Generator Hookup

[giladog]

I am a new airstream owner and am trying to figure out generator hookup. Neither the standard power chord or the dogbone supplied (50-30) will connect to my generator. I do have a standard 110 volt chord with two male ends fabricated to plug into a house. Can I just plug in the generator to the standard outlets on the other side of the trailer (where you would normally plug something in to use under the canopy)

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by giladog

I am a new airstream owner and am trying to figure out generator hookup. Neither the standard power chord or the dogbone supplied (50-30) will connect to my generator. I do have a standard 110 volt chord with two male ends fabricated to plug into a house. Can I just plug in the generator to the standard outlets on the other side of the trailer (where you would normally plug something in to use under the canopy)

Hi - no, you need a different dogbone to connect your generator output to your 30 amp input. You won't get 30a this way so don't try to run your AC in this mode. Don't know what generator you have but 2 Honda 2000s can be bridged an the companion unit has a 30a output that you don't need an adapter for - it's pretty much like hooking up to shore power. A larger single unit would have the same output.

Good luck!

[idroba]

Do not use a double ended male connector to hook your generator up to the outside outlet. That will probably pop the GFCI at least and even if it did work backward, the male end of the power cord will become live and dangerous.

All you need is a simple 30 amp to 15/20 amp adaptor which will change the plug on your main power cord to the right one for a normal generator 120 volt outlet. You can get one at any RV store.

[xrvr]

But I think you will only have 15 or 20 amps that way? Jim

[Rob Edgerton]

Giladog,

You need to go back to your Airstream dealer and have them give you a 30A to 15A adapter. Both are three pin, 30A is slanted(female), 15A is straight bladed (normal house plug male). Or you can go to a RV Supply and buy one, about $8.00.

Please don't ever use a male to male plug to plug your generator into either your RV or your house! That is the most dangerous thing you could ever do.

[paiceman]

On your trailer you have a front and a rear input, you can use either to plug in your power from the generator, you must use the power cord provided by AS or one like it for your 30A power, such as when you plug into a campground as the A/C draws about 22A when it kicks on and will blow something in your house or in the trailer or stop the generator. I use two Honda 2000's run in parallel, and one has a 30A female plug that the AS power cord plugs into. Together with A/C running full time they last about 4-5 hours on full tanks of fuel.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by giladog

I am a new airstream owner and am trying to figure out generator hookup. Neither the standard power chord or the dogbone supplied (50-30) will connect to my generator. I do have a standard 110 volt chord with two male ends fabricated to plug into a house. Can I just plug in the generator to the standard outlets on the other side of the trailer (where you would normally plug something in to use under the canopy)

[AnnArborBob]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

But I think you will only have 15 or 20 amps that way? Jim

Yup, just because you are going to run the power through a 30 amp cord, does not mean that you're going to have 30 amps of service. You are only going to have the maximum amperage output that the generator is capable of putting out.

Here is a picture of a typical 30 to 15 amp adapter that will allow you to hook up your 30 amp cord to the trailer on one end and the generator on the other.

[DKB_SATX]

Many generators with a 30A output use a twist-lock outlet with curved pins that make a circular pattern, one of which has an L-shape so the plug only fits in one way. That's an L5-30R outlet. The standard 30A cord for a travel trailer had a 3-prong end with one rounded (ground) pin and 2 flat prongs at an angle from each other, a TT-30P.

There are readily available adapters for this, I use one to plug the trailer into my Yamaha 3kw generator. Here's one example.

If your generator doesn't have a 30A receptacle and you have a 30A cord, the adapters that AnnArborBob and Rob Edgerton posted. You shouldn't try to run the AC on a 15A source, but everything else in the trailer should work OK.

[giladog]

Thank you for the replies. I misstated my intention slightly. I am actually wondering if a standard 110 outlet on a house will connect to the airstream through the standard 110 outlet on the entry side of the trailer. I believe that some have deduced that. Why wouldn't that work? Ive been told that people use this method into their homes from a generator, as long as they turn off the main breaker, to insure that power doesen't leave the circuit to the pole.

[giladog]

I guess this is called backfeeding.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by giladog

Thank you for the replies. I misstated my intention slightly. I am actually wondering if a standard 110 outlet on a house will connect to the airstream through the standard 110 outlet on the entry side of the trailer. I believe that some have deduced that. Why wouldn't that work? Ive been told that people use this method into their homes from a generator, as long as they turn off the main breaker, to insure that power doesen't leave the circuit to the pole.

Safer to use the converter that lowers your 30a input to a 20/15 that connects to your house. The part costs like $8 and is much safer than what you're talking about. Just do it :-)

[Airrogant]

Originally Posted by idroba

Do not use a double ended male connector to hook your generator up to the outside outlet. That will probably pop the GFCI at least and even if it did work backward, the male end of the power cord will become live and dangerous.

IDROBA is giving you the best advice that you'll ever get. DO NOT USE A DOUBLE-ENDED MALE CONNECTOR TO HOOK UP YOUR GENERATOR!!! Don't use it in your house either. You'll never see this type of cord for sale at any hardware store.

It is called a "dead-man's cord" for a good reason.

You shouldn't try to backfeed your trailer through the 120 VAC receptacle. Do the safe thing and buy the adapter.

[J. Morgan]

http://youtu.be/QIvlneWPMxI

Some things can be done, but shouldn't be done.

Using a cord as described in this thread is about as safe as a pet rattlesnake, and is a threat to not only the owner but all who might accidentally encounter it.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Skater]

You'd be doing that to save less than $10, for an adapter that's readily available at any place with a camping section (Wal-Mart, RV dealers, Amazon, etc.).

[rodsterinfl]

Uh, what you are describing is done sometimes to power items on the same circuit in emergency situations but it is not a good practice. You can burn up wiring depending on the generator- if over 15 amps output--too much. It would have to be 2000 watt or less. You also have to turn off all circuits but the one that is on that outlet as the feedback would try to power everything on every circuit- messy.

Another mistake made on generators is thinking that you get more power if you use a two outlet adapter to single output. These adapters were taken off the market not long ago as people were blowing house circuits and ruining things. This is dangerous. Smaller generators may only have a two standard output receptacle. (120V dual wall outlet style). Use one and only one outlet to hook up as they may not be in phase. The generator will give all of its available power to that one outlet based on load.


Everyone already covered most everything. Always use the trailer power cord to plug it to the main power coupling on the trailer using the adapter at the generator end or wall socket/power source. I have one of those circuit protection devices that I use. It has a current draw meter on it. My AC pulls 12A at initial start then goes down to where the meter alternates between 9-10 Amps if you watch it long enough. (Dometic Penguin 11K BTU unit). I always have a 50/30, 30/20(120V) adapter set for my 30AMP model and this optional piece. I keep it attached to the trailer power cord at all times with the lock cap. It protects against just about everything- messed up ground, too low a voltage for the draw, surge, etc. It runs a series of tests before completing the circuit. I find it takes all the guesswork and wonderment out of electric and protects the trailer too:

[petermday]

My question is very similar in that I have a 28 ft FC with 50 amp service. Do I plug-in the generator into the same plug that I put shore power? I do not have a front plug like the 25 and 27 foot models have.