First Trip in Camplite 21RBS |
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Topic: First Trip in Camplite 21RBS Posted: 07 Feb 2014 at 9:38pm |
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. Charlie |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Location: Mayville, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
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?
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
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 |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Location: Mayville, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Posted: 08 Feb 2014 at 10:14am |
Thanks!
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
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.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
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 toy. And I needed a digital VM to keep in the camper. The price was reasonable.
Charlie |
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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bhamster
Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2011 Location: Washington Online Status: Offline Posts: 165 |
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?
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
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 .
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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bhamster
Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2011 Location: Washington Online Status: Offline Posts: 165 |
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?
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
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.
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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