Please help.. newby. electrical

ccarriesway · 09-17-2007, 02:57 PM

Ok, I'm not a mh owner, however my mom just purchased a 2000 tropical. i wasn't with her when she bought it. She is 62 and becoming very "forgetful". She can't remember how to hook the mh to house power. she showed me that she unplugged the 50 amp from the genset. added the 30am dogbone, then an adapter that will allow us to plug it into an extension cord. but now power to the mh. help. what am i doing wrong?? she is keeping this at our house, and I would love to be able to use it for guests or when she comes to stay.

Jim · 09-17-2007, 03:12 PM

hi ..i assume you checked the outlet your plugging into ..then check the circuit breaker on the main power panel..if ok plug the cord back in the generator ,start it up ,and see if that works..jim

ccarriesway · 09-17-2007, 03:24 PM

yes, i have power to the extension cord. but when i plug it into the cord that comes from the mh. no power. there is a long cord that comes "out" of the mh the 50 am that plugs into the mh wall where the genset is. i unplug it from the genset plugin, plug in the 30 am dogbone adapter, then the extension cord adapter. the light on my extension cord is lit. so its getting power. i'm obviously doing something wrong. and she is not helping. just scratching her head and saying i know thats what we are supposed to be doing. any suggestions?? I want to learn how to work this thing, somebody has too!!

Jim · 09-17-2007, 03:37 PM

did you plug in back in the generator to see if that works..jim

ccarriesway · 09-17-2007, 03:39 PM

yes. the generator works.

Jim · 09-17-2007, 04:06 PM

your saying you just ran the generator. it produced power , and things in the rv worked?..if so then the problem has to be in the cord from the extension cord to the rv..everything you did to hook up sounded right..jim

ccarriesway · 09-17-2007, 04:12 PM

yes, the generator produces power fine. maybe the extension cord i'm using?? just one i found in the garage, heavy duty orange cord. do i need something special to carry such a load?? or maybe one of her connectors isn't any good??

Jim · 09-17-2007, 04:29 PM

if things work with the generator then something between the house outlet and the rv is bad..for just hooking the rv to 20 amp house power the cord you used should be ok..however you probably can't run a heater,toaster microwave..etc..jim

adj · 09-17-2007, 07:00 PM

Your extension cord may be to small. Try turning off all MH circuit breakers except the main. Then turn one 20 amp C/B and check for voltage at the outlets.

**RV Wizard** · 09-18-2007, 01:07 AM

Check 50 amp side of dog bone adapter to verify power is present. Does the light on the power cord stay on when the motorhome is plugged into the extension cord? If not the cord or connections are breaking down under a load that will not be shown by just a volt meter.

Ray,IN · 09-20-2007, 05:10 PM

The "long" cord coming from the MH is what should be used, then adapter from 50>30A, then adapter from 30>15A if necessary. The genset will not be involved in a shore power connection. BE ADVISED you cannot run the air conditioner from a 15A cord, nor from your 15A house receptacle! A 15A circuit will only operate lights, convertor, tele, etc. To properly size an extension cord use this.