Wiring bus for 50amp 240 for mini split

[eagle19952]

So rather than using my generator or shore power to bring in 240 I should use a transformer?  That would solve the problem of shore power wiring that can't support 240.   I would hate to have 50 amps at the campground and still have to use the generator for the ac.

making 50 amp 2 pole is going to eat a bunch of whatever the power company sends to the RV pedestal.
not sure it can service anything but he transformer.
now what do you do ?
PS over simplified, just because

[Lee Bradley]

On my ex bus the stove was 220v a lot of parks the stove never worked unless I ran the generator.Finding a location for the condenser where it can have good air circulation without giving up to much space is challenging,then I read where people can hang meat with1- 9,000 btu split unit in a 40 ft bus

I find my 9,000 BTU unit works like that ... in the bedroom. 12,000 in the living room and 18,000 over the driver. 5,000 watt transformer off the Trace 4024 or switch it's plug to 240 vac outlet off the panel when I have 50 amp service.

[chessie4905]

You could mount two on there and fabricate a nice fibreglass shroud that would enclose all but the ventilation area.
I wonder if that setup would work ok going down the road with the swirling airflow around it.

[sledhead]

I had a 120 v split up front and a 13.5 k roof shaker in the rear if needed but hated to use it . The coach was spray foamed and had a lot of insulation all around . I still have the transformer but sold the   M C I .
In the Featherlite I have 3 roof shakers and miss the split unit + the insulation is not as good as the M C I . As every thing is working ok now I can't see replacing it with splits

I had the outside unit under the 1st bay on the driver side with a booster fan that blew down through the floor to keep the a/c cool with fresh air

dave

 

[TomC]

Geoff is correct. 110-220 volt is for 50hz. 120-240volt is for 60hz. It's too bad we didn't also adopt the 50hz since more of the world is on 50hz. At 50hz the generator would only run at 1,500 or 3,000rpm.
I wired my bus straight 120v. Also the generator is wired straight 120v. Then I don't have to worry about "balancing the load" between the two legs of electricity. Granted, that means I only have 50amps at the campsite (one leg only) but 6,000 watts is more than enough to run three A/C's if needed.
Stick with 120v splits. You can still get 12,000btu at 120v. Then run one in front, and one in back. You might want to run a third-I have three roof mount 13,500btu A/C's. I seldom have to use the third, but is sure nice to have when needed. Good Luck, TomC

[bevans6]

I'm also often irritated by imprecision in electrical nomenclature, but that's probably because I had to get it right every single time in school, and it's stuck with me.  I still can't for the life of me remember the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" conductors without looking it up, which brings me to my point.  A step up transformer is the obvious solution to 240 VAC from a 120 VAC source, but if your 240 VAC appliances actually need 120-120 with neutral supplied as well, bonding the center tap on the secondary of the transformer becomes problematic.  In a building, you can treat the transformer as a new source, ground and bond at that point, with a new primary ground.  I would hate to install that in a bus and expect the next guy to know what was happening.

I am not at all opposed to running 240VAC mini-splits in a bus.  I would do it with a 50 amp power pole connections (and hope that all the camps are wired correctly, they are not), a 240/120 VAC generator and a similar 240/120 vac stacked inverter system - all with properly grounded and bonded neutrals, and tied together with appropriate switching systems.  Otherwise, just stick with 120VAC Mini-splits.  The new ones draw so little current that 120 VAC is completely appropriate, until you get into two or three zones and all of that.

[luvrbus]

Oh my I just looked at a mini split in LOWES  it was 115/230 volts 

[Geoff]

We are learning a lot about you here, JC.  If you were in a classroom, and the teacher corrected you for the important misuse of voltage terms, would you denounce the teacher by using Gramma says... or comparing it to social media, or any other forms of attack on the messenger rather than accepting you made a mistake?  I don't need you, however you need a lot of help on your bus but it won't be from me.
--Geoff

Wow!  My Grandma used to say "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."  No need to comment if you don't want to be helpful.  How about giving some advice to us novices rather than being critical.  We are all just trying to figure things out.  I thought that's what this board is all about.  Buswarrior was right when he said in another thread that this forum is going the way of social media.  To quick to poke fun and act superior.  I guess I know what he meant now.

[Geoff]

Oh my I just looked at a mini split in LOWES  it was 115/230 volts 

Yes, but a 115/230 works on a 120/240v 60 HERTZ system, whereas 110/220 is a 50 Hertz system.  My son was trying to put a 120 to 24v transformer in his house furnace, and this transformer would work on 50 or 60 HERTZ.  He didn't read the instructions, hooked it up for 110/50 Hertz, and burned up the transformer.

[Oonrahnjay]

Wow!  My Grandma used to say "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."  No need to comment if you don't want to be helpful.  How about giving some advice to us novices rather than being critical.  We are all just trying to figure things out.  I thought that's what this board is all about.  Buswarrior was right when he said in another thread that this forum is going the way of social media.  To quick to poke fun and act superior.  I guess I know what he meant now. 

     JC, please take it in context.  What Geoff was saying is correct -- and there has been a lot of grief generated by not properly using electrical nomination.  There are many 220V systems in the world that are *nothing" like American 240V systems; many shady overseas "mail order" places will happily sell you one of the "International" 220V systems and have it delivered to your door -- but those systems won't work when fed with N. American power and/or they'll let a lot of smoke out. 
     I've worked with Geoff on this site for over 10 years.  He's knowledgeable and scrupulously correct about describing what he's talking about and careful with terminology.  I'm sorry that you took his tone to be critical -- I read it as describing carefully some important details that need to be understood.  If anyone doesn't understand the difference that he was describing, that's a good sign that that person should go back to basics and learn the different systems from the ground up.  When someone is dealing with mini-splits (and bus wiring in general), it makes a lot of difference.
     Someone noted that a "big box" store quotes a mini-split as being specified as being "115V - 230V".  I'm guessing that that system in actually a N. American 120V - 240V system, but it sure appears that "Engrish as she is speakened in Shanghai" is letting uncertainty get in the picture in that case. 

[Jcparmley]

Sorry Geoff

I was in a rather foul mood the other day.  It was a simple mistake of terms.  Reading the specs on the unit and it said the voltage needed was 220/240.  We are all in the same boat trying to learn from this forum.  In a way we are all novices when it comes to certain parts of the bus conversion process.  Some are great at HVAC, others are great at electrical, plumbing, wood working, mechanical, welding, etc.  My point is, we go to the forum to get help from those that know more about the stuff we know less about.  We give advice and take advice.  It gets tiring when reading posts where people argue instead of just letting it go.  So for my part please excuse my rant and know that I apologize.

We are learning a lot about you here, JC.  If you were in a classroom, and the teacher corrected you for the important misuse of voltage terms, would you denounce the teacher by using Gramma says... or comparing it to social media, or any other forms of attack on the messenger rather than accepting you made a mistake?  I don't need you, however you need a lot of help on your bus but it won't be from me.
--Geoff

[Jcparmley]

Yes, I understand  The reason I come to this forum is because of the sound advice I get from you all.  I appreciate that Geoff was tying to help.  It's hard to discern tone in these boards. 

     JC, please take it in context.  What Geoff was saying is correct -- and there has been a lot of grief generated by not properly using electrical nomination.  There are many 220V systems in the world that are *nothing" like American 240V systems; many shady overseas "mail order" places will happily sell you one of the "International" 220V systems and have it delivered to your door -- but those systems won't work when fed with N. American power and/or they'll let a lot of smoke out. 
     I've worked with Geoff on this site for over 10 years.  He's knowledgeable and scrupulously correct about describing what he's talking about and careful with terminology.  I'm sorry that you took his tone to be critical -- I read it as describing carefully some important details that need to be understood.  If anyone doesn't understand the difference that he was describing, that's a good sign that that person should go back to basics and learn the different systems from the ground up.  When someone is dealing with mini-splits (and bus wiring in general), it makes a lot of difference.
     Someone noted that a "big box" store quotes a mini-split as being specified as being "115V - 230V".  I'm guessing that that system in actually a N. American 120V - 240V system, but it sure appears that "Engrish as she is speakened in Shanghai" is letting uncertainty get in the picture in that case.

[luvrbus]

LOL I thought this only happen in politics I heard the stuff called 120/240, 115/230 or 110/220 I guess mine is 115/230 in the shop every leg is 115 volts 

[Fred Mc]

I tend to "shoot my face off" on occasion and that works OK on  political boards and discussion groups where you don't really care what others think of you.
But on occasion when I feel the "urge" to say something sarcastic on this board I alway remind my self that I may (probably) will need some help on occasion and the last thing I want is for people on here to say "he's an @$# and I'm not going to help him". I'm sure EVERYONE on here who has a bus has, at one time or another, requested help.And, if you really need to make a comment that someone may take the wrong way, imojies  >:(are a great help.

[chessie4905]

We need more emjois here

http://www.emojimeanings.org/asshole/