Transfer Switch?

[bobzira]

Hello all. My neutral bus got hot on my Magnetec 6345 power converter. 6300 A series option: QA.

Anyway I replaced the bus, repaired the wires and tightened everything. Unfortunately I still have no 120v on shore power. 12v is fine. I run the generator and everything 120v works and nothing is getting hot so good news. I do not need my generator in the immediate future so i rewire the transfer switch with shore power going to the generator (functioning side of the switch) and just dead end the generator leads. I plug in expecting everything to power up after the delay cycle but nada. I get nothing. I am reasonably sure what ever throws the transfer switch contacts has failed due to the main neutral wire going to it got hot. (no discoloration of the insulation in the box but out at the bus bar it cooked through the wire and insulation. I just cant figure out how the switch would work for the generator but not when I wired up shore power to that side of the switch?
Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Dr4Film]

My only thought and recommendation is to buy a new transfer switch and be done with the problem!

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[bobzira]

I intend to but I am just trying to be sure the switch is in fact the problem.

[bobzira]

Well after careful consideration and troubleshooting I discovered the problem was actually the transfer switch and I decided not to replace it! I have simply built a 30A outlet into the gutted case that was my transfer switch and put its counterpart connectors on my shore power and generator wire ends. Now if I want to switch from shore power to my generator or vise/versa I manually unplug one and plug in the other. Problem Solved PERMANENTLY!!!
I did make one whopping mistake though and I want to confess so nobody else does this as well.
I used a female connector on the converter and two male connectors on the shore power and generator wires.
The problem here is the potential to have live male connectors if the generator is started inadvertently or the shore power is connected while the generator is plugged in.
Since I am the only one who makes these connections it is no big deal to me. I just leave the breakers on the generator off unless it is plugged in so if someone starts it nothing will be live. I will also put a dummy receptacle to park the shore power cord in while running on the generator so that if someone plugs it in it will be insulated.

OOPS!

[TRAILERKING]

Originally Posted by bobzira

I used a female connector on the converter and two male connectors on the shore power and generator wires.
The problem here is the potential to have live male connectors if the generator is started inadvertently or the shore power is connected while the generator is plugged in.
Since I am the only one who makes these connections it is no big deal to me. I just leave the breakers on the generator off unless it is plugged in so if someone starts it nothing will be live. I will also put a dummy receptacle to park the shore power cord in while running on the generator so that if someone plugs it in it will be insulated.

OOPS!

Not good practice.............Just takes one time and someone is electrocuted. Then live with that on your mind.
If you want to operate it that way then get the proper recepticles. You can install a panel mounted male receptacle on the box. Then have the proper female ends on you cords to plug in. Then nobody gets hurt.

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by TRAILERKING

Not good practice.............Just takes one time and someone is electrocuted. Then live with that on your mind.
If you want to operate it that way then get the proper receptacles. You can install a panel mounted male receptacle on the box. Then have the proper female ends on you cords to plug in. Then nobody gets hurt.

I totally agree!

By the time he is done getting it right, he could have purchased the $147 dollar ESCO transfer switch and never have to think about which plug goes where and when and if someone is going to get killed.

What some people will do to save a few pennies really baffles me.

Just my opinion.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[sirpurrcival]

Originally Posted by bobzira

Well after careful consideration and troubleshooting I discovered the problem was actually the transfer switch and I decided not to replace it! I have simply built a 30A outlet into the gutted case that was my transfer switch and put its counterpart connectors on my shore power and generator wire ends. Now if I want to switch from shore power to my generator or vise/versa I manually unplug one and plug in the other. Problem Solved PERMANENTLY!!!
I did make one whopping mistake though and I want to confess so nobody else does this as well.
I used a female connector on the converter and two male connectors on the shore power and generator wires.
The problem here is the potential to have live male connectors if the generator is started inadvertently or the shore power is connected while the generator is plugged in.
Since I am the only one who makes these connections it is no big deal to me. I just leave the breakers on the generator off unless it is plugged in so if someone starts it nothing will be live. I will also put a dummy receptacle to park the shore power cord in while running on the generator so that if someone plugs it in it will be insulated.

OOPS!

It's good that you are up front with the mistake. We all make them but you really should take the time to make the connections safe. Even if you are the only one making the connections, it takes just one moments distraction or fatigue and even you might end up getting hurt. Like it is mentioned above, better to make it safe than to have to live with a nasty accident on your conscience. Not to mention, you may want to sell the vehicle one day.

[bobzira]

I certainly will be correcting my mistake as soon as I am able. Thank you sirpurrcival for recognizing why I posted my mistake. I wanted to keep anyone else from doing this. As for Richard, I am sure you are a descent person. I would like to say though that your smug remark "What some people will do to save a few pennies really baffles me." It is easy for you to say that because you are in a good financial position. I was for a long time making six figures and not worrying about minor expenditures like this. Since 2007 my income has been reduced by half. I am still the sole support of a family of 4 and I am drowning. I was 8 years from paying my house off in 2007. I just sold my 28' cabin cruiser boat. My Harley is up for sale. I have to repair my rig to go live in it out of town for work. Spending $35 to make my rig usable is a have to. I will make it right asap but all your remark did was embarrass me and encourage other people not to show their mistakes for fear of being harshly viewed. It is very rude to assume that $147 means the same to me as it does to you and that somehow I am being cheap instead of acting out of necessity. Six years ago $200 was nothing to me. Now its everything! Keep in mind it can happen to you too. I hope it never does. I also hope you think about it next time you would judge someone you have never met.

[TRAILERKING]

Electrical Inlets - IEC60309, IEC320, NEMA, California Standard
Check this out. It is the safe and proper way to do it if you wish to connect manually. They aren't too expensive either. That is the way to do it safely with no worries. You may even be able to find this stuff as used or surplus.
Sorry to here about your financial situation. I am a business owner and I know what you are talking about. This year I had one of my major customers close down operations here. That put over 100 of their own employees out of work. It put a huge dent into my business as they were about 80% of my revenue. It's pretty scary I tell you. Over 20 years working with them and then all of a sudden it's all done........Like hitting a light switch.
I sure would of liked a nicer and newer coach but got to take what can afford. Sure do a lot of dreaming and drooling over what some people have. I usually drive through our local Walmart lot and a local campground in town weekly with my car just to see what kind of fancy rigs there are out there. One day might win a lottery and trade-up my '99 American Dream.
Good luck on you. Didn't mean to knock you at all just advise you on a safer correct approach.

[bobzira]

Thanks Trailerking. Yeah it was one of those simple things to do and I didn't even think about it till I was done. I will have to live with it for now but will certainly fix it when I can. In the meantime I will just park the unused connector in an insulated dummy receptacle. I am just glad everything works cause I need my coach right now and if the problem had been more extensive I would really be in a bind. It does suck pretty bad to go from living well planning an early retirement to basically starting over. I just feel lucky I didn't lose my house or wife and family like so many in my industry have. It is slowly getting better out there so keep your chin up.

[texkayaker]

I am a little confused by what you said with the way you did your wiring. A very simply way to accomplish what you want would be to remove the transfer switch, wire your shore power direct to the RV. Then install a female 30 amp receptacle on the end of tour generator power cord. The receptacle can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes. Then when you want to run on generator power just plug the shore line into the generator line and you are good to go. All RVs before transfer switches were wired like this. Hope this helps.

[TRAILERKING]

I had a Jayco travel trailer before that had an Onan gas genny on it. It was wired with a recepticle on the outside wall. If wanted to use the genny you would just take the shore power cord and plug it into the outside wall plug....Then you were running off the generator. Worked good.

[bobzira]

Hind sight. Dang it. I was all proud I made a beautiful female receptacle where the switch was then I put on these high end 30-50 amp males on the cord ends. I put it all together and fit tested them and admired the quality of my work, and then... Doh!!! It dawned on me I had the potential for live male ends. GRRR! Oh well it is dummied off in a locked cabinet so it will be fine until I am able to re work it. This is how we learn.

[TRAILERKING]

I wish you were closer.........I'd fix it up for you for nothing.