Hughs Autoformer

The way I look at it is that there is a 240v 50 amp breaker feeding power to my site. If I was somehow by-passing that and using more than the supplied 240volt 50 amps then it would be stealing. I cannot take any more than that circuit breaker is offering.

As long as you do not bypass the 30/50 amp braker on the pedestal, you are not stealing. People that run a second power cord to the pedestal (pay for a 30, use a 30 and 20) are stealing. Me using the 30 or 50 amps I paid for and boosting the voltage so as not to burn up the electronics in my rv is not stealing, it is not burning up the electronics in my rv.

After having issues with low voltage a few summers ago in older CG's in the northeast during hot weather, I picked up a Hughes autoformer and have been very happy with it's performance. I had kept it outside, chained to the pedestal and covered by a plastic waste basket to keep it out of the rain. We just got a new MH and I now have the autoformer inside in the electric bay along with a progressive surge protector.

If using the autoformer is stealing, then so is running the water heater on electric, fridge on electric, electric heater instead of furnace, etc. Maybe a better solution for a power challenged campground would be to offer only 15 or 20 amp outlets.

pnichols wrote:
However, they have to lower the voltage a tiny bit for everyone else in an already over-loaded-electricity-wise campground

This is the phrase within my explanation that shows where the "stealing from other campers" comes in. If one feels OK doing this when using one's Autoformer in their RV ... then one is of course looking out for only number one.

pnichols wrote:
when a campground can't deliver high enough voltage to it's campsites

You are making the point for an autoformer, not against.

So how do we handle low voltage in a CG? Do we accept that we can't pull the power we pay for? If the CG wants to put autoformers out of business, they only need to do one (costly) thing. They need to provide stable 120v (30 or 50amp) power. It is not stealing. I pay for 30 or 50 amps and if I pull it, I get exactly what I pay for.

Sez Hoo! wrote:
If you look at a multi voltage motor, the lower the voltage the higher the amp draw. That is true for an inductive load. For a resistive load like electric water heaters the opposite is true.

Like everything in physics, one cannot get something for nothing. An Autoformer cannot maintain the same energy into an RV by doing it with a higher voltage that it manufactures from thin air - whether or not any load inside the RV is resistive, inductive, or any combinaton of the two. Current flow into the Autoformer MUST go up for it to deliver the same energy, at higher voltage regardless of load type, than the RV was using before plugging in the Autoformer. However, I'm open to looking at any equations that might show how an Autoformer can increase the voltage for all loads without increasing it's input current draw ... unless the Autoformer is merely a power factor correction unit ... which means it would be of no use in increasing the voltage into an RV if the RV was presenting only resistive loads at the time.

This is a complete FWIW explanation, as I'm sure all Autoformer users will continue to marvel at them. I probably would own one if we used hookup campgrounds enough to justify the cost. However, they have to lower the voltage a tiny bit for everyone else in an already over-loaded-electricity-wise campground .... unless they are only a PFC unit for only inductive RV loads.

Here's a longer and probably more clear explanation of what is going on that gives rise to the complaint that Autoformer users in a campground are "stealing power" from the other campers during times when a campground can't deliver high enough voltage to it's campsites:

http://www.damouth.org/RVStuff/Autoform.shtml

Another happy user here. Paired with the Progressive surge protector, we have been "saved" several times. Being Thousand Trails members , we often find low electrical issues at their parks here in the West. The autoformer works every time.

I also monitor inside via a meter but I cannot stand there and watch the voltage meter all the time - I allow the autoformer/surge protectors to do their jobs. After about 6 years of flawless operation, the Frank's Autoformer has been well worth it!

If you look at a multi voltage motor, the lower the voltage the higher the amp draw. That is true for an inductive load. For a resistive load like electric water heaters the opposite is true. I know in my coach the largest current draw comes from my a/c units. So I feel I'm doing them a favor by using an autoformer.

i have a 30 amp autoformer. how do i hardwire it into the electrical system on my 5th wheel? thanks for any help.