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Blew a 300 amp fuse
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Jon,
Did you get to your bus barn and try the test I described?
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My bus barn is 15 paces from the house so access was not a problem. I know exactly what will happen.
If I do as you describe I will not have power to the outlets not run through my inverters until I have shore power or generator power to them. If I used auto start and disconnected shore power until the generator started there would be no power. If I left shore power on, and started the generator there would be a delay of a second to so once the transfer switch recognized the generator was running.
As soon as shore or generator power is removed, inverter curcuits would have a flicker as the inverters stopped acting like chargers and instead started inverting.
I used auto start for low battery once just to see it work, and I have never used auto start on shore power interruption. As a confirmed energy hog I rarely stop anywhere for any length of time without running my generator, when available I am always plugged into shore power. While I find the money savings and weight reduction enticing, I still prefer to keep the battery power I drag around with me for those rare occasions when I need to operate without my generator running such as overnight parking where there is a “quiet time”.
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With good incoming AC from the pedestal we can run all 4 A/Cs if I manage my draw inside the coach. I turn my battery chargers way down… use my Webasto for hot water…. and keep a close eye on the draw.. I keep my incoming shore power at 45 amps have been told 40 is better but this works for me… very seldom trip an outside breaker.
We would die in Texas if we couldn’t run 4 A/Cs. The H is harder to cool than the XLs are due to the windshield area and I keep a fan going up there.
I run my OTR while travelling and make sure the bus is ice cold when we switch over which makes the cooling not so difficult also use the awnings and close the shades to the direct sun.
If I am cooking or need to use heavy draws I turn the bedroom AC off while using it and close the door… leaving the ceiling fan running in there…
I ALWAYS unload the power before switching from one source to another !!
You need to learn the inverters and how manage your draws… it can be done in most coaches I believe.
Cheers,
Diane
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Ditto what Diane said, exactly how I manage mine and we’ve had lot’s of practice the last few weeks with whimpy power. My inverter remotes have power share that allows you to reduce charger amps when you need all you can get. Had to laugh, I came in the bus and Nance is shutting down the port and front AC, leaving the stbd and rear AC running so she could make amps for the washer/dryer. I think she’s got it!!!
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The hardest part I think in managing energy is keeping track of what circuit the loads are on, and then remembering the loads we never think about like the HW heater or the water pump.
After a while it becomes second nature.
Since we never dry camp in the sense we run off battery power for extended periods I have the charge rate for our batteries set low, and overnight on shore or generator power even at low settings the batteries get charged. So battery charging is not an issue. What most folks don’t think about however is the tivoli lights and the ceiling lights (unless they are LED) suck a lot of power and if we light up the whole coach our consumption exceeds the charge rate.
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Diane, thanks for giving me hope for running all 4 Cruiseairs. We usually get to Outdoor Restorts in Indio during the late summer and 115 degrees is not uncommon, with night cooling just to the mid 90s. I can’t imagine keeping the bus cool without all 4. Our E series MCI has the same windshield and large window configuration as your H, but since we don’t have any slides we have fewer cubic feet too keep cool. That should help if we have to make do with 3. I like the idea of making hot water on diesel to reduce draw. Our new Cruiseair unit is being installed today, and I will finish changing all the interior lights from halogens to LED. After that, the only other significant daytime ac power draw will be the fridge.
Planning a quick trip through the Mojave and up the Eastern Sierras this weekend, so we will see how it goes.
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