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Old 09-18-2017, 07:14 AM   #1
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Installing a generator output plug

We survived Irma. I had a small gas generator that kept the fridge going, some lights, coffee pot etc. on the second day, I was able to get the MH out of storage and parked it in front of the house. Ran my trusty Onan QD 8000 and we slept in comfort with AC, hot water etc.

But I'd like to have the option of powering my house with the MH generator. I've seen the previous posts on IRV2 on this subject. I don't want to get into transfer switches, "suicide" connectors and the like. I'm just looking for someone who has tapped off the rv generator and installed a socket so I can run a heavy gauge line to my house. I'm pretty sure my generator is 110 only. I do have a couple of std house outlets I could plug into, but I'd prefer a more secure twist lock type wired directly to the generator. I'll put together some sort of gang box outlet thing for the house side.

Long power outages for us are fairly rare. Irma was 5 days. Charlie 12 years ago was almost 3 weeks. My little 2000 watt enverter generator is fine for most things. Can't run power tools with it though.

Looking to see what others have done

Thanks
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Old 09-18-2017, 07:40 AM   #2
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Relatively easy to do on the coach side, just tap the generator output(s) and route them to a 50 amp receptacle, just like your RV uses. The problem starts on the house side since that would normally use a male receptacle to connect to the female twist lock on a 50 amp extension cord, but that would mean that the male outlet's pins would be hot when your house is powered from the grid. You can make a double male 50 amp cord...but...that is the definition of a suicide cord!

You can remedy this and be OK with code if you install an automatic transfer switch in your house, with the generator side going to the outlet.
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Old 09-18-2017, 08:03 PM   #3
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Be VERY CAREFUL if you are not a QUALIFIED AND LICENSED electrician.
Connecting to your house without proper isolation to the grid can provide DEADLY his voltage feedback to the utility worker trying to restore your power.
Your 120/240 volt genset could become 4,000-16,000 volts to the lineman.
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Old 09-19-2017, 11:09 AM   #4
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Like I said, not asking about how to backfeed into my house. Just looking to see if anyone has installed an outlet on their RV genset.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Hgrace56 View Post
Be VERY CAREFUL if you are not a QUALIFIED AND LICENSED electrician.
Connecting to your house without proper isolation to the grid can provide DEADLY his voltage feedback to the utility worker trying to restore your power.
Your 120/240 volt genset could become 4,000-16,000 volts to the lineman.
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Old 09-19-2017, 11:26 AM   #5
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House aside, install a standard 50 amp RV plug in the basement somewhere and tap off all 4 lines...that's it. Then get a standard RV 50 amp extension cord. Should be no problem.
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Old 09-19-2017, 11:34 AM   #6
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Glad you are ok.
Just run a long extension cord from a 120V outlet on/in your coach to whatever it is that you're trying to power up. You're only going to be able to run a limited amount of items anyway.
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Old 09-19-2017, 11:50 AM   #7
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After installing a 50 amp outlet, just after the generator output, but before the automatic transfer switch, as others suggested, everything you would need is on this site.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000K...ID=71jScte0hfL

The spider box, the cord and the adaptor to plug into your newly installed MH outlet.

Bring the spider box inside and plug in what you want to power.
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Old 09-19-2017, 12:19 PM   #8
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Seems better to go a little further on the house, certainly no suicide cords but it should be pretty easy to get connected to both sides of the breaker panel and feather whatever he doesn't want to power (like all the double breakers!!!!) But that will require some sort of transfer switch.
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Old 09-19-2017, 12:42 PM   #9
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OP--there are [IMHO] some pretty good ideas here concerning safety. Agree, it would be fairly easy to just tap one or both leads/legs from your genset to provide remote power, eg, most rigs have a junction box near the genset. The harder part is safely distributing that power to your home. For example: tapping directly off genset leg gives you two 35 [40amp] legs at 120v[not phased???]--so you need to fuse/breaker these down to 15 or 20 amps circuits. The spider box example above is pricey put a good solution. Depending on amps and distance, you will need a power cable rated for that resistance--like maybe 8 gauge [10g probably too small]. Then use individual extension cords for each appliance. Yup--you could wire the cable directly into your house main breaker box but you would have to shut down most of the unneeded circuits to avoid overload. As mentioned, you would also need to develop a fool-proof protocol to make sure main breakers are off while hooked up to generator....Of course, none of this would be to code!!!!! So if you are seeking "permission" to by-pass code and do this on the cheap--you wont get it here.
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Old 09-19-2017, 01:04 PM   #10
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Safety for those in your house and those working on the utility lines is the most important concern.

That being said, the Onan QD series Diesel generators are set up to produce two 30 amp 125 volt circuits as I understand it. It is a single breaker switch on the genset but it is actually a dual breaker. If you add a properly wired receptical to the the main circuit breaker panel in the motorhome; can you power both legs of the standard 100 or 200 amp household panel in order to run things like 230 volt pumps? Our house has a private well and septic.

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Old 09-19-2017, 02:10 PM   #11
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If it is 120 volts output only, both legs will be in phase and no 240 volt items will work.
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Old 09-19-2017, 03:51 PM   #12
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Yes that is what I have assumed. But I guess I should test it to be sure. Seems like I might have bench tested my last Onan QD when I had it apart but don't remember the outcome.
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Old 09-20-2017, 01:33 AM   #13
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Note: If your new circuit is not inspected by an electrician, and is found to be the cause of a fire, you may be out of luck depending on where you live and what your policy states.

With that said, whatever you choose to do, choose to do it safely. =)
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Old 09-20-2017, 05:08 AM   #14
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Jondrew.....unless is am not following you and what you hope to do, it sounds to me like you are wanting to supply some amount of power to your house from your generator. That should NEVER, EVER be done without the proper equipment in place to isolate that generator power from feeding back into the existing power grid......the power company's lines coming into your house. Any external feed (your generator) that will supply power to you house without the proper isolating equipment installed, runs an extremely high risk of killing a power company lineman. Read that last sentence again.....an extremely high risk of killing a lineman. Not only is it illegal to do without the proper equipment, you will likely loose everything you own during the wrongful death lawsuit and you will have to live with the fact that you killed or seriously injured/burned a lineman....and all because you wanted some electric service and didn't want to spend the money to have it done correctly.

My response is meant to be very harsh and stern. I've been a Journeyman Electrician for 37 years and know first hand the dangers of Electricity when it is not done properly. People die...people are burned beyond recognition and survive, only to be disfigured for the rest of their lives. Your 120 volts, if it makes its way back to the transformer because you didn't install the proper equipment can be stepped up to approx. 7000 volts.........that's SEVEN THOUSAND VOLTS.

As I stated, I've been in this line of work for a long time, and didn't make it this long by being careless or stupid.....and I take stuff like this very seriously.

Hire a qualified Electrician that knows what they are doing and can provide you a way to have standby power if you need it. You obviously don't have the knowledge about residential electrical systems and the hazards that you could potentially to the power company employees.
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