Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:39:05 -0500, Richard Casady
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:09:44 -0400, Jim24242
wrote:

Richard Casady wrote:
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:23:37 -0400, Jim24242
wrote:

Ant testing you do should be at
the power pedestal BEFORE you hook your camper to it. That means you
need to use an adapter to convert from a 30A receptacle to a 15A
receptacle.

You can stick any meter probe in any recepticle, so what is the
problem. You should have a digital multimeter in any case.

Casady

There are those among us that are not handy with tools.
Think convenience. You can plug in any of number of testers designed to
do the needed testing. Or hold the meter in one hand, the first probe in
one hand, the 2nd probe in another hand and, hey wait a minute, you need
3 hands.

Two probes in one hand. Ever hear of chopsticks? A billion people can
handle those ****ers. It takes two dice, but only one hand,
to shoot craps. When I started sailboat races I had to manipulate,
simultaniously, a stopwatch, a shotgun, and two flags.

Casady

Yeahbut I don't have four arms like you guys.
--

John H

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:11:33 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Eisboch" wrote in message
m...

"Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...

That's a good point - didn't think of that.

It's all about the load baby.

If you turn the AC on, you should be able to tell if the voltage drops
at another 120 Vac receptacle right?


Generally, yes but some campers are set up such that some of the 120 vac
outlets are powered by the converter and it's regulation may take care of
droop. However, the high current draw items like the AC and the
microwave are wired directly to the "shore" power 120v source and do not
run through the converter.

Some campers get all the 120vac from the shore power source. In that
case, yes, any outlet will do to check camper voltage under load.

Eisboch

Correction .... "inverter" .... not "converter". The inverter produces
120vac from 12 vdc.
The converter produces 12vdc from 120vac.

Eisboch

****. Why can't they simplify this stuff for us non-electricians?
--

John H

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:38:31 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"HK" wrote in message
om...

If you want reliable power at a trailer camp, you need to carry your power
with you.

As in

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/p...lid=EU3000ISAN


Nice guy. Your camp neighbors will love you for it.
But, then again, it's not about *them*, now is it?

Eisboch

That's an example of why I don't talk to him.
--

John H

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:17:50 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:09:51 -0400, John H
wrote:

Had our little rig out this past weekend, down to Williamsburg, VA,
where the temp climbed into the 90s on Saturday. Last time we were in
that kind of heat the air conditioner kept popping the circuit
breaker.

This time the AC worked well. Don't know if the problem was the
circuit breaker or not, but at least we kept cool this time.

We stayed at the American Heritage RV park, which is a nice place to
stay if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Tom or Dick, if either of you happen to read this, last year one of
you suggested an instrument for testing the current at camp sites. I
didn't get it then, but want it now. Could you remind me again what it
was, please?

The issue with your circuit breaker popping was almost certainly
caused by low voltage due to inadequate wiring at the RV park or
possibly an overloaded utility transformer. Either way there isn't
much you can do about it other than to better understand the problem.
About the best you can do is persuade the RV park to move you to
another site and hope that the wiring there will be better. An
inexpensive digital voltmeter(DVM) is all you need.

It is possible to buy adjustable step up transformers but they are
heavy, bulky and expensive.

http://variac.com/staco_3PN10_20.htm

We run into this issue at marinas fairly frequently and sometimes have
no choice other than running the generator all night. Here in the
Bahamas the quality and reliability of shorepower varies a great deal
from island to island, some being little better than third world
countries in that respect.

I don't doubt anything you've said. Luckily the circuit breaker wasn't
as expensive as taking the AC to the shop and have them soak me for a
non-repair. After talking to the folks I was with over the weekend,
some of whom had been to the campground in question, I'm pretty sure
it was low voltage.
--

John H

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:24:04 -0400, "D.Duck" wrote:


"John H" wrote in message
.. .
Had our little rig out this past weekend, down to Williamsburg, VA,
where the temp climbed into the 90s on Saturday. Last time we were in
that kind of heat the air conditioner kept popping the circuit
breaker.

This time the AC worked well. Don't know if the problem was the
circuit breaker or not, but at least we kept cool this time.

We stayed at the American Heritage RV park, which is a nice place to
stay if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Tom or Dick, if either of you happen to read this, last year one of
you suggested an instrument for testing the current at camp sites. I
didn't get it then, but want it now. Could you remind me again what it
was, please?
--

John H

You may find this gadget handy:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/7657/


It's a nice gadget, but I don't see what I'd use it for. The AC
doesn't plug in, it's wired to the circuit breaker. I'll take the
multimeter next trip and see what I can learn using it at various
outlets.
--

John H

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

"John H" wrote in message
...

****. Why can't they simplify this stuff for us non-electricians?
--

John H


It's all very simple and uncomplicated until it breaks and you have to fix
it.

Eisboch

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:31:16 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:42:59 -0500, Richard Casady
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:17:50 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

Here in the
Bahamas the quality and reliability of shorepower varies a great deal
from island to island, some being little better than third world
countries in that respect.

The working definition of third world is lacking in reliable water,
electricity and phones.


Water and phones are OK. Electricity varies a lot from island to
island, also depending on how hot it is.

It would have to be Diesel power on each island, and the voltage would
depend on the ratio of engine cubic inches to AC compressor cubic
inches which would vary from island to island. As long as the beer
coolers in the bars stay semi cold, you could call the place
civilized.

Casady

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

"Yogi of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:09:51 -0400, John H
wrote:

Had our little rig out this past weekend, down to Williamsburg, VA,
where the temp climbed into the 90s on Saturday. Last time we were in
that kind of heat the air conditioner kept popping the circuit
breaker.

This time the AC worked well. Don't know if the problem was the
circuit breaker or not, but at least we kept cool this time.

We stayed at the American Heritage RV park, which is a nice place to
stay if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Tom or Dick, if either of you happen to read this, last year one of
you suggested an instrument for testing the current at camp sites. I
didn't get it then, but want it now. Could you remind me again what it
was, please?

The only way I know how to do it is to use a multi-meter to check for
120 volts (on a 240 system) against neutral and ground.

Ommmmmmmmm....

It is a digital volt meter that plugs into the receptacle. And will also
tell polarity, and most likely if you have a ground.

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
...

"Yogi of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:09:51 -0400, John H
wrote:

Had our little rig out this past weekend, down to Williamsburg, VA,
where the temp climbed into the 90s on Saturday. Last time we were in
that kind of heat the air conditioner kept popping the circuit
breaker.

This time the AC worked well. Don't know if the problem was the
circuit breaker or not, but at least we kept cool this time.

We stayed at the American Heritage RV park, which is a nice place to
stay if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Tom or Dick, if either of you happen to read this, last year one of
you suggested an instrument for testing the current at camp sites. I
didn't get it then, but want it now. Could you remind me again what it
was, please?

The only way I know how to do it is to use a multi-meter to check for
120 volts (on a 240 system) against neutral and ground.

Ommmmmmmmm....

It is a digital volt meter that plugs into the receptacle. And will also
tell polarity, and most likely if you have a ground.



Polarity?

Travel trailer air conditioner
 

"D.Duck" wrote in message
...

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
...

"Yogi of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:09:51 -0400, John H
wrote:

Had our little rig out this past weekend, down to Williamsburg, VA,
where the temp climbed into the 90s on Saturday. Last time we were in
that kind of heat the air conditioner kept popping the circuit
breaker.

This time the AC worked well. Don't know if the problem was the
circuit breaker or not, but at least we kept cool this time.

We stayed at the American Heritage RV park, which is a nice place to
stay if you're ever in that neck of the woods.

Tom or Dick, if either of you happen to read this, last year one of
you suggested an instrument for testing the current at camp sites. I
didn't get it then, but want it now. Could you remind me again what it
was, please?

The only way I know how to do it is to use a multi-meter to check for
120 volts (on a 240 system) against neutral and ground.

Ommmmmmmmm....

It is a digital volt meter that plugs into the receptacle. And will also
tell polarity, and most likely if you have a ground.



Polarity?


Yup, polarity. Is the Hot lead on the correct receptacle terminal. Is
the Neutral on the correct terminal. And do you have a ground wire
attached.