Wiring question, gen set to coach

[lockmup68]

I have an 8k Onan gen set on the truck. It has a normal 50 amp plug in an electrical box pulled off a normal house breaker panel, that I use to power the coach. 

At the ECR, the folks next to me had a nema 50 amp twist plug on the back of the truck to the 50 amp nema twist plug on front of coach, with a tether to hold cable up and out of the way. They run genset going down road to power refrigerator. 

Since I don't have my inverter setup installed yet, I need power to the refrigerator for next month while traveling. Since I already have genset (on truck) and transfer switch on coach, just need to figure out the plug wiring to make it work  

I want to keep the normal 50 amp, 4 prong connection on the truck and wire in the 50 amp twist female plug (normal RV input type). Both are same output from the genset. 

What do I need to do to pull the second plug? The breaker box has a 50 amp breaker for the 50 amp plug, a 30 amp breaker for a 30 amp plug and a couple of 15 amp breakers for 15 amp outlets in the sleeper. Is it as simple as adding in another 50 amp breaker in the panel and pullin off that? What wire do I use from panel, outside the compartment to the plug?

The other option is to wire in the 1000w inverter to the existing two coach batteries and pull an extension cord to the refrigerator, but not ideal and how long would two interstate deep cycles last on a residential refrigerator? 

 

Thanks,

Shannon

[lockmup68]

13 minutes ago, Bill B said:

lock look - look under the passenger side rear of the cab. There used to be several house batteries there, but that was many moons ago. That truck had some 'interesting' wiring. Heading out, but when I get back on computer, instead of this *** tablet I'll clue you in on a few things.

Yes, there is a lot of interesting wiring there, on both banks, actually. However, the gen set and such works good. I just want to wire in another plug. I think I need a transfer switch and then a new plug. 

[Darryl&Rita]

9 hours ago, lockmup68 said:

I have an 8k Onan gen set on the truck. It has a normal 50 amp plug in an electrical box pulled off a normal house breaker panel, that I use to power the coach. 

At the ECR, the folks next to me had a nema 50 amp twist plug on the back of the truck to the 50 amp nema twist plug on front of coach, with a tether to hold cable up and out of the way. They run genset going down road to power refrigerator. 

Since I don't have my inverter setup installed yet, I need power to the refrigerator for next month while traveling. Since I already have genset (on truck) and transfer switch on coach, just need to figure out the plug wiring to make it work  

I want to keep the normal 50 amp, 4 prong connection on the truck and wire in the 50 amp twist female plug (normal RV input type). Both are same output from the genset. 

What do I need to do to pull the second plug? The breaker box has a 50 amp breaker for the 50 amp plug, a 30 amp breaker for a 30 amp plug and a couple of 15 amp breakers for 15 amp outlets in the sleeper. Is it as simple as adding in another 50 amp breaker in the panel and pullin off that? What wire do I use from panel, outside the compartment to the plug?

What breaker box? Best bet is to simply swap the flat blade recep. for a TL, add a flanged TL receptacle on the front of the trailer. NOTE: This is not a "Suicide Cord". It will use a regular extension cord, with NO EXPOSED LIVE TERMINALS!!! 

The output of this recep. needs to be fed to a transfer switch, to prevent the chance of live terminals on the side of the trailer, where the usual cord attaches.

The other option is to wire in the 1000w inverter to the existing two coach batteries and pull an extension cord to the refrigerator, but not ideal and how long would two interstate deep cycles last on a residential refrigerator? 

 

Thanks,

Shannon

 

[lockmup68]

Yes, I already have a transfer switch on the trailer. And a front mounted receptacle. I'm simply asking about adding a second plug on the truck with the genset. I need to keep the normal 4 blade receptacle for various reasons. Sounds like I need another transfer switch on the truck between the 4 prong receptacle and the round 50 amp female twist receptacle? 

[Darryl&Rita]

Nope, if you can confirm the 2 plugs won't be used at the same time.

[lockmup68]

Yes, they will never be used at the same time. I just want to ability to choose which one is hot.

[Star Dreamer]

Why not change the plug on the truck to a twist connector and then make a cable that has as the twist connector on one end and a 4 prong connector on the other for the times you need the 4 prong connection. No need to have two plugs on the truck then. Just keep the adapter cable in the truck for when you need it.

Dave

[RickW]

I agree, change the truck to the twist lock since you will be moving when using it.  Then have an adapter box that you plug into the twist lock for when you need a traditional RV receptacle.  This is what I did when I built my shop.  I did multiple 50a RV drops.  Then I have various adapters that I can plug into the 50A RV receptacles.  So far it has been working well for me.

[lockmup68]

Thanks. A simple solution to my over-thought process--an adapter....duh....

[DJohns]

I am thinking 8kw onan diesel on my truck bed. Can I hook on to the generator and run my 4 wire 50 amp cable to the back of the truck to a 4 pin twist lock. Then I would have the  transfer switch in my fifth. Will this work?

[RandyA]

On 6/27/2017 at 11:00 AM, lockmup68 said:

 What wire do I use from panel, outside the compartment to the plug?

Thanks,

Shannon

Shannon, I suggest you use type SOOW 6/4 black rubber cable.  Stay away from the thermoplastic jacketed cable.  You will need the flexibility and lighter weight per foot of the SOOW cable.  It can be bought by the foot.  Look here for an on-line wholesale vendor that sells by the foot. 

[Heavymetal]

When I first installed my residential frig I installed a inverter beside my 50 amp RV plug and wired a female to the inverter when traveling I plug the regular RV plug into the female wired to the inverter. I turned all the breakers off in the RV except the one the frig was plugged into. I used it this way until I had time to wire everything in permanently.

[lockmup68]

Thanks. I worked in the Magnum 1012 late at night and attached to the two interstate batteries. I then pulled an extension cord through the basement and plugged in the refrigerator. It lasts about 5 hours before the gfi trips. I assume it is tripping because the voltage is dropping so much on the batts. 

It was 106 plus pulling from Onawa, IA to Rapid City, and it tripped after 3 hours and the fridge was heating up. So I pulled the extension cord out the slide, wrapped around hitch and plugged into the 20a plug near the genset on the truck. Stayed 37 degrees the rest of the day. Will need to wire in the 6 batts sitting In the basement over next week as well as the plug from the truck to the front of the coach. 

The AC in the truck needs major help  I’ll post a separate thread on my redneck AC fix for the sleeper in St  Louis. 

Shannon

 

[Darryl&Rita]

Nothing inside a GFI to detect voltage. Purely built to detect mA differences between the "Line" & "Neutral" wires. 

[lockmup68]

10 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Nothing inside a GFI to detect voltage. Purely built to detect mA differences between the "Line" & "Neutral" wires. 

So now to figure out why the inverter gfi is tripping. 

[lockmup68]

dumb question, the fuse block goes on the positive cable, right? 

so the inverter is wired simple:

1. battery positive, fuse block, positive cable to inverter

2. neg battery terminal to negative terminal on inverter

3. extension cord from inverter to refrigerator (direct plug in, don't have sub panel wired in yet)

Brand new Samsung refrigerator. Never trips the GFI/breaker when on AC power.

In this configuration, what might cause GFI on inverter to trip? 

[Yarome]

44 minutes ago, lockmup68 said:

In this configuration, what might cause GFI on inverter to trip? 

Yes. Yes, Yes, and Yes.

How sure are you that it's the GFI tripping? It goes back on with a manual reset? Sounds more to me like a low voltage inverter shut-off. An extended draw could be pushing your battery/ies down below the shut-off threshold and then resuming once your batteries "come back up" or "normalize".

From what you've stated in your wiring.. I don't see where a GFI trip would occur unless your negative wiring is not properly isolated. Is there anything else on the negative side upstream of your inverter?

[lockmup68]

On 7/13/2017 at 11:25 PM, Yarome said:

Yes. Yes, Yes, and Yes.

How sure are you that it's the GFI tripping? It goes back on with a manual reset? Sounds more to me like a low voltage inverter shut-off. An extended draw could be pushing your battery/ies down below the shut-off threshold and then resuming once your batteries "come back up" or "normalize".

From what you've stated in your wiring.. I don't see where a GFI trip would occur unless your negative wiring is not properly isolated. Is there anything else on the negative side upstream of your inverter?

yes, the gfi outlet on the inverter is tripped. Resetting turns it back on. Inverter is cable straight from battery to inverter. 

[Yarome]

Assuming you have, of course, already tried swapping extension cords...  the only other 2 things I could think of then would be the fridge itself or a faulty GFI in the inverter. Typically, you would not put a reefer on a CGFI circuit... which it's not when you're on shore power. Compressor motors are known to "leak" voltage to a small degree, but typically not enough to trip a GFI. You "may" be experiencing a minor motor insulation fault or RFI filter issue. Neither of which greatly affect performance, but may be "just enough" to trip your GFI as motor temperatures rise (based on the fact that it's not tripping immediately.. only after a period of usage.) Heat will increase the "leakage".

The two main remedies I can think of would be to either try a new reefer (if it's exchangeable) or switch inverters to a direct line output rather than an edison receptacle type... doing away with the CGFI.

My personal choice, at least for testing purposed, would be to switch inverters and see if the issue persists.