Autoformer

If spending money today I would have a PowerMaster first, then TRC or Hughes, and very very last is Frank's.

What happened to Power Master web page? was www.powermasterrv.com afaik



If one air conditioner is the primary concern consider a TrippLite LC2400 on the branch circuit.

http://www.tripplite.com/line-conditioner-2400w-avr-system-automatic-voltage-regulator-power-conditioner-ac-surge-protector~LC2400/

TechWriter wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
TRIPP LITE, HUGHES AUTO FORMER, BELKEN for starters. An autoformer whose name was obliterated. About ten or so of the above brands PLUS many other brands whose names did not register. Then I gave up. You gotta brand-name up your sleeve or what?

Franks? PowerMaster? TRC's Voltage Regulator?

I'll interpret your silence as a "No".

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
TRIPP LITE, HUGHES AUTO FORMER, BELKEN for starters. An autoformer whose name was obliterated. About ten or so of the above brands PLUS many other brands whose names did not register. Then I gave up. You gotta brand-name up your sleeve or what?

Franks? PowerMaster? TRC's Voltage Regulator?

Now I use them sur first, and auto second , way I do it , now it's all happy-camping

I totally agree I don't want to have to replace things. My expertise is not engineering thus all my questions. I think my first purchase will be a surge protector and a voltage meter. If at that point I see I am encountering low voltage problems I will get on Autoformer.
Thanks for your expertise

Do I believe in these things? My rig and umbilical house here has a 3Kw Sola ferroresonant line regulator coupled to a 107 lb full isolation transformer.

Lightning protection is provided by a pair of copper bars paralleled .125" apart with a 1-watt 100k resistor connecting the two. The phase is connected to the service drop L1 and the other to earth ground. This provides an enticing ionization path. Only 10-AWG is needed. Everything is soldered together. Lightning steers by ionization feeder leads milliseconds before the main pulse. This circuit has proven itself multiple strike diversions in the high Sierras. The diversion circuits were vaporized.

I can state for a fact my circuits allow sensitive electronics a lot longer lifespan. Some may sneer at a $200 cost for a microwave oven. My microwave costs $600 and I do not have the money to replace it bearing an arrogant attitude. Same for all my electronics.

TRIPP LITE, HUGHES AUTO FORMER, BELKEN for starters. An autoformer whose name was obliterated. About ten or so of the above brands PLUS many other brands whose names did not register. Then I gave up. You gotta brand-name up your sleeve or what?

TechWriter wrote:

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I found through actual disassembly and looking very few "Surge Protectors" are worth a plugged-nickel.

Which ones did you disassemble?

One more time . . .

Which ones did you dissemble?

I will try to make it simple.. Many devices called SURGE PROTECTORS are spile suppressors.. A genuine surge (Been there) they sound a lot like firecrackers on Independence day. As I said.. Been there.

Surge Guards or Energy Monitors like the Progressive Industries HW-50-C or PT-30C (you may swap HW and PT on both models) monitor the voltage, if it goes too high or too low. they cut you off, If you plug one into 240 volts where it should be 120 (Common when plugging into 30 amps) you can burn up your electronics (This is a SURGE) they will refuse to connect you (less you override them) In short they WILL protect you against many common issues.

Now.. The autoformer: It tries to compensate for low voltage (And in one case high) BUT it has limits.... I have seen campgrounds where the voltage went so low as to TEST those limits.

Thus Park---Autoformer---Surge Guard----RV is your best hookup.

HOWEVER... NOTHING is 100% A very sudden high speed spike (Read that lightening strike) can blast past everything and nail you.

Where I am we seem to have an issue with power flickers..This is where power goes out for like 1 second then come back on. If this happens when the A/C is on the compressors are trying to re-start with a full head of pressure.. NOT GOOD.. So the Surge Guard holds power off for nearly 3 full minutes and a second timer holds the A/C compressor off for a bit longer.. By that time (By the time the compressor re-starts) the pressure has bleed off so it's a normal re-start. And that.. Since parking here I have had it happen 3 or 4 times.

rfsod48 wrote:
This is getting very confusing to me. Are there any electrical engineers on the member list who might be able give data proven advise? To surge protect or not, to Autoformer or not?

Three issues

Voltage control

Bad wiring protection

Damaging electrical spikes

Using an autoformer is a very good idea but many misunderstand and believe autoformers are the ultimate in protection. They by themselves are NOT. Transient voltage protection is also vital.

Go ahead and get your autoformer. And yes, I am an electrical engineer a documented MEE. And cranky as hell. I am trying to educate folks and quash folklore myths.

Something to chew on. THE FAILURE RATE OF PORTABLE ELECTRONICS IS MUCH HIGHER IN A RIG THAN FOR THE SAME APPLIANCE IN A HOME e en when using voltage correction devices. This is especially true of rigs that stay in RV parks or public campgrounds. There are reasons why...