Power Protection Device, Do you?

pnichols wrote:
An autoformer is not a voltage regulator, per se. It's a buck-boost transformer that may or may not offer built-in automatic adjustment of the ratio between its primary and secondary windings. As I understand it, some autoformers for RV use may also include other campground power protections built-in in addition to boosting campsite pedestal AC voltage for use in the RV.

Here's what is really going on inside an autoformer and why it may not be nice to your camping neighbors to use one if you don't know what you and it are doing:

http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/autoformer_usage.html

i agree its a booster not a regulator. I was using "voltage regulator" to avoid referencing any particular brand name. - they all have limited ability to boost (or cut), unlike a true regulator.

according to their web site:

"All models have surge and spike protection"
"running at full output (50amps) will use 1 amp"

An autoformer is not a voltage regulator, per se. It's a buck-boost transformer that may or may not offer built-in automatic adjustment of the ratio between its primary and secondary windings. As I understand it, some autoformers for RV use may also include other campground power protections built-in in addition to boosting campsite pedestal AC voltage for use in the RV.

Here's what is really going on inside an autoformer and why it may not be nice to your camping neighbors to use one if you don't know what you and it are doing:

http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/autoformer_usage.html

There are some losses in the autoformer. Last I read about one amp or 120 watts is lost to heat.

pnichols wrote:
....However, as I understand it some campgrounds don't like - or allow if they know about it - autoformers because they take more current from campground circuits in order to keep the voltage high for the individual autoformer owner. Maintaining the total energy for the autoformer owner's RV has to come from somewhere and total energy comes from a combination of both voltage and current.

voltage regulators DO NOT drawl more current from the campground !
voltage regulators can not drawl more power then the source supplies or limits thru the breaker.

voltage regulators multiply or reduce the incoming voltage via transformer windings and the stabilize the voltage from the source/pedestal (reducing peaks and valleys).

Bumpyroad wrote:

pnichols wrote:


A person should use either the PI to save money and have at least some raw protection - or spring for the $$$ and really do it right with an autoformer.

are you saying that an autoformer by itself will protect against all of the things that a multi-function surge protector will? If not a SP would be my initial purchase and if I kept running into "puny" electricity at the campgrounds I stay at, add the autoformer.
bumpy

the voltage regulators do not protect from polarity or wiring issues.

the voltage regulators do have some surge protection but they don't protect you from an open ground and i don't believe they would protect from 220v wiring.

Kiwi_too wrote:
With both it should be pedestal -- autoformer -- PI power protection -- RV. This allows the autoformer to shape the power and increase volts. If you reverse the autoformer and power protection, the power protection may shut down power before the autoformer can shape your power.

of course. but if you don't 1st use something to verify the wiring/polarity & ground you'd be risking the voltage regulator.

seems like theres a market for a combination unit.

pnichols wrote:


A person should use either the PI to save money and have at least some raw protection - or spring for the $$$ and really do it right with an autoformer.

are you saying that an autoformer by itself will protect against all of the things that a multi-function surge protector will? If not a SP would be my initial purchase and if I kept running into "puny" electricity at the campgrounds I stay at, add the autoformer.
bumpy

pnichols wrote:
Kwi too,

I shouldn't have recommended both units in my earlier post. My original thought was to have the PI unit first so as to protect an expensive Hughes unit from surges like lightening strikes ... the Hughes unit design probably is taking care of that internally anyway - not sure.

You're right on a PI unit not being before an autoformer because then the autoformer would be subject to power shutoffs from the PI - thus negating the autoformer's feature of automatically providing continuous power to an RV regardless of outside voltage levels.

A person should use either the PI to save money and have at least some raw protection - or spring for the $$$ and really do it right with an autoformer. However, as I understand it some campgrounds don't like - or allow if they know about it - autoformers because they take more current from campground circuits in order to keep the voltage high for the individual autoformer owner. Maintaining the total energy for the autoformer owner's RV has to come from somewhere and total energy comes from a combination of both voltage and current.

I have both. I do not think the Hughes autoformer is enough protection.

There are talks about some CG not allowing an autoformer but I have never been to one, yet.

yep do now, after some lighting melted the factory plug. got a hughes 30am, surage protector, and a 30am auto former, works for us. now its all happy-camping

Kwi too,

I shouldn't have recommended both units in my earlier post. My original thought was to have the PI unit first so as to protect an expensive Hughes unit from surges like lightening strikes ... the Hughes unit design probably is taking care of that internally anyway - not sure.

You're right on a PI unit not being before an autoformer because then the autoformer would be subject to power shutoffs from the PI - thus negating the autoformer's feature of automatically providing continuous power to an RV regardless of outside voltage levels.

A person should use either the PI to save money and have at least some raw protection - or spring for the $$$ and really do it right with an autoformer. However, as I understand it some campgrounds don't like - or allow if they know about it - autoformers because they take more current from campground circuits in order to keep the voltage high for the individual autoformer owner. Maintaining the total energy for the autoformer owner's RV has to come from somewhere and total energy comes from a combination of both voltage and current.

With both it should be pedestal -- autoformer -- PI power protection -- RV. This allows the autoformer to shape the power and increase volts. If you reverse the autoformer and power protection, the power protection may shut down power before the autoformer can shape your power.