Mounting Generator!

[Fire1]

I was lucky and won a new Onan 5500 on Ebay
I mounted it in the back of my truck so I can use it for more than the Monty.
NOW I have been told that I may have a problem using it through the power cord as it is not a 220V generator.
I mounted a 50 amp receptical in truck bed along with the remote start and hour meter.

Question for some of ya'll that be smarter than me. What is the problem with two 115 sources to the coach rather than one 220 Volt one that is split once inside?
The Onan was designed for mounting in the nose of the Monty and would only power the two points on the wall and not supply 220 volts to anything.

I will not power the coach thru the 50 amp cord until I hear that it is safe.

Thanks
Doug

[jpbcny]

Here is a good source of information on RV ELECTRIC SYSTEMS

[KathyandDave]

I think skypilot is right. I looked at the Onan spec sheet online. It's 120V, 1 phase, so all circuits are on the same phase, supplying 120V on each supply conductor with respect to the neutral and ground and having 0V between each other.

OTOH, a household power supply is 120/208, using two of the three phases of power available at the pole. The voltage between any supply conductor and neutral/ground is 120V (may be 117V), while the voltage between supply conductors is 208V. So, in an electric oven, a dryer or a baseboard heater, the heating element is connected between the two supply conductors for high output while the electronics are connected between one supply conductor and the neutral.

Since the dryer in an RV is the small type, suitable for apartments, it doesn't need a 208V supply.

I think you're good to go, but this is not a professional opinion, just my thoughts. I'm interested in reading other opinions about this, since we will be looking at gennies next year.

[bsmeaton]

If you folks have already decided who are the "guru"s and "experts", why not just post a direct hot line so the rest of us don't waste our breath Just make sure you know the credentials of who you are talking to.

I'm outa here

[ols1932]

Brad, I agree with you.

Orv

[KathyandDave]

The RV ELECTRIC link is very good. It describes everything that's being discussed here. He points out that the 50A service at a campground SHOULD be 120/240V to give full rated supply. He also points out the pitfalls of a bad neutral. I have experienced this personally in another application in my previous life. It instantly fried the electronics of our equipment.
One of the articles points out that residential power is single phase 240V that is transformed to 2 x 120V lines that are opposite in polarity. This is different to the three phase power that I described, but amounts to a very similar result: high voltage between phase conductors and lower voltage between any phase conductor and the neutral.

[Ozz]

Don't know if Brad and Orv are talking about me, if so I am not happy.
I am not going to get further involved in this unfriendly post.
Good luck in finding information with your query Fire1, sorry this happened with your question.

[KathyandDave]

Come on, guys. If I post the the only opinion here, besides skypilot, then somebody might think I'm right! Having read your various posts in other threads, I'd really like to hear what each of you has to say, especially if I'm wrong!

[HughM]

OZZ, I wouldn't let other people ruin this topic if I had the expertise that you do. I imagine that the vast majority of this forum revere your opinion and expertise.
In my humble opinion you have the final say in electrical posts.
Don't let others ruin a good forum discussion.
Hugh

[noneck]

This will work as long as there are no devices requiring 240vac and I'm not aware of a Monty that has an electric element clothes dryer.
When you use the 30amp to 50am adapter it sorta does this as it takes the 110vac and sends it to both legs of the 50amp cord.
Where the concern comes into play is the circuit protection devices within the coach...and if they will "trip" on over current as designed. So...does the "adapter" compromise these same coach devices?

[Ozz]

Thanks HughM, I don't know about many things, and try not to argue about anything, it just upsets everyone. I go out of my way to try and help not only our members, but anybody I come across.
We all seem to be there for each other.
Brad is a very smart, educated guy with many talents. He often has insight into problems presented here.
KathyandDave and noneck have posted good information on this topic.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

The DH, Al, Countryguy, a retired electrican, made a point this AM, when he and I were discussing this thread, that being, that posting about electrical information and hints probably should always be accompanied by a disclaimer, to the effect, that if you do not feel comfy doing electrical repairs, call in the pros.

Electricity is dangerous, and can kill.

That said, I know that a lot of the threads here at the MOC have been very helpful to many.

Just remember, these are OUR opinions and Call the pros when you are out of your element.

[skypilot]

Since my post offended I've removed it!

[Fire1]

OK guys I am remembering why I stopped asking question on the site.
I value everyones opinion or I would not have asked.

I was an aircraft electrican for 23 years and if you want to know about an F-18 I most likely could answer the question. But using what little I know about RV electrics I ask the question for knowledge from ya'll.

Thank you for your help but to prevent futher offending posts I am out!
Doug

[HughM]

A few bad apples can ruin the whole barrel. We hope those who are new to this forum will overlook the condecending comments from a very few.
The vast majority of the members on this site are helpful and will go out of their way to assist you in your search for direct answers. The information you are looking for is usually kind in nature and meant well.
We hope you give us another chance to prove it.
Hugh

[bsmeaton]

After taking a LONG breath and being invited back by a very nice Administrator - I would like to take a moment to clarify my response in this thread:

Fire1 posted a question that I spent almost half an hour out of my day trying to respond to based on my journeyman background. I was even working on diagrams to post. When Skypilot popped on and referred this question to the forum "guru" Ozz, I was quite offended and felt immediately discredited, hence I pulled my post. I know Skypilot didn't mean any harm.

Ozz is super talented and always takes that extra step to help somebody, but he's not the only game in town for electrical anymore than Glenn or Lonnie are for tires or Truckdoc is for diesels. There is a huge talent pool out there in the forum ranks!

HughM - Ozz may be your wizard on the hill and that's fine, but by making him the "final word for electrical" as you say, you are discounting Al, Orv, and many many others that I suspect spent their careers as licensed electricians or something close! I followed a thread where John Kohl spent days working with Bingo drawing out a autoformer/generator system that took Fire1's question to the next dimension. Believe me when I say John Kohl has certainly earned his lightning bolts on the sleeve with me!

Some of you folks travel in a tight circle around this forum just because you shared a few beers at a rally, and you tend to network between each other leaving the rest out. If you really want a forum, let everybody have a chance to prove themselves. If you want a "Car Talk" platform with RV experts, open up a "live chat" window to the sidebar for technical questions so the rest of us can move on to something else.

[NCFischers]

At the risk of catching someones rath, I'll add my opinion. I am an electrical contractor and have been doing it for over 40 years. By plugging two 115 volt lines into the coach, you accomplish the same thing as using an adapter from a 120 volt 30 amp shore power source. The only difference is that you will have 15 amps of power and not 30 amps available to you on each leg. Just run less things in the coach and you should be fine. The circuit breakers on the generator should protect against overload. I agree with Countryguy that electricity can kill and if you aren't confident about electricity, have a professional either do it for you or check your work before you fire up the gen.

[Jolu]

Brad,
After reading your latest post, I for one am glad you are back. I have read your postings for some time now and have gained valuable information from them and a few chuckles along the way. There are many knowledgeable people posting on the MOC Forum. I appreciate all who post here. Many are new to the forum but have been RVing many years with long forgotten information that will pop up from time to time. Some have been RVing more than 20 years before the Montana even hit the market.

From time to time it is easy to get offended when we post something and someone else comes along with a posting that seems to slam what we are trying to get across or suggest. I guess that is the nature of a forum when a lot of us only know each other only by our postings on the forum. Most of us have never met in person. However I have not noticed an instance where someone requesting information was left out in the cold. Someone on the forum is always willing to try and help.

The MOC Forum is a forum where most folks are very considerate and not in your face like some of the other forums I have visited. I am sure that can be appreciated by all.

Just my thoughts folks. JB

[mcgiver2]

hey guy i read this fourm all the time not to othen i post on but i do enjoy reading some post but i must say lot of yall dont have a clue on what your talking about,but it does make the fourm good reading anyway...........i agree with Jolu u can get a lot of good informatiom here but its too funny sometimes also****************Allen***********VBS********* VeryBigSmile

[mtheo]

I hope I don't offend anybody, but your Monty should have no problems with connecting both leg to one 120 volt 50 amp cuircuit on your generator. Your monty electric panel is designed to handle 50 amps on both legs. What you would be doing is the same as using a 120volt/30amp to 240volt/50amp adapter only you will get more amps to share between the 2 circuits. That being said if you have a 220 volt dryer you won't be able to use it. All the other appliances are 120 volts. I would guess you could even run both A/C's, but that might be pushing your generator a little hard.