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Old 11-03-2021, 06:01 AM   #1
ncrzrbk
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Electrical question-30 amp power plus generator

We are moving our 3791 to a campground that has 30amp power. They have some spots for 50 amp but long waiting list to get on those. My question is if you dogbone a 30amp shore power plus a 30 amp generator connection to 50amp plug. Will this work to provide two 30amp legs to each side of the camper. My thoughts were on days when very hot to use a invertor generator to power the Air Conditioner on the 2nd leg.
 
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Old 11-03-2021, 08:07 AM   #2
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I would not do that. 50 amp service has two hot legs 180 degrees out of phase and uses a common neutral for the two hot legs. Using a 30 amp service and a generator would be two hot legs with unknown phase difference and two separate neutrals connected to a common neutral for the trailer. I really don't know what the end result might be, but I think the neutral would be trying to carry an unnatural neutral flow. I would not try it.
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Old 11-03-2021, 08:48 AM   #3
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Do NOT do it!!! You can cause a lot of damage to the RV including a possible fire. Two separate power sources is a recipe for trouble.
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Old 11-03-2021, 09:23 AM   #4
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Thank you. And this why I ask. I had not considered the two neutral’s in conflict from the shore power and the generator. I do appreciate the advice.
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Old 11-03-2021, 09:24 AM   #5
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Thank you both
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Old 11-03-2021, 03:10 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by bb_tx View Post
i would not do that. 50 amp service has two hot legs 180 degrees out of phase and uses a common neutral for the two hot legs. Using a 30 amp service and a generator would be two hot legs with unknown phase difference and two separate neutrals connected to a common neutral for the trailer. I really don't know what the end result might be, but i think the neutral would be trying to carry an unnatural neutral flow. I would not try it.

good advice 👍
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Old 11-03-2021, 03:49 PM   #7
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Good advice from the respondents to not do what you are proposing. You can, however, take the wire feeding the second air conditioner off the buss and feed it with the generator. Know several people on this forum who have connected the wire to a heavy duty extension cord and ran it to another outlet in the park power pedestal. (Some called it a cheater plug. Some parks frowned on it.)Instead of running it to the pedestal just run it to your generator.
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Old 11-17-2021, 01:44 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by ncrzrbk View Post
We are moving our 3791 to a campground that has 30amp power. They have some spots for 50 amp but long waiting list to get on those. My question is if you dogbone a 30amp shore power plus a 30 amp generator connection to 50amp plug. Will this work to provide two 30amp legs to each side of the camper. My thoughts were on days when very hot to use a invertor generator to power the Air Conditioner on the 2nd leg.
ELECTRICIAN here. NO, do not attempt.
I can do something similar, but you may feel it is too expensive.
My setup: shore power is standard 30A with an additional 20A from my inverter. That requires a 3,000W Victron Inverter and a correctly sized battery bank. I would not try it with Lead Acid, only Lithium. If you NEVER boondock, then a single Battle Born or Lion will do, but if you do boondock even once, then 4 to 6 depending on your energy requirements (audit). You will also need a Victron battery monmitor, a GX device of some sort, BIG welder cables for the 200A battery draw plus misc marine grade connectors, bus bars etc etc. Altogether several thousand dollars. OR go someplace cooler.
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Old 11-17-2021, 03:47 PM   #9
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I'll let what others have commented be the final word. I'll suggest that you can improve your power management of the available 30 amps, by installing a soft start on A/C units. Also use an EMS's display or amp meter to choose which items such as refrigerator, voltage converter, water heater....etc, to determine how many items can run on the 30 amp shore power, leaving the rest run on propane. Don't forget to consider the intermittent amperage spike of the microwave oven.
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