realbob
Sammamish, Washington
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I read in a forum that some campgrounds along the way may have poor power. This person was quite pleased with the Autoformer as a solution to the problem. At that point I didn't really understand the range of potential problems nor the possible solutions. I started researching and now I think I understand but would like to hear from the field the answer to the following: Are the problems intermittent spikes or is the voltage very low and stays low such that you are having to fire up the generator and constantly check to see if the power has been restored to a consistent and adequate level? Or, does it tend to fluctuate at a slightly lower level such that an aux power device (booster) like the Autoformer that will keep the power up and consistent would be good thing to have
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johnna
Southwest, Utah
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Joined: 07/28/2003
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Don't recall any power problems on our 2005 trip.
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2004 Ford 350 Super Duty 2W Dirve Long Bed PU
2008 327RLT Montana Mountaineer 35 ft. 5th wheel
2005 Alaska and other Trip Logs
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JUrban
Delaware
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I'm not sure about any specific problems, but a lot of the CG's along the highway are very far from commercial power. That being the case, they have their own generators to furnish their own and the CG power. Like all things mechanical, there can be problems, but I've never had a problem. We do have protection from Progressive Industries in the EMS-HW50C. Might be something to consider, but if not I wouldn't let it stop my trip.
John
2008 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40' QSP
2006 Chevrolet Colorado Toad
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luvglass
Milwaukee
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We've just come up and are now in Valdez. Aside from some campgrounds only having 15 amps, (most of them are 30, with a few 50) we didn't experience any problems and we don't have and autoformer or anything for surges either.
Enjoy the trip,
Fred
Fred Wishnie
2006 Carriage Cameo 35KS3, 2006 Ford F350 diesel dually, fulltimer
See our blog at http://www.mytripjournal.com/wanderingwishnies
“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you ever got.”
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joe b.
Florida
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Really depends on what you plan to do with the power. I have been traveling the Alaska Highway for over 40 years and never had a problem at any of the places that generate their own electricity. Other than it might go out in the middle of the night or be turned off at 10 PM or some other time. I only use my 12 V lights, perhaps my furnace, etc. and they all come off my battery. My charger/converter seems to be very tolerant of some variations in power. Many of the years I lived in rural Alaska we ran our own generator systems. Keeping the cycles set on 60 was just about impossible. So running an AC clock was a waste of time if you wanted to keep the correct time. A regulator failure on a generator could lead to high or low voltage but that was very rare. I find that once the AC power is run through a battery, house, laptop, DVD player, etc. it is cleaned up by the battery.
An autoformer or surge protector wouldn't hurt to have but I don't plan to add either just for driving on the Alaska Highway and the few places that generate their own electricity, the towns and cities have just as clean power as anywhere in North America, IMHO.
I have had many more problems in Florida with power fluxations, due to lightening strikes close by, than I have had in the north counrty. In my camper I use very little 120 volt AC current other than to charge my batteries.
As I am camping in Colorado at the present time, looking around inside my camper the only 120V appliances I see are my AC unit and my TV. Don't normally use either on the Alaska Highway, can't receive a TV signal most of the time and it isn't normally hot enough to need the AC. If it is hot or I need to watch TV I will stop in one of the larger towns/cities and plug in to their public systems.
* This post was
edited 07/03/08 04:26pm by joe b. *
joe b.
South Florida, Stuart
Formerly of Colorado and Alaska
Driving a Dodge/Cummins
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joe b.
Florida
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double post - deleted
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427435
Rochester, Mn
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We stayed in a couple of "rural" parks along the highway in Canada that didn't have good power. My autoformer kicked in as soon as I plugged it into the post and before I hooked the MH to the autoformer. 
Voltage got so low a couple of times, that the autoformer (Franks with 2 stages of boost) just shut down and turned the power off.
Mark
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U on a Ford chassis
2003 Ford Explorer toad with US Gear brakes,
ReadyBrute tow bar, and Demco base plate.
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Lincoln4
Buckley, WA
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Just reached Delta Junction this afternoon. We had no problems.
Tom, Janae, & the three kids
2008 Tiffin Allegro 35QBA
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Luke Porter
Not on the road :(
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Joined: 10/03/2000
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427435 wrote:
Voltage got so low a couple of times, that the autoformer (Franks with 2 stages of boost) just shut down and turned the power off.
If you check with Franks, they (Doug) will tell you you need to be on at least a 30 amp service for the Franks Super to operate properly.
As mentioned before, some of the campgrounds have only 15/20 amps per site.
States I have spent the night in my current rig, bought three years ago.
Have RV'ed through 49 states and been in all 50, just short of my half-century.
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dav5942
Stuart, FL
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Joined: 05/24/2004
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Just watch what you use. You will find voltage drops and minimal amperage but nothing will help except paying attention to what you are using and how long.
2007 Newmar 42' Mid Engine w/Fatboy,ATVs-in Garage,lifted Jeep(s) in tow, Hog Valley Florida(a diamond in the rough),'09 Alaska again!
2007 Tour Alaska Fishing '08 Tour Grandchildren Newmar Mid Engine
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