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10-21-2008, 08:03 AM
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#1
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 367
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I currently have a rather inexpensive AC line voltage monitor that I keep plugged into an AC oputlet in the motorhome. I think it cost less than $15.00 at Campingworld. I suspect its accuracy.
Is there a like product available but in a digital reading?
__________________
2002 Winnebago Journey DL 34 ' Cat. 330 hp
Great wife and Charlie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel RIP
TTN
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10-21-2008, 08:03 AM
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#2
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 367
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I currently have a rather inexpensive AC line voltage monitor that I keep plugged into an AC oputlet in the motorhome. I think it cost less than $15.00 at Campingworld. I suspect its accuracy.
Is there a like product available but in a digital reading?
__________________
2002 Winnebago Journey DL 34 ' Cat. 330 hp
Great wife and Charlie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel RIP
TTN
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10-21-2008, 08:34 AM
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#3
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I helped | retired moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 285
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__________________
Adios, Dirk - '84 Real Lite Truck Camper, '86 Wilderness Cimarron TT, previously 4 years as a fulltimer in a '07 DSDP
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10-21-2008, 08:40 AM
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#4
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Colorado
Posts: 222
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I have one similar to this AC Monitor.. Works much better than the analog style.
Frank O.
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2006 Itasca Sunrise 35A
Niwot, Colorado
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10-21-2008, 08:45 AM
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#5
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 115
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Why dont you cheek the accuracy with a good vom.Accuracy is often not a factor of analog vs digital but cost.
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2001 Horizon 2004 jeep GC
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10-21-2008, 09:22 AM
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#6
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Buxton, North Dakota
Posts: 1,037
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Onan sells one in their online parts store
Onan Digital Voltmeter It is only $10.00 plus shipping. You will have to put in a Model and Spec to get to the order page. I used BGE and P This link will work directly Digital Voltmeter
__________________
2003 Winnebago Adventurer 38G F53/ V10 605 watts of Solar
1999 Winnebago Brave 35C Handicap Equipped
F53/V10
1999 Jeep Cherokee & 1991 Jeep Wrangler Renegade
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10-21-2008, 10:33 AM
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#7
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 86
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Hi Ron,
If your coach is 50 AMP service, you'll need two devices. One for each side of the incoming power.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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10-21-2008, 01:02 PM
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#8
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 367
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GaryKD:
Hi Ron,
If your coach is 50 AMP service, you'll need two devices. One for each side of the incoming power. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
------------------------------------------------
When I plug a monitor in a 110 outlet inside the coach, how do you tell which side of the incoming line you are on? Put one in the kitchen and then one in the bedroom?
What about when you are attatched to 30 amp. pedistal.
I dont understand. Shouldnt I get the same reading from every outlet inside the coach?
I do have 50 amp.setup.
__________________
2002 Winnebago Journey DL 34 ' Cat. 330 hp
Great wife and Charlie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel RIP
TTN
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10-21-2008, 01:51 PM
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#9
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: ...hopefully on the road!
Posts: 1,653
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I have the digital line monitor that Dirk linked to from Camping World. It works great. I also have a hard-wire surge guard, so the line monitor basically serves as a backup. It has alarmed on a few occasions for ground or polarity faults in addition to voltage.
__________________
Paul (KE5LXU) ...was fulltimin', now parttimin'
'03 Winnebago UA 40e TRADED OFF JUL 2023 / '17 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
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10-21-2008, 02:19 PM
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#10
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Winnebago Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Route 66:
Here ya go.
LINE MONITOR </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Same one I have and it displays accurately, even on the MSW inverter. It also has a audible GFI alarm.
__________________
_______________________________
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
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10-21-2008, 03:05 PM
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#11
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 86
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Ron,
I'll do my best to explain what I said.
"When I plug a monitor in a 110 outlet inside the coach, how do you tell which side of the incoming line you are on?"
You will need to go to your 110V AC breaker panel. Turn off all the breakers. Turn off your inverter. Turn on all the breakers on the right or left column. Find an outlet that has power. For those outlets that have power, choose the best one to plug in the monitor.
Repeat the process for the other side of the breaker panel. Make sure you turn off everything first.
Now you are monitoring each side of your 50 AMP service. A 50 AMP service makes 100 AMPS available to the coach. 50 AMPS on each of the two incoming legs. It is important to monitor each side of the input line. One never knows:
1. if the CG pedistal is/remains balanced on both legs
2. the coach has the electric load drawing equally from both legs
3. based on how you use the coach electricity, it is good to know if your use is balanced on both legs or biased toward one side of the power input.
------------------------------------------------
The second question is "What about when you are attatched to 30 amp. pedistal."
30 AMPS is 30 AMPS and that is it. Both sides of your coach breaker panel must share the entire 30 AMPS. Both of your monitors will read the same. This is why it is important to have the line monitors. A 50 AMP service really provides 100 AMPS. A 30 AMP service provides 30 AMPS. Many do not realize when at a 30 AMP service they have only 30% of the AMPS they have when at a 50 AMP service.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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10-21-2008, 04:05 PM
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#12
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 367
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Gary
thanks so much for your explanation.
I had to read it 5-6 times and it finally sunk in.
Going to CW tomorow and get the monitor that is now on sale.
Thanks all for your input.
__________________
2002 Winnebago Journey DL 34 ' Cat. 330 hp
Great wife and Charlie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel RIP
TTN
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10-22-2008, 02:44 AM
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#13
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Winnebago Camper
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Full-timers - Home is where we park it.
Posts: 37
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Another option, although significantly more expensive, is a surge protector that will not only monitor the voltage, but will automatically shut down if the voltage goes beyond an acceptable level (120V +/- 10%). That way, you don't have to watch the voltage yourself and you are protected even when you're away from the coach.
We have the Progressive Industries 50A hardwired model which has its own monitor that can be mounted remotely inside the coach in case you still want to watch the numbers yourself. The surge protectors are also available in 30A and in portable models.
__________________
2015 DRV Tradition 375KPS
2015 Chevy Duramax 3500HD LTZ Dually
Full-timers...Home is where we park it.
Check out our blog: Living Our Dream
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10-22-2008, 03:03 AM
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#14
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 86
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I have both a Surge Guard protector and line monitors.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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10-22-2008, 03:05 AM
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#15
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I helped | retired moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 285
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Paz makes a good point.
An EMS is always on duty, whereas a meter will only indicate that damage may have already occurred from an electrical problem.
__________________
Adios, Dirk - '84 Real Lite Truck Camper, '86 Wilderness Cimarron TT, previously 4 years as a fulltimer in a '07 DSDP
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10-22-2008, 09:27 AM
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#16
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Mesa, AZ USA
Posts: 263
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Digital meters are not normally inherently better (more acccurate) than analog. I have one analog line meter that I watch and have checked it with 2 different analog and 3 different digitals. It reads within 1 tick (2 Volts extrapolated down to =/- 1Volt) mark of the digital readings. That is more than close enough for me. And, the analog is much cheaper.
__________________
Wretched excess is just barely enough.
2002 Itasca Suncruiser - WH Chassis - 35U - 2006 Jeep Liberty
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10-22-2008, 10:08 AM
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#17
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SE Minnesota
Posts: 228
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RC.... AS others have stated, give some thought to getting a surge protector. You want to be protected at all times. If you should have a problem it can be very expensive replacing electronics in your coach. WE have the Pro Ind's hard wire model with remote monitor. Its cheap insurance.
__________________
06 TS-42-DS04
1040 watts of solar
2014 Jeep Rubicon/2003 Honda CRV
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10-22-2008, 01:08 PM
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#18
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Winnie-Wise
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: So. Calif.
Posts: 367
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by becks:
RC.... AS others have stated, give some thought to getting a surge protector. You want to be protected at all times. If you should have a problem it can be very expensive replacing electronics in your coach. WE have the Pro Ind's hard wire model with remote monitor. Its cheap insurance. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
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-You are so right. I have been looking at them for awhile now.
How much of a job is it to wire one in?
Do you have the same one Paz has?
__________________
2002 Winnebago Journey DL 34 ' Cat. 330 hp
Great wife and Charlie, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel RIP
TTN
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10-22-2008, 02:15 PM
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#19
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Winnebago Owner
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 86
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Ron,
I have the portable Surge Guard, with the locking attachment. After 3 years it has performed as advertised. I would make the same purchase again. The only installation is to plug it in. Go here and read all about it.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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10-23-2008, 06:16 AM
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#20
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Winnebago Watcher
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1
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When I first purchased our MH 5 years ago, I purchased a Good Governer plug in digital voltage tester. I won't plug into a campground pedistal until I have checked the voltage and polarity.
George
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