All Electric Bus Conversions-Pros and cons of all electric utilities

[TomC]

Speaking of low voltage use, I have a 6.3 cu ft Norcold compressor AC/DC.  It uses 5.5 amps when running, so that is 66 watts of direct 12v power, or around 33 watts average run.  I have 2 Lifeline 8D AGM that are rated at 255 amp hours.  Figureing running down to 50%, that is 255 amp hours.  Since the refer takes an average of 2.75 amp hours, that equates to 92 hours of run time.  Course you also have lights, water pump, furnace, TV, misc inverter use.  When boon docking, I just run the gen in the morning and at night, both until the batts float out.  Good Luck, TomC

[DrivingMissLazy]

Speaking of low voltage use, I have a 6.3 cu ft Norcold compressor AC/DC.  It uses 5.5 amps when running, so that is 66 watts of direct 12v power, or around 33 watts average run.  I have 2 Lifeline 8D AGM that are rated at 255 amp hours.  Figureing running down to 50%, that is 255 amp hours.  Since the refer takes an average of 2.75 amp hours, that equates to 92 hours of run time.  Course you also have lights, water pump, furnace, TV, misc inverter use.  When boon docking, I just run the gen in the morning and at night, both until the batts float out.  Good Luck, TomC

Tom, do you think your unit runs 50% of the time then?
Richard

[Stan]

bellfert: I would think that any campground that wires a 4 wire 50 amp plug with both legs on the same phase is leaving themselves open to lawsuits as well as violation of electrical codes.

Assuming that the receptacle is fed from a double 50 amp breaker and you load both legs to maximum them there is a 100 amp load on the neutral instead of zero load. In all likelyhood this will cause your supply cord to catch fire, probably at the pont where it is clamped inside your coach.

If you are using a 240 volt plug and cord it should only be plugged into a 240 volt supply, or else by using an adaptor, you can plug into 120 volt - 30 amp supply. Using the mickeymouse adaptors that convert your 240 volt - 50 amp shore cord to a 120  volt - 30 amp plug and another 120 volt - 20 amp plug will not exceed the current rating on your shore cord even if they are on the same phase.

[TomC]

Richard- course depending on how hot it is outside, or how cool the food is, it seems to be about 50% run time.  Course if it was insulated more like the Sun Frost, it would be less.  Just going on how much I here it running, not very noisy, but can here it.  Good Luck, TomC

[DrivingMissLazy]

OK thanks Tom. Might depend on whether you have Dallas around or not getting into the cool ones rather frequently! LOL
Richard

[Len Silva]

Kill-A-Watt Electric Usage Monitor.  These are all over the internet from $20.00 on up.

Here is a review:
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/kill_a_watt_electric_usage_monitor_review

Sees like it might be a handy device for answering these very questions

Len

[Dallas]

OK thanks Tom. Might depend on whether you have Dallas around or not getting into the cool ones rather frequently! LOL
Richard

Richard,

I resemble that fact! 

I only get into the cold ones when there's a good reason. Like when the sun comes up. Oh,....... and when it doesn't!

I put a light bulb on our house type fridge and it only seems to run for 15 to 20 minutes 3-5 times a day. If it ran 50% of the time, I would suspect some bad seals on the doors, or something more expensively wrong.

Dallas

[Jerry Liebler]

Len,
    That is exactly what I used to test my refrigerator.  Works for me.
Regards
Jerry 4107 1120