can anyone please give me a clue as to what it would take to connect a honda eg5000cl generator properly to my 50 amp coach. the generator has a 3 prong 30 amp locking recepticle and it has a 4 prong 120/240 volt recepticle. if i had to guess....i would say to get a 3 prong 30 amp male locking recepticle to 50 amp coach female recepticle but i cant seem to find one. my onboard onan is down for what i would expect to be a clogged fuel filter so i'm just try ing to find a good safe work around. i have a 30 amp/50 amp dogbone.
honda eg5000cl generator to supply ac power to cyclone 4100.
- Thread starter chief916
- Start date
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Looking at the generator you only use the 4 prong outlet after selecting the 240 volt mode. Here is a link to a PDF file showing the layout and configuration.
cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/pe/pdf/misc/receptacle/EG5000Xnew.pdf
You need to know on this outlet there are two 120 volt circuits and not just one 240 volt. Also none of your dogbones are going to work. This generator was not designed to work with an RV and the 240 volt outlet is a non RV one. You would need to find a cable that would adapt the generator to a 50 amp RV connector and I assume your are trying to find one. A good electrician should be able to make you one if you give them a copy of the PDF file that is linked above. Also at 73 decibels it is going to be about ten times louder than an RV generator.
Good Luck.
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Sorry, one more thing when looking at the specs. Do NOT exceed 37.5 amps on this generator. It is not a 50 amp generator and I would be carefull of starting ACs, using electric heaters or using microwaves all at the same time.
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Back for the last time. A real 50 amp RV connector at a RV park is actually two 50 amp circuits. Because each circuit can handle 50 amps there is no need to balance the load. Your generator is only two 18.8 amp circuits and they are required to be balanced. This is right off the Honda PDF and is very important. "Balancing is necessary because each set of receptacles is powered by only one power circuit that can produce a maximum of 18.8 amps." You would be better off running the RV in 30 amp mode and run the generator in 120 volt mode. There is no benefit to using 240 volts for both 120 and 240 (120 by 2) will only give you 37.5 amps total and at 120 volts you do not need to worry about the circuits being out of balance.
Please be careful and I would still use an electrician to check everything.
Thank you Fred for the quick come back on this. So from what I can see here. I would use the 125/240 volt four prong locking recepticle on the generator. the 30amp locking recepticle would not be used. I was just afraid of burning something up on my coach.
thank sir for your assistance.
v/r
Ben
thank sir for your assistance.
v/r
Ben
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Yes three prong and generator setup up for 120 volts ONLY. This is the safest way to run the generator and with a limit of 37.5 amps you will not fry anything or screw up the generator. running under voltage can be just as bad as over voltage when it come to most of your electronics. If you pull more wattage than the generator can produce it should just shutdown but better safe than sorry. Are you using a EMS (Electrical Management System)? That is another way to make sure you don't pull to much power. Some of the newer units (like ours) have them built in.
I'm not sure bout an ems. just got the coach lask week and trying to figure every thing out. I plan on purchasing and installing a ems-hw50c next week from progressive. is this what you' re referring to. if so should I wait and get this installed before I try messing around with an external genny????
danemayer
Well-known member
porthole
Retired
HornedToad
Well-known member
You should read this thread... //heartlandowners.org/showthread.ph...Silverado-37QB?p=378655&highlight=#post378655
My camping buddy has a Honda EU7000is generator with a control panel similar to the one in question.
He has field tested it with both a Y adapter with 2 three prong 30A plugs into a 50A and a four prong 30A to 50A adapter. We never tried the three prong 30A to 50A adapter you ordered but I'm sure it will work just fine.
The Y adapter would blow the fuse on the generator. The four prong 30A to 50A adapter with the generator switch set to 120/240 worked flawlessly and ran 2 ACs in 100 degree temps on several occasions without fail.
With a 5000 watt generator as opposed to 7000 watts you probably need to follow Fred's advice and manage the load. One AC, converter and fridge pulled 2700 watts. When we turned on the 2nd AC it spiked to 5700 watts and settled at 4300 watts.
You outta give the adapter posted by branson4020 in the above thread a try... http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rodale-1...ale-Adapter-G30AM450AF/202669079?N=5yc1vZc4mv
My camping buddy has a Honda EU7000is generator with a control panel similar to the one in question.
He has field tested it with both a Y adapter with 2 three prong 30A plugs into a 50A and a four prong 30A to 50A adapter. We never tried the three prong 30A to 50A adapter you ordered but I'm sure it will work just fine.
The Y adapter would blow the fuse on the generator. The four prong 30A to 50A adapter with the generator switch set to 120/240 worked flawlessly and ran 2 ACs in 100 degree temps on several occasions without fail.
With a 5000 watt generator as opposed to 7000 watts you probably need to follow Fred's advice and manage the load. One AC, converter and fridge pulled 2700 watts. When we turned on the 2nd AC it spiked to 5700 watts and settled at 4300 watts.
You outta give the adapter posted by branson4020 in the above thread a try... http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rodale-1...ale-Adapter-G30AM450AF/202669079?N=5yc1vZc4mv
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
I read the article and do not understand what this has to do with EMS? The G-N bonding point is an issue with or without EMS. The EMS system I have actually will show the problem so give you a heads up to correct if necessary.
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
The 50 mp progressive system is now standard equipment in the new Landmark 365s. It is also similar to the system that is in the Tippin Motor homes. I have been running the system on our Ashland going through all hookups (50 amp, 30 amp, 20 amp and 15 amp) including using external RV generators. The ability of shedding devices and never over utilizing amperage is a very cool feature and safe feature. It will also shutdown if it finds a mis-wiring from your shore power and give you a message doing it best to tell you what is wrong. It is not perfect for your cannot change the device hierarchy (preset by Landmark) but not really a big deal.
Not sure what your thoughts are, but it does have to do with the EMS.
Since RV's have a floated bond your EMS will throw an error code and will not allow power to flow through it when using a generator as it sees the genny as having an open ground.
That is why when using a genny you will have to jumper the neutral to ground somewhere along the line.
The article shows a of method of doing that.
I did mine a little differently, but it functions the same.
Peace
Dave
Since RV's have a floated bond your EMS will throw an error code and will not allow power to flow through it when using a generator as it sees the genny as having an open ground.
That is why when using a genny you will have to jumper the neutral to ground somewhere along the line.
The article shows a of method of doing that.
I did mine a little differently, but it functions the same.
Peace
Dave
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
That's what I would do. The EMS system will protect your RV but better if there is an issue it will tell you what is wrong. Better safe than sorry.
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Dave,
My mistake I thought you were stating the EMS was causing a problem. Stand corrected and yes the article did state that.
Peace to you too
Fred
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
This is why we need to be so careful on this forum. The EU7000i is a RV generator. It actually produces 58 amps (EG5000 is 18.8 amps and has to be balanced) and does NOT require that you balance the load. That is also why it cost 2.5 times as much as the eg5000cl. Please do NOT hook up using the above instructions. Running the eg5000cl at 240 volts could damage the generator and the RV. I feel I am to blame for you really do need to make sure you use an electrician if you are going to use non RV generators with a RV. 120 volts hurts, 240 volts kills so please get as much professional help as you need.
thank you, thank you, thank you. No sir...you are not to blame here.......I see it as an education and i am so grateful for yours and everyone elses input.....and i mean that. I have received some great feedback and a lot of info i need to absorb and digest. Having checked the threads this morning....I thought all gennys were the same and I did'nt know squat about G-N bonding. I am learning alot and am better for the experience
thank you again.
Ben
thank you again.
Ben
fredwrichardson
Past New Mexico Chapter Leader
Just be safe.
