# 240v French MH plugged into 110v USA?



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

I am on a site in the US and there is a disabled French guy parked up beside me. He has shipped his specially disability equipped unit from Le Harve to Halifax and touring US and Canada for a year. 

It is otherwise a standard Fiat based MH and yet he just just plugged to to the mains on a standard adapter. ( not converter) 

I didn't think this was possible. What are the implications of doing this for onboard electrics?


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

Maybe he's had a 240v/110v thingy fitted to allow him to use their leccy ?


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

andrewball1000 said:


> I am on a site in the US and there is a disabled French guy parked up beside me. He has shipped his specially disability equipped unit from Le Harve to Halifax and touring US and Canada for a year.
> 
> It is otherwise a standard Fiat based MH and yet he just just plugged to to the mains on a standard adapter. ( not converter)
> 
> I didn't think this was possible. What are the implications of doing this for onboard electrics?


With a bit of luck they will just not work. With no luck certain things could go bang. Of course he needs an 110/230 converter but anything that would give a decent amount of current would be big and expensive.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

He showed me the connection. It was just a continental to us plug converter. Black about the size of. Cigarette packet. It was outside on the post and did not seem to have any electronics inside. 

I wondered about the fridge and Truma ?


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

The question is - is anything working? 

At least it is safer that way than plugging a 110v system into a 220/240v supply.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

He was running pc phone etc but these are low amperage and capable of switching to 110. 

Now I've been plugging in a 1500w can heater at night but my shore line is lot beefier than my UK one.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Don't forget that although USA & Canada generally have 110V AC in their domestic wall sockets, their cookers and immersions are 230V, each house has 120-0-120 coming in on a split phase system.

So he may well have the facility to connect to 230V, or a decent step-down transformer inside.

Peter


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

This is a standard French MH. I asked him if was using any transformer and said he wasn't. Just a us to French connector. That's what puzzled me. Might tackle him again tomorrow.


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

Given that some RVs have domestic washer/dryers on board, and in light of Peter's previous post about them being 240v, it may well be that there is indeed 240v available at the EHU point and he has tapped into this with his adaptor

The campsite operator will know for sure

Cheers

Dave

Edit

More info here http://www.myrv.us/electric/


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

He is definitely in 110. I checked


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Are you sure he's not using a small converter like this, although with European socket? This looks about cigarette packet size.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

peribro said:


> Are you sure he's not using a small converter like this, although with European socket? This looks about cigarette packet size.


Seeing that I am now not sure. I will check tomorrow. There were no markings in it and it just looked like an adaptor.

If if was then 45w is nothing. I have been using 1500w for a heater and heavens knows what for air con.

If I were to ship mine over, LPG is cheap here so I could use that for fridge and heating.

I would save big time on using diesel at 28mpg UK vs 11mpg us petrol.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

It's quite likely that all his 240v appliances would run to some degree on 110v.
Many battery chargers will accept an input voltage of 110v - 240v and a 240v fridge heater element would probably work on 110v although at greatly reduced efficiency. All the fridge control circuits will operate from 12v anyway. If it's a AES fridge then it would automatically revert to gas operation when it detected a low mains voltage. All his lighting will be 12v and most small electrical devices these days (phone chargers, laptop adaptors, shavers etc.) have a very wide input voltage range. Electric space and water heaters would also still work to some degree on 110v although they would be much less effective. The LPG or diesel heater will also use 12v for the controls circuits so would work OK. Even a 240v electric kettle would still work - but you'd have to wait an awful long time for your cuppa. :wink:

Microwave ovens might be a problem though............. :? 

So IMHO it's quite possible.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

gaspode said:


> It's quite likely that all his 240v appliances would run to some degree on 110v.
> Many battery chargers will accept an input voltage of 110v - 240v and a 240v fridge heater element would probably work on 110v although at greatly reduced efficiency. All the fridge control circuits will operate from 12v anyway. If it's a AES fridge then it would automatically revert to gas operation when it detected a low mains voltage. All his lighting will be 12v and most small electrical devices these days (phone chargers, laptop adaptors, shavers etc.) have a very wide input voltage range. Electric space and water heaters would also still work to some degree on 110v although they would be much less effective. The LPG or diesel heater will also use 12v for the controls circuits so would work OK. Even a 240v electric kettle would still work - but you'd have to wait an awful long time for your cuppa. :wink:
> 
> Microwave ovens might be a problem though............. :?
> ...


Thanks Gaspode. That seems to be what he is doing. How would the Truma heating cope assuming you put it on LPG only but used the fan to blow it?


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## Scolds (Jul 26, 2010)

Hi Andrew,

Does this chap have a blog? Could you ask as it would be interesting to know the cost of shipping and import inspections etc. It is something that I am looking at doing in a couple of years time.

I would like the comfort of our own van that we will have been full timing in for 2 to 3 years by then and I haven't done all the sums yet but the saving on rental and fuel will go a long way towards shipping costs. Of course may be wrong there.

Thanks anyway if you do get an address, I take it he speaks good English?

Enjoy your holiday.

Robin


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Our two 26A chargers are 110V or 230V, some are universal input without switching, ours are switched. Everything else is 12V. The fridge would run at reduced power on 110V into the 230V side.

Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I would like to post a helpful comment but there are just so many unknowns here.
As Gaspode and Pater have said if the onboard charger is 110 - 240 volt then all the 12 volt battery items will work. If not then everything will grind to a stop. Unless he runs the engine again to top up the batteries.

Sometimes ignorance can be bliss...... :? 

Ray.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

Scolds said:


> Hi Andrew,
> 
> Does this chap have a blog? Could you ask as it would be interesting to know the cost of shipping and import inspections etc. It is something that I am looking at doing in a couple of years time.
> 
> ...


He said it cost him 4000. To ship it over one way not sure if this was $ or €. Not much difference really.

Savings for him are that he couldn't hire similar equipped van. For me the fuel savings would still be worth it.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Plenty of Ro-Ro services across the Atlantic, £1750 to ship our Discovery over to East Coast USA one way, not quite double for return.

It would go in a container (just) for less money, but a m/h is a different animal.

Peter


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## Scolds (Jul 26, 2010)

Taking the van to North America is something I will be looking in to in great detail over the next couple of years.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

We always used these people..............................

http://www.walleniuslines.com/

A reasonable sized 240 to 110 volt transformer will always work in reverse powering your Euro van in the states.
But do not use the yellow power tool transformers. They are only designed for short use.

I have several from 1kw to 5.5kw.

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

raynipper said:


> A reasonable sized 240 to 110 volt transformer will always work in reverse powering your Euro van in the states.
> But do not use the yellow power tool transformers. They are only designed for short use.
> 
> I have several from 1kw to 5.5kw.
> ...


The ratings for 60Hz operation are higher than for 50Hz as trannies are more efficient at the higher frequency.

Motorhome use would be classed as intermittent, unless you had a sodding great appliance on all day! :lol:

We spoke to WW re shipping our Discovery and trailer over to the USA, but they got cold feet after we told them about the engine in the back 

Peter


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Motorhome use would be classed as intermittent, unless you had a sodding great appliance on all day! Laughing >>>>

I guess so Peter but having witnessed at least two yellow power tool transformers melt while powering RVs, they are to be avoided personally.

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

I don't disagree, Ramon, but there are big trannies that are rated at 7-10kVA which would eat the job, too many people try and use a little 1.5kVA one and then wonder why it is all melted.

The actual transformer is usually a toroidal type, and the whole thing is potted to give the electrical safety required.

Peter


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

andrewball1000 said:


> How would the Truma heating cope assuming you put it on LPG only but used the fan to blow it?


It would cope fine Andrew, the Truma fan works from the 12v system, not mains. How else could you use the heating on gas when off hook-up? The only part of the heating that runs from the mains supply will be the electric heating elements (if fitted).


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

gaspode said:


> andrewball1000 said:
> 
> 
> > How would the Truma heating cope assuming you put it on LPG only but used the fan to blow it?
> ...


Thanks Gaspode. Then in my case it sounds feesable. I would run the Truma and fridge on propane. If the charger doesn't like 110 it won't matter as the batteries charge off solar and while moving. Things like kindle and smart phone will work on 110. If one wanted to use heavier equipment like toaster or hair I have the inverter or one could T off the mains lead and purchase local ones.


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