tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post3893982583219495062..comments2024-03-28T08:26:58.108-04:00Comments on Our Odyssey: That pesky air conditioning switchLouisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306854459459257368noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-19281981904132489612007-08-28T00:28:00.000-04:002007-08-28T00:28:00.000-04:00@Tom --One mans complexity is another's simplicity...@Tom --<BR/><BR/>One mans complexity is another's simplicity...<BR/><BR/>Our switch, while it is "complicated" behind the scenes, is user friendly and fail-safe. There is only one switch, and it's impossible for the user to accidentally put too many air conditioners on the inverter, or too many on the "dry" leg of power. With individual switches, there would first of all be three switches that the user would need to change individually each time to set the AC's up as desired, and forgetting to change a switch could leave two or maybe even all three units running on batteries alone!<BR/><BR/>Our system automatically disconnects all but one AC when the shore power is removed. It also automatically adjusts for different levels of shore power, allowing two units on 30 amps or less, and all three on 50 amps.<BR/><BR/>Also, we have only three circuit breakers involved -- one for each air conditioner. The switch goes between the breakers and the units. In your scheme, with three double-throw switches, you would need six circuit breakers, two for each air conditioner (one on the inverter side, and one on the "dry" side), remembering, of course, that code requires the overcurrent protection to be ahead of any switches.<BR/><BR/>Three double-throw switches and three extra circuit breakers are probably cheaper than the selector switch we used (but only by a little bit -- our circuit breakers run about $15 each), but I would not say the scheme is less "complicated" -- only different. And I would figure the three switches and three breakers to consume about the same amount of real estate on the panel, as well.<BR/><BR/>It was worth the few extra dollars and a little extra wiring time to us to have a solution that was less prone to operator error.<BR/><BR/>-SeanSeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17930398671280529448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-74709012893495431812007-08-28T00:09:00.000-04:002007-08-28T00:09:00.000-04:00Sean- I know the A/C switch now works, but it seem...Sean- I know the A/C switch now works, but it seems to me to be unnecessarily complicated to me. Why not just use three (one for each A/C) 20 amp switch-I have one for my radiator blower motor. Then you could just have 3 switches, with each switch having the selection for either: line-off-inverter. You could eliminate all other switches off that board. <BR/>Hope everything is going well-enjoy seeing where you are in the blog. Good Luck, Tom Christmandonna's copywritinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10689170136853094902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6208406.post-87537223586871409902007-08-26T19:32:00.000-04:002007-08-26T19:32:00.000-04:00Ah, "dead-front" and not "dead-font". And your exp...Ah, "dead-front" and not "dead-font". And your explanation made it very clear what was involved. Thank you.Robert and Susan (deceased)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07419796969011593565noreply@blogger.com