| Author | Message | ||
| C. Ray Powell (Raypowell) (152.163.204.192)
Rating: |
I have wired our MCI 5C for low voltage lights, refrigerator & water pump. 115 volt appliances are; Basement air with heat pump Small water heater 2 burner elec. cook top Convection oven 2 1000 watt base board heaters TV & Sound system I plan on using basement air while in transit. We are conservative with our electric usage. Why not use a DC alternator? They are a lot smaller. Price is about the same. We don't cook much. I understand they use them in boats, but I don't hear about them in RVs. Thanks C Ray | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.40) Rating: N/A |
IF your inquiring about creating 120V underway , yes many boats DO use a DC alternator , which gets tied into a Very E$pensive inverter of 3000W . Call Lauderdale Diesel 1800 687-7499 and ask about their "Gensy" system. A DC poweplant is also avil from many sources to create the juice when boondockin. FAST FRED | ||
| Chowbus (192.132.225.130) Rating: N/A |
C. Ray: Where did you find a 110 v. cooktop? I've been looking for one & all I could find were "Force 10" from West Marine. They were rather pricey. Thanks. Ted. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (65.207.109.102)
Rating: N/A |
It is hard to imagine exactly what you are asking or what you are planning to do. You state that you plan on using basement air while in transit. In order to do that, therefore you must have an ac power source. Either from an AC gen set, or from an inverter operating from a DC alternator/generator. You state that a DC alternator is a smaller. In reality a DC alternator is simply a three phase high frequency AC alternator with a bridge diode converting the AC to DC. A self excited 3600 rpm AC alternator is similiar in size to the equivalent wattage DC alternator and both have to have a power source to drive them. The disadvantage of the AC alternator is that it must be maintained at a constant rpm to obtain 60 hertz power. The disadvantage of a DC alternator is that you must have an electronic inverter of appropriate size to convert the DC to AC. My opinion, FWIW, is that it borders on stupidity to install a DC gen set if you want to operate several AC appliances such as AC, microwave, coffee pot, etc. while you are boondocking. My purpose in having a conversion is to boondock in comfort. Otherwise I would be using a tent. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Richard | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.34) Rating: N/A |
Most folks would agree ita a waste of beautyfull sine wave current to run a resistance heater, but folks do what they do. A DC power plant is superb if someone wants to boondock and charge the batts , the fastest best charge. But expensive if you need enough inverters to run two air cond. Personally I can't conceve of cooking or heating with electric fom any gen set. Too poor in the relaibility dept , and usually no way to operate in most commercial campgrounds, where there is only 15A and no gen sets allowed. But there are big DC gen sets made. FAST FRED | ||
| DrEd (67.201.149.207) Rating: N/A |
Fast Fred the Trace Inverter allows one to hook up to the 15A source, set his inverter to 15A and then use all the ac hardware in his coach up to 4000A. The inverter supplies anything over and above the 15A. When the load goes away the inverter then puts the 15A back in the battery all day long. | ||
| FAST FRED (209.26.87.57) Rating: N/A |
"When the load goes away " That is one of the many Trace options , but you MUST have a big enough battery bank. Otherwise the Air Cond and hot water heateer will take a huge toll in batt life. You could easily kill a bat set in an hour or two. Much kinder on the batts to use a "Load Shedding" system , that automatically unloads least priority load . Wrote about this for Petes library , under "Living Well in a Dump" , but Pete allows anyone , at any time to re write any article , and leavs the orig author name on what ever garbage ends up posted. Thats why I no longet contribute to a really great idea like a library. FAST FRED | ||
| C. Ray Powell (Raypowell) (152.163.206.186)
Rating: N/A |
Ted, Wrico have the 110 volt cook tops. Yes, kinda pricey. Ph 541/744-4333. Fred thanks for the info. Either way I go I had planned on using a large Trace inverter so I could run my air from the bus alternator. (hopefully) We do most of our cooking outside with charcoal & restaurant. The 1000 watt heaters are for campground use. When boondocking will use a catalytic heater & 12 volt bed heaters. I have your article on load shedding & will use that method. We are conservertive with our elec useage. Also we are super insulated. Any further comments appreciated. thanks, C Ray | ||
| DrEd (205.188.201.187) Rating: N/A |
Another feature of the Trace inverter is that you can set the low voltage cuttout such that it will shut down before you do harm to the batteries. It is a given that if you want to use the big Trace you need a big battery bank since you will also probably have several loads. The Trace will also start your generator at a certain low battery voltage to recharge the batteries or high temperature so that the air conditioners can run. | ||
| Scott Whitney (63.151.69.220) Rating: N/A |
Dr. Ed, Can you program the Trace you are referring to with a PC? That would be my kind of inverter. . . Still haven't made my decision as to which one to buy yet. Scott | ||
| DrEd (67.201.149.176) Rating: N/A |
I don't think so Scott. Trace has allowed the owner operator certain features that he can set to his particular paramaters. These are menu driven and done at the control panel on the inverter. If they have provided you input from a computer, I missed it. | ||
| TonyW (64.12.101.173) Rating: N/A |
Hi Scott, We have two Trace 4024's. They DO have a Windows DOS interface. The interface emulates the control panal DrEd referred to.It uses db25 cable.The advantage of this is the Trace can be installed in some obnoxious place w/o easy access and can be remotely adjusted from the comfort of your 'puter station. TonyW | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.232.113) Rating: N/A |
Oh, cool. I like that. My inverter is going to be under the bed along with the house battery bank. (sealed AGMs with small vent to outside) My plan is to make the driver's seat swivel around and have the computer station behind the driver. In that regard, I am going to TRY to get all bus controls in this area. That way the driver's seat becomes like the 'bridge', where every breaker, control switch, gauge, gennie switch etc. is located. . .That is why I'd like an inverter with the computer interface ability. (besides just being cool and gadgety) | ||
| Steve Fessenden (63.27.88.166) Rating: N/A |
You might want to put your fresh water under your bed to keep it from freezing and the batteries and inverter where they can dissipate heat better. Steve Fessenden | ||
| Scott Whitney (24.205.232.113) Rating: N/A |
Hi Steve, I already installed my 95 gal fresh water tank under the floor. Got no place left for the bats now except under the bed. I suppose it could be changed. . . Gosh, you've got me thinking now. Moving the black and grey tanks would be impossible, but it occurs to me moving the fresh would be fairly easy. . . Hmm, I'll have to consider that. Does make more sense. . . Scott | ||
| Bill Schwab (216.78.89.37)
Rating: N/A |
Scott; As for gadgety, the Trace inverters have an available remote control unit. It is a wired unit that plugs into the box with, I think, a 25' or 40' cord. Oh, by the way, they do plug into the box with a serial computer type plug. If thats enough computerish(?) for you. Bill. |
