USA 110V to UK USA = 60Hz UK = 50 Hz

jagmanx

jagmanx

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Planning a trip
May be handy to have this simply to keep batteries topped up and maybe use fridge

However and I quote
electrical items which may be frequency dependant please be aware that the UK supply frequency will be 50Hz. And not 60Hz.
In the USA the frequency will be 60Hz. In other words the frequency is not converted by the transformer and remains as per the country that you are using the equipment

Will my Motorhome 220V 240V work OK ..I have a Ctek Battery charger Dometic Fridge

Not vital for our trip but maybe a handy reserve option
I have ruled out a generator and extra battery (no space x2)

Thanks
 
Are you going to a country that has a 120volt supply as standard? Charger etc will work as normal only difference would be , say electric ac fan, which would run faster on 60H/z
 
Yes Canada and USA.
No fan..just worried about the "On board electics" as I plan to use the transformer to power the vehicle.
Eg truma heating which I think runs on 12v but need to keep lb above 12.3 v
 
I would say the first one is a bit too small at 100VA. The second one at 500W would be much handier. frequency doesn't make much difference for most and things like laptop chargers are usually 100-250V 50/60Hz so don't care.
 
The Truma heating runs off your leisure battery so not effected, other than if it has a 220 volt heater element, which is not frequency dependant, but your inverter would have to have sufficient power.
 
Thanks to both.
Yes Truma heating off 12v
No need to put fridge on ehu.
Laptop off 12v as well
Just want to not drain Lb if it is cold and we need truma heating.
Yes the more powerful unit would be my choice.
Will see what happens in uk late sept now Lb only with ehu available if needed.
Most lights on led so maybe more jumpers and a blanket on the duvet
Morning easy as solar will have replenished the lb
Thanks again advice heeded..but maybe not needed.
But £40 or so is cheap "Electrical backup"
 
Not directly relevant, but we spent a couple of years in south America in a USA truck camper which was a 110V 60Hz set up. A lot of South America is 230V 50Hz so we installed a 230 to 110 2kVA transformer and ended up with dual shore power connections that allowed us to run Air-conditioner or microwave as well as charger from 230v or 110v mains.

Did have to be careful because a couple of countries have dual voltage systems and the outlets can be the same (usually US style) with no markings to indicate the voltage.

BTW this isn't to say that 50Hz appliances will be happy running off 60Hz, but we ran the 60hz camper on 50Hz for weeks including the AC, and had no problems.

A better solution is to get a universal charger to charge the batteries, and have large enough batteries and inverter to run your rig. Then you avoid problems with voltage and frequency AND the crappy supplies you can get in some places, especially in Mexico.

Most campgrounds have the usual 30 and 50 amp outlets but they often have a couple of regular 12 AMP outlets as well so you can use a regular travel adaptor to get power to your transformer
 
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Have you figured out your gas supplies as north America has its own strict rules and they have no DIY autogas pumps and won't fill bottles or fixed tanks unless they have an overfill protection device AND a fill level snifter valve

You can buy local bottles eg at walmart and home depot, but you would have to change the tails. Gas provided is (usually) propane
 
If you are a rabid boondocker or Scrooge, there are a few apps and Web sites that might be useful
Ioverlander.com has a free app which now has a huge number of points.
freecampsites.net specialises in boondocking sites but we find we can usually get our bigrig in as well.
allstays covers free and paid sites as well as our favourite transiting campgrounds WALMART and HOME DEPOT
Sanidumps for finding free water and dump sites
 
Tony
Thanks for all that very useful info.
Our gas is a professionally installed gas-it unit.
It has a fixed input connection (albeit in the gas locker) . Thus the 80% max rule is complied with.
I will review the electric options and either do without Ehu or get a decent step up/down transformer.
We pnly have 1 LB.
Electronic items get charged in the day(solar/engine). No TV.
Led lights.
Thus the only concern is the blower for our truma (gas) heating in the evening during April and September.

I have wiki camps (Canada and Usa) and overlander.

Yes significant boondocking is the plan.
I have reviewed routes and distances and have a sensible plan which includes 20% extra miles in addition to "Google distances"
 
When we moved to the US in the 80s, the only thing that showed any sign of objecting to the difference in cycles was our record player. Great fun :ROFLMAO:
 
Yes,
I only have 1 Leisure battery so handy to have a "mains fanheater" in the evening.
So USA style fly/extension lead from a normal USA socket to supply a usa bought fanheater (500 to 1500watt)
Not interfering with van 240/ 12v electrics so not using our uk leads and socket into the vehicle system
just passing the lead through a cab window down about 1/2 inch

If it is fairly sunny not needed as solar keeps battery "full"
 
Yes
Halifax daaylight very similar to UK (maidenhead) now
It just gets a bit dark and cold. from 8pm
Simply looking to take the pressure off my single LB by
Not using our gas and more importantly our singlr LB for the blower
So running a USA extension lead from a standard usa socket with a USA low wattage fanheater
Lead to pass through a slightly open cab window.
This will be separate from our 12V/240V built in electrics
 
jagmanx said:
Yes
Halifax daaylight very similar to UK (maidenhead) now
It just gets a bit dark and cold. from 8pm
Simply looking to take the pressure off my single LB by
Not using our gas and more importantly our singlr LB for the blower
So running a USA extension lead from a standard usa socket with a USA low wattage fanheater
Lead to pass through a slightly open cab window.
This will be separate from our 12V/240V built in electrics
Click to expand...
Forgive if I'm being silly but could you not just connect the US 110v hookup to your hookup point on the van and use a travel adapter in your existing UK three pin sockets to connect the US 110v heater? No need to have a lead through the window.

Regards,
Del
 
Jagmanx, did you ship with full propane tanks, or have you been able to fill them in Canada.
 
Tony Lee said:
Jagmanx, did you ship with full propane tanks, or have you been able to fill them in Canada.
Click to expand...
Not going until next April.
Will not book anything until I am 99% convinced about gas.
Seabridge insist on empty tanks .
They also say they will direct me to an lpg fill up station near Or in Halifax.
I have asked for more details.
No gas means no trip !!!
 
alwaysared said:
Forgive if I'm being silly but could you not just connect the US 110v hookup to your hookup point on the van and use a travel adapter in your existing UK three pin sockets to connect the US 110v heater? No need to have a lead through the window.

Regards,
Del
Click to expand...
Do not want to risk 110 volt input to my onboard ctek power block/charger.
Would only connect using a stepup transformer
 
jagmanx said:
Do not want to risk 110 volt input to my onboard ctek power block/charger.
Would only connect using a stepup transformer
Click to expand...
Fair enough

Regards,
Del
 
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