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  1. #31
    Long Hauler
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    I don't like pie much but do like cobbler.

    Sorry I thought this was a cooking thread.

    I am still thoroughly confused. I thought the autoformer did not effect the electric from the pedestal. I think I will buy one just to tear it apart to see what is inside. My thinking is there are large capacitors in there that charge and release when needed.

    Brian

  2. #32
    Site Sponsor
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    Quote Originally Posted by Country Campers View Post
    I don't like pie much but do like cobbler.

    Sorry I thought this was a cooking thread.

    I am still thoroughly confused. I thought the autoformer did not effect the electric from the pedestal. I think I will buy one just to tear it apart to see what is inside. My thinking is there are large capacitors in there that charge and release when needed.

    Brian
    No, it more than likely will affect the power form the pedestal.

    Its a step up transformer. Capacitors help with spikes in current needs, transformers step up or down voltage. Capacitors help with AC start ups etc. The autoformer works continually when low voltage is detected



    https://www.explainthatstuff.com/transformers.html

    Excerpt from above:

    Step-up transformers
    Reversing the situation, we can make a step-up transformer that boosts a low voltage into a high one......


    In a step-up transformer, we use more turns in the secondary than in the primary to get a bigger secondary voltage and a smaller secondary current.

    Considering both step-down and step-up transformers, you can see it's a general rule that the coil with the most turns has the highest voltage, while the coil with the fewest turns has the highest current.
    2021 Solitude 375 RES-R
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  3. #33
    Site Sponsor
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    Quote Originally Posted by el Rojo View Post
    What I'm really wanting to know is if the one RV park we went to in OR who refused to let people use the "boosters" because they used more amperage than without the "booster/Autoformer" was correct in their thinking.

    Wow, so much good info and some almost right info and for most of it the answer is "maybe".

    Reactive loads, like motors are typically non-linear in the way they react. This is the reason most of the answers are "maybe" "or it could be". The actual and complete answer is very complex.

    The short (and simplified) answer to your question I quoted above is "yea and no". Yes, using an autoformer will probably use more current than not using one (as discussed, in some cases it may not, but I think those are few and far between - but I have no data to back that up). The other two sides of the question are 1) are you entitled to use up to the limit of your outlet (say 30 amps) and 2) can you get more then the rated current (again say 30A) from the outlet? This is what most RV Park managers I talk to are thinking.

    1) This is political (and ethical) question. I leave this to more enlightened people than myself
    2) The breaker is NOT a hard and fast limiter. It is a combination of a thermal and magnetic switch. It will allow a certain amount of "over current" for a "certain amount of time". If, and the is a big if, it is working correctly, a breaker should not trip with the full rated current (or less) going through it for an infinite amount of time. It will allow some over current for some time. The higher the current above the rating, the shorter the amount of time before it trips. There are specs on over current vs. allowed time before tripping, but I am to laze to look them up. So yes, you can get more than 30A from a 30A outlet for some amount of time. 31A probably for hours (or forever). 40A (33% over current) according to the trip curve for one 30A breaker I looked up at random is ~400 seconds or little over 6-1/2 minutes. For 3x current (90A from an 30A breaker) it is an instant trip (note, 3x rating is the lowest current for an instant trip).

    So, are you entitled to use all 30A from your pedestal?
    Will the autoformer use more input current than not using the autoformer (I think it will)?
    and putting them together,
    Will using the autformer use more than the allowed amount current from you pedestal (you would have to already be very close to the limit without the autoformer)?

    Just more food for thought (or gas for the fire).

    Chris
    Last edited by CoChris; 07-31-2019 at 06:24 PM.
    Chris & Karen
    Fort Collins, CO
    2017 F-350 SRW 6.7 Lariat Value CC LB 4x4
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  4. #34
    Rolling Along
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    Just my 2 cents here... If I remember correctly, a true auto-transformer connects one leg of the primary and secondary together.

  5. #35
    Setting Up Camp JCRICHRI's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    113V with nothing connected or with a load on it? If it’s 113 with nothing connected, it isn’t a wire size issue, but a supply issue. If so check an outlet in the house. The utility can connect a different tap on the transformer to bring line voltage to the proper level.
    Just bought a Hughes transform. It’s a great product. By using a automatic transformer it will raise the voltage at that point and lower the current. Google ohms law on power, voltage and current.
    It Recently helped me out at a campground with low voltage. I would try it . Thanks

  6. #36
    Left The Driveway
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    Quote Originally Posted by JCRICHRI View Post
    Just bought a Hughes transform. It’s a great product. By using a automatic transformer it will raise the voltage at that point and lower the current. Google ohms law on power, voltage and current.
    It Recently helped me out at a campground with low voltage. I would try it . Thanks
    I worked for a utility as a lineman and went a lot of calls with low voltage. 118 is decent voltage but not great. I run a 50 foot 12/3 to my camper and it still maintains 120 volts at camper. Our transformer is right out front of our house and only two houses on it. When you have load in the house, the voltage will drop at the pedestal. When your neighbors put on a heavy load, your voltage will drop if on the same transformer. We did not have tap changers on our distribution transformers to raise voltage. My question is, do you live in the city or country. Are there more than one house on the transformer. You may want to ask the utility to put a recorder on your house or transformer.

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