[VAC] Re: transformer/converter question

["Mr. Joy H. Hansen" <joytbrew@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

You can find out much of the wiring for A/S vintage by ordering the service
manual from Secretarial Services.  My manual describes all lengths and both
Canadian and U.S. schematics.  As  you'd expect, it's critical that you
don't mix AC and DC.  My '69 Safari wiring is well represented in the '72
Safari service manual (the first year that service manuals were available).

The owner's manual for my '69 Safari also has the AC and DC wiring
schematics for the available A/S manufactured lengths at that time.  I think
the owner's manual was identical for all models?

Livingston's RV repair and maintenance booklet has a great section of
converters as there are two types that need to be considered.  The "dual
output" converter is the least expensive and the most common.  It has two
output circuits - one for battery charging and the other for the appliances.
The output is often dirty and not suitable for delicate electronic
accessories.

Livingston also describes the single output that is called a battery
floater.
This is more expensive as the voltage is filtered and the battery is always
on-line.  Since the voltage is not split - one line to the battery and the
other to the appliances - all the output of the converter is sent to the
battery and allows very high charge/recovery rates.  As appliances are
turned on, the charge rate drops.  The advantage of the higher-line
converters is the provision for temperature monitoring and/or owner setting
of operating conditions.

Guess this is as close as I can plagiarize without writing the complete
text.

I'm pretty sure that the original Univolt was a single output and for
vintage units was a pretty expensive ferromagnetic mechanism.  Contemporary
units are solid state electronic switching for what ever that means.  The
A/S owner's manual claims that the Univolt has regulated output that changes
the charge rate as the battery charges and shuts off when the battery is
fully charged.  My old univolt still works as described in the owner's
manual.  I can hear a loud hum until the battery is fully charged and then I
hardly notice the hum (while bedded down on the gaucho nearly over the
Univolt).  The only time the Univolt refused to operate properly was when I
was off the 110 shore line and removing and attaching the battery cable
while lights were on in the Safari.  The 40 amp fuse opened and it took much
longer to find a 40 amp fuse than most would have to replace the Univolt.

I'm not sure why many A/S restorers claim that the Univolt is crap.
However, Herbach and Rademan (H & R) www.herbach.com sells salvage and
distressed electronics.  The list a 20 amp charger at $99 and a 48 amp
charger at $299 and all claim to be linear and produce 13.8 volts.  They
feature regulated output, current limiting, crowbar, OVP on 32 amps and
larger, fusing, low noise and ripple output, illuminated on/off switch, and
line cord.  Suitable for bench testing of auto transmitters and audio
equipment.  From the descriptions, it might be that H&R has units with 40 or
30 amps output.  $299 seems like a major purchase; however, the 48 amps
output seems entirely satisfactory for a quick recovery charge, though not
as quick as the 120 amp tow alternator.  Dr. G is likely to explain or has
already explained in the archives how these systems function.

I don't know that the Intellipower and the Charge Wizard constitute what
Livingston describes as a dual output system, but it seems likely.  The
Camping World "True Charge 40+ Charger/Converter is pricy at $459, but it
seems to have features that might be useful in an RV application.  I recall
some discussion  about these converters and display panels that I'll have to
search the archives for.  My Univolt might conk out at any time and I'll be
in the dark? :)

I hope this adds some substance to your deliberations; however, knowing my
postings might lead you to take all this with a grain of salt!

                                                     '69 Safari, Joy