Low Voltage

[RLVoumard]

Always check my trusty plug in VOLT METER after connecting to shore power. I notice that at most camp grounds I'm lucky to ever see any VOLTAGE above 110-112 volts ( in the red area ) while at home I'm reading 122 volts.

What effect is this having on the systems in the 5th wheel, and can anything be done to help ?

Thanks

[kdeiss]

Check that voltage when every one is runnig AC.In some of the older Camp Grounds you may get readings like 90-95 Volts.I understan you should be good above 100V but under that you can do appliance damage.

[illapah]

I noticed the same thing at the place I stayed in Montana last summer. I think I will be buying an autoformer for next year.
Also, someone told me to measure the voltage at the park box rather than the wall socket inside the Monty when connected. May see a difference.

[richfaa]

110/112 volts will be OK..under 100 can begin to do damage Ohm's law applies ... as Voltage decreases.. Current (amps) increase..than can be a very bad thing particularly to induction type motors . A auto former is a good investment although it has been our experience that in the last 10 years or so C.G's have vastly improved their power infrastructure ..however it only takes on bad C.G to do damage.We have the auto former and there is one set of conditions were we will ALWAYS use it. Hot Summer day, crowded C.G, everyone using the A/C's.

[Ozz]

Measure at the post, not in your Rv, as a load on an individual circuit will give misleading readings.
I do not have an Autoformer and will not buy one, but, to each his or her own.
Ozz

[Just148]

Ozz, you stated "I do not have an Autoformer and will not buy one", what is your reason? Just asking I respect your opinion.

[Ozz]

I haven't seen the need for one in my RV experiences, I do understand why people get them, insurance. But you have to decide where to spend the insurance dollars.
I can see the effects of low voltage, (as anyone could) with extremely low voltage, things dim. I monitor mine with meters, C.W. sells the plug in ones.
It is not a common problem, if there is extreme heat, you should be looking for the problem, if in older parks, again look for the problem. I just don't think they are necessary for the cost of the device.
We all have to find our comfort zone in these matters, I just don't want everyone to think it is a 'Have to have' device.
Thanks for your respect, I shall endeavor to live up to it.
Ozz

[Parrothead]

Interesting Jim. It was on my list of "Things to Get Before Fulltiming" and Ed has been against getting one. We have never had a problem not having one but then we have not been all over the country yet either. We also don't plan on being anywhere where everyone is running A/C all day.
Happy trails.......................

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

One of the reasons we have one is the 4 kids. I have to leave my a/c on a lot more than those of you with no kids. I don't want the power going out when they are on board and we are out shopping. Does not take much heat to kill.

Also, even in Michigan (in the cooler climes) we have a lot of campsites with sub standard electrical wiring, sorry to say, especially in the State Campgrounds, where we do most of our summer camping. It still gets hot in Michigan, can be June, July, August, and months on either side of that. I don't know how much further north you would have to go, maybe Canada, to get somewhere where you are not going to encounter warm enough weather that everyone, or nearly every one will be running a/c.

As Ozz says, it is a matter of your comfort zone, how you use your rig, where you use your rig, your family situation and your personal comfort level with temps, possible loss of onboard electronics, and so many other factors. We have one, and in our near future cannot see not having one. Each to his own, yepper!

[richfaa]

Like Sue and Carol we never had one before but now that we travel all over the country thought we better get one. Like OZZ we have volt meters throughout the camper and keep a eye on them. I stated not too long ago that voltage spikes are much more of a threat than low voltage.. you can not anticipate a voltage spike and they do big damage but you can usually see low voltage and take appropriate action.Yes we have both the auto former and surge protector..What can I say....

[ols1932]

If I might paraphrase Ozz: "To each his own." I didn't have one until I saw what happened to a fellow RVers rig a few years back. Refrigerator, microwave, AC, and TV all bit the dust. To me that was a lot more expensive than an autoformer for insurance. As Ozz says, "We all have to find our comfort zone in these matters,..." No one can tell what another person needs based on their experience, it's the experience of the one having the need.

Orv

[Ozz]

I agree that voltage spikes are more of a threat. That is why I have installed a Surge protection device. It was around a hundred dollars, a three wire install inside my unit. It protects all electrical, and electronic devices within my Monte.
Intermatic surge protection. It's on my Mod's pictures and information.
The last photo is the one on my home's 200 amp panel.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n194/
JimsSue13/Ozzsmods101/042a55c9.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n194/
JimsSue13/Ozzsmods101/VentholeAwninglock007.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n194/
JimsSue13/Ozzsmods101/Intermaticsurgeprotection001.jpg

[sreigle]

I got the autoformer because of low voltage readings in some parks and seeing it drop further during high usage times. I will never be without one again. Just my opinion.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Long live the autoformer and Intermatic surge protection

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

And, a digital volt meter, we are set to go. We only have one in the unit, cause truthfully, we don't care to give up another duplex plug for same. Our one is mounted in the living room slide, where we can glance over from anywhere in the back half of the rig.

Al tests the campground pole for correct polarity before we unhook.

He is a retired electrician, and this fits his comfort zone quite well. What works for him, works for his Mrs.

[MAMalody]

How do you do this with a 50A circuit? I have the tester and adapter so I can check the 20a dnd 30A but I understand it will not work with the 50A because of the voltage(?). Can you provide me with a link to the meter that I need?

[harleyrider]

quote:Originally posted by MAMalody



How do you do this with a 50A circuit? I have the tester and adapter so I can check the 20a dnd 30A but I understand it will not work with the 50A because of the voltage(?). Can you provide me with a link to the meter that I need?

Mike

This is waht I use before I hook up to the post at Camp grounds

www.got50amps.com

[Ozz]

Nice meter, if you don't have a multimeter, (Voltage checker) you should get one. Sears has a nice voltage meter that is a amp meter, it has 12 volt settings, it will check 12 volt's and 12 volt amp draw. Handy to have for the Vehicle's as well

[sreigle]

MaMalody, my voltage tester has a 20-amp plug. It is plugged into a 20 to 30 amp adapter. When I need to check 50 amps, I use an additional adapter, 30 to 50. It's not as convoluted as it sounds.

My tester is from Walmart's hardware/electrical dept and cost less than five bucks. I also have a VOM but use the tester to check the park's circuit before I plug in the cord. The tester has 3 lights and on the side it tells you what the combination of lights mean.

[Steve and Brenda]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Ohm's law applies ... as Voltage decreases.. Current (amps) increase..than can be a very bad thing particularly to induction type motors .

Yep, this is true concerning Ohm's law but remember that it applies to components within that circuit. The better way to state Ohm's law is to say "As available Voltage decreases, available current will increase".

Electrical components will only draw the current required to operate the device. A good example is a vechicle electrical system. Car stereo systems may draw a few amps even though the alternator produces hundreds of amps.

All that being said, I agree with Ozz. Monitoring vehicle input voltage will suffice in most cases and modern electronic components operate in short term brown out conditions (between 105 and 110 VAC) with no damage

Concerning voltmeters, I have both a digital Fluke and analog Simpson meter in the RV. If you're looking for spikes analog is the way to go because digitals are not repsonsive enough to see the voltage ticks in the line but they're evident watching a needle swing.

[MAMalody]