Re: Autoformers
Reply #21 –
Interesting thread on this issue. The not damaging the appliances would seem to be the over riding reason to use an Autoformer.
Thirty two years ago we drove a 29' grand villa SBI to Indy for the race. Dry camped in the American legion halls parking lot across from the track. Minimal electricity.
A additional last person showed up in our group and we hooked them up to the limited 30 amp power leg we were all on.
Voltage dropped quite a bit. So we all turned on our refers to gas instead of AC.
The voltage came up a bit in response. We all made it though the race.
Most here who have installed residential refers have added enough solar panels to their coaches to offset the increased power draw they require so the power issues left are several,
All electric coaches. Long ago every coach had a propane stove top/oven.
Propane water heater.
No dark paint job, just white gelcoat.
One or Two 12 volt fan propane furnaces.
All of this to reduce the power needs as the gas generators were fuel guzzlers and noisy under your bed.
Only a few of us old die hards left.
I personally was trained long ago to not modify the coach to increase its power consumption.
So for me personally to install, an Autoformer to protect my coaches system from the low voltage maybe made worse by house refers, dark painted graphics, electric cooktops, two large tv's on all the time, internet hubs on 24/7, electric water heaters and such in my neighbors coaches seems only fair.
If everyone in a campground had the idea that power was of a limited nature and bought rigs built with that in mind things would be fine power wise.
Larger interior volume multi slide coaches with dark paint, house refers, electric cook tops, three airs to compensate have changed the industry.
Painted Dark ac covers. Goes on and on.
Good thoughts to those who have added large solar panels to help run their coaches systems.
But the 110 volt power requirements have obviously gone way up. And the higher temps we are seeing the last few years has increased a Park's energy load on top of larger more power consuming darkly painted coaches.
The original Foretravels could dry camp without gens running up to the mid to high 80's degrees without the gen or ac's running. Obviously humidity changes that quickly.
Power issues are enough for the park owners and the industry to ban Autoformers.
Will not work as was stated as everyone will simply build them in like we are doing. I have rarely needed to use it myself but more secure built in.
Me personally I do not feel any guilt doing so as we still have retained the white body shell, propane cook top and propane capable refer.
Kudos to those here whose solar can basically run their coaches except for roof airs and hot water and maybe stovetops.
But my old smaller interior non electric everything coach I would think consumes less power than the alternative designs.
Solar seems fairly dependable so the main loads are reduced.
Almost all the new coaches require a lot of power. Power everything. Bold dark paint.
!We have met the enemy and they are us" Pogo said seems to be true.
My Autoformer can be bypassed I understand if needed.
I can hear the coaches around me air's kick on fairly early in the day as their less insulated dark painted body shells get hot quickly.
Most current rv's were not made to reduce the power load. The opposite has happened.
Most owners would laugh if I mentioned the power their coach uses.
The old prevost bus guys 35 years ago ran ultra quiet Martin turbo diesel gen sets inside of a thickly insulated with sound absorbing foam compartment and standing next to their coaches you could barely tell the gen was on.
They left it running 24/7. They had to as the metal shell got hot or cold quickly.
Pardon my ramblings but as was posted our mutual greed has caused this to some extent.
Even total solar coaches are consuming power to run air's and a aquahot water heater and maybe a cooktop.
Topic: Autoformers