30 amp plug for trailer.

[Rusty Kramer]

This one is for my racer buddies or anyone that powers a trailer AC unit from their Coach.

Looking to put a 30 amp receptacle of some type on the back of 2000 Dynasty for power to my new to me trailer. Trailer has AC unit and a 30 amp shore cord and I need to power the 110V to the trailer from the coach Generator while at the track.

One of you guys sent some info to me in a previous thread about this topic a while back but I cant find it.. Towing with a coach is new to me So i am not sure where I need to pick up the power from. any help or photos appreciated before I dive into this project. Just got the Teconsha P3 wired up for the trailer so that one is done!
Thanks for any help.

Rusty

[Dupdyke]

BIG IF "if you are only going to run a 15 amp a/c and not heavy tools" look at the block HEATER switched outlet in the eng bay. You can turn it off on at the seat and use a 15/30 adaptor or just a 20 amp plug. DO NOT overload it or the fire is on you.

[RustyTools]

Ditto what Dupdyke said. The block heater outlet is very convenient for a trailer, and doesn't go thru the inverter. Probably a 20amp breaker, so it should run the AC ok. Main thing to keep in mind is the gen-set - it can only put out so much power, and that has to be split between the coach and the trailer.

Try to keep any extra loads off that line to the trailer while using the AC, if possible. Start current is very high when an AC compressor kicks in, but after that it drops back a lot. And if you have an air-compressor in the trailer, that's another big power-draw when it starts.

I suppose you 'could' swap the 15amp block outlet socket for a regular 30amp receptacle (or change the plug-end to 15-amp) to make it more convenient when you want to connect. Just sayin...

[RobRoy]

Originally Posted by Rusty Kramer

This one is for my racer buddies or anyone that powers a trailer AC unit from their Coach.

Looking to put a 30 amp receptacle of some type on the back of 2000 Dynasty for power to my new to me trailer. Trailer has AC unit and a 30 amp shore cord and I need to power the 110V to the trailer from the coach Generator while at the track.

One of you guys sent some info to me in a previous thread about this topic a while back but I cant find it.. Towing with a coach is new to me So i am not sure where I need to pick up the power from. any help or photos appreciated before I dive into this project. Just got the Teconsha P3 wired up for the trailer so that one is done!
Thanks for any help.

Rusty

You may want to look up Don Higgins owner of Crew Chief Pro Drag Racing Software and Professional Weather Stations – Crew Chief Pro Drag Racing Software, Professional Weather Stations he is a member here at iRV2 and I believe that he may be doing as you describe.

I know that most Conversions have a built in 30 amp receptacle to plug in the trailer ...but as far as a coach goes?..... you better enter that project with caution when doing so to prevent an unprotected electrical excessive load ending and up with the smoke getting out your wiring.

I recently sold a 50ft T&E auto hauler had a 12k or 12.5 k diesel Onan genny mounted in the rear up in the rear of the hauler and it had two big a/c units and truth is that in ten years of owing it and racing most weekends in the summer months I hardly ever used both A/C units and would run most of my stuff on a portable 3k Honda for various reasons one being keeping the hours down on my 12k diesel Onan.

Good luck on getting a safe and correct solution to your issue.

[Rusty Kramer]

Coach is new to me and I have no experience with it yet other than driving it home and parking it in the shop.

Well, we sure are not going to do anything questionable or dangerous. I certainly understand load and over load etc. We will shut the trailer AC down when we run the air compressor because if we are running the trailer AC you know the front coach AC will be on.

Yes A/C and Air-comps are power hogs when they start. I have a 7500 Onan diesel on the coach.

(For those of you with a 7500 Onan Diesel what is the loads you can run? two A/C units at a time OK? ) I am sure Two AC units running with some lights going plus the Aircomp starting would be too much. I can understand that.

I am looking for the best and safest way to hook up the shore power from the trailer to the coach so that is why I am contacting the fine folks on this board.

I want to be sure all the circuits are protected for sure. I would like to have a dedicated weather proof circuit protected plug in a safe location.
thanks for the responses.

Rusty

[RustyTools]

If it helps...

My coach came with 2 13.5k Dometics, and I added another 15k Dometic. I can run all 3 with my 8.5k Onan, but must be watchful of other loads at the same time. I also try to keep at least one AC turned way-cold so its compressor likely won't be trying to cycle at the same time as one of the others.

[avfordguy]

BTDT, direct wire a 30 amp recepical to the generator side of the transfer switch piggy back the wires,if you overload the genset it will just trip the breaker on the onan, i ran #10 so cable to the receptical, mounted I t in the rear compartment that has the trasfer switch

[Rusty Kramer]

OK I will try to locate the switch.
thanks Fordguy!