Hughes Autoformer

[Lakelife]

Is anyone using a Hughes autoformer? If so what do you think about it.

[richfaa]

We had one and it worked very well. A few years ago many CG's had poor power but not so much anymore. We had no need for it and sold it.

[dieselguy]

We've had one in our last 3 fivers. I spliced into the power line going to the converter and added male and female 50 amp plugs inside the pass thru storage. I plug the Autoformer inline with those. This keeps the Autoformer secure inside my fiver and out of sight and mind of some campground snoops. Why go to all the trouble of added connectors ... my Kipor generator doesn't play well with the Autoformer, so I made a quick way to remove the Autoformer with the male and female electrical plugs. We camp at alot of lakes and Corps Parks where the power lines are aged ... it keeps voltage up on hot summer days when the A/C needs it most.

[DutchmenSport]

I have a 30 amp Hughes Autoformer I used about 3 weeks plugged in 24x7 at home and camping. Then I quit using it. Why? Well... in a moment of hysteria we traded our 30 amp travel trailer for a 50 amp fifth wheel. We used the Hughes only 3 weeks.

Well, I thought about getting of it, but decided to hang on to it, in the event we are ever at a campsite with only 30 amp power ... which actually happened a few weeks later, so I was glad I hung on to it.

The one feature I really liked about it the most was the Blue Tooth technology to send the read-out on my phone. Then, all of a sudden BullDog updated the app on my phone and it quit working. I could never get my phone synced up to the protector again. I was pi$$ed. The autoformer still works very nice, and I do still like it. But I just have to go to the device to read it now.

Meanwhile, my Progressive Industries 50 Amp EMS serves quite well the rest of the time.

[scottz]

We run a Hughes 50A Autoformer and a Hughes Power Watchdog; both hardwired in. We have used them in the last two trailers and no troubles. The Power Watchdog has a nice app that works via Bluetooth; I don't think the Autoformers have a Bluetooth option; ours does not.

The Autoformer provides voltage boosting and surge protection.

The Power Watchdog provides surge protection, line monitoring, auto shutoff and the bluetooth app. It is a little redundant since the Autoformer has surge suppression, but I wanted the line monitoring auto shut off.

Do they work? I don't know, but we have never had any power issues. They are rather expensive. One nice feature is they have replaceable modules.

Autoformer
https://hughesautoformers.com/produc...ter-and-surge/

Power Watchdog
https://hughesautoformers.com/product/pwd50/

[Trvlyr's]

We run a Progressive EMS HW50C w/digital display inside our rig and have the Hughes RV 220 50 SP Autoformer in an external box on the ground. We had woefully low voltage in the CG where we are set up at and the Autoformer works perfectly boosting to maintain stable electricity so no more power issues. Eventually I plan to mount the thing to the trailer frame under a slide but haven't done it yet. It is heavy and you do need to keep it out of the rain.

[scottz]

My install

[Lakelife]

Originally Posted by scottz

We run a Hughes 50A Autoformer and a Hughes Power Watchdog; both hardwired in. We have used them in the last two trailers and no troubles. The Power Watchdog has a nice app that works via Bluetooth; I don't think the Autoformers have a Bluetooth option; ours does not.

The Autoformer provides voltage boosting and surge protection.

The Power Watchdog provides surge protection, line monitoring, auto shutoff and the bluetooth app. It is a little redundant since the Autoformer has surge suppression, but I wanted the line monitoring auto shut off.

Do they work? I don't know, but we have never had any power issues. They are rather expensive. One nice feature is they have replaceable modules.

Autoformer
https://hughesautoformers.com/produc...ter-and-surge/

Power Watchdog
https://hughesautoformers.com/product/pwd50/

We have built in surge protection in our rig but I really like the Bluetooth feature of the bulldog. I also really like that it has replaceable parts.

[jimandlaurie]

We have a 50a Hughes..for about 7 yrs now. It doesn't have the integrated surge protection like the new ones, the Progressive Dynamics covers that for us. However I Still use it every time we hook up to CG power, especially when we only get 30a pedestals. It just gives me good piece of mind to use it,

[BobRairigh]

I have a 50amp model. The one thing I was not prepared for was the floating ground challenge with my generators and portable power. The system will not run without a good ground.

[Lakelife]

Originally Posted by BobRairigh

I have a 50amp model. The one thing I was not prepared for was the floating ground challenge with my generators and portable power. The system will not run without a good ground.

Can you elaborate please? We have an on board generator but obviously won’t be using it in conjunction with the Hughes.

[dieselguy]

Lakelife ... although not referencing an Autoformer ... read this article as it's one of many with an explanation.
https://thecampingnerd.com/generator...n-neutral-fix/

[scottz]

You should not be running generator power through the Autoformer; only shore power. I also do not run gen power through the Power Watchdog.

[Lakelife]

Great article.

[BiggarView]

It was my understanding that autoformers and other similar devices are against code for shore power. While they were a necessity way back when in many instances, as one poster mentioned... not so much these days. The reason is when you introduce an autoformer type device into a circuit all the other users down the line suffer from even larger voltage/power fluctuations because the autoformers saves the circuits connected to it by robbing power from the line elsewhere. I could be wrong about this as it was explained to me by an oldschool engineer and I have since abandoned the idea of even getting one so my memory of his explanation has faded.

Our Progressive EMS works fine so far without issue or fail. We have the factory installed one that came with our 2020 as a back up.

[mhs4771]

I have read where some parks won't allow the use of an Autoformer because of the strain it can put onto their marginal electrical system.

[scottz]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

I have read where some parks won't allow the use of an Autoformer because of the strain it can put onto their marginal electrical system.

All the more reason. Let me think; strain on their equipment or strain on my equipment; tough choice.

[SteveandTerri]

I've used a 50 amp Hughes Autoformer for the last year and a half. Used it in about 30 different parks, a total of about 150 days. It's worked flawlessly so far. The only fault it found was at a park in Missouri: it indicated 'no ground' at the pedestal. I was able to stretch the power cord to an adjacent power pedestal and found good power (and ground) there... I like having it.

There's a slight power loss through the Autoformer because the electricity has to flow through the power conditioning transformer that's inside it. With an Autoformer in the circuit, your 5er will draw about 2% more power (amps) from the Park's pedestal source due to heat loss (resistance) in the transformer windings.

[BobRairigh]

I am surprised you might not want to protect all your electronics from generator or shore power. Anyways, a portable generator does not have typical ground. Think of a ground like a lightning rod, you could attach one to the generator but most people do not. For that reason the portable generators do not have a natural ground, it is called a floating ground and the power dog will shut the system down if it see it to protect your electronics.