Hughes Autoformer - Montana Owners Club

rames14 · 04-30-2009, 02:47 PM

Which Hughes Autoformer do you use? We made it the past six years without any electical issues, but with the new Big Sky we are considering the Autoformer. Do you use the 30 amp or 50 amp? We usually camp where there is 30 amp power. Can you use an adapter with the 50 amp so that you are covered for both? Does the Autoformer also act as a surge protector? Inquiring minds want to know.

exav8tr · 04-30-2009, 03:02 PM

Ron the 50 amp is usable with both 30 and 50 amp service. Although it does contain a certain amount of surge protection, I prefer to use the Progressive Industries 50PTC Electrical Management System for surge protection. I was using the 50PTC at my last several CG's and it cuts the power off if CG power goes below 104 volts, then auromatically comes back on if power goes back up, but at a few parks it kept going off until I had to take it offline, hence the addition of the Hughes autoformer. I'm told that low CG power will power the rig but will harm elecdtronics and motors over time, something I did not want. Just another form of insurance for us as we fulltime and have no alternative if we lose power....

I think ideally you would have a surge protector coming from CG, then the Hughes, then the 50PTC. That way if you do have a surge you would only lose the surge protector and NOT the Hughes. Where does it all end?????

Maybe someone else has a different idea on this, this is just my opinion, of course, and you know what my electrical knowledge is, or isn't!!!!!!

rames14 · 04-30-2009, 03:20 PM

Phil - what's that buzzing I hear? Do you lock up your autoformer when you are away from the camper?

richfaa · 04-30-2009, 03:37 PM

We use the PT 50C as our primary protection.It works as Phil describes above. We had the Hughes Autoformer for about two years, were in scores of campgrounds and never had the occasion to use it. We sold it. If your mode of travel and camping is such that you feel you need one it would be a good investment.

Emmel · 04-30-2009, 04:15 PM

Ron, we do use the 50amp Hughes and have it plugged in the Montana.
The Hughes does have a built in surge protector, but would have to be sent back to the factory to be reset after being triggered only one time. The best protection would be to use the surge protector before the Hughes.
The 50amp can be reduced to 30amp, but will not work the other way around.
We have run into quite a few cg's, including our winter park, Mouse Mountain that had very low electric at times. Therefore, I will use my Hughes for that purpose. Another personal choice, but you will have two air conditioners to protect from low voltage. We will transfer it to the new 3455 this Saturday.

rames14 · 04-30-2009, 05:59 PM

Be sure to send pictures, Steve. I know you and Patty are really looking forward to the new unit.

harleyrider · 04-30-2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Emmel

Ron, we do use the 50amp Hughes and have it plugged in the Montana.
The Hughes does have a built in surge protector, but would have to be sent back to the factory to be reset after being triggered only one time. The best protection would be to use the surge protector before the Hughes.
The 50amp can be reduced to 30amp, but will not work the other way around.
We have run into quite a few cg's, including our winter park, Mouse Mountain that had very low electric at times. Therefore, I will use my Hughes for that purpose. Another personal choice, but you will have two air conditioners to protect from low voltage. We will transfer it to the new 3455 this Saturday.

Steve I always get confused on which goes first???Camp ground post-surge protector-huges-then the cord to the Montana.Would that be the correct placement????

Glenn and Lorraine · 04-30-2009, 11:15 PM

I had my Autoformer hard wired into the Monty. I no longer concern my self with 'plugging it in' and I certainly never worry about the low voltage. Which by the way we found low voltage issues in at least a dozen RV parks. Particularly in the east where many of the parks are older and have done little to up grade their electrical service.
My biggest concern was the ACs. With low voltage the compressor continues to try to start. This will burn out the compressor and become a very costly time consuming replacement. Not to mention that you will be without AC on the hottest of days.
As Karl said "Don't leave home without it"

exav8tr · 05-01-2009, 01:00 AM

Ron, Mine is tethered to the CG Power pedestal with a cable lock, could easily be cut, I guess, hence, my desire to have it mounted in the front compartment as Bcinwv has done.

rames14 · 05-01-2009, 01:21 AM

Well, we'll have to see what we come up with. Thanks for the information. I figure today the new Big Sky will be somewhere between Goshen and the Wisconsin/Illinois border. I have no idea what it will look like because there are no brochures, pictures or literature. I haven't been able to find a single Big Sky in stock anywhere. And our dealer is not normally a Big Sky dealer, which I understand created a problem on the day we signed the papers.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 05-01-2009, 01:58 AM

Hey guys, visit Al's install, answers some of your questions:

http://www.geocities.com/genieyorks/autoformer

Good luck with that new unit!!

ols1932 · 05-01-2009, 04:18 AM

We use the 50-amp Hughes with both 30- and 50-amp service.

Orv

Emmel · 05-01-2009, 07:55 AM

Thanks for the pictures Carol, that was the exact same place I had mine installed. Now comes the problem, I won't know where the panel is in our new 3455 until we pick it up "Saturday"! And I don't remember where it was in the Big Sky we saw in Tampa.
The place Al has his mounted is easy, probably one of the easiest to do the install. I will have to buy the kit again since we had to leave the other ones in the "old" coach.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 05-01-2009, 09:23 AM

You are welcome Steve, glad it can help someone.

Gene Chaltry · 05-30-2009, 07:22 AM

I had a Hughes Autoformer 50 Amp. This Winter I had a power surge caused by the Autoformer. For some reason it boosted the power up to 208 volts. It fryed my New tv, stereo, Converter, and a host of other stuff. Need less to say I got rid of the Autoformer. It was three years old. Just past the warranty.

ols1932 · 05-30-2009, 07:35 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Gene Chaltry

I had a Hughes Autoformer 50 Amp. This Winter I had a power surge caused by the Autoformer. For some reason it boosted the power up to 208 volts. It fryed my New tv, stereo, Converter, and a host of other stuff. Need less to say I got rid of the Autoformer. It was three years old. Just past the warranty.

Gene,
I'm curious as to what showed that the autoformer itself caused the surge. The reason I'm curious is because the autoformer is supposed to protect against that.

Orv

Gene Chaltry · 05-30-2009, 08:06 AM

Orv, When I noticed my electical stuff started frying there was an electrician living across the way from me. He brought over a tester unplugged my Montana, put his tester inthe outlet of the Autoformer. It read 208 volts. The post was 115.

Gene

ols1932 · 05-30-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Gene Chaltry

Orv, When I noticed my electical stuff started frying there was an electrician living across the way from me. He brought over a tester unplugged my Montana, put his tester inthe outlet of the Autoformer. It read 208 volts. The post was 115.

Gene

Thanks. I didn't know that could happen. However, I use a Surge Guard that will disconnect power if power exceeds 130 volts.

Orv

sreigle · 05-30-2009, 11:27 AM

I use the 50 amp autoformer in most parks. Our "home park" always has excellent power so there I don't use it. But we do in nearly every other park. Even some parks that test good with my test meter still occasionally drop voltage during peak usage. Having the autoformer inline is just insurance against low voltage damage.

I lock mine with a bicycle cable lock whenever it is deployed, not just when we're not there. So far I've always been able to run that cable around or through something that keeps it from just being lifted over the post. We went several years before getting the autoformer and never had any damage. So I can't say it has ever saved our appliances but I like having the insurance.

8.1al · 05-30-2009, 01:33 PM

We have an Autoformer and like it, be aware however that even though it has a built in surge protector it is expensive to get it repaired. From Michigan you are looking at about $60 shipping and insurance to them and you have to send them $30 to help cover return shipping.

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