ELX-30 How to connect the AC side

[papacwb]

I have an old but unused ELIXIR Industries ELX-30 CONVERTER/CHARGER. I understand the DC side hook up and all, but the AC side has me perplexed. I have a copy of the user manual, but it does not show me how to connect it to and outside plug. Also, the location marked 'Main breaker' in the manual does not seem to isolate the other breaker slots? Can anyone tell me how to wire the AC side of this box to an outside plug? Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[TPMcGinty]

Wow! The ELX-30 manual sure doesn't have much on hooking up the AC side of things. Maybe snapping a photo and posting it here might allow us to see what is going on.

[Dale M.]

Here is pIc of how I interpret the AC hookup.... NOT SURE IF THIS IS CORRECT.....

Elixir30.jpg (41.19 KiB) Viewed 3063 times

From the really vague pictures and text in instructions its not really clear how the input side wiring is done...Uses EXTREME CAUTION...

Pics (as mentioned above) of connection points would surely help....

Dale

[TPMcGinty]

What ever you do, don't connect the white (neutral) wire to the trailer frame. The green (ground) wire is the only thing you should attach to the frame of the trailer.

[papacwb]

Thank you all for your input. I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them. Maybe then we can get somewhere. Thanks again

[papacwb]

Here are some pics of the ELX-30.


It really is not clear in this picture, but the smaller black wire going into the electronics area is pig tailed for some reason.



So here is what I am thinking: from the incoming shore line, attache the black wire to the breaker bus bar, attach the white wire to the white wire lug bar, and attach the green wire to the green (ground) lug bar.
Put my first breaker (15 amp) in the first slot on the left. Out of it, I will attach the small black wire feeding into the electronics area (with the pig tail removed). This will allow me to isolate the converter/charger feed. Place other 15 amp breakers in the other 2 slots to feed my 110v receptacles I will have in the camper. Make sense?

[Dale M.]

I think you have a handle on it... Pictures seem to validate the sketch in instructions and your deductions.... Connect it up, power it up and verify everything with meter to be sure you have no stray voltages and you should be good...

I think what is a little deceiving is the label of "MAIN" I wanted to believe on first look they were referring to a main breaker at first look at instruction sheet ... Upon seeing your pics and reflecting on instructions, "MAIN" refers to "power in main" (hot lead) for 120C supply to breakers, and converter power...

Dale

[tonyj]

I am NOT an electrician.
I know nothing about this box other than what you have posted.
That being said . . .

I don't think you have a "main" breaker here. Looks to me it is set up for the shore power feed (the plug you plug into at the camping spot) which usually has a 15 or 30 amp breaker, to act as the main breaker. The shore power feed connects to the input feed plug you you install on the side of your trailer. The black power feed from that plug connects to the black input feed on your box, and it feeds the bar that the 3 breakers connect to. That bus bar with the black wire will NOT be de-energized just because the first breaker on the left is swiched off. There is no circuit isolation that on that "main" breaker that i can see. I really think this box should be looked at as a sub-panel that does not have an isolation main breaker.

If a more knowlegable person responds and finds that i am incorrect, i will quickly and gladly remove this post. The electrical side of our trailers requires specific knowledge and installation for safety. If you or the person helping is not 100% sure how to hook this up, hire (gasp!) a qualified election to make the connections to hook this up. That cost will pale in comparison to fire or electrocution.

Again, I will be removing this post if someone more expert spots wrong info.

[papacwb]

Dale and Tony, thanks for your speedy reply. You both validate what I think about this box. I wish the manufacture had NOT put that word 'MAIN' on the label. That being said, I am thinking of this as a 'sub-panel' and wiring accordingly. The main reason I want to use this box is for the converter/charger portion. That is my concentration now.

Thanks again,

Wayne
tincanalley.us

[Shadow Catcher]

Be certain to check voltages, the Elixier is a single stage and may not fully charge your battery. It is old technology.

[papacwb]

Thanks Shadow Catcher, will do.

[Bogo]

Be certain to check voltages, the Elixier is a single stage and may not fully charge your battery. It is old technology.

It also could be set with to high of voltage and over charge the battery.

[TPMcGinty]

Be certain to check voltages, the Elixier is a single stage and may not fully charge your battery. It is old technology.

It also could be set with to high of voltage and over charge the battery.

Yea and it could be set to charge the battery at just the right voltage too.