R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Reviews and General Information
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: First Trip in Camplite 21RBS
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedFirst Trip in Camplite 21RBS

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 234
Author
Message
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797
Direct Link To This Post Topic: First Trip in Camplite 21RBS
    Posted: 07 Feb 2014 at 9:38pm
Originally posted by bhamster

If you already have a digital multimeter you can purchase a split core current tranformer for about $10 and take the same kind of readings with the help of a calculator. I've used a couple for various projects and they're pretty awesome (especially the non-invasiveness). My house actually has two  clamped on all the time connected to a TED5000.


True, but only for AC. I needed DC capability for the 12V stuff. I've been using AC current transformers for years and Hewlett Packard even made a DC clamp on back in the 60s, but it was an expensive lab instrument. AC clamp on meters have been cheaply available for years because they're easier to make, but now DC clamp on meters are becoming affordable. Beats the hell out of cutting the wire and inserting a shunt. Smile 

Charlie
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Location: Mayville, WI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1447
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 3:37am
I am going to have to investigate the physics of this.  An AC clamp on acts like  transformer coil and has current induced by the build up and break down of the current going through the sine wave.  DC can't induce current because it only has the transition turning on then off.  I wonder how the sensing works.  Doug, do you get this?
Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 8:57am
The DC instruments use Hall effect sensors. They can measure both AC and DC and are getting cheaper along with all other semiconductor devices. See these articles for starters:

http://www.powerstream.com/DC-clamp.htm

http://www.electrotechnik.net/2009/09/how-does-dc-clampmeter-work.html

Charlie
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down
podders Helping podders - pHp
podders Helping podders - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 03 Apr 2011
Location: Mayville, WI
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1447
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 10:14am
Thanks!

Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers)
2011 R-Pod 177
2010 Ford F-150
Back to Top
techntrek View Drop Down
Admin Group - pHp
Admin Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 3:04pm
You can make a cheap DC amp meter using a resistive shunt (a known accurate resistor or length of wire) and a voltmeter.  But you can't beat that Sears clamp-on for price and ease of use.  
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 8:22pm
Yep. I thought about using the "calibrated" piece of wire, but with all the Chinese stuff floating around I'm not sure I could count on wire marked 10AWG really being 10AWG. Besides, I needed a new toyLOL. And I needed a digital VM to keep in the camper. The price was reasonable.

Charlie
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
bhamster View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 19 May 2011
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 165
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2014 at 5:54pm
Charlie- I've got another random question for you about the camplite. What's behind the hatch on the slide out? It seems like some have it and others don't. Is it storage, or some kind of service access panel?
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2014 at 8:41pm
It is a storage compartment. About 8 inched deep and as wide as the slide. Height is a bit more than the door height. Sorry I can't be more specific, but I'm camped at Fort Pickens National Seashore, FL and it's dark and raining outside. The compartment appears to only be available with the dinette option, not the couch. Good added storage. BTW, I'm detecting a growing case of  Camplite fever there Wink.
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
bhamster View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 19 May 2011
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 165
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2014 at 10:51am
Awesome, that's what I was hoping. The more storage the better. I'm assuming you got the dinette then (I thought all RBS models had the couch). Do the dinette side benches lift up for storage on the inside also?
Back to Top
CharlieM View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797
Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2014 at 11:26am
Both 21s can be ordered with either couch or dinette. The dinette seats do not lift for storage. That space is partially consumed by the wheel covers. There is a small bit of unused and inaccessible space, but it's minimal. It could be accessed, but you would have to cut access holes and add bottom shelving. I  really don't think it's worth the effort; there's lots of storage space already. Also note, there are no drawers in the camper, just lots of shelves. Drawer space, if desired, requires a trip to the store for plastic containers.
Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 234

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz