# European Power - Temporary Conversion



## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Howdy Cousins!
My wife and I will be touring the European motorsports circuit this year for just few months, shipping our all electric coach to Europe. We are aware of the amperage issues and wonder what your recommendations would be for a temporary transformer install with, most importantly, surge, current flux and grounding protection at its best.

We see stateside tuning active on this forum and maybe they have a recommendation. We are running a 12K Powertech genny and will probably attempt to get 500-watts of solar installed to keep the domestic batteries topped in between sites (not certain). Our main worry is power protection for this temporary tour.

Thanks,
Robert


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

*BUMP*
I will make a second call for any good recommendations for converting 240/50 shore power to 115/60 while in Europe. I have to believe most "Yank" motorhomes here have had some type of conversion work.

I posted on my USA home forum a minute ago and got eight responses in the last few minutes. Unfortunately, these guys do not have the first-hand experience with this issue. I am particularly interested in the 50/60 frequency conversion and if this is necessary or has been done yet.

Anyone care to take a shot from the UK?

Thanks! Robert


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I am very suprised that no one has responded to this yet.
The 50/60 Hz shouldn't be an issue with pretty much anything. I can't think of anything off the top of my head that relies on mains frequency these days. Old TV's used to get there V-refresh freq from this but not since the mid 80's when solid state PLL circuits took over.

The 220v european/240V uk voltage conversion on a temporary basis can be done with a straight forward step down transformer. I used to work for a transformer company and we made loads of these for US Navy for when their staff were in the uk.

As you don't want a permanent conversion and have all US gear in the van you just need a straight forward step down transformer.

I would avoid an auto transformer as this doesn't offer any protection from the 240v should a fault occurr. Ensure the transformer is either of the copper screened variety or has a double insulated bobbin core.

You can get these pre-made in a bright Yellow box with input and output leads moulded into them and with safety cutouts.

Cheers
Karl

PS: please note I am not an RV'er and these are only my "educated opinions"


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Your not wrong Karl, and this is all some of the so called expert converters do, and hide it behind a shiny bit of tin
Geo
All electric coach 8O 8O 8O boy bet thats quiet and econimical :lol:


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Many thanks! It seems there would be more posts on electronic problems if a simple step down transformer did not do the trick, but we have a seven, going on eight, year old coach and my greatest fear while touring would be damaging the inverter or air conditioners.

I know many of the sailing yachts have marine transformers with frequency converters, but this can get into "silly" money pretty fast.

In the USA, we have many campgrounds where the grounding is reversed or the power is too low a voltage. Then there are spiking problems. Many have power protection systems like the Autoformer. I am not sure you have the problem in Europe.

It will be a challenge with an all electric coach, but many have just said "run the genny". That works on at the race ways, but I can just see us annoying everyone if we were to run our genny too often while sightseeing (which will be a challenge anyway).

Best regards,

Robert


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi robert, the electrics are easy to sort as has just been said, much more difficult to get around are the low amperage sites you will come across, 6,10 and the max you will get anywhere is 16amp. 

On the 6amp sites you may struggle to run a single a/c.

Olley

PS I think the reason for the lack of interest is your heading, to me it reads "European Power temperature conversion"


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Yes me to Olley, but my nosey side took over :lol:


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi Robert

Sorry for ignoring you....we have been working on the Peterborough show since last Thursday and did not see your post.....looks like the boys have you sorted though.

Best regards
Linda
(Stateside)


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Thanks all! I just stepped out to grab something to eat and then realised what Geo had commented on and started to chuckle. My first thought was of a city bus connected to those overhead electrical tracks and the wife asking me what the camping options were: "same as last week, dear, 5th and Santa Monica, 4th and Pine, City Hall and the bus depot."

That kind of "all electric" would solve all our power concerns, but the camping options would be severely limited.

I called Victron marine solutions and they also confirmed that an ordinary step down converter would be fine for the application. I guess no one has had any problems with power, other than the low amperage. Being all electric means we do not have the advantages of propane. And not having solar, which we are considering, means we have to rely on the generator, something not very nice when parking close to neighbours.

We are having a final shakedown run next week visiting with friends and hopefully we will have enough courage to actually put the thing on the boat for a six month tour. We'll see...


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

We were at home in Florida last weekend and the mystery deepens: I noticed that the coach had a plaque by the electric shore power reel door stamped "120vac/60Mhz - 240vac/50Mhz".

Now I do not know what this actually means!

There is a Trace 3000 inverter/charger in one of the bays and a quick check of the microwave and aqua hot showed they were stamped 120~240 60/50.

Did they build dual voltage coaches? I will check with the manufacturer, Featherlite, but I thought an update was in order for the members.

Electrical comments appreciated!

Now remember, we are only temporary in Europe for about 8 months and have no need in registering the coach in the UK or another European country. The length is OK with the tag.

Saying that, I take a chance of posting a picture of the Vogue, a make sadly not manufactured anymore, and risk being unduly judged as a guest "Yank"  Hopefully, no one will take offense at this beast (wife likens it to a loaf of sandwich bread going down the road)


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## 89338 (May 20, 2005)

RAH

Very nice RV, have a look at this. I had one fitted to replace the yellow box ( builders type ) and it works great.

Regards

Lampie


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## 102172 (Dec 22, 2006)

Now THAT is an RV!


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## 103356 (Mar 11, 2007)

I trust you are taking an alternative (and much smaller) form of transport with you, because I can't see you being able to do much sightseeing in an RV that big :lol: Having said that, it looks great, but I'd hate to try to get it round a mini-roundabout.....!!


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## 95633 (Jul 4, 2005)

Hi

Take a look at www.110220volts.com

Their Step Up/Down Transformers are VERY cheap.

They also have a built-in "delayed start-up" function which will stop any worries with sites tripping etc

You can get the 5000W version for $200 with free p&p in the USA.

All you have to do is plug your 50Amp into a 30Amp and then down to a 20Amp (or is it 15A?) adapter and plug into the rear of the Transformer.

You will almost certainly carry the 30A in the RV already and can get the 20A from any camping store over there.

You will need to buy a European electric lead and have someone wire it into the Transformer for you (10 minute job at most).

And you're done !!!

Benefit of all this is you just unhoock your 50A cable from everything else and you are ready to use back in the US again - no messing about.

You might also like to visit the following website for some handy stuff on Europe (for things like USA voting, taxes etc etc) http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap22/living.htm

Have a great tour !!

Paul

PS I would suggest also that you visit www.rvforum.net and ask for advise there. It is a US website but they have a few very knowledgable techie people on there.


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Yes, we can imagine tripping the curcuit breaker at odd hours, but fortunately it appears the professional UK RV converters have seen most of the electrical problems we may encounter. Thanks for the tip!

As for mini-roundabouts, we can't even get around them many times in a car! Fortunately, we will be staying at motorsport tracks and not a lot at regular campgrounds. It gets worse though: we will be towing an enclosed car hauler (total less than the 65' limit) and inside will be something even more impractical of true British engineering, an Ultima GTR.

This whole thing is my wife's idea. She is a 59 year old grandmother, soon to be great grandmother, who has solo'd this car across Europe more than once, challenging German autobahn Porches.

I am just the couple years younger driver given all these "problems" to work out before ship date  I consider our member Dazzer to have the right idea in a Class B+. That is the direction I would go, given the ability to decide "on my own".


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

8O WOW I would love to try and get it round a roundabout, What you need Rah is a 30 foot Mirada with gas and electric, I dont want to swop but in the interest of good relations I WILL I WILL I WILl :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Geo
Ps glad you had a chuckle


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Geo said:


> 8O WOW I would love to try and get it round a roundabout,
> Geo
> Ps glad you had a chuckle


Not with me in the passenger seat buddy, I've seen how you drive a 30 foot RV :lol: :lol: :lol: Finally did get the stains out of my trousers though :lol: 
Anyway RAH, please let us know when you intend to ship it over from the USA to Britain, I am sure that a lot of us will have a shopping list including about 60 RV tyres and if you load it up with these your shipping costs will almost be paid for = cheap holiday and lots of lifelong friends :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Hope it all goes well and maybe you can drop in and see some of us whilst you are over here, we would love to meet you.....

Keith


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

That is one awesome beast RAH! 8O :wink:

You don't take one of those _round_ a mini roundabout, you go over it! Simple! :mrgreen:

Geo, you need to up-size gradually.....like a nice 32ft twin slide jobbie :wink:


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

I totaly agree Linda 
what yer got to swop, cash only flows in one direction up ere in t north :lol: Geo


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Geo said:


> I totaly agree Linda
> what yer got to swop, cash only flows in one direction up ere in t north :lol: Geo


You can see them soon Geo.....no swops but I'll let you drool from a safe distance :wink: :lol: :lol:


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## RAH (Apr 22, 2007)

Discovered the meaning of the 120/240 60Hz label that has "50" stamped underneath it. It seems "50" is just the amperage and the rest is the cable rating. No dual current coach here.

I am guessing we will be in capable hands for the installation of the transformer once we are landed. All our appliances are US, so hopefully we will be OK.

Geo, a trade would not be fair. You guys have more of an investment tied up in your coaches. We noticed recently that a new Gulfstream Cresendo in the UK costs 1/3 more than we paid for our used Vogue! Now I understand why you guys visit Disney World and come home with an RV!


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