UPS/Backup Battery for the coach when low voltage is frequent

[careh]

I have a UPS (Backup Battery) for my computer - and find it has to boost voltage frequently due to a fluctuating and in summer - very frequent - low voltage issue at the park. By low voltage I mean it is often at 108 volts and sometimes dips to 98 volts (Yes, 98). I do get to occasionally see 120 volts - at 2 AM...

I know some solutions are:
* to move to another park
* to make the park rewire the entire park
* to use a Hughes Autoformer
* but I thought of a fourth option - if it existed.

My portable Progressive EMS will often cut off power to the coach when incoming voltage dips below 103 volts - and so that is providing a level of protection for my coach appliances.

My fridge, coach lights and fans continue to operate from the coach propane/battery when that incoming A/C power interruption happens - but pure A/C powered devices - like the TV - turn off.

That is a bit of a pain - and I wondered if someone makes a much larger 'whole coach' 'UPS/Backup Battery' type of device that could take over supplying power to the coach when voltage drops below a set point.

The ideal would be a 30 amp / 120 volt (3,600 watt) single pole battery backup device that would connect between the incoming park power and my coach. It would recharge itself when incoming A/C power is being supplied - and provide A/C power to the coach when incoming A/C voltage is low or not there.

I can understand the output in watts and in time would be limited - but even something that could supply -say 1,000 watts at 120 volts for 5 minutes- should be sufficient or at least a lot better than what I experience now when the TV turns off right in the middle of a movie.

[inthepines]

I think its called your coach's battery bank.
If power is that bad at the CG, something needs said, your paying for power that clearly isnt up to the task. If nothing else leave a review on the Google maps so others can avoid it.

[NewBlackDak]

It’s called an inverter, and there are tons of options available. A small 1000W inverter wired to specific outlets will probably work with your current battery bank. Any larger, and you’re going to want a larger bank of true deep cycle batteries. Ideally you’ll want a couple hundred watts of solar to keep the batteries topped off while drawing from them.

[Sbrownstein]

Yes, it is called an inverter! When I popped the pedestal breaker (weak 30 amp) the only thing that stopped working in my coach was the A/C, the reefer and everything else is either powered by inverters with auto switchover or DC. In fact, it took a while for me to figure out that it had happenned.

[pasdad1]

Yes, I have that too. Eight batteries which weigh 480 pounds, and a 2800 watt pure sine wave inverter power everything except air conditioning. I sometimes don’t know we lost power until I check the voltage of the batteries and find them not charging.

I have a Hughes Autoformer also, which gets used at the parks which have chronic low voltage issues. This is your best option if your coach didn’t already come with more than 4 batteries and a large inverter.

[arcaguy]

In answer to your original question I'm sure there are huge UPSs out there, computer rooms use them to keep running when the power goes down and the auto start generator hasn't spooled up yet, but I don't think you'll like the price. Does your rig have an generator with auto start? If so, that may be your ticket. Good luck.

[Biljol]

Maybe one of the issues is the older inverters would not transfer power fast enough with there internal transfer switch to compensate for the brown out.

My old trace was that way. When I switched to my new magnum there is a setting for the voltage drop takeover and one option is UPS mode.

[careh]

Hi - Thanks for the replies on my low voltage post. It sounds like the Magnum inverters are meant to tie into the breaker panel and supply A/C to some circuits while avoiding others like the A/C.

I would be a bit afraid of having to add a device that required going into the circuit breaker panel - and am hoping there might be a device that I could plug my trailer 30 amp plug into - and that device would then plug into the park 30 amp pedestal plug.

I did see one that is very close - it appears to be one suited to boondocking with solar panels or other low amperage devices as input to its battery. It has a 30 amp output plug on it to supply power to a RV - but does not have a 30 amp plug on it to accept power from the park pedestal. AC200 MAX with 30 amp output plug

[Sbrownstein]

I really think you are looking at this from the wrong point of view. Most RVs have very significant deep cycle battery capacity, mine has 6 KWh. I have two inverters, one 2,000 and the other 1000 watts. The 1000 watt unit supplies all of my non-GFCI outlets through a transfer switch from the main panel. As I said before, I don't even know when I lose power from the park unless my A/C stops (it is not inverter powered.) This "system" weighs probably 300 pounds and is far superior to any pre-packaged UPS. Sort of like the difference between a large component stereo system...and a boom box.

[pasdad1]

THIS will solve your issue with low voltage! Easy Peasy!

It will boost the 98 volts you sometimes see to a healthy 108 volts automatically.

Don’t worry about the price in the photo….you CAN find it sold
cheaper than that.

[careh]

I was looking for a way to deal with chronic low voltage issues from the park I have a permanent spot at on a 30 amp power pole. My ideal would be an 'all in one' box that I could plug into the park power pole - and then plug the RV into the box. The box would provide 120 volt / 30 amp power for at most 5 minutes. The hope being that the park voltage would 'recover' before the 5 minutes are up. Being a permanent spot means I have no need for portability of the solution.

Having the components in a box or boxes means that I could easily reuse the solution if I got a newer RV.

I came up with one solution thanks to the replies above. I skipped using solar for charging the batteries as the cost of the solar panels was way too much for my budget.

Prices are based on buying the parts in Canada - so if this seems feasible - my next step would be to source the items out of the USA. (we get 'sort of free' healthcare up here - but get gouged on everything else).

It starts at the park power pole - with a Progressive Industries 30 amp EMS - which is a box that cuts power when incoming voltage drops below 104 volts. It resumes power 2 minutes after the voltage goes back above 104 volts. This box is needed so that the transfer switch will work properly - as a transfer switch will not auto switch when incoming voltage is low. $300
Progressive EMS

Next is a transfer switch that takes power in from the EMS (The EMS will only allow power out to the transfer switch when the voltage is above 104 volts). When voltage from the EMS drops... because of low or no voltage from the park... - the transfer switch ...switches input power over to an inverter. $125
GoPower Transfer Switch

The 30 amp inverter takes 12 volt DC power from a battery bank and inverts it to 120 volts AC. $1,425 Did I hear your jaw drop to the floor?
GoPower Inverter

The battery bank is composed of at least 2 100 amp hour Li-ion batteries - I can add more batteries if more reserve power time is needed... The tech said one should get 5 minutes of 3,600 watts (which is 120 volts at 30 amps) from 2 batteries. $868 * 2 = $1,736 for 2 batteries Are you whimpering yet?
Li-Ion Batteries

A battery charger charges the batteries ... when A/C power is coming in from the park pole. $250
Battery Charger

Plus taxes and the cost of appropriate cabling to connect everything together.

My plan would be to have all that equipment in one or more sturdy weatherproof boxes located between the park power pole and the RV. A 30 amp RV plug would be at either end - to allow to connect to the park power pole on one end - and the RV on the other end.

All comments / suggestions appreciated...

[pasdad1]

Just get the Hughes Autoformer. It boosts low voltage automatically. Easy Peasy.



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W55ZKB6...ZS6HE3YMZ6ZAXJ

[twinboat]

You can also get a Hybrid Inverter/charger.

That and some batteries are all you need.

If the shore power can't handle the load, the hybrid inverter supplements it.

[NewBlackDak]

https://battlebornbatteries.com/prod...erter-charger/