Power converter/charger ????

[slager55]

I want to use 50 amp power at the camp ground so what do I need?
What is everone using?

Thank you
Rodney

[family wagon]

NEMA 14-50 style "50 amp electric range" cord end, some 4-conductor cord (maybe 6 gauge SOOW cable?), and a "sub-panel" circuit breaker box to split the incoming 50 amp 120/240 volt supply out into whatever combination of circuits your flavor of bus will want. That gets you hooked up to the campground.. but then what will you do with that much electricity? Electric range/oven, space or water heating, multiple air conditioners, mobile wood/metal workshop (yes we've seen that here)...?

There are some nice pre-built shore power cord assemblies commercially available as an alternative to DIY with the range plug and SOOW cable. They cost more but they're off-the-shelf and ready to use. Those might come with, or at least be designed to work with, a nice power inlet plug that could be flush-mounted in the exterior bus wall. That's an aesthetically attractive (though more costly) alternative to some kind of exterior hatch into which the permanently-connected DIY cord could be stowed.

[roach711]

I looked into buying or building my shore power extension cord and it was actually cheaper to get one used on ebay. The pre built cord is nicely weather sealed too.

[slager55]

I guess I asked the wrong question. I want to use 50 amp service but I am building my bus what power converter/charger do I need to get?

[turf]

im not sure that those two items are related. i believe most power converters / chargers only need 15/20 amp service to run.

the more dc amps your power converter produces affects how fast it can charge batteries and the 12v dc load it can support. Bigger is better

50 amp service implies that you will have an AC breaker box in your bus that has 2-120v hot legs, a neutral, and a ground. 4 wires - your connection at the campground pedestal. that is what the others are talking about. the cord

the converter will only need 3 AC wires to power the bus 12volt dc system. 1 hot leg, 1 neutral, and 1 ground. it would be 1 circuit or breaker off of your 50 amp service panel

your AC needs dictate the size of panel you need. most household appliances needed while camping could run off 20 amp service, if you add an air conditioner, you need 30 amp service, running 2 air conditioners means you need 50 amp service.

this is what i have :
PD9180A Electronic Power Converter

[roach711]

Many are confused by the difference between a converter and an inverter.

The converter converts 120v AC shore power to 12v DC and usually has a battery charger built in.

The inverter takes 12v DC power from the batteries and makes it into 120v AC.

Let us know how you intend to use your bus (boondocking/campground camping/full timing) and what appliances you want to install and we can point you in the right direction.

[slager55]

This is what I am talking about ....RV Inteli-Power 4000 Series Power Center 45A Progressive Dynamics PD PD4045KV but I want 50 amps but I do not want to pay $500 for it.

[Hank's P-O-S]

Originally Posted by slager55

This is what I am talking about ....RV Inteli-Power 4000 Series Power Center 45A Progressive Dynamics PD PD4045KV but I want 50 amps but I do not want to pay $500 for it.

Got a link to that?

I'm just going to guess that that is a 50 amp battery charger and some fuses.
Here is an 80 amp charger for $250https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000G...attery+charger

Add an extra $75 for a panel and breakers and presto!
As it turns out regular square D (snider electric in Canada) homline breakers are rated to 48 volts dc. They are much cheaper than purpose solar or marine breakers at $4 a piece.

[roach711]

Ok, now we're getting somewhere. I have that same power panel and it has an AC to DC converter and a 45 amp DC three stage battery charger plus some slots for AC circuit breakers and DC fuses. Very nice unit. AC shore power input is 30 amps which will be much cheaper to install than 50 amp and more available at campgrounds.

When you say you want 50 amps in your bus we all assume you want a 50 amp AC service. A 50 amp DC battery charger and a 50 amp AC service are two very different things.

I see that panel on Amazon for $175 or so. Breakers and fuses aren't included so you'll have to buy those separately.

AC amps and DC amps aren't the same measure of power. An 120v AC amp = 120 watts while a 12v DC amp = 12 watts. You don't need 50 amp AC service to power a 50 amp DC battery charger. A 30 amp AC shore power connection is plenty and a 20 amp service will work too. Learning how to make AC and DC play together was the hardest part of my conversion.

[turf]

i installed a similar 12 rv fuse panel and a separate battery charger.

after i bought and installed the panel, i found my self bypassing the panel because how inconvenient it was. especially after it was installed in the wall.

if i were do-over, i'd use the same battery charger, but a smaller marine dc distribution fuse box like this:
BEP Marine ATC6W 6 Gang ATC Fuse Holder - Screw Terminal - BEP Marine ATC6W - Marine Fuse Holders - Fuse Blocks Holders & Fuses - Electrical Parts - Electrical - Boatersland Marine

that box you are looking at is huge!

[slager55]

What do you think of Progressive Dynamic PD4060KV RV Inteli-Power 4000 Series Power Center 60A ?

[turf]

here i am installing a similar panel in my bus

http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/bo...html#post78993

too many wires in too small a space. i hate it... its a cheapo plastic case. and i bypassed 4 or 5 circuits just because its a pita. those 4 or 5 got their own fuse wired straight to the battery. to this day i still havent been able to tuck those wires in so that i can put the cover back on it.

[roach711]

Originally Posted by slager55

What do you think of Progressive Dynamic PD4060KV RV Inteli-Power 4000 Series Power Center 60A ?

The 4060 power panel has a little higher charging capacity (60 vs 45 amp) and a 1000 watt input vs 750 for the 4045. Which one you choose depends on how much juice you'll be using.

Turf - I wired mine from the back and had no trouble at all. I'd buy another one without hesitation.

[turf]

maybe so, my inexperience cause many of my difficulties

you know i used big fat 10g wire for the DC circuits to avoid voltage loss, and the circuit board was just to flimsy for the heavy gauge wire. i would have had better luck with smaller wire, or more patience

[roach711]

Originally Posted by turf

maybe so, my inexperience cause many of my difficulties

My Progressive Dynamics panel had wiring pigtails exiting out the back of the unit that made connecting the various circuits easy. If yours didn't have those pigtails then hooking everything up would be quite a hassle. There's not a lot of room to work in those small panels.

10 ga may be oversized, but you'll never overload it.

[Piersg]

Originally Posted by slager55

What do you think of Progressive Dynamic PD4060KV RV Inteli-Power 4000 Series Power Center 60A ?

If you want 50A AC service, I would think that the 4500 series would serve you better as it supports a 50 Amp service connection.

All-in-One 240V, 50 Amp AC/DC Power Distribution Panel

Amazon lists the 4590 for $397, but you can find it cheaper here:

PD4590 50 Amp Power Center with 90 Amp Converter/Charger