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stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 03:26 PM

We are casually shopping for a replacement motorhome , while looking online I found a nice looking 03 Fleetwood Bounder. These are 30a service and use Intellitec power mgmt system.
I’d like to hear from someone who has experience with this system, especially full timers . Did it work well when it’s hot out ?

vito.a · 02-20-2019, 03:44 PM

A 30a service is only 30 amps, but a 50A service has two 120v legs with 50 amps each which is a total of 100 amps.
If only running one A/C unit, then 30 is adequate. If you want to run two A/C units or run a washer/dryer, you really need a 50 amp service.

stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vito.a

A 30a service is only 30 amps, but a 50A service has two 120v legs with 50 amps each which is a total of 100 amps.
If only running one A/C unit, then 30 is adequate. If you want to run two A/C units or run a washer/dryer, you really need a 50 amp service.

Are you familiar with the intellitec system ?

geordi · 02-20-2019, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stepside454

Are you familiar with the intellitec system ?

I am, had one in a 2005 Safari Simba. What are your questions? It is a load-shedding system.

stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geordi

I am, had one in a 2005 Safari Simba. What are your questions? It is a load-shedding system.

Right . Did you like it ? Did it work well ?

FC901 · 02-20-2019, 04:15 PM

We had that system in a 2000 model Discovery and it worked fine. Ran two AC's with no problem and any 12v stuff continued to work through the inverter.

I now prefer the 50amp system we have but the 30 amp with Intellitec would not be a deal breaker for me.

Lots of value in a Fleetwood product.

cwit · 02-20-2019, 04:39 PM

I have it no real problems but I went back to my generator and took the 20 amp. Wires out of the junction box and put male and female plugs on them so I could run front air conditioner from a separate lead cord . Now your 30 amp power is running only one air conditioner. Works great.

Waiter21 · 02-20-2019, 04:47 PM

On my Southwind, I have two A/C units. The standard system will usually only allow one A/C compressor to run at a time. it will "SHED" loads to prevent you from going over your 30 amps.

One way around this is to modify the 30 amp system to place one of the A/C units on a separate 20 amp circuit.

stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 04:47 PM

Thanks, that’s sort of what’s been done to my current Bounder . Rear AC unit is on its own 20a breaker , but the intellitec system has been removed . Now just used 2 thermostats .

Limegreencj5 · 02-20-2019, 06:47 PM

The Intellitec manages your amp usage within the 30 amp total. It keeps you from ever blowing a breaker by cycling off the largest amp draw, ie AC, when the load totals more than 30 amps. In our coach, if very few things are powered up, we have no problem running both AC’s. With both AC’s and satellite receivers, TV’s, fridge and numerous lights powered on, the back AC will shed, thus turning off the compressor, and eliminating the power draw. Never had a problem from Arizona in July to Florida in August. I also have learned to swap plugs in the module, on a hot night, which will shed the front AC while sleeping, keeping the bedroom and bunk area an icy 71 degrees.

stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Limegreencj5

The Intellitec manages your amp usage within the 30 amp total. It keeps you from ever blowing a breaker by cycling off the largest amp draw, ie AC, when the load totals more than 30 amps. In our coach, if very few things are powered up, we have no problem running both AC’s. With both AC’s and satellite receivers, TV’s, fridge and numerous lights powered on, the back AC will shed, thus turning off the compressor, and eliminating the power draw. Never had a problem from Arizona in July to Florida in August. I also have learned to swap plugs in the module, on a hot night, which will shed the front AC while sleeping, keeping the bedroom and bunk area an icy 71 degrees.

Thank you

geordi · 02-20-2019, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stepside454

Thanks, that’s sort of what’s been done to my current Bounder . Rear AC unit is on its own 20a breaker , but the intellitec system has been removed . Now just used 2 thermostats .

Intellitec system has nothing to do with the thermostats. It is strictly a power manager. Mine never really had anything to do b/c I was always connected to 50 amp service, but I did use it a couple times on 30 amp. It would auto-shed in sequence of connection (to the unit) to keep the load matched to the incoming power. It couldn't tell when you were using adapters or dogbones to change the 50 amp cord to 30 or 30+20... But you could tell it with buttons what you had available OR manually shed certain things like the water heater or battery chargers if you wanted all the AC running.

stepside454 · 02-20-2019, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geordi

Intellitec system has nothing to do with the thermostats. It is strictly a power manager. Mine never really had anything to do b/c I was always connected to 50 amp service, but I did use it a couple times on 30 amp. It would auto-shed in sequence of connection (to the unit) to keep the load matched to the incoming power. It couldn't tell when you were using adapters or dogbones to change the 50 amp cord to 30 or 30+20... But you could tell it with buttons what you had available OR manually shed certain things like the water heater or battery chargers if you wanted all the AC running.

Except the thermostats are built into the panel

bobk3d · 02-21-2019, 01:15 PM

Well, I have an '03 Bounder and it works as advertised, I can run both AC's. Thirty amps is enough to power two systems once they're running, but the starting current is the limitation. The Intellitec seems to handle that by apportioning the power during startup. Sometimes it takes 1-2 minutes before both compressors are running.