Forum Discussion

cwenger's avatar
cwenger
Explorer
May 03, 2013

Hughes Autoformer

We will be traveling with a caravan in Canada this summer. I have a Progressive power management system installed in our coach.

The wagon master has warned us that we will encounter low voltage at some campgrounds, and that the Progressive system will shut down leaving us without any power to our coach. Of course, no power is preferable to low power, but no power is not good.

I am considering the purchase of a Hughes Autoformer, and I am trying to decide whether I should buy the 30 amp or the 50 amp system. My thinking is that if a campground has bad power, it probably wouldn't have 50 amp service, so why have the extra weight and expense of the 50 amp Hughes system.

I am interested in advice and comments from from RVers who have had experience using an autoformer, and I thank you in advance for you replies.

Carl Wenger
Class A
  • John_S_'s avatar
    John_S_
    Explorer II
    May 04, 2013
    YEs get the 50 amp. I have it and also get a 12 volt battery charger and an extension cord. Sometimes the voltage is so low it will hurt your systems so you can plug that in and it will charge the house batteries as you live off the inverter and 12 volt. you will not need AC that far north usually.
  • cwenger's avatar
    cwenger
    Explorer
    May 04, 2013
    Thanks to everyone who answered my post. The 50 amp system is definitely the way to go.

    Carl Wenger
  • webhannet's avatar
    webhannet
    Explorer
    May 04, 2013
    The 50 AMP actually has MORE BOOST at 30 AMPS than the 30 model. Reason enough!
  • hershey's avatar
    hershey
    Explorer
    May 04, 2013
    Spring for the 50 amp Hughes.
    Hughes makes a good product. Mine was bought used 8 years ago and has been in daily use since I bought it.
    Nice feature is that it only operates when its actually necessary.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    May 04, 2013
    If you can easily get by on 30 amps then IMO that is all you need.

    If you can get by without air conditioning etc you could just use a portable battery charger to keep the batteries up during a brown out. If you have one rated 20+ amps you should be fine until you roll. Or just survive on battery power depending on how you are equipped.

    Never been on that road by I think you may have less trouble than you have been led to believe. Just have not read that many posts of trouble.
  • steveownby's avatar
    steveownby
    Explorer
    May 04, 2013
    bdpreece wrote:
    If you have a 50 amp RV, spring for the 50 amp autoformer. You can still adapt it down to 30 amp. Trust me 50 amp service can suffer from low voltage on one or both legs also. Better to be safe than sorry. You might want to think about hard wiring it in that way if you get to a park that does not want you using the autoformer it is not sitting out in the open. Also less chance it will grow legs and take a walk.


    I agree with this post on all points. I also have both a Progressive and a Huges.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    May 04, 2013
    The 50A power is just as likely to have issues as the 30A.
  • Chuck_Gail's avatar
    Chuck_Gail
    Explorer
    May 03, 2013
    We use our Hughes autoformer at about 20% of the places we go, works great. Telling wife she can't run A/C at a CG when it was hot would mean we would need to leave!

    I'd buy the size that fit my RV. If RV is 50 amp, buy a 50 amp.
  • CJ5_jeeper's avatar
    CJ5_jeeper
    Explorer
    May 03, 2013
    I have a 50 amp installed it has saved me a couple of times on 30 amp service. The first time it happened the 30 amp breakers in the park box tripped several times before I figured out why I was the only one that was tripping the park breakers. I have mine hard wired in out of sight, because some people think you are taking more power then the park breakers are rated for.
  • bdpreece's avatar
    bdpreece
    Explorer II
    May 03, 2013
    If you have a 50 amp RV, spring for the 50 amp autoformer. You can still adapt it down to 30 amp. Trust me 50 amp service can suffer from low voltage on one or both legs also. Better to be safe than sorry. You might want to think about hard wiring it in that way if you get to a park that does not want you using the autoformer it is not sitting out in the open. Also less chance it will grow legs and take a walk.

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