Using the RV Generator to power your home
- Thread starter jbeletti
- Start date
Bones
Well-known member
just a small break. If I could only get my hand on whoever glued and screwed the underlayment to the sub floor. Id make them rip it all up. I was talking about a new transfer switch in the RV. A manual one. the generator would feed it before it went to the other transfer switch in the RV.
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On the generator I don't think running both legs would hurt anything at all. JIM B would just have to make sure he is not running anything that needs 220 volts
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Could you elaborate please? we use generators here a lot and I might be missing something
porthole
Retired
Bones
Well-known member
Yes Please
porthole
Retired
I don't know what this means, but thought it was easier then trying to debunk the
Is the product of generators equal to the generator of the product?
Let (X,)(X,J) and (Y,)(Y,F) be two measure spaces.
Let us assume that JJ is a collection of subsets of XX which generates J, i.e. σ(J)=σ(J)=J.
Similarly, assume σ(F)=σ(F)=F.
Is it always true that
σ(J)×σ(F)=σ(J×F)?σ(J)×σ(F)=σ(J×F)?
Here, J×FJ×F is the set of all cartesian products of sets in JJ with sets in FF.Please note: in the above expression the two product signs mean different things. On the left I am considering the product sigma algebra ×J×F, while on the right I am considering the σσ-algebra generated by the cartesian products of my ``elementary sets.''
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
WOW
Now I'm more confused
then ever. !!!!! 😱
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
Now I'm more confused
then ever. !!!!! 😱
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
porthole
Retired
Jim, did you see this?
1) Your RV generator is not a 220 generator. Unless Onan has changed the design, it is two 110 separate circuits, same phase.
2) If you have a HE (high efficiency) water heater it may not run with the generator going though the power management panel (that floating ground thing). When we tried that for Hurricane Irene I had to use the bypass mode on the Progressive EMS
I have all the parts to put a 50 amp outlet in the basement for use with an extension to the house or another camper on a boon docking trip.
Never installed the parts because it wouldn't work for the house and in 14 years of camping never had to share power.
Hi Duane - yeah, I completely missed post 18. Thanks for your feedback. I don't have any 220v items in the house, so I have that going for me
And the W/H is not an HE type. Gas fed and piezo (manual) ignition.
porthole
Retired
Hi Duane - yeah, I completely missed post 18. Thanks for your feedback. I don't have any 220v items in the house, so I have that going for me
And the W/H is not an HE type. Gas fed and piezo (manual) ignition.
Maybe no 220 appliances, but your house is wired 220.
So in theory you could supply one side of the panel (A or B) but then you would have an unbalanced panel.
Best guess if you want to rely only on the RV?
Generator lock out sub panel with only essential circuits with a max of 110 volt - 30 amp.
If I were to do that I would add a dedicated 30amp receptacle to the RV, and just switch off the breakers. Or if you really want to get fancy, you can buy a manual transfer switch. Widely used in the marine world. They are a "break before make" style switch.
If the gen has two legs of 110 VAC power, protected separately at the gen, how would one power only 1 leg of the dist panel in the house? I guess the magic is really in the transfer switch. I was preferring to supply power to both legs in my home dist panel and switch off all loads except for critical ones (furnace, refer and a few lights).
porthole
Retired
Creature comforts and how long can you go without?
That is what you have to ask yourself.
For hurricane Irene, August 2010, we were without power for 3.5 days. Weather was comfortable and we did OK with just getting the fridge & freezer going, TV and some chargers.
It was this storm that we found out cablevison shuts down backup power after 12 hours of the grid being down.
When cable shuts down you not only lose your phone, cable TV and internet - you also lose the ability for the DVR to function!
Superstorm Sandy, October 2012 we were without power for 13.5 days! The loss of cable after 12 hours and for almost 2 weeks after was the deciding factor to dump cable for satellite TV.
I already had all my 'stuff' planned and ready for use with my Honda 3000IS genny.
All 10 gauge extension cords, multiple adapters, generator floating ground fix, the Cyclone had 25 gallons of gas, four 5 gallon gas jugs and 30 gallons in the Whaler's gas tank. And we used every bit of that gasoline by the time service stations started to dispense fuel (keep in mind a widespread power outage affects EVERYTHING).
I also had enough cable to keep our neighbors fridge and freezer going across the street.
The kicker for me with installing a real back up generator was the weather change. A week after Sandy we had a snow storm, 12" of heavy wet snow, low 30's temps. Because of the pets, we were a shelter in place family.
We had no heat, house was down to 50 by the time temps started to creep back up to normal.
My heat is a 110V fired boiler with 110V circulating pumps that use a 220V air handler.
In our area Sandy is considered a 100 year storm, but it could happen again this year.
Our lack of power was due to the sub station flooding. You can see it here on the right, next to the Shark River. Just about sea level and less then 3 miles from an ocean inlet, 1.5 miles from our house.
14' of water pretty much destroyed the equipment. The utility brought in a portable sub station - 4 already rigged tractor trailers and we had power after 13.5 days.
Over the next year the station was completely rebuilt - in exactly the same location! But they added a 5' berm around the station. Remember Sandy was 14'+
No point to this other then you can plan for a doomsday scenario or to just be comfortable for a week or two.
Aside from all this, ever hear the advise to fill your tub before a major storm? Seems silly.
The morning after Sandy, first flush of the toilet was the only one, no water!
No water for 3.5 days and then had to boil for several days after that.
Although the tub was empty the Cyclone had 120 gallons on board, so we were OK that way.
BTW, tub liners are readily available and an inexpensive way to have 50+ gallons of clean fresh water available.
That is what you have to ask yourself.
For hurricane Irene, August 2010, we were without power for 3.5 days. Weather was comfortable and we did OK with just getting the fridge & freezer going, TV and some chargers.
It was this storm that we found out cablevison shuts down backup power after 12 hours of the grid being down.
When cable shuts down you not only lose your phone, cable TV and internet - you also lose the ability for the DVR to function!
Superstorm Sandy, October 2012 we were without power for 13.5 days! The loss of cable after 12 hours and for almost 2 weeks after was the deciding factor to dump cable for satellite TV.
I already had all my 'stuff' planned and ready for use with my Honda 3000IS genny.
All 10 gauge extension cords, multiple adapters, generator floating ground fix, the Cyclone had 25 gallons of gas, four 5 gallon gas jugs and 30 gallons in the Whaler's gas tank. And we used every bit of that gasoline by the time service stations started to dispense fuel (keep in mind a widespread power outage affects EVERYTHING).
I also had enough cable to keep our neighbors fridge and freezer going across the street.
The kicker for me with installing a real back up generator was the weather change. A week after Sandy we had a snow storm, 12" of heavy wet snow, low 30's temps. Because of the pets, we were a shelter in place family.
We had no heat, house was down to 50 by the time temps started to creep back up to normal.
My heat is a 110V fired boiler with 110V circulating pumps that use a 220V air handler.
In our area Sandy is considered a 100 year storm, but it could happen again this year.
Our lack of power was due to the sub station flooding. You can see it here on the right, next to the Shark River. Just about sea level and less then 3 miles from an ocean inlet, 1.5 miles from our house.
14' of water pretty much destroyed the equipment. The utility brought in a portable sub station - 4 already rigged tractor trailers and we had power after 13.5 days.
Over the next year the station was completely rebuilt - in exactly the same location! But they added a 5' berm around the station. Remember Sandy was 14'+
No point to this other then you can plan for a doomsday scenario or to just be comfortable for a week or two.
Aside from all this, ever hear the advise to fill your tub before a major storm? Seems silly.
The morning after Sandy, first flush of the toilet was the only one, no water!
No water for 3.5 days and then had to boil for several days after that.
Although the tub was empty the Cyclone had 120 gallons on board, so we were OK that way.
BTW, tub liners are readily available and an inexpensive way to have 50+ gallons of clean fresh water available.
porthole
Retired
Good question.
Your house is 220 in, two 110 legs 180 degrees out (opposite phase). I don't know what would happen if you supplied your panel, which is using a common neutral and ground (110+110+neutral+ground), with two independent 110 supplies (110+neutral+ground and 110+neutral+ground).
If you ask Onan (I did) they will give you the technical reason why it will not work.
Using my example before, run a dedicated 30 amp receptacle off the RV panel.
30 amp extension cord from the RV to the gen transfer switch subpanel.
But you would end up with all your must have circuits on one side of the panel. Your example above would probably be fine. Don't forget at least outlets in one or two rooms.
The two separate 110 circuits on our RV's work because we have no 220 appliances in the RV's.
I don't know how the RV's with 220 dryers get around the limitation. Maybe the bigger gensets are wired differently.
Onans 10K diesel inverter generator is a 120/240 unit.
Something to consider, especially at your new location, from the Onan spec sheet for our RV generators.
Typical power output change based on ambient conditions:
Temperature: Power output decreases 1% for every 10° F (5.5° C) increase
Altitude: Power output decreases 3.5% for every 1000 ft (305 m) increase
Our generators are rated at 5500 watts at 120 volts for a total of 45.8 amps (some have two 30 breakers, some have one 30 and one 20).
So at 5000 feet your 30 amp output is already down to 25 amps.
| 30.0 | 0.0 | |||
| 1000 | 30.0 | 3.5% | 1.1 | 29.0 |
| 2000 | 29.0 | 3.5% | 1.0 | 27.9 |
| 3000 | 27.9 | 3.5% | 1.0 | 27.0 |
| 4000 | 27.0 | 3.5% | 0.9 | 26.0 |
| 5000 | 26.0 | 3.5% | 0.9 | 25.1 |
porthole
Retired
Hey Jim,
Did you come up with a plan for the Texas house?
At our new house in lower Delaware I opted for a main panel interlock and a 50/240 receptacle on the outside of the house.
I wanted to add one of those generator hookups that install at the the base of the meter. It took several weeks of back and forths with the utility, the manufacturer and the electrician I used. The only reason I ended up making any progress was because a senior guy at the utility that recently retired and stopped by the office for a visit was familiar with the power inlet, and had previously approved it for the utility.
In the end it was a moot point. That inlet is designed for stab type meters (up to 200 amps) and our 400 amp meter is a bolt in.
The interlock I have is a very nicely made and very pricey stainless steel slide arrangement which requires the main breaker to be switched off before the 'backfeed' breaker can be switched on.
I chose an electrician this time due to the running of the wiring to the outside receptacle. My panel was almost full and needed circuits moved, The panel was on an outside wall so access was hindered with insulation and the sill plate. Cost was $850 for work and parts, which I thought was reasonable.
And since the big fancy diesel inverter generator in our RV is the same 120/120 not 240 arrangement as the Cyclone was, I'm looking for a portable gen again.
I haven't decided yet but I plan on buying a 240 capable inverter generator. We need 240 at the minimum for the well and heat if needed.
I've narrowed it down to the mostly unavailable HF Predator inverter 9000, the Honda 7000is or a Kubota semi portable diesel inverter.
The Kubota is the most pricey but my thoughts are to mount it on a garden cart with framing to hold the old auxiliary fuel tank from my truck.
45 gallons at the generator with the capability to fuel up out of my truck could work well.
Did you come up with a plan for the Texas house?
At our new house in lower Delaware I opted for a main panel interlock and a 50/240 receptacle on the outside of the house.
I wanted to add one of those generator hookups that install at the the base of the meter. It took several weeks of back and forths with the utility, the manufacturer and the electrician I used. The only reason I ended up making any progress was because a senior guy at the utility that recently retired and stopped by the office for a visit was familiar with the power inlet, and had previously approved it for the utility.
In the end it was a moot point. That inlet is designed for stab type meters (up to 200 amps) and our 400 amp meter is a bolt in.
The interlock I have is a very nicely made and very pricey stainless steel slide arrangement which requires the main breaker to be switched off before the 'backfeed' breaker can be switched on.
I chose an electrician this time due to the running of the wiring to the outside receptacle. My panel was almost full and needed circuits moved, The panel was on an outside wall so access was hindered with insulation and the sill plate. Cost was $850 for work and parts, which I thought was reasonable.
And since the big fancy diesel inverter generator in our RV is the same 120/120 not 240 arrangement as the Cyclone was, I'm looking for a portable gen again.
I haven't decided yet but I plan on buying a 240 capable inverter generator. We need 240 at the minimum for the well and heat if needed.
I've narrowed it down to the mostly unavailable HF Predator inverter 9000, the Honda 7000is or a Kubota semi portable diesel inverter.
The Kubota is the most pricey but my thoughts are to mount it on a garden cart with framing to hold the old auxiliary fuel tank from my truck.
45 gallons at the generator with the capability to fuel up out of my truck could work well.
centerline
Well-known member
your theory is good, but most likely not worth the time.... especially the 50amp circuit, as its a very rare that you will find a generator that can produce 50amps of power until you either special order the generator or step up to the very high end luxury coaches....
the time, trouble and cost to install all the eqipment you are proposing, for a power outage that may happen for a short time every couple years, is not completly resonable...... if you have enough smarts to figure out what you need and how it will all work together, you are probably capable of figuring out that you will need to shut off circuit breakers in the house panel that you dont want to power, because your genny cant supply enough power for everything (even the MAIN for ultimate safety).... and with this knowledge, you can surely figure out how to connect the genrator into your home system for a short time without all that equipment.....if you ever have a power outage that lasts long enough to be cause a problem.... i agree that a power outage is inconvienient, but not often a problem until it last for a couple days or more.............
the time, trouble and cost to install all the eqipment you are proposing, for a power outage that may happen for a short time every couple years, is not completly resonable...... if you have enough smarts to figure out what you need and how it will all work together, you are probably capable of figuring out that you will need to shut off circuit breakers in the house panel that you dont want to power, because your genny cant supply enough power for everything (even the MAIN for ultimate safety).... and with this knowledge, you can surely figure out how to connect the genrator into your home system for a short time without all that equipment.....if you ever have a power outage that lasts long enough to be cause a problem.... i agree that a power outage is inconvienient, but not often a problem until it last for a couple days or more.............
porthole
Retired
centerline
Well-known member
NOT your theory, but the OPs theory about setting up his residence to use the rv generator for power in an outage..... and i dont mean its a pipe dream, but only a theory at this time.... its workable, but in my opinion its probably not feasable to go thru the trouble of setting it all up, and then waiting for a power outage to happen so it can be used.... and even then there is more to it than just plugging the genset into the "system" and turning it on.....
