Forum Discussion

Tinstar's avatar
Tinstar
Explorer
Sep 17, 2021

What am I doing wrong

A couple of weeks ago I bought a Westinghouse iGen4500DF 30 amp generator. I went out earlier today to check it out on my '03 Monaco Windsor motorhome. It has an Energy Management System installed. Everything works fine on 50 amp or 30 amp shore power and with the built in Onan 8500 genset but when I plug in the new iGen generator, only the air conditioners work. No wall outlet works (makes no difference if the a/c is off or on). I plug back into the 50 amp or 30 amp outlets, everything works normally again. It is not a GFI problem and I am reasonably sure it has something to do with the EMS and how it interacts with the generator.

I happen to have an older motorhome without an EMS. I plug it into the generator and everything works normally and everything is powered.

To be clear, in addition to the 50 amp outlet I have at home, I also have a 30 amp near it. I plug the Windsor motorhome into the 30 amp outlet and everything works fine the same as with the 50 amp outlet.

What am I doing wrong while trying to use the 30 amp iGen generator? Does the EMS need to be disabled or am I supposed to do something on the generator to make it work with my Windsor.

BTW: The new Westinghouse iGen will not typically be used to power my motorhome but it should work. I was going to exercise the genset today and that's why I pugged it into the motorhome and found the problem.
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  • rlw999's avatar
    rlw999
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    Tinstar wrote:
    It is not a GFI problem and I am reasonably sure it has something to do with the EMS and how it interacts with the generator.

    I happen to have an older motorhome without an EMS. I plug it into the generator and everything works normally and everything is powered.


    You probably just need to bond neutral+ground at the generator to satisfy the EMS. Some generators will have a bonding strap that you can use to do that, but most people buy or build a bonding plug that they plug into one of the generator outlets:

    https://www.campingworld.com/portable-generator-bonding-plug-118090.html

    Easy “how to” make a Bonded Plug for an RV Generator/make EMS system work with generator
  • Tinstar's avatar
    Tinstar
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    rlw999 wrote:
    You probably just need to bond neutral+ground at the generator to satisfy the EMS. Some generators will have a bonding strap that you can use to do that, but most people buy or build a bonding plug that they plug into one of the generator outlets:

    https://www.campingworld.com/portable-generator-bonding-plug-118090.html

    Easy “how to” make a Bonded Plug for an RV Generator/make EMS system work with generator


    That sounds reasonable but I need a 30 amp plug instead of the 20 amp. I suppose they would they wire up the same?
  • bgum's avatar
    bgum
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    You can bond a 20 amp plug. The ems system will see it as OK.
    You will want to use your 30 amp outlet for power.
  • rlw999's avatar
    rlw999
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    Tinstar wrote:
    rlw999 wrote:
    You probably just need to bond neutral+ground at the generator to satisfy the EMS. Some generators will have a bonding strap that you can use to do that, but most people buy or build a bonding plug that they plug into one of the generator outlets:

    https://www.campingworld.com/portable-generator-bonding-plug-118090.html

    Easy “how to” make a Bonded Plug for an RV Generator/make EMS system work with generator


    That sounds reasonable but I need a 30 amp plug instead of the 20 amp. I suppose they would they wire up the same?


    You can use the 20A plug, it will bond the 30A side too.
  • Tinstar's avatar
    Tinstar
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    rlw999 wrote:

    You probably just need to bond neutral+ground at the generator to satisfy the EMS. Some generators will have a bonding strap that you can use to do that, but most people buy or build a bonding plug that they plug into one of the generator outlets:

    https://www.campingworld.com/portable-generator-bonding-plug-118090.html

    Easy “how to” make a Bonded Plug for an RV Generator/make EMS system work with generator


    I just watched that video. Do I understand correctly that I can plug in the bonded plug into any of the outlets and that will fix the problem with 30 amp
  • Tinstar's avatar
    Tinstar
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    Ya'll are right. In addition to your comments and after looking at several videos on these newer inverter generators, it appears I need to make or buy a Portable Generator Bonding Plug. These generators are made to work with a sticks and bricks instead of the RV.

    Here's a cut and paste: Most portable generators are designed with a floating neutral electrical system, not for the electrical system in a RV. RVs , not in the interior breaker panel like a house. All brands of electrical protection products will detect an Open Ground fault and not allow power to enter the RV.

    Thanks for the help. It would have taken me longer to find all this without your help.
  • Tinstar's avatar
    Tinstar
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    Ya'll are right. In addition to your comments and after looking at several videos on these newer inverter generators, it appears I need to make or buy a Portable Generator Bonding Plug. These generators are made to work with a sticks and bricks instead of the RV.

    Here's a cut and paste: Most portable generators are designed with a floating neutral electrical system, not for the electrical system in a RV. RVs , not in the interior breaker panel like a house. All brands of electrical protection products will detect an Open Ground fault and not allow power to enter the RV.

    Thanks for the help. It would have taken me longer to find all this without your help.
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Sep 17, 2021
    50 amp shore power has two legs of 120 power. Sounds like the adapter is only passing one leg of power which is normally secondary source to power second air and other things like water heater 120 volt element.
    Test out put of adapter to both straight parallel blades to single blade
  • Tinstar's avatar
    Tinstar
    Explorer
    Sep 17, 2021
    enblethen wrote:
    50 amp shore power has two legs of 120 power. Sounds like the adapter is only passing one leg of power which is normally secondary source to power second air and other things like water heater 120 volt element.
    Test out put of adapter to both straight parallel blades to single blade


    No, that's not the problem. I did check that before posting. But thanks for the suggestion.

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