Running roof air on TH using a portable gen while driving?

Thanks Gents - My transfer switch is on located behind a hacth on the front of the TH so all I need to do is run about 3' of 50 amp wire from the switch to a twist lock recepticle which I will mount on the foward wall behind the propane tanks - my thought is this area will catch less spray (rain) from the TV while driving. I am thinking the way the go is use a 30A cord that has a 50A lock ring end on the RV side and a std 30A on the Gen side. I think I read that this arrangement will actually only feed juice to one leg of the 50A plug which should provide enough to run my AC. I could run my 50A cord and step it down at the Gen but it's so heavy. Is my reasoning sound?

DrewE wrote:

Txsurfer wrote:
I was thinking about relocating my 50A plug to the front of my trailer rather than on the side or adding a second plug if that is possible? This would make the cord routing easier.

Relocating the plug: That should be possible, thought it might be more annoying at campgrounds since the pedestals are set up with the assumption that the cord comes out the side of the RV.

The NEC (art. 551.77) dictates where a pedestal must be installed on a site in an RV Park and the NEC (art.551.46) also specifies where a power connection on the side of an RV needs to be. Occasionally you can find a pedestal near the roadway in an older CG before the code rules were changed. Besides having a non-conforming 50 amp shore power cord setup, just about all CGs have the pedestal at the left/rear and you'll need a long 50 amp extension cord to the pedestal.

Is there one AC or two and what rating is the generator? There's a few different ways this could be done. I would think using an extension cord & cable from the generator to a transfer switch near the panel may be the way to go.

If one AC unit only, one option would be to install a 20 amp power inlet on the exterior near the front and run new cable directly to the AC and then use a 20 amp extension cord to the generator.

Keep in mind that voltage drop could be an issue depending on what you do. If using a transfer switch, they must be code approved so there is no chance of back-feeding onto the main power grid or exposing live parts.

Txsurfer wrote:
I was thinking about relocating my 50A plug to the front of my trailer rather than on the side or adding a second plug if that is possible? This would make the cord routing easier.

I added a 2 nd 50amp plug to front of 5er and added transfer switch.We have 2 dogs that we carry if gone awhile as they must have meds every day.
We only put them in 5er when stopped for lunch etc and plug up & run gen in pu bed.

Txsurfer wrote:
Looks like I'm luck as my TH already has an automatic transfer switch as its prewired for a generator. Looks like all I need to do is buy a second twistlock style receptacle and wire it to the open generator circuit. Am I missing something?

It sounds like you're good to go. If you're especially fortunate, the generator pre-wiring will extend to someplace near the hitch about where you want the new socket to be.

Looks like I'm luck as my TH already has an automatic transfer switch as its prewired for a generator. Looks like all I need to do is buy a second twistlock style receptacle and wire it to the open generator circuit. Am I missing something?

Txsurfer wrote:
I was thinking about relocating my 50A plug to the front of my trailer rather than on the side or adding a second plug if that is possible? This would make the cord routing easier.

Relocating the plug: That should be possible, thought it might be more annoying at campgrounds since the pedestals are set up with the assumption that the cord comes out the side of the RV.

Adding an additional plug: You must also add some sort of a fail-proof transfer switching system so that you don't have the unused plug energized when the other one is connected and so that it is impossible to simultaneously try to power the trailer through both simultaneously. There are various ways this can be done. One is a typical automatic transfer switch, or a manual transfer switch. Another that may be possible is wiring the new plug straight through to a socket in the cord storage area that you plug the normal power cord into (or, if you have a detachable power cord, possibly a special short jumper cord).

I was thinking about relocating my 50A plug to the front of my trailer rather than on the side or adding a second plug if that is possible? This would make the cord routing easier.

In my Class C I have a rack on the back. Add a receiver and you could do the same.

Have done this several times. I use small bungee cords to secure the extension cord from the pickup to the trailer.

Be sure to secure your generator to prevent theft and it falling or bouncing over.

I've been debating actually mounting my gen to the tongue (on the gen box that is already there), and routing a cable to plug in just for this reason.

Yes you can do it. Just be well aware of your cable routing and attaching to the trailer so that it does not drag.