12-volt power for macerator pump

[hedgehopper]

Our newly purchased macerator pump requires 20-amp, 12-volt power. Have you found a simple way to supply that power to the pump? I'd like something that would plug into our 120-volt house power.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Expensive?

Check out a MEGAWATT power supply. Couple a 10,000 uf cap to it if you're worried about inrush.

[hedgehopper]

23hotrodr wrote:
A 12 volt dc 20 amp power supply that would plug into household 120 volt ac would be a pretty expensive and heavy duty unit. The best way is to run fairly heavy duty wire (about 10 AWG) directly from your batteries to operate the pump.

We added a 20 foot length of red 10-gage wire and a red clip to the pump red wire and fastened to the battery positive terminal. Then we added a black clip to the pump black wire and fastened it to a ground in the compartment housing the 120-volt hookup cable, which is right next to where the pump attaches to the RV drain. Works great.

[powellmj]

I ran with a battery/booster pack for a while from HF and it worked ok. Then I bought a PowerMax PM3_35 Power Supply Converter, 35Amp from amazon for about $85 and was really surprised with how much better it ran the pump. Been using it that way for about a year full-time. Good Luck.

[RobWNY]

hedgehopper wrote:

RobWNY wrote:
I use the booster cable clamps on my portable power pack from Harbor freight to power my macerator. I just clamp on to the Pos/Neg wires. It's the easiest way.

Which Harbor Freight power pack do you have?

I have this one but the 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 would work fine also.

[hedgehopper]

RobWNY wrote:
I use the booster cable clamps on my portable power pack from Harbor freight to power my macerator. I just clamp on to the Pos/Neg wires. It's the easiest way.

Which Harbor Freight power pack do you have?

[RobWNY]

I use the booster cable clamps on my portable power pack from Harbor freight to power my macerator. I just clamp on to the Pos/Neg wires. It's the easiest way.

[wires]

In my opinion using 12V from the trailer batteries is the best option. I ran 10 gauge wire from my batteries to a connector in a nearby compartment as wa8yxm suggested and it was easy to connect/disconnect when using the pump.

If you decide to go the power supply route you'll need more than a 20 Amp supply. When you turn on the motor there is a starting surge that will likely trip out a 20 Amp supply. I suggest at least 30 Amps, something like a Meanwell ERPF-400-12 (around $50) would probably work OK.

[wa8yxm]

A simple way to provide 20 amps at 12 volts.. Easy peasy. Plug into house power (With an RV) also easy

Inline fuse (25 amp) to battery positive. Another to battery negative (RV's battery) 10Ga red/black (red to positive) speaker wire from there to a DRY compartment near the sewer outlet (I added a compatment) anderson power polls on the end (NOTE there is a standard way to arrange them Looking into the poles you want the red one on the right with the tab on top)

Provided wires from there to pump (Fuse is in the handle)

Plug in the RV and let the converter re-charge the batteries or power the unit.


Using it on some other kind of device. More or less the same hookup only a small (IE 35 amp) Converter like a progressive Dynamics 9200 series and a good size rechargable battry

Side effect Use battery with small TRUE SINE WAVE inverter to watch TV or run a fan during power fail.

[Pipeman]

I use the house batteries for power. I extended the cord from the macerator by using an extension that I made up with alligator clips to grab onto the battery posts. Actually it has alligator clips on both ends so I just connect to the alligator clips on the macerator and I used the same coloured wires, number 10, so there isn't a mistake in hooking up.Works for me.

[23hotrodr]

A 12 volt dc 20 amp power supply that would plug into household 120 volt ac would be a pretty expensive and heavy duty unit. The best way is to run fairly heavy duty wire (about 10 AWG) directly from your batteries to operate the pump.