Replacing the converter

[jdpber]

I am in debate about adding a converter.. as the factory original one from Apache is dead and no longer around.. there are only 3 items i have that i would use the 12v system for..

1. add a porch light   
2. rood vent fan
3. roof lights

when i would be camping in locations with out shore power i have a 2,200 watt super quiet series generator that has a built in 12v battery charge..

currently my simple solution for 120 interior lights at night is a low watt bulb in a desk lamp plugged into the receptacle for my 30 amp service i totally rewired..

So i am in debate on is it worth the 60-130 for a 120/12 ac dc converter..

how many people have replaced there original converter with the newer style breaker panel style systems??

also i have a main camper breaker box from the shore power with a 15 amp for the 9 amp ac unit.. and then another 15 amp for the 2 interior and 1 exterior gfi outlets..

I simply dont know if it is needed to rewire the 12 volt small system and add a battery and converter.. or just have a battery and charge it up for each trip..


Please give opinions and what you would do to help me make a decision before i spend money. thanks guys

[runningbird]

Hello, that is all I have is those 3 items for 12v > I keep my battery charged with a solar trickler. and do without the stuff that needs power, besides my son said It's not camping with all that other stuff. I had to take him to an rv that was showing a movie on the side of there $100,000.00 rig and all he said good movie but that's not camping they could have stayed home for that. To each his own.Debbie

[cleat22]

i upgraded to 30 amp service and changed over my lights and fan to 120 volt. it was cheap and easy. that way you can have all the power you need and just a simple plug and go system.

[Tamada]

   I've been thinking about making a jumper that would plug into the connection on the apache roof. I already bought a cigarette lighter extension because it was 50% off. My plan is to cut of the female end off with 6" of wire and an extra 6" piece of wire. Then I plan to install the apache 12v connection to the 6" piece and connections to both my new jumpers that will fit the male cigarette plugs wire. The reason I want to do this is because I have a battery pack with 12v plug and 110v normal plugs. I could plug my apache into the 110v plug but that would mean the converter in the battery box changing 12v to 110v just so the converter in the apache could change it back to 12v. Seems very inefficient.

   If your running off a generator you might want to try somthing similar straight off the generator and just use a plug in 12v converter when you have shore power. They're widely available.

   

[Redwood]

i upgraded to 30 amp service and changed over my lights and fan to 120 volt. it was cheap and easy. that way you can have all the power you need and just a simple plug and go system.

  Cleat, since the light and fan are 12 volt did you replace the wiring and the fixtures?

[cleat22]

yes, i went to home depot and got floresent lights and put them in place of the old lights. they were about $12 each. the fan is a computer fan from radio shack. it is in a square housing and fits right in place of the old fan. the new lights sstay cool and don't heat up the camper and they are so much brighter. the wife loves them wile cooking at early nightfall. my little girl likes them so she can color at night while watching her scooby doo dvds..

[medicmike5969]

Invest into the LED replacement lamps, I've noticed actually more light than the old incandecents & very little draw on the battery power. I'm trying to remember the website that I ordered them from, they were about $20 each for a (I think?) 24 led lamp. There also are other dealers out there that sell them which include several different adapters for whatever bulb type that you're using.

[cleat22]

those are nice , but led bulbs will still blow if connected to 20 amp service. anything 12 volt will blow.

[kanega]

Today is about going green.  A more powerful power converter will use more energy.  Converting to LED lighting will save energy and be greener.  This is a personal choice.

[jdpber]

I simply dont want to have HAVE to buy a converter.. i think i am going to have a 2 separate systems.. 110 30 amp for the AC, fridge, and 2 receptacles inside and a gfi out side..  then the 12 volt strait from the battery to the 2 roof original lights with modern led bulbs and new globes. and the original fan, and possibly a flush mount porch light. when the battery dies i will charge it up.. but the group 29 deep cycle i have lasts most of the day running the stereo in the boat pumping out 200 watts of music so it should last a great deal of time with the low amp draw roof lights and fan..

when i am at a dry (NO SHORE POWER) i will use the generator and the other times i will use the pole power..


that is what i think i am going to do... this leaves the wiring close to original layout. and keeps 2 systems separate and simple.. and eliminated the extra money for a converter..

being that i already did a 30 amp upgrade with breakers and totally rewired and replaced all the outlets the 12 volt will be a cinch

[medicmike5969]

If you're blowing LED's when you connect to 20Amp service, then I'd say that your convertor is definitely bad. I've hooked up to 20 & 30 AMP service @ campgrounds & have never blown anything. The convertor should be kicking the 20 or 30 Amp service down to 12 V (at most 14V), so if the LED's blew, I'd say that there's a big problem w/ your convertor not the LED's.

[cleat22]

it's not about being green, it's the fact that if you are wired for 30 amp service with a breaker box and 120 volt system, your old 12 volt lights and fan will overload and blow........... you can have 30 amp and still be green with your choice of lights and bulbs.

[lectric80]

I simply dont want to have HAVE to buy a converter.. i think i am going to have a 2 separate systems.. 110 30 amp for the AC, fridge, and 2 receptacles inside and a gfi out side..  then the 12 volt strait from the battery to the 2 roof original lights with modern led bulbs and new globes. and the original fan, and possibly a flush mount porch light. when the battery dies i will charge it up.. but the group 29 deep cycle i have lasts most of the day running the stereo in the boat pumping out 200 watts of music so it should last a great deal of time with the low amp draw roof lights and fan..

when i am at a dry (NO SHORE POWER) i will use the generator and the other times i will use the pole power..


that is what i think i am going to do... this leaves the wiring close to original layout. and keeps 2 systems separate and simple.. and eliminated the extra money for a converter..

being that i already did a 30 amp upgrade with breakers and totally rewired and replaced all the outlets the 12 volt will be a cinch

That is actually what I am considering with my Ramada, 2 seperate systems just is easier for me to deal with. Mainly because I rarely camp at a spot with shore power. Most of my camping is done on my families 2.5 acre spot and we don't have power as an option there. My 12 volt can be maintained with a solar cell and I can hook up a battery charger in the unlikely event I ever kill a battery while parked.

[79Ramada]

Please give opinions and what you would do to help me make a decision before i spend money. thanks guys

I went with RV industry standard 30A converter/charger setup, and I camp 50/50 dry camp and shore powered campgrounds. The simple reason is once the shore power is hook up either at campground or in my garage, my battery is automatically start charging and I'll have both AC and DC power. When I dry camp, I'll always have DC power, can always charge the battery with a generator, or also with solar power. Since it is industry standard setup, anyone who is familiar with RV/trailer electrical system, know how to operate it and fix it.

If you do choose your own seperate DC/AC system, you'll have two times the operating procedure, and chances are only you know how to operate it. Having said that, if you are the only sole user of your camper, that will be fine. If your wife, family, friend tends to use it also, it can become an issue. I'm not discouraging anyone from doing whatever they want with their own camper, from experience, I have a friend who tends to wire his cabin in the wood his own way, even his wife refused to go the cabin by herself because of the convoluted way the breaker, the switches, and the generator has to be hookup.

[Twogood1es]

yes, i went to home depot and got floresent lights and put them in place of the old lights. they were about $12 each. the fan is a computer fan from radio shack. it is in a square housing and fits right in place of the old fan. the new lights sstay cool and don't heat up the camper and they are so much brighter. the wife loves them wile cooking at early nightfall. my little girl likes them so she can color at night while watching her scooby doo dvds..

I would like to see a photo or two of your light/fan set up.

Thanks Mike