Power Switch

[walter m. drew]

Has anyone used the Todd TS-30 automatic transfer switch in their coach
to solve the breaker/flipper problem which may be unique to Royales. To
switch from genset to shore power I have to manually flip a breaker
which is inconviently located at the back center of the coach. That is
where I stow tools, sleeping bags and luggage. Any information or an
alternate product would be greatly appreciated. Would the unit Zak just
put in also solve the problem and update my whole system? I got the
TS-30 info from the Number 5 issue of GMC Motohome News September
1995..TIA

Walter 78 Royale
plotting my next moves

 

[zachary zehnacker]

Walter,

I don't have any experience with that transfer switch. We did put
something like that in our old class C SOB, but it was made from parts
rather than an already assembled transfer switch. It should solve the
problem you are having if wired correctly. That may mean that some of your
existing wiring might have to change though. Our GMC just requires us
plugging in a plug from the outside compartment to switch over, so we
haven't tried to install a transfer switch. It would make it nicer though.

I don't know the specs of the Todd TS-30, but the "30" in the part number
indicates to me that it may only have 30 amp capacity. That is fine for
the 4K Onan, but the 6K Onan would require a 50 amp capacity unit (which
should actually be two switches in one unit 30 amp switch + 20 amp switch =
50 amp)

The TC40 I installed in our GMC is merely a "smarter" replacement for the
original OEM 120 AC -> 12V DC power converter. It would not help your
problem at all.

Zak

>Has anyone used the Todd TS-30 automatic transfer switch in their coach
>to solve the breaker/flipper problem which may be unique to Royales. To
>switch from genset to shore power I have to manually flip a breaker
>which is inconviently located at the back center of the coach. That is
>where I stow tools, sleeping bags and luggage. Any information or an
>alternate product would be greatly appreciated. Would the unit Zak just
>put in also solve the problem and update my whole system? I got the
>TS-30 info from the Number 5 issue of GMC Motohome News September
>1995..TIA
>
>Walter 78 Royale
>plotting my next moves
>

 

[thomas g. warner]

Why not Zak? He could duplicate our circuitry and eliminate the transfer
switch. Replace it with the receptacle and plug like we have.
than he could install the statpower 40.
Tom

>Walter,
>
>I don't have any experience with that transfer switch. We did put
>something like that in our old class C SOB, but it was made from parts
>rather than an already assembled transfer switch. It should solve the
>problem you are having if wired correctly. That may mean that some of your
>existing wiring might have to change though. Our GMC just requires us
>plugging in a plug from the outside compartment to switch over, so we
>haven't tried to install a transfer switch. It would make it nicer though.
>
>I don't know the specs of the Todd TS-30, but the "30" in the part number
>indicates to me that it may only have 30 amp capacity. That is fine for
>the 4K Onan, but the 6K Onan would require a 50 amp capacity unit (which
>should actually be two switches in one unit 30 amp switch + 20 amp switch =
>50 amp)
>
>The TC40 I installed in our GMC is merely a "smarter" replacement for the
>original OEM 120 AC -> 12V DC power converter. It would not help your
>problem at all.
>
>Zak
>

>>Has anyone used the Todd TS-30 automatic transfer switch in their coach
>>to solve the breaker/flipper problem which may be unique to Royales. To
>>switch from genset to shore power I have to manually flip a breaker
>>which is inconviently located at the back center of the coach. That is
>>where I stow tools, sleeping bags and luggage. Any information or an
>>alternate product would be greatly appreciated. Would the unit Zak just
>>put in also solve the problem and update my whole system? I got the
>>TS-30 info from the Number 5 issue of GMC Motohome News September
>>1995..TIA
>>
>>Walter 78 Royale
>>plotting my next moves
>>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[zachary zehnacker]

Tom,

I didn't mean to imply that the TC40 wouldn't benefit him as much as I
expect it to benefit us. I just felt that the TC40 is a separate upgrade
which I felt had nothing to do with the problem he asked. He seemed to ask
if the TC40 would act like a transfer switch. It will not. For his
problem (at least the way I understood it anyway), his 120V AC -> 12V DC
device (ie OEM converter or TC40) is irrelevant.

You are correct that he could duplicate our wiring to solve his problem,
but I think an automatic transfer switch would probably be the better way
to go. I don't think it would be any harder to install. It could even be
easier to install depending on where the generator wires are located. With
the transfer switch, he wouldn't have to unplug/plug in the generator every
time he wanted to switch between shore power and generator power like we
do. He would simply plug in the shore power and it would work. When he
started his generator, the transfer switch would wait until the generator
was supplying good voltage (ie after it has started to run a little) before
switching over to the generator power. It would also shut down the power
before the generator voltage dropped too much. This keeps things from
trying to run off the low voltage that the generator provides when it is
starting/stopping. This, IMO, is a better situation than what we have and
is an upgrade in itself.

Just my opinions,
Zak


>Why not Zak? He could duplicate our circuitry and eliminate the transfer
>switch. Replace it with the receptacle and plug like we have.
>than he could install the statpower 40.
>Tom

 

[richard waters]

I hate having to plug and unplug that big power cord to go between shore power
and generator. I've seen automatic transfer switches advertised in the various
catalogs. Does anyone have any ideas of what kind and where I can buy an
automatic transfer switch?

Thanks,

Richard Waters
'76 Palm Beach

> Tom,
>
> I didn't mean to imply that the TC40 wouldn't benefit him as much as I
> expect it to benefit us. I just felt that the TC40 is a separate upgrade
> which I felt had nothing to do with the problem he asked. He seemed to ask
> if the TC40 would act like a transfer switch. It will not. For his
> problem (at least the way I understood it anyway), his 120V AC -> 12V DC
> device (ie OEM converter or TC40) is irrelevant.
>
> You are correct that he could duplicate our wiring to solve his problem,
> but I think an automatic transfer switch would probably be the better way
> to go. I don't think it would be any harder to install. It could even be
> easier to install depending on where the generator wires are located. With
> the transfer switch, he wouldn't have to unplug/plug in the generator every
> time he wanted to switch between shore power and generator power like we
> do. He would simply plug in the shore power and it would work. When he
> started his generator, the transfer switch would wait until the generator
> was supplying good voltage (ie after it has started to run a little) before
> switching over to the generator power. It would also shut down the power
> before the generator voltage dropped too much. This keeps things from
> trying to run off the low voltage that the generator provides when it is
> starting/stopping. This, IMO, is a better situation than what we have and
> is an upgrade in itself.
>
> Just my opinions,
> Zak
>
>

> >Why not Zak? He could duplicate our circuitry and eliminate the transfer
> >switch. Replace it with the receptacle and plug like we have.
> >than he could install the statpower 40.
> >Tom

 

[dave lowry]

Well, I recently installed a Statpower 40 in my '76 Royale and its not
working. Mine is wired so that we need to manually flip a breaker when
changing from the Onan to shore power, and the Statpower was wired in
exactly the way the old "hummer" was. When it was first installed, it's fan
came on and the lights indicated it was charging. But when we checked a
week later, the house batteries were dead and there was no 12V power,
despite being plugged into shore power. (the AC receptacles were hot.)

Were taking the ol' boy up to the bay area this Friday, so I made an
appointment for tomorrow (Tues.) a.m. to have the $65/hr tech look at it.
But first, I thought I'd check here to see if my problem might be something
"simple" (thus saving the bucks for other needed upgrades).

If any of you "experts" have any suggestions, please e-mail me directly so
that I can act on them quickly (I might not get "digest" comments in time).

When we get back, I'll be looking to install a power switch to eliminate
the need to switch between Onan and shore power.

TIA

Dave (& Dege), Santa Barbara, '76 Royale 26'

 

[richard guthart]

Dave:

By any chance is your Statpower's AC cord plugged into the circuit protected by
a GFI circuit breaker?

Mine was, and it would frequently trip the breaker. I wired a duplex receptacle
into one of the other circuits for it, and now it works just fine.

I think I saw something on Statpower's web site about using their smart chargers
on GFI-protected circuits.

Hope this helps.

Richard

- -----Original Message-----
From: D & D Lowry
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Monday, February 15, 1999 12:15 PM
Subject: GMC: Power Switch

>Well, I recently installed a Statpower 40 in my '76 Royale and its not
>working. Mine is wired so that we need to manually flip a breaker when
>changing from the Onan to shore power, and the Statpower was wired in
>exactly the way the old "hummer" was. When it was first installed, it's fan
>came on and the lights indicated it was charging. But when we checked a
>week later, the house batteries were dead and there was no 12V power,
>despite being plugged into shore power. (the AC receptacles were hot.)
>
>Were taking the ol' boy up to the bay area this Friday, so I made an
>appointment for tomorrow (Tues.) a.m. to have the $65/hr tech look at it.
>But first, I thought I'd check here to see if my problem might be something
>"simple" (thus saving the bucks for other needed upgrades).
>
>If any of you "experts" have any suggestions, please e-mail me directly so
>that I can act on them quickly (I might not get "digest" comments in time).
>
>When we get back, I'll be looking to install a power switch to eliminate
>the need to switch between Onan and shore power.
>
>TIA
>
>Dave (& Dege), Santa Barbara, '76 Royale 26'
>
>

 

[john wright]

Why don't you contact the tech people at Statpower. You can call them
on there tech line or @www.statpower.com.

J.R. Wright

>
> Well, I recently installed a Statpower 40 in my '76 Royale and its not
> working. Mine is wired so that we need to manually flip a breaker when
> changing from the Onan to shore power, and the Statpower was wired in
> exactly the way the old "hummer" was. When it was first installed, it's fan
> came on and the lights indicated it was charging. But when we checked a
> week later, the house batteries were dead and there was no 12V power,
> despite being plugged into shore power. (the AC receptacles were hot.)
>
> Were taking the ol' boy up to the bay area this Friday, so I made an
> appointment for tomorrow (Tues.) a.m. to have the $65/hr tech look at it.
> But first, I thought I'd check here to see if my problem might be something
> "simple" (thus saving the bucks for other needed upgrades).
>
> If any of you "experts" have any suggestions, please e-mail me directly so
> that I can act on them quickly (I might not get "digest" comments in time).
>
> When we get back, I'll be looking to install a power switch to eliminate
> the need to switch between Onan and shore power.
>
> TIA
>
> Dave (& Dege), Santa Barbara, '76 Royale 26'

 

[thom hole]

I have a 'Novice' level question. I will be attending the Myrtle Beach
convention and using my 'Transmode to Motorhome' for the first time. I
have engineered my coach to use mostly 12volts with a 55 amp convertor. I
have no A/C or generator at this time. The only 120volt requirement is the
convertor, a small TV and a coffee maker (maybe the fridge too).

I was planning to use a standard 20 amp extension cord ( with a normal plug
on it) to connect the coach to shore power. Do campsites like Lakeland
have the regular plug or is it something special?? Adapter Reqired???

>
>> but the 6K Onan would require a 50 amp capacity unit (which
>> should actually be two switches in one unit 30 amp switch + 20 amp
switch =
>> 50 amp)
>
>Sigh....
> I've flogged this issue to death in , with my
copy
>of the National Electric Code in hand. But let me try once again: There are
>apparentlty some SOBs that were wired for "50 amp" shore power as an
>afterthought. These half-baked, cobbled-up coaches DO put most of the coach
>on one 30-amp/120 volt breaker, and the second AC unit all by itself on a
>separate 20-amp/120V circuit. They can draw a MAXIMUM of approx. 6,000 watts
>total from shore power or generator. (20 X 120 = 2400) + (30 X 120 = 3600) =
>6,000.
>
> OTOH, a proper 50-amp campground hookup (according to code!) can supply 2
>separate 50-amp circuits. These may either be (2) 120V/50A circuits (as our
>GMCs were set up), or (1) 240V/50A 3-wire circuit (4 wires incl. ground). In
>either case, the hookup works out to 12,000 watts. (Doesn't matter whether
>the campground hookup is 2 X 120V or 1 X 240V, we can safely plug into it.)
>But wait, it's even more dramatic than that. According to the NEC, a 30 + 20
>campground hookup is considered to be either 20 OR 30 amps, and so is
>nominally required to supply ~ 3,600 watts total, whereas a 50 amp hookup is
>required to supply a nominal 9,600 watts. All this is further complicated by
>various de-rating calculations, but the bottom line is that a 50-amp hookup
>delivers MORE than twice as much power than a 30 + 20.
>
> Our GMCs are an early offshoot of the 50-amp service, with a pair of
40-amp
>breakers as the main disconnect. They still will draw up to the nominal
9,600
>watts of the hookup on shore power. For lots of gory details, I'm referring
>to Article 551, "Recreational Vehicles, Parks" of the 1993 National
Electrical
>Code.
>
> My main point is to discourage anyone from buying or installing a 30 + 20
>amp entrance or transfer, which would be a real downgrade of our "ahead of
>their time" GMCs. More and more RV parks are providing 50-amp hookups, so
>it's nice to be able to use them.
>
>My .02.
>
>Rick Staples
>'75 Eleganza
>Louisville, CO
>