Hughes Autoformer

[Land Lubber]

I have used my Hughes Autoformer for years & found it to be of great help in parks where the voltage drops below a minimum for my Progressive EMS. Years ago while parked next to friends in Portland, Maine who had one...their AC's were running normally while my EMS had shut off the power to our coach. In places with high temp's & high humidity I found the autoformer to be a necessity. I would like to have it installed in the coach but I have yet to do this. I would like to have it set up so that I could bypass it if it should take a power hit knocking it out of commission. This is on my list of things to do in the near future.

[Dr4Film]

42 minutes ago, Land Lubber said:

I would like to have it installed in the coach, but I have yet to do this. I would like to have it set up so that I could bypass it if it should take a power hit knocking it out of commission. This is on my list of things to do in the near future.

I did that with my Windsor back in 2010. It was an easy task as the shore power cord came into the coach at the drivers rear corner. There was a junction box located back there where I separated the shore power to install a receptacle on the incoming side and a plug on the outgoing side. Also, there was space on a frame member where I installed a SS plate for the large plastic battery box which my Voltage Booster sat in. I made up a marine vinyl cover to keep it somewhat clean. I also installed the EMS-HW-50C in a hidden compartment under the shoe storage bin in the rear closet routing the cables out the rear where everything else was located. I installed 50 amp ends to the cables. I was now ready to plug everything together in proper order. Shore power going first to my VC-50 Voltage Booster, then to the EMS-HW-50C and finally to the junction box connection.

[Land Lubber]

Were you able to access that space through the closet wall somehow? I haven't looked closely in my closet to see if there is an access door but the power line reel must somehow be accessible there.

[Tom Cherry]

13 minutes ago, Land Lubber said:

Were you able to access that space through the closet wall somehow? I haven't looked closely in my closet to see if there is an access door but the power line reel must somehow be accessible there.

Assuming that we have the rear bedroom layout as mine, I recently discovered how the reel is mounted.  I knew, from a past PM of the terminals that there is a J-Box hidden behind the air intake hose that comes from the top down to where the hose goes into the intake.  You have to pull the air hose to the side to get into that box. If you have the same layout, I have two dining chairs on top of a box on the road side of the rear closet,  I tugged on it last week,  it is not screwed, or at least mine is not, down.  That is where the cord reel is located or accessible.  The line out from the reel goes into the Junction box.  There is a terminal strip inside the J-box.

The. Shire line then goes directly to the ATS.  In order to try to duplicate Richard’s install, it could be necessary, I think, to extend the box up….carpet the sides and reuse the top.  I don’t know if there would be enough room under the reel shelf for an additional component,  The other question would be if there is sufficient slack from the cord reel to go down or through the reel shelf….assuming that you could add a second shelf or plate for the Autoformer.  

It may be more feasible to put the Autoformer in the inverter bay.  I originally pulled the Shore IN line from the ATS and had a plug in TRC SurgeGuard mounted in the wall between the bays.  I abandoned that and installed the HW50C when I upgraded….and then it worked fine when I replaced the IOTA with the LPT50BRD.

If you put the Autoformer there, make sure you find a metal brace in the ceiling as the cardboard will not support the weight.  Maybe more ways,,but this seems like a good approach.  

[Dr4Film]

37 minutes ago, Land Lubber said:

Were you able to access that space through the closet wall somehow? I haven't looked closely in my closet to see if there is an access door but the power line reel must somehow be accessible there.

That space in the 02 Windsor is in the driver's side engine compartment where the Glendinning Cablemaster is located.

[Land Lubber]

On my Camelot the ATS, inverter & the EMS-HW-50C are mounted on the ceiling in the passenger side 2nd storage bay. I would have to relocate my wine storage box if I were to modify the closet box....LOL! I think I will take a look at this next month when we are on the central CA coast in Pismo Beach. The weather is more favorable to be working outside there than it is here in the central valley.

[96 EVO]

2 hours ago, Tom Cherry said:

 

If you put the Autoformer there, make sure you find a metal brace in the ceiling as the cardboard will not support the weight.  Maybe more ways,,but this seems like a good approach.  

Ahh yeah! 

You don't want to hang a Hughes Autoformer from the ceiling!

They are HEAVY!! It would be similar to hanging one of your lead acid starting batteries for weight!

Edited September 24, 2022 by 96 EVO

[Georgia Mike]

I managed to install my Autoformer in the bay right in front of the power reel. I followed the 50 amp cable coming from the power reel heading to the transfer switch and found a large tie wrap up in the bay ceiling so I cut it and had enough slack without having  to run a new cable I didn’t want any additional splice’s. I just went on a two week trip part of it in Florida and had the AC’s running all the time and everything worked great. 

[bmulvenna@hotmail.com]

On 5/27/2021 at 7:23 PM, Chuck B 2004 Windsor said:

Never heard of a Hughes Autoformer protecting a coach from a open neutral.  Chuck B 2004 Windsor

Ours just did it 2 weeks ago.

[Dr4Film]

7 minutes ago, bmulvenna@hotmail.com said:

Ours just did it 2 weeks ago.

Possibly you are confusing their Power Watchdog with their Voltage Boosters.

The Hughes Voltage Booster which this thread is discussing has no ability to shut down power to the coach when the neutral is missing.

Here is the link to their voltage booster. 50 Amp Voltage Booster with Surge Protection - Hughes Autoformers

They sell other devices called Power Watchdogs which will monitor the quality of the shore power. Power Watchdog - The World's First Smart RV Surge Protector - Hughes Autoformers

[bmulvenna@hotmail.com]

1 hour ago, Dr4Film said:

Possibly you are confusing their Power Watchdog with their Voltage Boosters.

The Hughes Voltage Booster which this thread is discussing has no ability to shut down power to the coach when the neutral is missing.

Here is the link to their voltage booster. 50 Amp Voltage Booster with Surge Protection - Hughes Autoformers

They sell other devices called Power Watchdogs which will monitor the quality of the shore power. Power Watchdog - The World's First Smart RV Surge Protector - Hughes Autoformers

My bad, yes we have a power watchdog