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Old 07-02-2012, 04:37 PM   #1
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Converter/Charger Question

I've been researching the electrical for quite some time, but can't seem to find an answer to some questions. I have a 45 amp converter/charger from progressive dynamics. I'm only bringing 30 amps into the bus, though. Is that going to cause me problems?

Should I step up to a 50 amp? I think most camp sites are going to make me step back to 30 anyway.

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Old 07-02-2012, 06:11 PM   #2
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

At the risk of being screamed by certain folks on this forum...
30 amp is what both the PD4060 & the PD4045 are supposed the be set for...
Quote:
AC Distribution Panel rated for 120 VAC @ 30 AMPS.
You need a 30 amp breaker for these two panel boxes. PD4060 puts out 60 amps max DC (1000 Watts continuous DC input). PD4045 puts out 45 amps max DC (725 Watts continuous DC input) 30 amp is more common in public campgrounds and usually cheaper in private campgrounds. You can still stay in a 50 amp site by using a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter. We keep one of these adapters all the time. We needed it in two campgrounds (one was a mobile home park) and used it on our old 30 amp Class C. Unless you are going with an all electric RV or running heavy AC loads (two or more air conditioners plus oodles of energy sucking stuff you never turn off), you can easily function on 30 amp. But that is my take on it. I'm sure someone will tell you that you must have 50 amp. What you need to do is figure out what your energy needs are and WHERE you are going to be plugged in at (private or public campgrounds).
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Old 07-02-2012, 06:27 PM   #3
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

I'm on phone so I can't research which progressive unit you have.
Most of that type of unit,is a converter(not inverter) so its job is to take 120 and convert it to 12 which is where the 45 amps is going.
So if you hook this up to 120 you will have 45amps of 12dc,so you hook it up to your 12v side and since it has a charger built in it will also have a battery charger to charge your 12v.
So say you have a 12v appliance hooked to your batteries that pulls say 30 amps,this will keep you from using your 12v reserves and keep battery charged.
I am going with an iota 55 amp cnverter w/iq4charger to keep my house batteries happy.
So you can see this would have no effect on your 120 side since once you plug in to shore power this "power supply" will start to kick out up to 45amps of 12v
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Old 07-02-2012, 06:30 PM   #4
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

Also....You will need a breaker in your panel to supply the 120v to the unit
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Old 07-03-2012, 09:45 AM   #5
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

Thanks all. So, if I understand this correctly, the 45 amp converter might be overkill, but it is OK to use even though I am only bringing 30 amps into the bus, right?

I plan on full-timing, so I went with the big one, just in case. The price difference was minimal.
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Old 07-03-2012, 09:47 AM   #6
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

its really not overkill for a 30a system. you needed higher rated capacity than what your elect amp use is.
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Old 07-03-2012, 09:48 AM   #7
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

Forget the 45 amps. It's a 30 AMP AC box. You would put a 30 amp main breaker in.

What are you running off of 12vDC (batteries)?
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Old 07-03-2012, 10:05 AM   #8
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

We are talking two different things

Are you looking at a panel like this?


http://www.progressivedyn.com/all_in_one_pd4000.html



It is setup to give you control over 30amps (120V ac) coming in and distributing it thru out the rv up to 7 branches; it is also a 45amp DC power supply and charger

or something like this?

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_d...pd9245c_2.html




This is only a 45 amp DC power supply and battery charger
.
.
.
or if you have no need what so ever to charge or use 12V then all you need is a distribution panel like your house has.

So the 45 amp DC will not effect your 120 coming in or going out
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Old 07-03-2012, 10:06 AM   #9
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony
Thanks all. So, if I understand this correctly, the 45 amp converter might be overkill, but it is OK to use even though I am only bringing 30 amps into the bus, right?

I plan on full-timing, so I went with the big one, just in case. The price difference was minimal.
See my post above,what model do you have?

45 amps DC is not overkill you will need it to charge your battery bank
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
120 Volt side of things

You will have a distribution panel(fuse box) for your 30amp 120 coming into the bus (similar to the house)

so your main breaker will be a 30 amp 120 breaker coming in and you will branch out with other circuits from the fuse box,these will have smaller breakers on them say 20 amp.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now on the 12 V side the "input" into the 12V Fuse box will be your batteries,and the output will go to your 12v accesories
just like in the car or bus.

You will need to charge these batteries or they will just be dead.

You need to replace the energy used somehow, altenators will do this while the vehicle is running...using up to the rated output of the alt(close to it)

Now with the vehicle off you will not have any way to charge the battery bank and the batteries will die.....the converter/charger that I posted will supply the 12+ needed to charge the batteries and alittle more so the 12v can be used and charge the batteries...so 45amps is not over kill.

When you plug in the 30 amp 120V shore power it will feed you 120V fuse box and supply the branch ciurcuts...one of which will be the converter/charger(so it has 120V to convert into the 12v DC) and thus your batteries will charge when plugged into 120V

Any questions?I will try to explain.

Just confusing.

SO WHAT PD DO YOU HAVE?
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Old 02-23-2014, 11:55 AM   #10
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Re: Converter/Charger Question

I know I'm about a year late to this thread but this may clear up some confusion for posterity.

AC amps and DC amps are different units of energy. An AC amp equals 120 watts (120v x 1 amp = 120 watts) while a DC amp equals 12 watts (12v x 1 amp = 12 watts).

So your 30 amp AC campground plug will output 3600 watts while the 45 amp DC converter will draw only 540 watts (actually closer to 600 watts because the conversion from AC to DC costs about 10% of the input wattage). If you plugged your bus into a 15 amp plug at home you'd still have 1800 watts to play with - plenty to charge the batteries and have a good bit left over for running other AC stuff.

As said above, the 30 amp AC main breaker is correct assuming the wire between the panel and exterior bus plug is #10 or better (keeping in mind that larger wire has a lower number - #8 is a larger conductor than #10).
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