I currently have two Honda 2000ei generators and the GenTran 30 amp parallel connector - net output 4 KW. My new home is pre-wired for a stand-by generator - complete with the exterior male plug receptacle. The problem is, the male plug on the house is a "four-prong" and, of course, the plug from the generator is a standard 3-prong, 30 amp setup. Is it possible to make up an adapter? There are six circuits connected to the generator outlet on an interior panel (Generac) - with individual switches for each circuit. The largest load on this panel is probably the boiler and circulator pumps for the HWBH. Using the Hondas in this configuration for an extended outage would be a real pain - what with the small fuel tanks - but I could, at least, fire up the boiler periodically for two or three hours during an outage to keep the house above freezing and to check the news. The Hondas have hardly been used. They spend all of the time on a custom rack in the back of my truck. If I can't use them at the house I'll probably sell the setup and buy a regular LP-powered 7 KW stand-by generator for the house. I've yet to use them with the Airstream.
I am no expert here, so hopefully an electrician will jump in.
My simple understanding is the house is run on 220 volts, comprised of two 110 volt legs (sign waves 180 out of phase). Perhaps your 4 lugs are: 110 phase "A", 110 phase "B", return, and ground.
You may need to rewire the house a bit to make it work with 110 volts. Of course, you will need a transfer switch to keep the generator(s) from backfeeding the power company lines.
Do you normally stay in full-hookup campsites? We do more dry camping, so we use our Honda generator on each trip.
I have the same Honda EU2000 x 2 and Parallel kit. The Honda's will not run any thing 220v ( Dryer etc...) If you need the 220v then you might have to go to a bigger set up.
As for our house I can use one or both of the Honda's for emergency power. if we loose power I just flip the service disconnect switch. (this takes our house off the grid) I then plug my 30 amp cord into the house. Before I start the Honda's I flip all the 220v breakers.
Hope this helps.
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"Abe" & Melissa Lincoln
1976 Overlander "Spirit"
2005 Suburban w/q-steer
Hensley Hitch
WBCCI# 7627 / VAC Air #2798
Having just survived the storm of the century (untill now) I can say with without a doubt that the best thing toi have is a whole house power supply. I have a 45kw LP powered generator that is self switching to isolate from the power grid. The best investment I ever made. 14 days without refueling on a 250 gal tank, my local gas supplier has us on the same emergency fuel list as the hospitals becouse of the size on the generator - that means during the aftermath of the storm and no phones they came by automatically and filled the tank. AC, hot water, lights, fridge, freezer, whatever - with very few restrictions - everything ran at will. The power hogs are the hot water heaters and the big AC unit. Only one at a time could be on.
You probably (I'm not there to see it) have a standard 50 amp range/dryer plug set up. The round hole is the ground, the center slot opposite it is the nuetral leg and the two side slots are your 120V hot feeds. If you are just running 30 amps, you can eliminate one of the 120V hot legs for a 120V/30 amp feed. Check with your local RV supply store as they usually carry a 50 to 30 amp converter plug that the big MoHo's use in a campground with only 30 amp outlets. That should do the trick!
__________________ Lew Farber -Certified Master RV Tech (currently on Forums sabbatical) WBCCI #1456/VAC (assoc) #1456 AIR # 10325 CHARTER MEMBER: FOUR CORNERS UNIT
The plug fitted to the house originally accomodated a Generac 7 kw unit. The interior panel has 6 circuits - with individual switches and circuit breakers - all tied in to the main panel. Additionally, there is an "output" amp meter and a "usage" amp meter on the panel. I have had several people suggest that two of the legs on the house plug are for each 110 volt circuit. If all of the circuits hooked in to the house plug are on the same 110 volt leg I would only have to use one of the legs on the house plug. That's getting way over my head!
House electrical load centers (circuit breaker boxes) are set up so that every-other breaker is served by a given 110 V phase. This is why 220 V breakers are double height - they connect to both 110 V phases.
Perhaps your 6 circuit add-on box is set up so that all run on a single phase. If so, you are correct that only one of the 4-prong plug leads needs to be hot, and your Honda's 110 v output will work fine. You should get an electrician to veryify this for you, and they can wire up a new plug to work with your honda 30 amp output. I don't think this will cost much since you already have most everything in place.
Not if I can figure out how to make them power up the house! Now that we've relocated permanently to Maine we'll probably be doing a lot more camping without hook-ups - and, frankly, I'm looking forward to it!
I hooked my single EU2000i to one leg of my whole house circuit. Main 200 Service breaker OFF!! All CB's turned off. Then enabled just the circuits for the fridge, bathroom lights, and TV room. I have installed a manual generator transfer switch to make this a 5 minute process.
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CP 9 miles off Exit 399, I75.
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce! Air # 283
That six circuit box is the transfer switch for your emergency generator system.
This is how it works: the wire from your pump, or lights, or whatever goes to a switch on the panel. From there, it goes either to the regular circuit breaker in the panel, or it goes through the circuit breaker in the six circuit panel and then to the emergency generator.
These are normally only set up for 120V service. If your boiler pump is 240V you are out of luck. Your panel can handle 240V, but your generators cannot.
It does not matter which leg of the 240 volt main panel the breakers are located on, as you are bypassing the main panel. All you need to do is make sure the two Hondas are sync'd up and that the wire you use can carry the combined 120V load.
You do not need to disconnect the main house breaker, but it is a good idea just for peace of mind. You either need to make up an adapter to feed 120V to each hot side of the male power inlet, or jump across the two hots inside the panel.
If you are unsure what this is about, call in a professional. Better safe than sorry.
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