Caravan & Motorhome Electrics – Full Content Details

by | Aug 1, 2014

Caravan & motorhome electrics - full content details - motorhome electrics, motorhome electrics explained, caravan and motorhome electrics book

Table of Contents

  • Caravan & Motorhome Electrics
    • Chapter List.
    • This book’s intent
    • Acknowledgments
  • CHAPTER 1
    • Terminology
      • Electrical units & terms
  • CHAPTER 2
    • Basic Electrics
      • Electron flow
      • AC/DC explained
      • Voltage, current & resistance
      • Energy & power
      • Power factor
  • CHAPTER 3
    • Overview of an RV’s electrical needs
      • The early days
      • Improved batteries
      • Lighting
      • Appliances
      • CPAP
      • Refrigeration
      • Water pumps
      • Air conditioning
      • Converters
      • Imported RVs
  • CHAPTER 4
    • Providing the power
      • caravan park power
      • Away from mains power
      • Staying longer on-site
      • Recommended approach to battery and solar required
      • Battery capacity
      • Solar capacity
      • Other sources of power
  • CHAPTER 5
    • Scaling the power required
      • Table 1 - typical energy draw
      • Energy draw of proposed lights and appliances
      • Table 2 - proposed energy draw
  • CHAPTER 6
    • Installing safety and legality
      • Australia/NZ regulations
  • CHAPTER 7
    • Installing 12/24 volt wiring
      • Current ratings
      • AWG/B&S
      • Cable size needed
      • Table 3: voltage drop formula
      • Earth return
      • Table 4: Cable sizes compared
      • Tracking voltage drop
      • Cable protection
      • Circuit breakers
      • Fuses
      • Winch solenoids
      • Voltage-sensing relays
      • Variable voltage alternators
      • Plugs & sockets
      • Extra-low voltage switches
      • Switch & meter panels
      • Current shunts
      • Crimp connectors
      • Correct crimping
      • Power posts/connector boxes
      • The wiring layout
  • CHAPTER 8
    • Mains-voltage wiring
      • How electrical earthing works
      • Functional earthing
      • RCD/CB protection
      • Cable Rating
      • Earthing is still essential.
      • Never join supply cables together
      • caravan park supplies
      • Ten to 15 amp cable issues
      • Polarity explained
      • Polarity checking
      • Double-pole switching
      • Cable sizing & installation
      • Inverters
      • Generators
      • Change-over switches
      • Lights & appliances
      • Disclaimer (professional)
  • CHAPTER 9
    • Batteries (general)
      • Construction of a lead-acid battery
      • Starter batteries
      • Cold-cranking amps (CCA)
      • Reserve Capacity
      • Lead/calcium batteries
      • Deep-cycle batteries
      • Marine batteries
      • Sealed batteries
      • Gel cell batteries
      • Absorbed glass mat batteries
      • Lithium batteries
      • Battery charge & life
      • Capacity - how much?
      • Self-discharge
      • What type of battery to choose
  • CHAPTER 10
    • Installing batteries
      • Ventilation is still essential
      • How much ventilation needed
      • Series or parallel?
      • Which is better?
      • 12 volts from 24 volts
      • Voltage equalisers
      • Voltage Converters
  • CHAPTER 11
    • Battery charging (general)
      • Multiple power point tracking (MPPT)
      • Multi-stage charging
      • Overcharging
      • Undercharging/over-discharging
      • Charging efficiency
      • Battery capacity & temperature
      • Self-discharge
      • Pulsing
      • Assessing battery condition
      • Lithium
      • Mains voltage battery chargers
      • RV Electrical Converters
      • Introduced voltage drop
  • CHAPTER 12
    • Battery charging (alternators)
      • Alternator voltage regulator
      • Ability to engine restart
      • Voltage-sensed switching
      • Emergency starting
      • Regenerative braking
      • The need for change
      • The CAN bus
  • CHAPTER 13
    • dc-dc alternator charging
  • CHAPTER 14
    • Installing a dc-dc alternator charger
  • CHAPTER 15
    • Variable voltage alternator charging
      • Identifying alternators
  • CHAPTER 16
    • Inverters
      • Transformer-based
      • Switch-mode
      • Modified square-wave inverters
      • Freestanding inverters
      • Wired in
      • Inverter/chargers
      • Phantom loads
      • Microwave ovens in RVs
      • Assessing inverter size
  • CHAPTER 17
    • Installing an inverter
      • Connecting an inverter
  • CHAPTER 18
    • Generators
      • What appliances draw
      • Sizing the generator
      • Inbuilt motor-generators
      • The ‘12-volt dc output’
      • Twelve/twenty four volt generators
      • Building your own
    • CHAPTER 19
      • Installing a generator
        • Stalling on start-up (issues with)
        • Quietening noisy generators
        • Small generator problems
    • CHAPTER 20
      • Wind power generators
        • Wind run
        • Fishing camps
        • Propellor types
        • Propeller braking
        • Evaluating & buying a wind generator
        • Free power (myth of)
        • Installation - do what the makers say
    • CHAPTER 21
      • Fuel cells
        • Brief fuel cell history
        • How fuel cells work
        • Fuel cell output
        • LP gas fuel cell
        • Fuel cell efficiency
        • Fuel cell future
    • CHAPTER 22
      • Solar energy
        • Assessing solar output
        • Solar up north
        • Solar module types
        • Monocrystalline
        • Polycrystalline
        • Amorphous
        • Solar module reality
        • Energy mismatch
        • Fixed & loose solar modules
        • Dual systems
        • Scaling batteries to charging output
    • CHAPTER 23
      • Installing solar modules
        • Leave an air space
        • Voltage/current
        • Measuring module output
        • Solar measuring via multimeter
        • Solar measuring via clamp amp meter
        • Solar module voltage measurement
        • Solar module care
        • Solar module protection
        • Solar module life
    • CHAPTER 24
      • Solar regulators
        • Buying a regulator
        • Solar regulators for wind power generators
        • Programming a regulator
    • CHAPTER 25
      • Installing solar regulators
        • Monitoring issues
    • CHAPTER 26
      • Energy monitoring
    • CHAPTER 27
      • Installing energy monitors
        • Current shunts
        • Exceptional connection
    • CHAPTER 28
      • Lighting
        • Incandescent lights
        • Halogen
        • Fluorescent lights
        • LEDs
        • LED light output
        • Installation
    • CHAPTER 29
      • Water
        • Controlling the flow
        • Accumulator tanks (pressure vessels)
        • Filters
    • CHAPTER 30
      • Electric toilets
        • Macerator systems
    • CHAPTER 31
      • Refrigerators
        • Absorption (three way)
        • Compression type
        • Assessing energy usage
        • Top versus front opening
        • Freezers
        • Fridge standards
        • The end result
    • CHAPTER 32
      • Installing & optimising fridges
        • Reducing heat loss
        • Domestic fridges in RVs
        • Building your own fridge
    • CHAPTER 33
      • Television
        • VHF/UHF antennas
        • Connecting the antenna
        • Antenna amplifiers
        • Satellite television
        • Television receivers
        • Standby consumption
    • CHAPTER 34
      • Communications
        • Satellite communications
        • Satellite handsets
        • High frequency (HF) radio
        • UHF CB radio
        • Useful links
    • CHAPTER 35
      • Electrical & radio interference
    • CHAPTER 36
      • Lightning protection
    • CHAPTER 37
      • caravan specific issues
        • Delusions of adequacy
        • Trailer connectors - Australia
        • Pin numbering
        • Table 11: 7/12 pin connections
        • Plugs
        • Sockets
        • Trailer connectors (13-pin) - Europe
        • Table 12: 13 pin connections
        • Electric brakes
        • Electric brake connection
        • Braking problems
        • Random brake operation
        • AL-KO ESC
        • Tuson (Dexter) ESC
    • CHAPTER 38
      • Example systems
        • Typical basic usage
        • Fully off-road (OKA)
        • Nissan Patrol/TVan
        • A 24 volt system
        • A quick ‘around-Australia’
        • Seven metre caravan (woes)
        • Fifth wheeler caravans
    • CHAPTER 39
      • Frequently asked questions
    • CHAPTER 40
      • Import electrical issues
        • The main safety issue
    • CHAPTER 41
      • Contacts & references
      • Publishing Details