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Old 03-31-2015, 06:55 PM   #81
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Originally Posted by allwthrrider View Post
Would there be a way of stepping it down to 60 hertz?
Technically yes, but economically probably not. You'd have to really want that generator to make it worthwhile. The conversion could be done mechanically via a rotary converter: literally a motor designed to work with the input, coupled to a generator head designed to produce the required output. It also could be done electronically by converting the generator's output to dc and feeding it into an appropriate inverter, similar to those used to make 120 V ac from battery power. I don't know whether either style would be commercially available though.

One other thing I just remembered: I was surprised to note years ago that my DeWalt DW402 angle grinder mentioned it could run from dc. I guess some engine-driven welding machines also have an accessory output, but it's dc. So this grinder could run on your 400 Hz source too, possibly with a diode in series. I think that's the type called a "universal" motor; I wonder how common those are in tools/appliances.

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Old 03-31-2015, 07:05 PM   #82
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allwthrrider, do you currently have a generator creating 400Hz AC? I've not heard of such a thing.
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Old 03-31-2015, 08:39 PM   #83
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allwthrrider, do you currently have a generator creating 400Hz AC? I've not heard of such a thing.
Lets just say If needed I have access but if I tell you I'd have to kill you
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Old 03-31-2015, 08:47 PM   #84
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Lets just say If needed I have access but if I tell you I'd have to kill you
I'm not gonna touch that with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

Jazty, 115 V 400Hz is common in aircraft. Portable generators with those specs are often found on air fields, and of course that equipment is eventually retired like any other equipment. The higher operating frequency apparently allows generators and transformers to be produced physically smaller and lighter than their 60 Hz counterparts.
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Old 03-31-2015, 08:58 PM   #85
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I'm not gonna touch that with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

Jatzy, 115 V 400Hz is common in aircraft. Portable generators with those specs are often found on air fields, and of course that equipment is eventually retired like any other equipment. The higher operating frequency apparently allows generators and transformers to be produced physically smaller and lighter than their 60 Hz counterparts.
Give the man a cigar;)
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Old 03-31-2015, 09:22 PM   #86
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Anything that uses an induction motor is not going to work on 400 HZ, will most likely overheat but hopefully blow a breaker first, straight resistance (no fan) heaters will work, power tools with brush type universal motors will work, normal inductance transformers will probably put out strange voltages
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Old 06-09-2015, 12:41 AM   #87
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keepin' it cool

Can I get sufficient juice out of the alternator to run a window a/c unit via an inverter? If not, what's the best way to stay cool on the road?
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Old 06-09-2015, 01:39 AM   #88
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Can I get sufficient juice out of the alternator to run a window a/c unit via an inverter? If not, what's the best way to stay cool on the road?

Your best bet is a generator.
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Old 06-09-2015, 11:39 AM   #89
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Can I get sufficient juice out of the alternator to run a window a/c unit via an inverter? If not, what's the best way to stay cool on the road?
If you have a large 200 amp plus coach style alternator, yes it can be done.

Cost wise, and less parts to break, the generator is the better way.

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Old 06-22-2015, 12:46 PM   #90
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Plasma, I'm so glad I saw this post. I am hoping to start installing electrical on my bus soon. Like other users I have no idea how to start. I have a diesel Plasma, I'm so glad I saw this post. I am hoping to start installing electrical on my bus soon. Like other users I have no idea how to start. I have a diesel Thomas bus. And I'm trying to figure out the cheapest way to install electrical on this thing. I need to power a refrigerator, A hot water heater and hopefully sometimes an air conditioner...although, I'm not sure if it would be better to have the AC run off the engine power. Also need to power although, I'm not sure if it would be better to have the AC run off the engine power. Also need to power electronics such as iPhone laptop iPad etc. lastly, I like the bus to be able to take normal power if we park somewhere so I can just plug it directly into the grid. Anyway, I don't have a huge budget and the prospect of spending $5000 on a diesel generator sounds terrible. Would you be able to give me some advice?
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Old 06-22-2015, 04:24 PM   #91
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maybe you can get more info but i can say pretty certainly you'll want a distribution panel (like in a house, sorta)

possibly like this: http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Dy.../dp/B002XRU6FM
so you can go AC or DC (in case you have solar aspirations or decide to spring for the genny). If you go with DC power options, you'll want an pure sine wave inverter to run your AC power sensitive goodies like computer electronics but you can use a modified sine wave inverter (lower cost) for your 'not very complex' appliances...though with all the electronic gizmos thrown gratuitously into everything, I think I'll just go with one pure sine wave inverter for the whole show. Go here to find out more than you really wanted to know about inverters and batteries....http://www.batterystuff.com/inverters/
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Old 06-25-2015, 08:32 AM   #92
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This thread got a little muddy for me, so excuse me if my question has been covered, but as I am not as electrically inclined as some, I was wondering what would be the best way for me to go. I want to use a total solar set up (possibly with the potential of hooking up, but I plan on doing as much boondocking as possible). The only things I need to power would be a small fridge (still doing some research, but I was hoping 5-6 cubic feet, with a separate freezer), some LED lights (8-12), and a charger for a phone, and laptop. I was planning on using propane cook top, and heater, but if adding it to a solar set up would be more efficient, I am ok with that. If someone could just give me some direction, without getting into too many details (I am still learning, so bare with me), and tell me what kind of panels, charge controller, inverter, and batteries (and how many of each), I will need, I would appreciate it..

Trying to figure out my budget, and where I want to spend money, and save money.
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Old 06-25-2015, 09:26 AM   #93
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google this: "skoolie.net solar"
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Old 06-25-2015, 11:10 AM   #94
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google this: "skoolie.net solar"
I agree.

This has been covered over and over again.

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Old 06-25-2015, 11:16 AM   #95
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I agree.

This has been covered over and over again.

Nat
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/so...zing-7955.html

If that is what I was supposed to be looking for, that is over kill for my situation.. I do not need to power as much as they do. I have tried searching, and have yet to find anyone that is powering exactly what I am.

Thanks for the info, guess I'll just ask someone in person..
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Old 06-25-2015, 11:38 AM   #96
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http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f13/so...zing-7955.html

If that is what I was supposed to be looking for, that is over kill for my situation.. I do not need to power as much as they do. I have tried searching, and have yet to find anyone that is powering exactly what I am.

Thanks for the info, guess I'll just ask someone in person..
The member named jazty has a nice smaller setup. This is his thread.
http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/ar...t-8870-15.html

I run a 12 inch by 12 inch 7 watt solar panel and a 8D battery to run now 8 MR16 3 watt lights for 12 hours a day in my shed.

There is info within the build threads.

Nat
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Old 06-25-2015, 11:44 AM   #97
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There is info within the build threads.

Nat
Thank you Nat. I am still new to the forum world, so my search always yields a lot of results, and sometimes I don't have patience to read through all of them to find what I need. Call it laziness, but I will get the hang of it one day!
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Old 06-25-2015, 12:03 PM   #98
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google this: "skoolie.net solar"
The search may yield better results if you modify it slightly. Search for "site:skoolie.net solar" instead. For the Google engine, the "site:" keyword/instruction tells it to search only the given web site/domain.

Basically, what you'd be looking to learn about from other threads, is how to estimate your daily electric loads and add them up to size the battery bank, solar panel array, and charge controller. Watch for how they figure the current and voltage for each load, multiply them together and also multiply by hours of use per day to come up with kilowatt-hours (kWh). You add up the kWh and there's the load your battery needs to supply. Battery banks are usually rated in amp-hours (Ah) though, so divide the volts back out of kWh and you have Ah. If any of the loads are 120 V, ie running through an inverter, multiply their kWh by about 1.2 to account for the conversion loss in the inverter. Also watch for people's comments about over-sizing of the battery bank according to the battery chemistry, and about both the battery and the solar being over-sized to get you through cloudy or rainy days.

That's not much specific, concrete help.. but hopefully it gives you a little guide to what kinds of concepts you're skimming/searching for.
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Old 06-25-2015, 04:53 PM   #99
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Also read around on Handy Bob Solar. Dense material and an opinionated author, but the information is solid and very practically-oriented. There's also a good book called Managing 12 Volts, by Harold Barre.
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Old 06-25-2015, 05:33 PM   #100
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Originally Posted by kvanydke287 View Post
This thread got a little muddy for me, so excuse me if my question has been covered, but as I am not as electrically inclined as some, I was wondering what would be the best way for me to go. I want to use a total solar set up (possibly with the potential of hooking up, but I plan on doing as much boondocking as possible). The only things I need to power would be a small fridge (still doing some research, but I was hoping 5-6 cubic feet, with a separate freezer), some LED lights (8-12), and a charger for a phone, and laptop. I was planning on using propane cook top, and heater, but if adding it to a solar set up would be more efficient, I am ok with that. If someone could just give me some direction, without getting into too many details (I am still learning, so bare with me), and tell me what kind of panels, charge controller, inverter, and batteries (and how many of each), I will need, I would appreciate it..

Trying to figure out my budget, and where I want to spend money, and save money.
Okay I don't know as much as I'd like to about this - I also want to add solar and a bank of batteries. But here's what I came across the other day... And I don't know if these are in every town but here it is.

I found a battery recycling, refurbishing, and surplus sales place that had the AGM Gel Batteries for $110 ea... I bought two for my bus. The same style (...and again I don't know batteries) of battery at West Marine is $700...

THAT... got my attention. So I bought two they were new on pallets and the old man seemed real knowledgeable and told me these will last 4x longer and put out twice the power as wet cell batteries...

So now I'm in the affordability range of going solar~
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