| Author |
Message |
Bob Symonds (Rube) (64.252.177.126)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 7:22 pm: | |
I am looking to keep my conversion simple and am interested in using as much 24V systems as possible. Pros and Cons please.
Thanks, Bob |
Cory Dane (66.155.188.245)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 8:42 pm: | |
The norm for RV systems will be in the 12vdc / 120vac market so that means you will find more stuff in those markets easily.
I have seen some 24vdc blowers in the marine magazines but I did not see any lights at 24vdc.
Actually there isnt much that would have to be 24v but I also have not seen 24v refriges, stereo or cb either.
I guess if you have a source, then you already know what you want, go for it. But it may be a bit difficult if something should breakdown on vacation. Maybe the Truck stops will have more to your needs in the 24v arena.
If you are talking 24vdc INVERTERS, then that is correct, the amperage will be half that of a 12v inverter and that equipment is everywhere. but after that I've seen straight 120vac motorhomes and 12vdc and hybred 120vac/12vdc.
For what its worth, my bus florescent lights were 24vdc but when I talk to converters the first thing they told me to do was to change out the ballasts to 12vdc - go figure!
I am not at all opposed to using 24vdc as long as what you need is available, otherwise, consider all electric 120vac or 12vdc aux.
"Imagine Your Dreams"
cdcd |
Sean Welsh (Sean) (64.81.73.194)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2004 - 8:59 pm: | |
Almost any light you find in 12v can be change to 24v just by replacing the bulb. 24v bulbs are widely available, but expect to pay about twice as much for them as the same style/wattage in 12v.
Marine refrigerators are almost universally 12/24v now, since most are using the dual-voltage Danfoss compressor.
If you stick to household electronics (stereo, etc.) you should be able to get away with minimal or no 12-v loads.
Our conversion is essentially "all 24-volt," though we do have a Vanner equalizer to cover a small handful of 12-v items. For example, the igniter circuit on our LPG stove is 12-volt, and our (automotive) alarm system is 12-volt.
-Sean |
Geoff (Geoff) (66.238.120.17)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 6:52 am: | |
There are a lot of 12v items in my conversion:
Fantastic Fans, wall thermostats for roofs airs and heat, RV water pump, 12v water heater ignitor, tank monitors, satellite dish controls and amplified TV antenna, 30 halogen lights, electric footrest on passenger seat, fans on heater boxes, marine shower sump pump, and back up monitor. Not to mention that the bus has 12v headlights, markers and tail lights, dash stereo, 12v air dryer, and a 12v leveling system. Very few items are 24v, just a few engine controls and the driver's heater/defroster motor. My choice was to buy a Trace SW2512MC inverter, install a truck 12v alternator on the PTO, and use 12v house batteries leaving the 24v system just to start the bus engine and run the few items and relays that are 24v. I don't think it is cost effective to try an get all the conversion items I listed at 24v just because 24v is more "efficient", and using 24/12v equalizers is an expensive alternative.
--Geoff
'82 RTS CA |
Sean Welsh (Sean) (64.81.73.194)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 05, 2004 - 3:52 pm: | |
Geoff,
I agree with your analysis for your situation, however, bear in mind that it may be more cost-effective to stick with 24v in many other situations.
In our case, everything on the chassis side was 24v -- headlights, markers, blowers, the works -- and the engine already had a massive 270-amp alternator on it. Changing the alternator out for an even bigger 12v unit and putting a smaller 24v unit on to charge engine batteries alone would have been way more expensive for us than buying a couple dozen 24 volt bulbs (lights being the biggest consumer of power besides the inverter and the fridge).
We do, indeed, have 12v Fantastics, back-up camera, etc. but these do not add up to very much load on an equalizer -- ours is a 50-amp model, I would guess around $100 worth (it came with the bus). Also, we wanted to run an A/C off our inverter, and a 2512 really is not big enough for that.
In our case, when we ran the numbers, 12v would have been nearly twice as expensive overall than the 24v system we went with. So it all depends, really, on what you already have, what you'll need to change wholesale, and what you still need to get.
-Sean |
Doug Dickinson (Dougd470) (65.161.188.11)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 08, 2004 - 4:26 pm: | |
I am doing something similar to Sean. My inverter is 24V to take advantage of the huge 24V alternator in my coach (120V without running the gen set) and those 12V loads will be run off either the inverter with a regulated 12VDC convertor (very clean for electronics) or a 12V vanner equalizer WITH an extra 12V battery on the low side.
One advantage is that I have a high amperage 24V source to jump myself if I have dead coach batteries and a charger system (via the invertor) when I am parked. Could be handy!
My $0.02
Doug
St Louis MC9 |
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