? for you Generator tech savvy RVers out there

[Gary Hage]

Being a stationary camp host (or campground manager) here in central Florida, and a cancer patient fully dependent upon a feeding machine or bolus feeding for all of my nutritional and hydration needs to survive, I've been very concerned about having a backup power supply for electricity for our Redwood and campground office. Especially now that the 2019 hurricane season is upon us. Since I have to store a lot of specialized frozen food ingredient for my cancer fighting modified Ketogenic Diet Plan, we are using both the RV refrig/freezer and an additional freezer placed out in the office next door to our RV site. Obviously, in the extent of a prolonged power outage due to a storm, I cannot afford to loose all of this food and be without a way to blenderize (use a blender to pulverize my food into a liquid form) my food and charge my feeding machine on a daily basis to keep it operating.

My question to you folks is; Bought a new 8000 Watt Generac Portable gas generator on sale last night (got a heck of a price) that provides 10,000 Watts startup and 8000 Watts continuous run for the available power to the RV. Now the 4-bladed plug-in on the genset is rated as a 120/240 30 amp lug in, rather than a 50 amp typically seen on a shore power connect point in the RV parks. The breaker panel in my 2013 Redwood 36FB has each 15,000 BTU A/C unit (one is the A/C Heat Pump combo) on it's own separate 20 amp breaker, thus totaling 40 amps verses the 30 amp breaker supplied on the generator. According to the Airxcel specs each A/C requires 15.4 amps (startup) which would put it slightly over the 30 amp breaker's rating, but what would the odds be of both units starting at exactly the same time? Then there is the converter to factor in, since it gets it's power supply through the same connection point or breaker, and according to it's manufacturer's specs, 1500 Watts to create a 90 amp out-put to recharge the house battery. So I cannot help but wonder if running both A/C units and having the convertor charging at the same time wont trip that breaker, or fry the compressors, etc. during the startup mode(s), or should we just suffer with running only one A/C unit in this Florida heat during an emergency? Running one at the height of the day during to hot season here really taxes one unit unfortunately, but cost of the genset and fuel consumption were big factors in deciding to purchase this particular unit, along with weight and ability to move it around, in addition to storage. Or maneuverability in moving it around as needed. The other breakers on the genset will handle the loads I plan on plugging into it.

[XCMARK]

So the basic answer is a 10000 watt generator should power both your AC units and one residential refrigerator. It should put out roughly 30 amps on each leg (two total), your 50 amp park service has 2 hot legs and a neutral and a ground . This past weekend I was able to run both my 15K and 13.5K btu AC units off a 30 amp 120v service. I will say that as the after heat com on hard the voltage started to drop below 108vac on the line side of my boost transformer and it could not stay running on both. The voltage after the hughes unit the voltage stay over 114vac ,and that was the lowest I had seen . For 3 hours in the afternoon I turned on the inverter and shut off the 12vdc converter just to keep the park 30amp breaker from tripping (it did trip twice when I forgot to swap the frig over to inverter. Feeding a 10,000watt generator fuel is going to be a issue , it most likely will use 1~2 gallons of fuel per hour at 3/4 of its rated load. so the less you need AC the easier its going to be on fuel. Hope this helps put you mind a ease! If there is something you don't understand I will do my best to give you a answer , I have been a electrician for 35+ years so if it can be done I seen it.


the 15K ac units on high draw 15.3 amps and the the 13.5K units draw 13 amps unless its a power saver model (those draw 10 amps)

[ted 95]

what model did u get. so i can see the specs.
ii sounds like all the circuits on the unit are supplied at the same time cutting down the 240v plug to a 30 amp.
if u have not yet used it get ready to return it. generac is !@#$#@#$.
if you want a portable get a HONDA 6500 it will run 6500 all day long with a 50 240 plug. you will not be sorry. you may have heard of the ice storm that hit east canada and the us 20 years ago. i had one that ran 24 hours a day for 28 days straight supplying me and 5 neighbours furnaces. i just sold it and only took a 1000$ loss after 20+ years. it still worked 100 %
if you want an installed one an ONAN diesel 6500. yes u hane another fuel but a diesel will run 24/7 without problem.
let me know wayne

[Gary Hage]

With all of my out of pocket medical cost currently fighting my neck and throat cancer, money played a big issue in cost and affordability right now. Our 2013 36FB came pre-wired and setup for an onboard Cummins Onan generator which was currently out of reach for me. Figuring we would not be running the cheaper generator much, (as we don't travel and need it on the road) and for the price I paid for the Generac (on sale) I figured that if I get two or three trouble free hurricane seasons out of it to sustain my life, I will have gotten most of my money's worth out of it. My son and daughter in law bought a Generac to power their four bedroom home in town, and they've used it without incident. They seem to be very happy with theirs. Hopefully I too will get a good unit! Thanks for the reply.

[ted 95]

don't want to be negative but this unit is not for you.
1-the max amp you will get out of this unit is 30 amp due to the way it is wired.
2-that means you will only be able to run 2-AC your fridge and battery charger/inverter maybe. hopefully you do not have an induction hot plate. it all depends if the load is divided properly in your unit. you should get someone to verify you are balanced on the circuits. also if he comes in he can tell you the draw per circuit so if you are in an emergency situation you can shed circuits by turning off breakers

3-using an adapter from 50 to 30 amp you will have to buy or make as the plug configuration is not the same.
4- i would find a unit that has a 50 amp 240 v plug and save yourself the possible trouble as you are not a construction site that needs multiple plugs to work.


i actually checked my draw last weekend here is what i was drawing
test 1--24 amp with rear AC
test 2--20 amp with front AC
test 3--9 amp NO ACs working
this was not turning on the fridge-tv's-hot plate and anything i may have portable/extra.
also don't forget a breaker will POP at 80%. that means when you are at 25-26 watts it should pop.


goodluck



pm me if you want to discuss this

[r time soon]

"i actually checked my draw last weekend here is what i was drawing
test 1--24 amp with rear AC
test 2--20 amp with front AC
test 3--9 amp NO ACs working
this was not turning on the fridge-tv's-hot plate and anything i may have portable/extra.
also don't forget a breaker will POP at 80%. that means when you are at 25-26 watts it should pop."


I believe that you meant to say AMPS not WATTS for tripping/ blowing the 30 amp breaker.

[Gary Hage]

Originally Posted by XCMARK

So the basic answer is a 10000 watt generator should power both your AC units and one residential refrigerator. It should put out roughly 30 amps on each leg (two total), your 50 amp park service has 2 hot legs and a neutral and a ground .



For 3 hours in the afternoon I turned on the inverter and shut off the 12vdc converter just to keep the park 30amp breaker from tripping (it did trip twice when I forgot to swap the frig over to inverter.



Feeding a 10,000watt generator fuel is going to be a issue , it most likely will use 1~2 gallons of fuel per hour at 3/4 of its rated load. so the less you need AC the easier its going to be on fuel.



the 15K ac units on high draw 15.3 amps and the the 13.5K units draw 13 amps unless its a power saver model (those draw 10 amps)

I have read on one of the Cummins Onan websites that their 5500 Watt Marquis Gold generators that are typically seen installed in motorhomes and on fifth wheels will run two RV A/C units, even though I've been told it is rated as a 30 amp unit. There in lies my thinking that the much less expensive portable Generac should be able to do the same. I could be wrong here. But that unit cost an average of 4K plus verses the $899.00 + tax I spent due to the current affordability. I'm fine with running just one A/C unit for a few days to a week during the aftermath of a passing storm. Its just going to be a matter of keeping the wife comfortable and happy! Our employer is buying the portable diesel generator that I originally spec'd out that has a dedicated 50 amp RV shore power connector (4-bladed plug-in). It cost more than double the one I The issue is that since it will be considered a community genset, rather than dedicated one exclusive to our campground, I cannot gamble on the , "What if there is a campground/location within our system that is in more dire need for the generator than us?" and I'm left with nothing. Good luck fin



I know that feeding the gasoline beast will not be fun, but will be a necessity if I want to survive unit the power comes back on I've already planned for the worst and figured that I most likely will be pouring about 1.75 gallons/hr through it, and that will take soome conserving of electricity on our part.


Sounds like I was correct on the high amperage draw during starting up, so with the genset I've purchased,I think I just need to consider running the main A/C unit and convertor in the Redwood. If need be, (and since we have the standard type gas/electric re frig in it) I can switch it over to run on the propane side. Then all I have left as a necessity to power would be the freezer and computer/communication devises. The unit I bought may not be the best choice, or even the one I wanted, but for the price it seems to be the most affordable right now, for what little I would ever be needing a genset for.

[Gary Hage]

Originally Posted by ted 95

don't want to be negative but this unit is not for you.
1-the max amp you will get out of this unit is 30 amp due to the way it is wired.


2-that means you will only be able to run 2-AC your fridge and battery charger/inverter maybe. hopefully you do not have an induction hot plate. it all depends if the load is divided properly in your unit.

3-using an adapter from 50 to 30 amp you will have to buy or make as the plug configuration is not the same.

also don't forget a breaker will POP at 80%. that means when you are at 25-26 watts it should pop.

Not being negative at all, you are just being informative, that's why I posed the question. I know I will be only getting 30amp (max) out of the breaker and plug-in port on this Generac. But I did confirm with them (Generac) that my 50 amp RV power supply cord (4-bladed male connector) will properly fit into that plug-in on the generator. So I should not be having to find and buy a 30 to 50 amp adapter plug. I also only plan on running the unit at no more than 75-80% capacity, as I typically don't like running anything at maximum load rating for several reasons. I did look at the Honda as well as the Onan portables they are more in the quality and name brand I would prefer, plus I own a 7.5 Onan Commercial Generator that was permanently mounted on our Kenworth super sleeper tractor when we owned and operated our trucking business. We got over 70,000 hrs of run tike out of it before selling the truck and business, and they were mostly trouble free. But in this case, I saw that the Honda ^500 you recommend currently cost an average of $2500.00 plus, which put it well out of my price range for now until I get through the cost of fighting my cancer.