separate. The converter doesn't "adjust" anything. It simply powers the 12 Volt system and charges the battery. Simple as that.

The 30 Amp power cord has three wires, Hot wire, Neutral wire, and Safety Ground wire. Thus three prongs at the plug.

There are some power boxes at campgrounds that provide 240 volt 4 prong connections (50 amp). An adapter to out little trailer 30 amp connectors can be used. It simply does not connect to the other hot wire. 50 Amp service with 4 prongs is hot, hot, neutral and safety ground.

Thanks for the info. I was mistaken that the 30 amp plug was 240V.

[EdisonFenl]

Originally Posted by EdisonFenl

Ok after installing my new LEDS and
Getting a battery monitor.
I now know that my POWER CONVERTER is not poviding power to the battery.
Installed an ELIXER converter in 2005 went bad in 2007 they replaced it, now 2009 went bad again.
So I am wondering what everyone is using out there.
I do travel backcountry road so need something that will work well and last.
I boondock so most power comes from SOLAR Panels manufactured in solar panels factory but like to plug in sometimes on the road and at home to chill down the fridge and keep the battery up.
So any info would help alot. Do not need a large one 20 AMPS will be fine.
THANKS DAVE
Well just got the information I have been searching for..Looking to install LED and battery system and I got perfect way to do it now..

Anybody out there using similar battery system?

[Borrego Dave]

[QUOTE=Bob Miller;482635]Hopefully no one is running 240 VAC to any trailers in this group. That big three prong plug on the shore power cord isn't a 240 VAC plug, like a range plug, it's indexed to plug into only120 VAC, 30 amp outlets.

Good answer Bob. Never really thought about 240V in a trailer. Had to deal with that when stationed overseas but used converters to drop the V to 110 for home appiancenes. MMMM, never even saw a travel trailer in my time there.

[Franswa]

I am....had the same old converter problem....got rid of the guts in the bottom half of power center....cut the bottom half of case off...rotated panel 90 degrees and reinstalled in a spot that was difficult if not impossible to use for anything beforehand...hard wired a three stage charger, added a 12V panel meter in plain view from anywhere in the trailer.... turned the area that the power center used to occupy into a very convenient shoe drawer........a "win, win, win" situation so far and I've been using it all summer.....always know at a glance where my batteries are at....when the batteries get down to 12.3 or 2 it takes 8 to 12 hours for the charger to bring them back to full charge (12.6V on an open circuit test....or 14.1V with charger running).....if solar is producing well the batteries never go down below 12.4V....my usual "cycle" is 2-3 nights unplugged followed by one night plugged in

with the PC I had, the 12V fuse panel had some circuits fed straight from the batteries and some circuits fed from the converter ("unfiltered power, not suitable for radios, TVs)...a one wire simple connection later (blue wire in last picture) and all circuits are now fed from the batteries....the charger is on it's own breaker (red, old air conditoner circuit no longer needed)....I use that to turn the charger on or off

[Losthwy]

Originally Posted by Franswa

I am....had the same old converter problem....got rid of the guts in the bottom half of power center....cut the bottom half of case off...rotated panel 90 degrees and reinstalled in a spot that was difficult if not impossible to use for anything beforehand...hard wired a three stage charger, added a 12V panel meter in plain view from anywhere in the trailer.... turned the area that the power center used to occupy into a very convenient shoe drawer........a "win, win, win" situation so far and I've been using it all summer.....always know at a glance where my batteries are at....when the batteries get down to 12.3 or 2 it takes 8 to 12 hours for the charger to bring them back to full charge (12.6V on an open circuit test....or 14.1V with charger running).....if solar is producing well the batteries never go down below 12.4V....my usual "cycle" is 2-3 nights unplugged followed by one night plugged in

with the PC I had, the 12V fuse panel had some circuits fed straight from the batteries and some circuits fed from the converter ("unfiltered power, not suitable for radios, TVs)...a one wire simple connection later (blue wire in last picture) and all circuits are now fed from the batteries....the charger is on it's own breaker (red, old air conditoner circuit no longer needed)....I use that to turn the charger on or off

Neat, professional looking work. Where are you folks getting your battery meters?

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

This thread is sooo old that the real queston almost got lost... It's better to start a new thread.

I disagree with that thought Bob. Someone might be searching for the same information. I think it best to try to keep as much information together as possible.

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

FWIW: That information is 5 years old and some of the items mentioned may no longer be available.

The current weapon of choice is the Progressive Dynamics PD-4045

You have just demonstrated what I mean. Someone could be searching for info on old dead equipment, or it's suggested replacement and learn what the current recommendation is.

[Franswa]

I got mine from DX (Deal Extreme...easy to find)

I should ad that I found the stock fan on my charger a little noisy so I removed the stock fan from the charger, cut larger holes for inflow/outflow in the housing and installed a computer fan (dead quiet) on the exterior of the housing....got the fan (and a whole bunch of LEDs) from the same place

pictures show the panel meter (with the small 150W inverter I occasionnaly use to charge/use some devices like phone, laptop...those are my only need for AC when unplugged)......and the shoe drawer that replaced my big old power center

[Bob Miller]

The original question was about what fuse panels were available in 2014 and that topic wasn't even mentioned in the 5+ y.o. previous materiel.

I agree keeping old posts can have some value, but tacking new questions and non-related questions onto them, without a fresh topic sentence, can be counter productive.