Shore power

[Jakespoon]

Good morning, I am wanting to add a shore power connection to the front of my bighorn 3755fl to be close to my generators as i use portable generators. The question I have is do i tap in to the existing shore power inlet and run wires to a plug up front or just tie in to one of the junction blocks in battery/generator storage bay? Any advice and information is greatly appreciated and thank you.

 

[danemayer]

If you have a transfer switch (part of generator prep), that's the place to tie in. If you don't, it would be dangerous to just tie into the shore power line without a transfer switch. You'd end up with a set of prongs that could be energized when the generator is unplugged, or when you're on shore power, depending on what connectors you use. Also, during a local power outage, if you connected the generator and forgot to unplug from shore power, you could cause injury to power line workers, or possibly cause damage in the trailer when local power was restored.

 

[centerline]

installing a transfer switch is the only safe way to do it, and its at least as quick and easy as installing a tap into main power supply wire...

find a convenient place to locate the transfer switch near the cable, and with the cable DISCONNECTED, cut the cable and wire each end to the appropriate connectors (they are clearly marked) on the transfer switch.... then connect your generator input connection wire to the generator terminals on the transfer switch....

then there will never be any safety issues and it will be prepped for an onboard genset if you ever decide to install one...

 

[CDN]

https://heartlandowners.org/showthr...-Modifications?p=616293&viewfull=1#post616293

Instructions detailed here as long as you have generator prep and transfer switch.


Brian

 

[Jakespoon]

Thank you for the replies and information. Looking for a transfer switch now to make it right.

 

[Jakespoon]

As i am sitting here thinking about this project i am wondering where to look to see if there is a transfer switch already on my bighorn. I cant post on the ask the factory threads. any ideas where to look would be great, Thank you.

 

[jbeletti]

As i am sitting here thinking about this project i am wondering where to look to see if there is a transfer switch already on my bighorn. I cant post on the ask the factory threads. any ideas where to look would be great, Thank you.

Do you have GenPrep? If you do, you will have a large sheet metal enclosure in the front storage bay under the overhang. You'll also have a transfer switch. It will likely be black, maybe silver. It will be about a foot long, 6" tall and maybe 8" wide. It's usually mounted flat to the floor behind the carpeted utility wall.

So if you have a transfer switch (ATS) due to GenPrep, usually, the Generator input AC wiring is already wired to the ATS and terminates in a 2-gang electric box with a blank cover, to the right, just outside of the generator sheet metal box. If you have this, that's where I'd wire your 2nd power inlet into.

 

[Jakespoon]

Thank you, I will look around again in that area Friday. I was'nt sure if it would be up front or in the back where the shore power comes in. And no i do not think it has been gen prepped.