5th wheel generator

[debsay]

Ok, I'm in a pickle....


I need to be able to power my Montana 5th wheel.


Solar - out, tooooo expensive.


Electric -- $3,000 + (transformer, riser, footage to get it near me) -- too expensive.


Generator ? I know nothing about generators. I am looking at an 11,000 watt gas/propane WEN. Can I plug in my camper to this, leave for the day to go to work, and come back and still have a cold refrigerator? In other words, can I just LEAVE my 5th wheel plugged into this thing all the time as long as I have fuel (gas or propane) in it?


350' 50amp power cord to get to the electric?



Please help! I'm running out of time on this one.

[Agesilaus]

You do not need 11KW. Is this a 30 amp or 50 amp system? If 30 amp a 3500/4000W Champion will power it for 12-16 hours on eco mode. You may be able to run the a/c. You will be chained to that gen, it needs to be filled twice a day every day. Cost about $550 and burns 4 to 5 gal of gas a day.

I'm not sure about 50 amp but a 220 plug on a generator is NOT a 50 amp RV source. 220 will destroy any electrical gear in your RV.



You also must have an inverter generator or you take a chance of frying your electronics. That 11KW construction gen is not an inverter type. The bigger the gen the more gas it uses. Maybe you could get a big 250 or 500 gallon propane tank installed and run off that but you still need an inverter type generator. Champion makes a dual fuel but I don't think it is an inverter.


BK

[twinboat]

You don't need an inverter generator, any style generator will do.

The one your looking at will be fine, probable just a bit bigger the you need.

You can probable get away with a 8000 watt, 240 volt generator.

240 volts is 240 volts in houses, generators, and RVs.

As far as powering it, your going to need a big tank of gas or propane to run it all day.

A BBQ tank has a bit more then 4 gallons of propane. The generator will use that just as fast as 3 gallons of gas. Gas has more energy in it.

If your running air conditioners and other things expect to burn about 1 gallon of gas per hour. Just the fridge, 1/4 a gallon per hour.

[debsay]

So, the generator doesn't sound like a very cost-effective option either (?).


My 5th wheel does run on 50 amps.


So, any thoughts on the 350' 50 amp power cord?

[jcussen]

Originally Posted by debsay

So, the generator doesn't sound like a very cost-effective option either (?).


My 5th wheel does run on 50 amps.


So, any thoughts on the 350' 50 amp power cord?

Guessing a couple of thousand or more for that amount of wire. But a one time cost, no gas to buy.
Wire Size Calculator

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by debsay

So, the generator doesn't sound like a very cost-effective option either (?).


My 5th wheel does run on 50 amps.


So, any thoughts on the 350' 50 amp power cord?

Wow, you have a steep learning curve ahead.

I am running my '50 amp' MH on a 20 amp circuit at my son's house. Can only run one A/C.

I got a quote for a 50 amp pedestal, $500.

I did install a 50 amp pedestal for $120 on another property. I did the work myself because if the city ever came on the property they would condemn it for code violations.


Judging from the questions you are asking, you need to pay a qualified person to get you the power you need.

Start you educational process by getting an outlet tester, DVM, test light, and power meter. Essential electrical tools for an RV owner.

Measure how many amps each appliance is using. When I am dry camping with no A/C, I use $2-$3 of fuel a day

Sam's Club has a dual fuel Champion for $350.

It is a matter of how many days running A/C or electric heat a year. I have still another property that I can park an RV 90 days a year. I am luck to spend 30 days a year there. It will cost $$$$ to bring water, sewer, power in but it would increase the value of the property.

It is a case of pay now and later I will be dead.

[CARLnJANIS]

Originally Posted by debsay

So, the generator doesn't sound like a very cost-effective option either (?).


My 5th wheel does run on 50 amps.


So, any thoughts on the 350' 50 amp power cord?

I have a 5500 watt Onan generator built-in. A 1500 watt DC to AC inverter and 4 - 6 volt golf cart batteries. A power converter to charge the batteries when on shore power or generator.

I can run both air conditioners at the same time. The only other AC draw that I cannot easily control is the AC to DC converter. I usually run both air conditioners when I first return to the trailer and then turn the A/C in the bedroom off once the trailer has cooled down or when I need to use something like the microwave. At night, I turn off the living room A/C and turn on the bedroom A/C to conserve propane.

As long as I have propane available, I can run the generator when I am at the trailer to charge the batteries and/or provide 110 VAC power to trailer.

The inverter is in the basement next to the 110 VAC outlet for the refrigerator. When I leave the trailer, I unplug the refrigerator from the 110 VAC plug and plug the refrigerator into the inverter and turn on the inverter. Then I turn off the generator. When I return, I reverse the sequence. The 4 - 6 volt batteries can power the refrigerator for quite a while. Don't know how long because I haven't run the batteries down yet.

You can also leave the refrigerator plugged into the inverter all the time and start and stop the generator at your convenience.

Both options required monitoring of battery voltage to keep the batteries charged.

The other option of a 350' 50 amp power cable is not recommended. If you decide to go that route, have shore power run form a sufficient power source to the trailer and erect a pedestal or equivalent. I don't think they make a 350' 50 amp power cord and connecting 12 30' 50 amp power cords is not wise.

[CARLnJANIS]

Originally Posted by Agesilaus

I'm not sure about 50 amp but a 220 plug on a generator is NOT a 50 amp RV source. 220 will destroy any electrical gear in your RV.

Agesilaus,
A trailer with 50 amp power actually plugs into a 220 VAC 50 amp power source. The 220 VAC has two legs providing 50 amps of 110 VAC to each leg. The legs are "split" at the AC breaker box providing two 50 amp banks of 110 VAC. That provides a total of 100 amps of 110 VAC to the trailer.

A trailer with 30 amp power has one leg of 30 amps of 110 VAC.

For a trailer with 50 amp power connecting to a 30 amp 110 VAC power source, a 30 amp to 50 amp adapter will only provide 30 amps of 110 VAC to the breaker box for a total of 30 amps 110 VAC power to the trailer. Both breaker 110 VAC banks cannot draw, combined, more that 30 amps VAC.

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by debsay

Ok, I'm in a pickle....


I need to be able to power my Montana 5th wheel.


Solar - out, tooooo expensive.


Electric -- $3,000 + (transformer, riser, footage to get it near me) -- too expensive.


Generator ? I know nothing about generators. I am looking at an 11,000 watt gas/propane WEN. Can I plug in my camper to this, leave for the day to go to work, and come back and still have a cold refrigerator? In other words, can I just LEAVE my 5th wheel plugged into this thing all the time as long as I have fuel (gas or propane) in it?


350' 50amp power cord to get to the electric?[emoji144][emoji144][emoji144]



Please help! I'm running out of time on this one.

You're best bet is a large propane tank connected to the dual fuel or propane generator

Propane generators burn clean and last but do use a lot of fuel so the 100 gallon or so tank is a must

If you're talking long term you better hard wire

[bigchick]

is it a residential or rv refrigerator? if rv style tun it on propane and get a small generator that you can run near the trailer to provide 120 volt power when you need it. you would need to run the generator when you are not there. if it is a residential refrigerator the situation gets a bit more complicated. perhaps run the refrigerator using the inverter and have some form automatic generator start to start is periodically as opposed to full time.

[Agesilaus]

Originally Posted by CARLnJANIS

Agesilaus,
A trailer with 50 amp power actually plugs into a 220 VAC 50 amp power source. The 220 VAC has two legs providing 50 amps of 110 VAC to each leg. The legs are "split" at the AC breaker box providing two 50 amp banks of 110 VAC. That provides a total of 100 amps of 110 VAC to the trailer.

A trailer with 30 amp power has one leg of 30 amps of 110 VAC.

For a trailer with 50 amp power connecting to a 30 amp 110 VAC power source, a 30 amp to 50 amp adapter will only provide 30 amps of 110 VAC to the breaker box for a total of 30 amps 110 VAC power to the trailer. Both breaker 110 VAC banks cannot draw, combined, more that 30 amps VAC.

As I understand it there are several types of 50 amp outlets, 3 wire and 4 wire. The three wire one will instantly destroy your RV electrical gear. I am not an electrician so I don't claim to have deep knowledge of this sort of thing. But you'll notice I mainly limited my reply to 30 amp where I have personal experience. And I have found that a non-inverter generator does cause electronic problems. Some equipment will not even run: UPS for one and you will have mysterious failures on others.

[followingsea]

Originally Posted by Agesilaus

...And I have found that a non-inverter generator does cause electronic problems. Some equipment will not even run: UPS for one and you will have mysterious failures on others.

Might cause a problem!

My $88 harbor freight generator does just fine.

That is why you want to plug in a outlet tester before connecting your RV to any unknown power sources.

My power meter will also tell me voltage and frequency which is important with off grid sources.

I am not saying there are never problems. You have to learn the root cause of the problem to fix it. Root blame is what most people do.

[twinboat]

Home backup generators sold by Generac and others are not inverter generators.

Rotating generators are sine wave. Inverter generators are well trimmed, electronicly produced, sine wave.

The issue with regular generators is the regulation of the output. Better regulators mean cleaner power.

The OP stated 50 amp power so that's automaticly 240 volts in RVs.

If the generator has a twist lock plug, a store bought adaptor that has a standard 50 amp 120/240 volt outlet on it is all that's needed.

You don't need to be an electrician to buy the proper adaptors for any generator/RV connection.

Its when folks make there own adaptor or convert a 30 amp outlet to fit a 30 amp cord, that things go bad.

[CARLnJANIS]

Originally Posted by Agesilaus

As I understand it there are several types of 50 amp outlets, 3 wire and 4 wire. The three wire one will instantly destroy your RV electrical gear. I am not an electrician so I don't claim to have deep knowledge of this sort of thing. But you'll notice I mainly limited my reply to 30 amp where I have personal experience. And I have found that a non-inverter generator does cause electronic problems. Some equipment will not even run: UPS for one and you will have mysterious failures on others.

Class is in session. Popcorn's in the kitchen.

Saying an outlet is 50 amp doesn't tell me anything about the voltage. Of course, the common AC voltage in the US is 110 or 220 VAC (or 120/240 VAC to some people).

When talking about 220 VAC, there are 2 legs of 110 VAC creating the 220 VAC. A typical residential clothes dryer uses a 30 amp, 220 VAC three prong plug. Typically, the dryer doesn't have any components that use 220 VAC. Each of the two legs of 30 amp, 110 VAC are used to power different components. An example, one 30 amp, 110 VAC leg will power the tub motor and the other 30 amp, 110 VAC, the heating coil.

You can plug a 50 amp, 220 VAC RV plug into a 30 amp, 220 VAC dryer outlet or a 30 amp, 110 VAC RV outlet with the proper dog-bone adapter. Of course you will only get 30 amps not 50 amps of 220 VAC or 30 amps of 110 VAC, respectively.

You can also plug a 30 amp, 110 VAC RV plug into a 50 amp, 220 VAC RV outlet or even a 30 amp, 220 VAC dryer outlet with the proper dog-bone adapter. I repeat, proper dog-bone adapter.

The dog-bone adapters are wired to properly distribute the power from the source power supply to the proper voltage in the trailer.

And if you try to create your own dog-bone adapter to connect a 30 amp, 110 VAC RV plug to a 30 amp, 220 VAC dryer outlet to save a buck or two, you could be spending a lot more to repair the damage to the electronics as well as possible fire damage if you don't know what you're doing. Buy the correct dog-bone adapter and save the problems, hassles, and embarrassment.

I am an unpaid non-electrician spokesperson. Please contact a licensed electrician or a salesperson at Camping World before attempting to add, change, or alter you trailers electrical system.