Generator Hook up

[Rick]

HI All,
I have a new 2009,3400 RL hickory edition,
Here is my question?
I am looking for the spot to hook in my two new Honda 2000w
generators they are parraled toghter.
Where do these hook into the power system?
I have been looking in the basement and see the wire comming from the plug at the back end. it appears to go up into the pannel in the bath room, Do i have to hook in here as well or can I hook in at the inverter some how, what happens if the Generator power and the local power are hooked in at the same place does one need a relay switch to switch between them in case one forgets to remove the plug from the geny.
I need some kind of a wireing schematic.

Rick
Thanks all.

[Art-n-Marge]

Hopefully you got the parallel cables that provide a 30 amp RV connector at one of the generators (aka "companion" generator). From that generator's 30 amp outlet, connect your RV supply power cable that you would normally connect to a campsite's electrical post but connect it to the generator's 30 amp connector instead. Then connect the other end into the rig's power inlet. If you don't have them, you might need to purchase the proper adapters to do this.

The generators actually replace the campsite electrical post when using them in this manner. DO NOT connect the shore power and these portable generators at the same time for now.

There is a way to be able to connect both at the same time but it requires autoswitch overs and stuff like that. There are "professional" MOC members who can better describe how to do this and you must be VERY comfortable with this, but the easiest way is to use either shore power, OR campsite power, not both.

I hope this works for you.

[Tom S.]

You cannot hook in at the inverter. The red and black wires you see attached to the inverter are the DC outputs - NOT AC!! If the trailer has the generator prep package (a very expensive option) there will be wires run to the front storage compartment. If not, you still have a couple options. The easiest, as Art said, is to use a 30 amp adapter and plug in with the regular power cord. The other option would be to wire in an auto switch near the electrical panel and run another wire to a plug for the generators. Auto switches, depending on what they have built in (such as voltage regulators, surge protection, etc,.) run anywhere from around $250 to $700, not counting the wire and plug.

You didn't state where you plan to run the generators at. It's not a good idea to run them in either the basement or front storage area as the generators need ventilation and you don't CO2 coming up into the trailer. Ours are mounted in a removable wooden rack that sits in the rear of our truck. I either pull the truck to the back of the trailer for long term, or run the power cord with a 30 amp extension to the front of the trailer for one night stands.