Manual transfer switch for connecting gennie?
I want to mount my generator on the back of my trailer bumper and hard wire it into my WENCO power center with a switch. I would run a 10/3 30 AMP cable about 25 ft to the power center. I need help wi...
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You need a double pole, double throw switch, preferably center off so that you're sure the switch is break before make (though most are). The switch should be rated for 120V 30A minimum, and preferably a little higher. Both the hot and neutral get switched, the safety ground is solid through.
Any switch suitable for 30A 120V service should be capable of having 10 gauge wire connected, albeit possibly using a quick connector or something.
(The hot and neutral both get switched because, if the generator bonds neutral to ground, failing to switch the neutral creates a ground fault in the RV when connected to shore power. Per the NEC a permanently connected built-in RV generator should bond ground and neutral. Most portable generators do not, but it's possible that some can, and you could in theory connect the generator connection to something other than a generator that does.)
A safe and easy and inexpensive way of hooking this up is to simply install a 30A RV socket in your RV's cord storage compartment and wire that to the connection to the generator. When you aren't plugged into shore power, plug the shore power cable into that socket and you're connected to the generator. It's pretty well foolproof, and obviously it's impossible to connect both the generator and shore power at the same time so it's perfectly safe. Frankly, this is the approach I'd recommend, though it is arguably slightly less convenient to use.
Any switch suitable for 30A 120V service should be capable of having 10 gauge wire connected, albeit possibly using a quick connector or something.
(The hot and neutral both get switched because, if the generator bonds neutral to ground, failing to switch the neutral creates a ground fault in the RV when connected to shore power. Per the NEC a permanently connected built-in RV generator should bond ground and neutral. Most portable generators do not, but it's possible that some can, and you could in theory connect the generator connection to something other than a generator that does.)
A safe and easy and inexpensive way of hooking this up is to simply install a 30A RV socket in your RV's cord storage compartment and wire that to the connection to the generator. When you aren't plugged into shore power, plug the shore power cable into that socket and you're connected to the generator. It's pretty well foolproof, and obviously it's impossible to connect both the generator and shore power at the same time so it's perfectly safe. Frankly, this is the approach I'd recommend, though it is arguably slightly less convenient to use.
