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time2roll's avatar
Jul 30, 2017

Power issues with Frank's Voltage Booster

Voltage in the trailer is moving from 115 to 122 sounds good right? Pedestal is closer to 100+- and Franks booster is in 16 percent boost best I can tell. Trouble is the PI EMS seems to randomly cut power. PE is usually 0 (no issue) or have seen 4 (low voltage). I keep thinking Franks might be swapping between 8 and 16 percent boost and PI cuts power periodically when this happens.

Any other ideas?
Anyone have a PI and booster with similar symptoms?
  • Opened the booster lid today. There are four adjustment pots with easy top access.

    I assume these are to adjust the set points for High Cut-off, Low Cut-off, Low Boost and High Boost.
    Looks simple if I knew which was which. And I need a variable AC voltage supply to dial it in.

    I see this Philmore 48-1205 $70 at Frys that I think will serve the purpose.

    Any other ideas? Variac seems high priced for this project.
  • I was only running the air and for a few minutes DW with a hair dryer.
    The pedestal was hitting 100 with no load from my trailer.

    Red Eagle Motel and RV at East Glacier National Park. Sad part is it looks like the utilities were just put in this year. All 30 amp sites, my trailer is also 30 amp.
  • ASSuming the hook-ups is to get air conditioning, remember that you can operate everything else off the big inverter and just put the converter and air conditioner on shore power. (By clever use of extension cords)

    Perhaps that would allow the lame shore power to still be able to run the air conditioner, by only operating the converter on shore power when the batts get down (you still have all that solar)leaving the air conditioner as the only shore power load most of the time?
  • Frank's appears to be out of business.

    IIRC it was www.voltagebooster.com
  • With further tests it appears Franks was cutting power and too early at that. It is a super automatic that is supposed to cut power at about 93 volts when too low to boost. Rather it seems to be cutting power at 97 to 101 so it would cut off when power in the RV was still about 114 :( Then the the PI would keep power off for the delay period :) And the cycle would periodically repeat.

    I think I want to disable this feature on the booster. I may contact Frank or just open it up and poke around.
  • PI E4 error code....LOW Voltage (below 104V AC)

    Franks.....
    116V AC plus...no boost
    ~112V AC......boost 1
    ~108V AC......boost 2
    ~96V AC.....................shuts down


    You have 100V AC at pedestal......#2 boost in effect
    Franks doesn't swap to #1 boost unless voltage AT pedestal goes above 112V AC

    But will shut down any boost when voltage drops......at which time the PI shuts down ALL power


    CG power is just too low and flaky.
    Good luck.......that PI is saving your equipment
  • I had a Franks at one time and it is possible that it is switching between low and hi boost. It uses relays to select the correct tap on the transformer. During that time it could be possable your PI is seeing low voltage and cutting out.
  • Is your rig 30 or 50 amp?
    What receptacle aare you using in pedestal?
    Without more information, it is difficult to diagnosis.
    That is very low voltage.
    It could be issues with the neutrall if operating on a 50 receptacle.

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