Autoformer versus Surge Protector

[Dick_Hooper]

How many or any owners are using the Hughes Autoformer? Or a Surge Protector? We need to purchase a new one, ours is dead after 15 years. Necessity or Not in your opinion?
I will say we are believers, as it was replaced by Autoformer after overheat in a park in NC. Saved our RV. As far as I know, the only product that boosts low power in RV park.


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[SoundGuy]

Optimistic Paranoid wrote:
You can - occasionally - find them on Craigslist. I got a 30 amp Autoformer for $150. They're easy enough to check. Plug them into an outlet and verify with your meter that they are passing the same or higher voltage through.

Tough to do when the seller is located in another city and has to courier the unit to you. I did just that, buying a used TRC voltage regulator on Kijiji (similar to Craiglist), but when I received it I discovered serious internal damage. In this case the seller was honourable and returned my purchase price but he could have easily said "too bad, so sad" and I'd have been stuck. 😞 Caveat Emptor. 😉

[Optimistic_Para]

You can - occasionally - find them on Craigslist. I got a 30 amp Autoformer for $150. They're easy enough to check. Plug them into an outlet and verify with your meter that they are passing the same or higher voltage through.

[SoundGuy]

Lexx wrote:
I would love to have the Hughes autoformer if it were not for the price - $600!

Well as the old saying goes - "you pays your money and you takes your choice". What's the solution worth to you? :@

[Lexx]

I would love to have the Hughes autoformer if it were not for the price - $600!


We were at a national park and our EMS kept shutting down the power. Turns out the voltage was dropping below 104 volts so the EMS protected us from the current. It took me a while to figure out why the power kept cutting out. Sucked cause it was a hot day!

[time2roll]

I have both.

[SoundGuy]

Dick Hooper wrote:
How many or any owners are using the Hughes Autoformer? Or a Surge Protector? We need to purchase a new one, ours is dead after 15 years. Necessity or Not in your opinion?
I will say we are believers, as it was replaced by Autoformer after overheat in a park in NC. Saved our RV. As far as I know, the only product that boosts low power in RV park.

If your concern is low voltage then I'm not sure I understand your question as surge protection won't do anything at all to protect your rig. :h For low voltage situations you have two choices - either boost incoming source voltage with a voltage regulator such as the Hughes Autoformer OR protect the rig with an EMS that will detect excessively low voltage and automatically disconnect the rig entirely before any damage can occur. Neither though has anything to do with surge protection, other than either type of unit can also include some degree of surge protection as an additional feature.

[Lynnmor]

I ran my autoformer all last week because of low voltage, worked great. I didn't see another one in the campground and my neighbors didn't even have a voltmeter or a clue.

[1492]

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