I lost my job and selling my home and one of my cars. I moved into my camper. I have a little dog and while I lost my job I am fulfilling a "deal" to work 3 more weeks and then I hope I find a new job and eventually recover from this.. oh and Im getting a divorce and am in constant pain from a motorcycle accident 3 yrs ago (working on a surgery for pain).. oh and my medical insurance runs out end of July and then I need to either risk it or pay heavily since I am part of the "privileged" middle class that obama care does nothing for.In short, Im a mess, stress level is high.I have some savings and money is still coming in via severance for the next 3 months but I have to watch every dollar as my mortgage is destroying my income until the condo sells.. $2k a month plus $700 for my camper spot with expenses.Meanwhile I have to prepare to move cross country if a job takes me there.. Im not looking for sympathy here..My camper is a 2004 model.I need to limit my exposure to potential downfalls.. Should I buy this regulator/surge suppressor?https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06W55ZKB6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1I think its a no brainer, this is a great device at a great price. Essentially a voltage isolator that completely isolates the camper and all of its electronic gear (im in IT and I need my gear).Yay or nay?

No. Here's why;The odds of you getting bad power that is so bad it damages something on a camper is pretty small. After all, what works on the camper that is AC powered? Not your stove, water pump or hot water. If you have an air conditioner AND it's hot outside, then maybe that, but otherwise nothing really. I've never used one and never will on a camper I own. It's easy enough to work on and if anything ever did get damaged by some bad power, I'd fix it and probably for a lot less than that 'protector' costs.If you need it for your computer gear as you elude to, get a UPS from Costco for around $60. It will convert the AC mains to DC and keep a battery charged. This battery will use an inverter to make AC again, isolating the AC mains from your computer gear. But even that I wouldn't bother with, just get a surge protector power strip for under $30.

If you are mainly concerned about your electronics since you mentioned being in IT, maybe a UPS would be worth considering, most have high quality surge suppression built in to protect your gear.

No you do not NEED an Auto-transformer to boost voltage

No. Save your money. Instead get a small voltmeter from Harbor Freight.Check the voltage late in the afternoon that you have 108+ volts.Best of luck on the rest.

If you are paying $700/month for a campsite then you are likely in a very good campground with very good power. An Autoformer is completely unnecessary.You might want to consider a good whole house surge suppressor or at least some good surge power strips.I use the TRC unit and many folks are big fans of the Progressive Industry product. Either one will do an excellent job and keep your coach electronics safe.

Please confirm what I think I already know | Good Sam Community

pianotuna
Nomad III
Jun 20, 2019
Hi,

The best way to be able to run the microwave for 2 minutes while the roof air conditioner is on is to have a hybrid inverter charger. One that does load support.

Another way to do this is to do "double conversion". Before I had a hybrid inverter, I would plug my RV into the inverter. I would "feed" only the converter from shore power.

One could move the AC breaker to its own box and have an auxiliary shore power cord to feed it. I chose to do that for the electric water heater. In fact I simply used plugs so there is no breaker in the RV for this auxiliary shore power cord. The heater draws 1400 watts so it is less than the 80% continuous load suggested.

Another argument for autoforms is that devices will run at their full wattage. Here is an example:

120 X 120 = 14,400
110 X 110 = 12,100

So at 110 volts the device only yields ~84% of the full wattage. That means any heating device (such as the water heater) will take much longer to do it's job--about 16% longer.

At 100 volts the yield becomes about 69% and it takes 31% longer for heating devices. At that level the 325 watt fridge is down to about 224 watts of "real" output.

This is why I find myself nearly always running my autoformer.

barchetta1 wrote:
Excellent! thats why I am going to follow the amazon review advice and move the 20amp ac breaker away from the 30amp main. If I can run my microwave for just 2 minutes or less while the water heater and ac are on that would help.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 20, 2019
when running multiple heavy draw devices and everybody else in the park is cooking supper, running ACs, etc. you may be able to run stuff but check your voltmeter and you may be surprised that you are now running on 104/5 volts and not doing your devices any favor.
bumpy
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 20, 2019
If I am running the air 24/7 my fridge and water are on propane.
Have yet to have DW start the MW while running the hairdryer :)
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jun 20, 2019
Hi Mex,

Wow! I thought I was efficient at 81 kwh per month.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jun 20, 2019
What the hey I manage fine on seventy-five-kilowatt hours per month. But no A/C.

Breakfast MUST be orchestrated.

Coffee.....then
Toast.....then
Microwave poached eggs.....then
A George Foreman cooked hamburger patty

Either it's that way

or

Turn out of the lights...
The party's over
AllegroD
Nomad
Jun 20, 2019
For 2 (to 5) minutes, you can turn the WH off. Nuke supper. Turn WH back on. Same with AC. No risk of them coming on while running the MW, some of which are up to 1500 watts.
barchetta1
Explorer
Jun 20, 2019
JRscooby wrote:
Wow! All the magic camping requires nowadays. I can remember visiting my Dad when he was full time. "About time for supper, when the AC cycles of put a couple of Banquets in the microwave..."

A much more pragmatic approach to the challenge of rv power than I am taking. :)
JRscooby
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2019
Wow! All the magic camping requires nowadays. I can remember visiting my Dad when he was full time. "About time for supper, when the AC cycles of put a couple of Banquets in the microwave..."
barchetta1
Explorer
Jun 20, 2019
Bumpyroad wrote:
with 30 amp service, I again quote a previous poster:

"You do make a good point, the OP DOES need to learn to "manage" HEAVY loads. OP must learn to manually shed loads when a lot of heavy loads are needing to be used at one time."

bumpy

Thank you so much for re-quoting this.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jun 20, 2019
with 30 amp service, I again quote a previous poster:

"You do make a good point, the OP DOES need to learn to "manage" HEAVY loads. OP must learn to manually shed loads when a lot of heavy loads are needing to be used at one time."

bumpy

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