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FAST FRED (209.26.87.82)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 02, 2001 - 10:37 am: | |
For those that are constructing a TEC {total electric coach} , a large problem is how to cook.
Easy enough when the noisemaker is running , but at the older 15A and 30A campsites (the pretty places), everything microwaved , or starving is about the only option.
120v hotplates are not a realistic living option.
In NY there was a company called Harry Alter, that I have been told is a chain , and has shops in many towns.
The HA catalog lists loads of repair items , for fixing , rather than discarding home / store appliances.
Dont have a current catalog but remember that there was listing for 120V repair elements for ranges.
It should be easy enough to convert a 220V 4 burner stove to a 220V two burner stove AND a 120V two burner stove.
Although it will probably require 2 new controlls for the 120v elements
The first 120 element should be 15A , so at least some cooking , even if only one burner, is able at the 15A places. I would select a 25A 120 element for the places that had 30A.
Might work for anyone that likes to cook real food , and likes those "nowhere" campsites that enjoy nature.
FAST FRED |
Steve Fessenden (63.27.89.21)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 03, 2001 - 5:16 am: | |
I expect that the continuously variable type controls will work with just a burner change. No need to set two burners for 220. Just set them up on opposite 120 legs for when you are on 220 and use only what you can when on 120. |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces) (12.146.33.86)
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, December 03, 2001 - 10:58 pm: | |
Steve, The 110 infinite heat controls are different than the 220 ones. It seems to me that you haven't thought out the effect on current of the doubling or halving of the voltage.
If you used 110 elements all around, you will find that you will spend a fair amount on all the parts for the changeover. About the only thing that will get you is the ability to take most of the generator output from both legs at the same time.
Do you think that you wouldn't want to at least sometimes run at least one air conditioner while cooking with those high powered burners?
The problem with setting up TEC coaches to run on high powered generators comes when you try to use them effectively on shore power, without overloading something.
Try figuring out what all the loads will add up to on each leg and how you can make the generator match up to the shore power. Then you will begin to see the problems that are introduced.
Another way to go is to get an inverter that will make up for any shortage of shore power from the batteries by changing from charging to inverting and back again as the load changes. I believe I ran across a writeup for one claiming it could do that.
Hope this helps.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.161.122.53)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 04, 2001 - 5:42 pm: | |
Trace sine wave inverters will make up the shortage. Really helpful in a 30 amp campground that the voltage goes to under 100v when the microwave is turned on. I had to reduce the shore power draw to 7 amps maximum (by programming the inverter) in order to prevent the voltage from going below 110v. The inverter made up the other 7-8 amps when the micro (or other stuff) was on. After the micro shut off, the inverter charged the batteries back up, although only at 7amps of ac. Some campgrounds really suck when it comes to electricity. And, they won't admit to it. "WE HAVE GOOD ELECTRICITY!!!" HAH!! Seasonal campers either side of me agreed the electricity was lousy. Day by day I am getting happier I bought the Trace sine wave inverter.
Jim |
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