Community Forums

Mr.Mo · 03-27-2023, 12:43 AM

Hello from Germany,
I have a question.
My National Dolphin has a switch that allows me to switch from 30A to 50A shore power.
We don't have this at our campsites in germany, but I would still like to know the function of this switch.
Does it simply switch off a phase on which the second air conditioning system is running, for example?
Maybe someone can explain the function behind this switch to me.
Thank you and greetings from Germany.

Tha_Rooster · 03-27-2023, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Mo

Hello from Germany,

I have a question.

My National Dolphin has a switch that allows me to switch from 30A to 50A shore power.

We don't have this at our campsites in germany, but I would still like to know the function of this switch.

Does it simply switch off a phase on which the second air conditioning system is running, for example?

Maybe someone can explain the function behind this switch to me.

Thank you and greetings from Germany.

I might be the only one but I’ve never heard of such a thing. Could you post picture?

96 Wideglide · 03-27-2023, 09:40 AM

Never heard of one either!

Usually a 30A to 20A switch.

50A is noticed by electronics.

TacomaJoe · 03-27-2023, 09:59 AM

I'm with Tha_Rooster, will follow and hopefully learn something new.

twinboat · 03-27-2023, 10:42 AM

You guys over there use straight 240 volt electric, right ?

With everything 240 volts, don't see a need to switch between 30 and 50 amp, unless it just switchs some stuff off.
Do they make a 30/50 adaptor ?

shootist · 03-27-2023, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

You guys over there use straight 240 volt electric, right ?

With everything 240 volts, don't see a need to switch between 30 and 50 amp, unless it just switchs some stuff off.
Do they make a 30/50 adaptor ?

Europe is 240/ 50hertz. So his rv is wired to use 240 maybe. They have those little adapters for razors and toothbrushes and the like for when we travel.

wolfe10 · 03-27-2023, 11:06 AM

Most using U.S. spec motorhomes in Europe use "European shore power" to power a high output battery charger and then a pure sine wave inverter to power the coach electrical system.

Less $$ than replacing all the 120 VAC/60 HZ appliances.

Mr.Mo · 03-27-2023, 01:34 PM

Funny that I'm asking you about a US RV and no one knows what I mean.
I mean the switch in the photo. It's also just a matter of interest.
I have to swap and convert a lot of the electrics.
(LP too. The tank, the stove and all LP lines have to go. You can't use them here. Stupid Germans:-/)
We have 220V and 50Hz here. But converting is not a problem. The US generator will later supply my RV with 110V and 220V.
If we want, we can even have 400V in every house here :-)
However, we only have a maximum of 16A at 220V on our campsites.
Unfortunately, this is not enough for both compressors in the US air conditioning system.
So this one has to go out and a "German" one has to go in. If you drive to Spain or further south/west you will also have less than 16A here and there.
I don't need to use the US AC there. That blows up the whole campsite :-)
Well, my thought was that this switch would switch off one phase. I'll find out with the gauge and report back.
But it will take a while, I'm currently working abroad for 6 weeks.

Sorry guys...
While writing this I found the solution. It seems to switch off the second compressor when you only have 30A shore power.

So now you know that too :-)

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f105/ope...ce-469014.html

IcePyro · 03-27-2023, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Mo

Funny that I'm asking you about a US RV and no one knows what I mean.
I mean the switch in the photo. It's also just a matter of interest.
I have to swap and convert a lot of the electrics.
(LP too. The tank, the stove and all LP lines have to go. You can't use them here. Stupid Germans:-/)
We have 220V and 50Hz here. But converting is not a problem. The US generator will later supply my RV with 110V and 220V.
If we want, we can even have 400V in every house here :-)
However, we only have a maximum of 16A at 220V on our campsites.
Unfortunately, this is not enough for both compressors in the US air conditioning system.
So this one has to go out and a "German" one has to go in. If you drive to Spain or further south/west you will also have less than 16A here and there.
I don't need to use the US AC there. That blows up the whole campsite :-)
Well, my thought was that this switch would switch off one phase. I'll find out with the gauge and report back.
But it will take a while, I'm currently working abroad for 6 weeks.

Sorry guys...
While writing this I found the solution. It seems to switch off the second compressor when you only have 30A shore power.

So now you know that too :-)

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f105/ope...ce-469014.html

Yeah that seems like it would be something if you were for instance staying in a park with only a 30a service at the pedestal that would keep you from overloading the circuit

**Lt Dan** · 03-27-2023, 02:33 PM

I had a basement air in our '06 Itasca and when on 30 amp service the second compressor was disabled. According to what I read in the page you posted, that switch just disables the second compressor.

Ray Lenning · 03-27-2023, 05:28 PM

I have a 2005 Dolphin . Lt.Dan is correct. The switch disconnects the #2 compressor on the basement heat pump to prevent overloading a 30 amp shore power breaker .

Ray Lenning · 03-27-2023, 11:29 PM

Mr. Mo . You will get better results on this forum if you post on the Chassis and Owner sections . With your current rig Workhorse section for chassis questions and the National owners section for anything to do with the house part .
Hope this helps .

Mr.Mo · 03-28-2023, 03:36 AM

Yes, that's right, but this question was not type-dependent for me.

Gary RVRoamer · 03-28-2023, 03:13 PM

That switch is strictly to control how the basement a/c unit works when only 30A/120v power is available. Basically the 30A position prevents one of the two a/c compressors from coming on, substantially reducing the amp load on the source power connection. You never need to use it if you have more than 30A of external power available.
Your German power system is operating at 220v but not necessarily more than 30A, e.g. your 16A campsites. Use the switch if the available amps is less than about 35-38. If is probably not sufficient if the available amps is only 16; the a/c can run at about 14A but the start-up power surge will exceed 16A every time.