hooking up generator to AS TT

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by ttrout

Did not ground the generator and will try that today.

I'll be shocked if that works. (no pun intended)
Nobody grounds generators*

*For RV use.

Here's the plug. It's a L5-30P (P meaning it's the male half.)
The adapter can be sourced many places, here's one.
(I'll never understand why they don't make them so the RV plug hangs down!)

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by ttrout

Thanks for the research, my twist lock is labeled 240/120 30 amp, so I dont know about that spec sheet. I ordered the twist to 30 amp adapter and should get it tuesday. I just cant figure why my cord with male twist on one end and 30 amp female on the other didnt work. Did not ground the generator and will try that today. I have a propane on board 2500 onan in the Excella. Over heats when using air conditioner so I am trying the Lifan. Noise considered will only use when boon docking. Onan isn't quiet either

Hi

Ok, if your generator *does* have a 230V output, there is no way to directly hook it up to your trailer. You will fry everything in the trailer if you do.

Bob

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Ok, if your generator *does* have a 230V output, there is no way to directly hook it up to your trailer. You will fry everything in the trailer if you do.

Bob

Those generators have a similar wiring setup to a 50A campsite outlet, however. Across both hots you "see" 240v, but between one hot and neutral it's 120v so with an adapter that only uses one of the hot outputs you can use that generator. Most of the adapters that came up in a search I did a couple days ago were from this LP14-30 to 2 20A pigtails (which might work with a short wire and a 20A-to-30A adapter) but I'm sure someone out there makes an LP14-30 to TT30R adapter.

The first question in this case seems to be whether the generator output is working right... perhaps the OP's adapter was miswired or something, or the generator isn't working as designed. Start with a multimeter.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Ok, if your generator *does* have a 230V output, there is no way to directly hook it up to your trailer. You will fry everything in the trailer if you do.

Nothing in the Airstream uses the two hot leads together. So I respectfully disagree.

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

Start with a multimeter.

Good advice.
They're cheap and really handy.

It's funny now, but at the time it wasn't. One of our engineers tested the 200 amp power source with his Fluke meter.
Unfortunately, he forget to check if it was set correctly, and it was in Ohms. It exploded in his face and he fell on his butt. Mostly from fear. We thought he'd been killed until he stood up and looked at the Fluke remnants in his hand.

[ttrout]

Thanks for your help

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Nothing in the Airstream uses the two hot leads together. So I respectfully disagree.


Good advice.
They're cheap and really handy.

It's funny now, but at the time it wasn't. One of our engineers tested the 200 amp power source with his Fluke meter.
Unfortunately, he forget to check if it was set correctly, and it was in Ohms. It exploded in his face and he fell on his butt. Mostly from fear. We thought he'd been killed until he stood up and looked at the Fluke remnants in his hand.

Hi

If the generator *only* puts out 230V on the twist lock, it *needs* a 230V load to use all the power. If it's a 3KW generator with a 230V output, it will put out 13A on both sides of the 230V plug. The output winding is set up to run this way ( it's not an inverter) so there is no easy way to adapt it to 26A at 120V. There's already a 120V plug with a > 13A rating on it. Using half the 230 has no benefit.

If the generator is set up with a 230V twist lock and it only puts 120V on it, then it's not a 230V twist lock. If you plugged a 230V table saw into a plug with only 120V on it, that table saw would not do anything useful. That would be a pretty significant wiring / labeling error.

Yes, you could buy an a 3KW transformer and turn the 230 into 120. It's way more convenient (and possibly cheaper) to just buy a new generator. Next time around, you could get one from somebody who's spec sheets match up with their products

Bob

[DKB_SATX]

It should be two 120v 30A legs unless the connector isn't wired correctly.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

It should be two 120v 30A legs unless the connector isn't wired correctly.

Hi

..... with each leg able to put out < 15A .... There already *is* a 20A 120V receptacle on the generator. The idea is to get the full 3KW output at 120V. If it's built as a 13A 230V generator .... not going to happen.

Bob