As you all know we re-did the roof of Finally with Lee, and put on lights, a fan and two jacks for additional stuff ......
I was hunting for power converters and they are so expensive, a 30 amp unit is around 245 bucks !!!
I found a 5 amp unit at 39 bucks but I think I need a 10 amp unit at least .....Can I connect two of those units in parallel and have a 10 amp unit ?
I am so disappointed that it costs so much for a convertor :(
I don't think that would be a good Idea. Electricity is not something you want to play with. If you buy the right converter, you will never lay in bed wonering is my converter going to start a fire?
Just my 2 cents.
Maybe you can look for a used one. I don't think it would be efficient to put that much money into a PU that old. :)
ma'am ! EXCUSE ME, BUT, The roof is brand new !!!!
:p
Quote from: tlhdocMaybe you can look for a used one. I don't think it would be efficient to put that much money into a PU that old. :)
Birol, just by an automotive battery charger, does the same thing and most of them have 2 or 3 settings for amps you can use. Best part is, they don't cost much, and likely more reliable!
Best part is, you can still use to recharge the trailer battery if you put one in, and can also use to recharge the Windstar battery too!!!
Here's what I would do.
Forget the converters. Form separate circuits for everything (lights, fans, outlets, etc.) and run them to an inexpensive fuse panel giving each circuit its own fuse. Allow some extra ones for growth. Connect a group 27 battery to the panel, through a 30 amp fuse, to run all the devices. Buy an automatic battery charger to recharge the battery.
The fact is that you'll mainly be using the 12v at night. A group 27 battery will easily handle things for a 12 hour period. For the other 12 hours, the battery charger will re-charge it. Plus, if dry camping, you won't need to ADD a battery!
And, don't forget that the battery, wire, fuse panel and charger will all be NEW to go along with the NEW ROOF! ;)
Speaking of New Roofs, When are we going to see some pics of the new roof?
And I like Topcat's answer, in fact if I do get this 'new-2-me' 1971 Starcraft Starmaster 1220 that I'm looking at, that is probably the route I'll be taking.
Two converters are 80 bucks, I gotta buy a group 27 battery, have something welded to the hitch to put it on, buy the smart trickle charger, it will cost a lot more the battery way. Lee also suggested that I get a battery and a charger but, it is too expensive right now :( And I need it to work this weekend :)
Quote from: topcat7736Here's what I would do.
Forget the converters. Form separate circuits for everything (lights, fans, outlets, etc.) and run them to an inexpensive fuse panel giving each circuit its own fuse. Allow some extra ones for growth. Connect a group 27 battery to the panel, through a 30 amp fuse, to run all the devices. Buy an automatic battery charger to recharge the battery.
The fact is that you'll mainly be using the 12v at night. A group 27 battery will easily handle things for a 12 hour period. For the other 12 hours, the battery charger will re-charge it. Plus, if dry camping, you won't need to ADD a battery!
And, don't forget that the battery, wire, fuse panel and charger will all be NEW to go along with the NEW ROOF! ;)
B,
You can use a Group 24 battery as well ($40usd at any Walmart). An auto charger is also about $40. The Group 27 is $50 at Walmart.
I don't have anything to mount our battery on. I just stick it on the tongue when I arrive at the destination & carry it inside the door of the popup (in a box that won't tip over) when traveling. The group 24 or 27 model to get should say Deep Cycle Trolling on it.
For this weekend, just install the circuits & fusebox and use the charger as Cliff suggested. Don't waste money on the low end converters that you won't need in the future.
I saw one battery charger which can charge at 12 Amps at 12 volts, can't I just use that permanently that is till I get a battery ???
Quote from: topcat7736B,
You can use a Group 24 battery as well ($40usd at any Walmart). An auto charger is also about $40. The Group 27 is $50 at Walmart.
I don't have anything to mount our battery on. I just stick it on the tongue when I arrive at the destination & carry it inside the door of the popup (in a box that won't tip over) when traveling. The group 24 or 27 model to get should say Deep Cycle Trolling on it.
For this weekend, just install the circuits & fusebox and use the charger as Cliff suggested. Don't waste money on the low end converters that you won't need in the future.
This good ? or something equivalent to this ?
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=AUTO&pid=02871222000
If you're talking about using the battery charger as a converter to make 12vdc power, yes it will work. However, 12 amps is a bit too much for charging deep cycle batteries, and not enough amps to run too many lights. If I were in your shoes, I'd find a medium priced battery charger that has amp setting at 2amps (for slow charging deep cycle batteries) and a boost setting that will provide a whole lot of amps (30-45+), plus a setting inbetween (somewhere around 10-15amps).
If you're not going to use for more than one or two lights, the 12amp charger will work fine. The Sears unit you linked to would be perfect, most RV converters are 45-55amp units. That 50 amp setting will allow for several lights at the same time!
Cliff, you scare me now ...... Those which can produce 30 amps on a rgular basis cost a lot of money. The 50 amp setting is only to start a car, I guess it is not meant to be continous use.
The lights are I guess around 1.5 or 2 amps (I have two) The fan is two amps maximum, I was guessing that 10 amps would be more than enough. They all seem to have 2 amps, 10 or 12 amps and 50 or 75 amps .... 2 amps is for trickle charge I assume.
Do I really need 30 amps to run a few lights and the fan ?
Well, 50 amps on a battery would fry it. But 50 amps available to power various 12 items is good. The 12vdc converter in my Hybrid is a 45amp unit, newer ones I'm seeing (bigger trailers) have 55amps. You don't have to use the 50 amp setting, but it's great to have if you gotta lot of stuff to power. And even when you do use it, it won't hurt it to stay on (unless the battery is hooked up too).
The likely hood is, the 12amp unit will do fine for the couple of lights you have in the trailer. Trouble is, it'll be too much for slow charging your battery once you get it. You need to make sure what ever you buy has a trickle charge capability as well as enough amps to power your lights as needed.
Question, how many lights do you have? You know how to figure out amps required to run them?
Total Watts divide by volts equals amps...
In other words, if you got (I'm just throwing numbers out)...
2 lights drawing 75W at 12v
1 fan drawing 100w at 12v
total 175w
I know that the fan is not supposed to exceed 2 amps at 12 volts at max speed. That is what the documentation says on it.
I have no idea how much the bulbs will consume, I have two lights with one bulb each. Someone at PUX mentioned that they will consume around 1.8 amps at 12 volts.
Fan 2 amps
Lights 1.8 X 2 = 3.6 amps
I am at 5.6 amps, if we plug anything into the 12 v jacks, we will be at around 10 or 12 amps. That is what I was assuming when I said a 10 amp or 12 amp sustainable battery charger would be adequate. I understand that I gotta have the 2 amp trickle charger for the kind of battery I need to get for finally. They all sem to have a switch anyways, 2 amps, 10 or 12 or 15 amps and 50 or 75 amps to start the car (remember they are battery chargers hehehe)
So looks like I have a nice solution here ......
Yep, sounds like it. I keep forgetting that my new trailer has more lights in it than I do in my house!!! Add to that such things as LP detector, stereo system, tank monitoring equipment, and charge line back to the battery. So guess my needs are way up there.
Sounds like the 10-12 amps will work just fine.
I feel so much better now :) I will see if I can get one which can put out 15 amps or so sustainable ...... Thanks for your help Cliff :) I will select one tomorrow ....
Quote from: Gone-CampingYep, sounds like it. I keep forgetting that my new trailer has more lights in it than I do in my house!!! Add to that such things as LP detector, stereo system, tank monitoring equipment, and charge line back to the battery. So guess my needs are way up there.
Sounds like the 10-12 amps will work just fine.
Sounds good to me. You definately want to be able to sustain more amps than you are going to use. If you run at max load, then it'll wear it down or kill it trying to keep up. Sounds like you've got a good working plan there...
Quote from: topcat7736Here's what I would do.
Forget the converters. Form separate circuits for everything (lights, fans, outlets, etc.) and run them to an inexpensive fuse panel giving each circuit its own fuse. Allow some extra ones for growth. Connect a group 27 battery to the panel, through a 30 amp fuse, to run all the devices. Buy an automatic battery charger to recharge the battery.
The fact is that you'll mainly be using the 12v at night. A group 27 battery will easily handle things for a 12 hour period. For the other 12 hours, the battery charger will re-charge it. Plus, if dry camping, you won't need to ADD a battery!
And, don't forget that the battery, wire, fuse panel and charger will all be NEW to go along with the NEW ROOF! ;)
LOL.. Man, do we think alike.. If Briol would ever post the photos you would see that the roof is wired with a 12ga common ground (branches off to seperate grounds 6" after it enters the roof to 16ga grounds) In his roof there are 3 seperate 16 ga circuit's (fan, lights, 12volt - 1/4" plugs) All connections are soldered & heat-shrinked togather. These run down to his countertop in a split loom harness where a round 4 prong trailer wiring plug & socket has been mounted for disconnection. The plug in the countertop is wired to a 6 gang common fed plastic ATC fuse panel with 3 circuit's left for later use. This still needs to be connected to a 10ga main wire thru a circuit breaker off a battery installed at a later time. (a 10ga common ground should also run to a grounding post near the fuse panel for future add-on's too.
That being said, Briol.. I sent you some links off e-bay for converters.. I found a few that work for you.. One was a 17 (or was it 13) amp converter for $20 buy it now.. This would be the best way for you to go. I would wire that connected to your shore power if you have a 120v site and later on add the battrey wht a small trickle charger made to just maintain a battery over a long period of time.
What I would do now?? Go buy a battrey, hook it up with like 2 feet of wire, place it on a lynx levler right under where we removed your old sink drain, and run the wires to the fuse box.. The battrey is not too expensive and you are putting it in anyway.. If you go the battrey charger method it will be too big to leave on for weeks on end during the winter to maintain the battrey like the one we spoke about.. This will get you out of having to find a place to mount the battrey for now.. (You could also buy one of those plastic battrey boxes to put it in and sit that on the ground.)
B,
That's a great buy on the Sears charger. I believe that they are made by Schumaker (which is what Walmart sells), as my Sears one looks suspiciously like the ones at Walmart.
As an automatic charger, it's perfectly fine for a deep cycle battery. You run it in the 2 amp mode and it will shut off the power when the battery is fully charged, which will prevent overcharging and possible explosions of the battery. NEVER buy one which isn't "fully automatic". The charging section of a converter can put a charge onto the battery, but it is not automatic and will not shut off when the battery becomes fully charged.
Just get the charger now & you'll be ok for the weekend. Make sure you attach it through a fuse to your fuse block.
I went to a few wallmarts and Canadian Tires (Auto & Home store, much bigger than Napa etc) (Could not go to Sears since all automotive stores in Canada are closed) and puchased a 2 amp (trickle) /12 amp (fast) / 75 amp (staring) rated Battery charger which has 2/12/75 and normal vs deep cycle settings for 78 dollars !
This is within the top limit of what I was willing to spend, but is a very acceptable solution as this is the only one I saw which had a sustainable 12 amp at a reasonable price. I will connect it with an 15 amp auto fuse tomorrow and see what happens when I turn everything on. As it is from WM< I am sure they will accept it back if it is somehow not satisfactory.
I am wondering what is the difference between these and the regulated ones sold elsewhere, which cost a lot more.
Awwww, PUX people are saying to not to use the charger as a converter :(:(:(
Tested it with mu multimeter, 10 volts at normal battery charge, 2 amps. 12 amp setting brings it up to 12 volts, no 13.8 volts with this charger ! am I safe ???
I would think you'd need 13.5v all the time?
Your lights should be ok, But the fan may not be happy with out a "regulated" 12 volts.. The charger may also spike over 13.8 when you turn something on. I still think you should go with the battrey.. Said that way back when.
Maybe I should geta new battery for the camry, it is due anyways it won't be starting with the current one this winter for sure, 7'th winter for it......
Get a battery operated light, and save your money until you can put a proper inverter in. If time is of no cost to you then by all means try this and that to see what might work. Or save your money, put in a proper inverter, and be done with the project. Electricity is nothing to play with, a little spark and "finally" could be in its final resting place. You've been tent camping, a little bit longer of the "roughing it" won't hurt.
Just my 2 cents.
I gave up the idea of running it directly with the battery charger, but, will keep the battery charger anyways. When I buy a new battery for the camry, I will use it to charge Camry's old battery and connect everything to the battery. That solves the problem. this trip we will use the battery operated lantern as usual :)
If you are going to be camping mostly in places that have electric and water hook-ups, why not just bring a small lamp and plug it into the 110 outlet in the camper and forget the battery for now. You don't have a fridge or water pump that runs off of 12 volt right? The only need you have for 12 volt is for the overhead lights right? So why bother? And... you can get light fixtures that run off both 12 volt and 110. Our 67 Skamper had that. We camped with that camper for several years and never had the use for 12 volt.
And if you are camping somewhere with no electric, just dry camp. We did that alot in the SP cg's in CT and never missed a beat!
Bad Lee :D talked me into ordering a Converter on eBay, only 19 bucks and has the capacity for what I need it for :) Problem solved ....
I am glad you got what you needed. :)
Hey.. I did not talk you into that.. Heck, I was doing a google search on it when you up and bought it remember?? :p
Sure, Andrea did not talk me into buying it, Lee did hehehehhe
Quote from: Acts 2:38 girlHey.. I did not talk you into that.. Heck, I was doing a google search on it when you up and bought it remember?? :p
Quote from: birolSure, Andrea did not talk me into buying it, Lee did hehehehhe
So I guess that means it's not San Andrea's fault.
Sorry about the pun, groans are expected.
Mike, you crack me up! When I read that pun the whole house shook!
Quote from: mike4947So I guess that means it's not San Andrea's fault.
Sorry about the pun, groans are expected.
LOL!!
So as not to leave Mike waiting expectantly...
Groan!
Ha Ha Ha ! This is so funny indeed ! I was worried about the stupid converter obviously ! How stupid I was ...... The converter arrived, 19 bucks, I have it ! It is in my friends house's garage waiting to be installed :( Finally is in Wife's house, I wonder if I will ever be able to get it !
It is amazing how life puts everything into proper perspective .....