On Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:28:46 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

I was going through some storage boxes and came across a Hughes 30 amp
"Autoformer" that I used for about 3 months when we had the motorhome
in Florida. For those not familiar with these, it automatically
boosts the voltage supplied to your camper, trailer or other RV by 10%
whenever commercial power drops below 117 volts. It protects the
electrical system and appliances like microwaves and air conditioning
units from damage due to brown outs and voltage drops commonly found
at commercial campsites. When the commercial power rises above 118
volts, the unit automatically detects it and removes the 10 percent
voltage boost. It also protects against voltage spikes and detects
open grounds.

I held onto it because I thought it might be useful someday for a boat
slip, but I really don't need it anymore and decided to stick it on
eBay. This is the single stage version (10 percent boost) that
currently sells new for about $389. There is a newer version (3
stage) that has multiple boost levels and sells for just under $500.
Frankly, I don't know why you'd need multiple boosts because the
single stage does the job just fine.

Anyway, I put it on eBay with an opening bid of $175 plus $50 for
shipping. If any of you rec.boats types want it, I'll sell it to
you for $100 plus the $50 for shipping (unless you want to pick it
up). Also ... I'll only ship to US CONUS addresses. Sorry Canada.

If interested, don't delay. Once a bid is submitted on eBay, I am
obligated to sell it there. If someone wants it here and lets me
know before any bids are submitted on eBay, I will end the auction
early. Here's the eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281120008580?item=281120008580&viewitem=&sspagenam e=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr

Whoops - hit the button too soon on the last one.

Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal. I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid of, let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just for the sump pump.

John H.
--

Hope you're having a great day!

On 6/11/2013 7:23 AM, John H wrote:
On Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:28:46 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

I was going through some storage boxes and came across a Hughes 30 amp
"Autoformer" that I used for about 3 months when we had the motorhome
in Florida. For those not familiar with these, it automatically
boosts the voltage supplied to your camper, trailer or other RV by 10%
whenever commercial power drops below 117 volts. It protects the
electrical system and appliances like microwaves and air conditioning
units from damage due to brown outs and voltage drops commonly found
at commercial campsites. When the commercial power rises above 118
volts, the unit automatically detects it and removes the 10 percent
voltage boost. It also protects against voltage spikes and detects
open grounds.

I held onto it because I thought it might be useful someday for a boat
slip, but I really don't need it anymore and decided to stick it on
eBay. This is the single stage version (10 percent boost) that
currently sells new for about $389. There is a newer version (3
stage) that has multiple boost levels and sells for just under $500.
Frankly, I don't know why you'd need multiple boosts because the
single stage does the job just fine.

Anyway, I put it on eBay with an opening bid of $175 plus $50 for
shipping. If any of you rec.boats types want it, I'll sell it to
you for $100 plus the $50 for shipping (unless you want to pick it
up). Also ... I'll only ship to US CONUS addresses. Sorry Canada.

If interested, don't delay. Once a bid is submitted on eBay, I am
obligated to sell it there. If someone wants it here and lets me
know before any bids are submitted on eBay, I will end the auction
early. Here's the eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281120008580?item=281120008580&viewitem=&sspagenam e=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr

Whoops - hit the button too soon on the last one.

Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal. I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid of, let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just for the sump pump.

John H.

.....................And reefers, and a few lights, maybe a TV, or a well
pump, and a water heater. I have a 5500 watt emergency genset that can
handle those things. Portable gensets aren't allowed in some
campgrounds. Keep that in mind in case you were thinking of using it for
camping and for an emergency genset at home.

On Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:34:18 -0400, Hank© wrote:

On 6/11/2013 7:23 AM, John H wrote:
On Mon, 10 Jun 2013 19:28:46 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

I was going through some storage boxes and came across a Hughes 30 amp
"Autoformer" that I used for about 3 months when we had the motorhome
in Florida. For those not familiar with these, it automatically
boosts the voltage supplied to your camper, trailer or other RV by 10%
whenever commercial power drops below 117 volts. It protects the
electrical system and appliances like microwaves and air conditioning
units from damage due to brown outs and voltage drops commonly found
at commercial campsites. When the commercial power rises above 118
volts, the unit automatically detects it and removes the 10 percent
voltage boost. It also protects against voltage spikes and detects
open grounds.

I held onto it because I thought it might be useful someday for a boat
slip, but I really don't need it anymore and decided to stick it on
eBay. This is the single stage version (10 percent boost) that
currently sells new for about $389. There is a newer version (3
stage) that has multiple boost levels and sells for just under $500.
Frankly, I don't know why you'd need multiple boosts because the
single stage does the job just fine.

Anyway, I put it on eBay with an opening bid of $175 plus $50 for
shipping. If any of you rec.boats types want it, I'll sell it to
you for $100 plus the $50 for shipping (unless you want to pick it
up). Also ... I'll only ship to US CONUS addresses. Sorry Canada.

If interested, don't delay. Once a bid is submitted on eBay, I am
obligated to sell it there. If someone wants it here and lets me
know before any bids are submitted on eBay, I will end the auction
early. Here's the eBay listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281120008580?item=281120008580&viewitem=&sspagenam e=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123&vxp=mtr

Whoops - hit the button too soon on the last one.

Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal. I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid of, let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just for the sump pump.

John H.

....................And reefers, and a few lights, maybe a TV, or a well
pump, and a water heater. I have a 5500 watt emergency genset that can
handle those things. Portable gensets aren't allowed in some
campgrounds. Keep that in mind in case you were thinking of using it for
camping and for an emergency genset at home.

I'm thinking (again!) of getting the Honda pair.

http://www.wisesales.com/eu2000i-com...l#.UbcZkdjueSo

Will start with one. I'm really not too worried about much in the house other than the sump pump.
That's what's worrisome when the rains are heavy and the electricity goes out. I have outdoor steps
from the basement, and the drain in the well feeds directly into the sump pump.

John H.
--

Hope you're having a great day!

"John H" wrote in message
...


Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal.
I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight
for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid
of, let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just
for the sump pump.

John H.

----------------------------------------------------

I have a Honda EU2000i but you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead
hands. :-)

You're lucky not to have run into drooping voltage at campgrounds in
your travels. It's a fairly common issue, especially in the summer
when everyone is running their AC units. I bought it because when
we were in Florida the commercial power often drooped during the day.
I had poured a concrete pad for the RV that was about 150 feet from
the house. I ran 6 AWG wire from the house panel out to the pad
(underground) to compensate for voltage drop but didn't realize how
bad the commercial power drooped over the course of the day. Before
getting the Autoformer I would sometimes measure as little as 105 vac
at the RV and you could hear the RV's AC unit straining to turn on.
During those droops, the Autoformer would boost the voltage back up to
115 vac or more which solved the problem. Heck of a lot cheaper than
a new AC compressor.

On 6/11/13 7:47 AM, Eisboch wrote:


"John H" wrote in message
...


Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal.
I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight
for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid of,
let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just
for the sump pump.

John H.

----------------------------------------------------

I have a Honda EU2000i but you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead
hands. :-)

You're lucky not to have run into drooping voltage at campgrounds in
your travels. It's a fairly common issue, especially in the summer when
everyone is running their AC units. I bought it because when we were
in Florida the commercial power often drooped during the day. I had
poured a concrete pad for the RV that was about 150 feet from the
house. I ran 6 AWG wire from the house panel out to the pad
(underground) to compensate for voltage drop but didn't realize how bad
the commercial power drooped over the course of the day. Before getting
the Autoformer I would sometimes measure as little as 105 vac at the RV
and you could hear the RV's AC unit straining to turn on. During those
droops, the Autoformer would boost the voltage back up to 115 vac or
more which solved the problem. Heck of a lot cheaper than a new AC
compressor.



On some hot days or stormy days down here in Redneck, Maryland, our
local power company has its share of voltage drops and surges, so I can
hear my UPS click on and off. About two weeks ago, the utility "lost"
power for about 10 minutes and I was just delighted to hear the backup
generator start up and take over for a little bit, and then when the
utility came back on line, it shut itself down. Most of the outages
occur when a thunderbumper rolls through and tree limbs fall on the
above-ground power lines a few miles from here.

On Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:47:07 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:



"John H" wrote in message
.. .


Don't want one of these, although it appears to be a damn good deal.
I've been lucky so far, never
had a problem with electricity. I think I'll save the space and weight
for a generator.

And, BTW, if you've got a Honda generator you're wanting to get rid
of, let me know. With all the
rain we've been having, I'm thinking more and more of buying one just
for the sump pump.

John H.

----------------------------------------------------

I have a Honda EU2000i but you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead
hands. :-)

You're lucky not to have run into drooping voltage at campgrounds in
your travels. It's a fairly common issue, especially in the summer
when everyone is running their AC units. I bought it because when
we were in Florida the commercial power often drooped during the day.
I had poured a concrete pad for the RV that was about 150 feet from
the house. I ran 6 AWG wire from the house panel out to the pad
(underground) to compensate for voltage drop but didn't realize how
bad the commercial power drooped over the course of the day. Before
getting the Autoformer I would sometimes measure as little as 105 vac
at the RV and you could hear the RV's AC unit straining to turn on.
During those droops, the Autoformer would boost the voltage back up to
115 vac or more which solved the problem. Heck of a lot cheaper than
a new AC compressor.

We've only one time had an electrical issue at a campground. We blew the 30 amp circuit breaker at
the electric post. All was well with the air, coffeepot, water heater, fireplace (which my wife
leaves on for looks way too much), lights, refrigerator, etc, and then my wife plugged in her hair
dryer - oh, and I think I had something in the microwave. The trailer circuit breaker handled the
load, but we were plugged into 30 amps outside. That one didn't.

Don't know if the Autoformer would have helped then or not. How does it boost the voltage?

John H.
--

Hope you're having a great day!

"John H" wrote in message
...


We've only one time had an electrical issue at a campground. We blew
the 30 amp circuit breaker at
the electric post. All was well with the air, coffeepot, water heater,
fireplace (which my wife
leaves on for looks way too much), lights, refrigerator, etc, and then
my wife plugged in her hair
dryer - oh, and I think I had something in the microwave. The trailer
circuit breaker handled the
load, but we were plugged into 30 amps outside. That one didn't.

Don't know if the Autoformer would have helped then or not. How does
it boost the voltage?

John H.

-------------------------------------------------

No, the Autoformer wouldn't help in that situation. You simply
overloaded the circuit breaker and it tripped, just like it's supposed
to. You are probably going to ask why the main 30 amp breaker in your
trailer didn't trip also. It's because they are basically in series
and the one with the most sensitive trip setting trips first. In your
case it was the outside breaker. Once it tripped, no power is on your
trailer breaker, so it didn't trip.

That is not the purpose of an Autoformer. Here's a simple example
of it's purpose. I am going to ignore pertinent AC electrical load
laws regarding voltage leads current, etc.

Assume your AC unit compressor kicks on but your supply voltage
(commercial power) has drooped to something less than the typical
118 - 120 vac.
It still takes the same amount of power (watts) for the compressor to
turn on without it straining. Power is voltage times current. If
the voltage drops, current draw must go up to produce the same power.
When you factor in the other "ignored" AC load issues, the result is
the compressor motor drawing excessive current which can burn up the
windings. The Autoformer prevents this by boosting the supplied
voltage.

An Autoformer is simply a type of buck/boost type transformer with a
logic circuit in it that determines the supplied voltage. If it drops
below a certain value (117 vac) it electrically connects the primary
of the transformer to windings that boost the output voltage by 10
percent. When supplied voltage exceeds 118 vac, it returns to the
normal windings automatically.

On Tue, 11 Jun 2013 09:06:51 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:



"John H" wrote in message
.. .


We've only one time had an electrical issue at a campground. We blew
the 30 amp circuit breaker at
the electric post. All was well with the air, coffeepot, water heater,
fireplace (which my wife
leaves on for looks way too much), lights, refrigerator, etc, and then
my wife plugged in her hair
dryer - oh, and I think I had something in the microwave. The trailer
circuit breaker handled the
load, but we were plugged into 30 amps outside. That one didn't.

Don't know if the Autoformer would have helped then or not. How does
it boost the voltage?

John H.

-------------------------------------------------

No, the Autoformer wouldn't help in that situation. You simply
overloaded the circuit breaker and it tripped, just like it's supposed
to. You are probably going to ask why the main 30 amp breaker in your
trailer didn't trip also. It's because they are basically in series
and the one with the most sensitive trip setting trips first. In your
case it was the outside breaker. Once it tripped, no power is on your
trailer breaker, so it didn't trip.

That is not the purpose of an Autoformer. Here's a simple example
of it's purpose. I am going to ignore pertinent AC electrical load
laws regarding voltage leads current, etc.

Assume your AC unit compressor kicks on but your supply voltage
(commercial power) has drooped to something less than the typical
118 - 120 vac.
It still takes the same amount of power (watts) for the compressor to
turn on without it straining. Power is voltage times current. If
the voltage drops, current draw must go up to produce the same power.
When you factor in the other "ignored" AC load issues, the result is
the compressor motor drawing excessive current which can burn up the
windings. The Autoformer prevents this by boosting the supplied
voltage.

An Autoformer is simply a type of buck/boost type transformer with a
logic circuit in it that determines the supplied voltage. If it drops
below a certain value (117 vac) it electrically connects the primary
of the transformer to windings that boost the output voltage by 10
percent. When supplied voltage exceeds 118 vac, it returns to the
normal windings automatically.



Thanks for the explanation. The trailer circuit breaker is 50 amps, which is one of the reasons I
was perplexed when everything blew.

Glad to see your comment about the Honda EU2000. That's next on the Christmas list - or maybe much
sooner.

John H.
--

Hope you're having a great day!

On Jun 11, 9:06*am, "Eisboch" wrote:
"John H" *wrote in message

...

We've only one time had an electrical issue at a campground. We blew
the 30 amp circuit breaker at
the electric post. All was well with the air, coffeepot, water heater,
fireplace (which my wife
leaves on for looks way too much), lights, refrigerator, etc, and then
my wife plugged in her hair
dryer - oh, and I think I had something in the microwave. The trailer
circuit breaker handled the
load, but we were plugged into 30 amps outside. That one didn't.

Don't know if the Autoformer would have helped then or not. How does
it boost the voltage?

John H.

-------------------------------------------------

No, the Autoformer wouldn't help in that situation. *You simply
overloaded the circuit breaker and it tripped, just like it's supposed
to. *You are probably going to ask why the main 30 amp breaker in your
trailer didn't trip also. * It's because they are basically in series
and the one with the most sensitive trip setting trips first. *In your
case it was the outside breaker. *Once it tripped, no power is on your
trailer breaker, so it didn't trip.

That is not the purpose of an Autoformer. * *Here's a simple example
of it's purpose. * I am going to ignore pertinent AC electrical load
laws regarding voltage leads current, etc.

Assume your AC unit compressor kicks on but your supply voltage
(commercial power) has drooped to something less than the typical
118 - 120 vac.
It still takes the same amount of power (watts) *for the compressor to
turn on without it straining. * Power is voltage times current. * If
the voltage drops, current draw must go up to produce the same power.
When you factor in the other "ignored" AC load issues, the result is
the compressor motor drawing excessive current which can burn up the
windings. * The Autoformer prevents this by boosting the supplied
voltage.

An Autoformer is simply a type of buck/boost type transformer with a
logic circuit in it that determines the supplied voltage. *If it drops
below a certain value (117 vac) *it electrically connects the primary
of the transformer to windings that boost the output voltage by 10
percent. *When supplied voltage exceeds 118 vac, *it returns to the
normal windings automatically.

So you have a stupid Wife, huh???