Hi All We have an electrical question as follows-- For our first time we plan to use a cheater plug at Sebastian State Park where all that is offered is 30 amp service. One arm of this cheater plug will plug into the 30 amp side of the shore power station & the other arm from this "cheater plug" will plug into the 15 amp side of the shore power station giving us up to 45 amp service into our power line. The only potential problem is that if the 15 amp side of the shore power station is GFI protected, this Cheater plug will not work, as the GFI breaker will trip to off. Our question is, if this 15 amp plug in can not be used by us due to the GFI breaker, can we use our Honda Generator EU 2000i to plug into as an alternative to the 15 amp power & not negatively affect anything in the coaches electrical system ? We feel the Honda will run more quietly & use less gas than our Onan 7.7 We'd really appreciate any comments or suggestions here. Thanks !!PS; we are aware that with 30 amps you only run one a/c & nothing else like a microwave, coffee pot etc.PSS; what is the difference between running the onboard Onan 7.7 & running the Honda instead ?

Rephrasing, to make sure I got this:You have a 50 amp connector. On one leg, you will have the 30 amp shore power. On the other leg, you want to run a Honda generator? Or, do you want both the 30 amp power and the Honda generator on the same legs.I don't know if this can be done safely, because either the Honda would get yanked into phase with shore power, the generator gets killed by the backfeed, or you get 240 volts where 120 is expected.

I don't think I would try it. The 30 amp and the 15/20 amp outlets use a common hot line and a common neutral. Adding the generator into the mix introduces a separate hot that is not in sync with the pedastal hot and a neutral that is not common to the pedastal neutral. You would be tying the two neutrals together in the "cheater". I honestly can't say what the result would be, but I would be concerned about the result.

Good question.. can't say I've seen that one asked before. I don't think I'd try it as you may end up with a smoked generator. I did some searching and haven't yet found an answer.I would also question using a generator in a park where there's pedestal power. Is that allowed?

I'm guessing you need more than 30 amps because you want to run a bunch of stuff at the same time including your air conditioner(s) ?The 30 amps will supply most needs including running one A/C but when you need to use a second heavy draw item like the microwave you may need to shut off the A/C.What you are proposing may work but is it worth taking a chance on ruining a $1800 generator or damaging the RV electrical ?

A "cheater plug" in along with a Honda EU 2000i ????

20 Replies

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 22, 2014
Jack, the Honda's do that automatically.. HOWEVER my answer in the OTHER thead on this subject tells how to figure out if it will work.

I will explain

IF, as in the case of the cheater box I have, the two 30 amp (in my case) or the 30 and 20 amp plugs feed different legs One feeding L-1 only, the other L-2 only, then it will work.. In this box only white and bare/green are common, BlACK (The hot wires) are independent of each other.

I still do not recommend it.. But it should work. Likly NOT the way the O/P thinks it will, but it should work.

If however the black wire is common (Very dangerous) it will not work.
beemerphile1
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
wtfjr wrote:

...we are aware that with 30 amps you only run one a/c & nothing else like a microwave, coffee pot etc....

You should be able to run the A/C and at least one other appliance, maybe two depending on appliance. We can operate the converter, A/C and microwave at same time on 30a.

I don't suggest what you are considering doing. It would be better to run a separate extension cord to whatever appliance you want to run.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 22, 2014
The answer depends on the cheater plug.. NOTE that I do NOT recommend this.

But on some of the cheaters (like the one I have) the 30 amp feeds one leg and the 20 (mine are both 30 but you use an adapter on the 20 side) feeds the other leg.. IF that is how yours is set up it may well work.. Likely not the way you expect however, but it may well work.

But only if the only wires common to both legs are white and green/bare NOT if the black wire is common.
Jack_Diane_Free
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
How would you sync the 60 cycle input from the generator to the park power pole. Impossible to do. Probably destroy generator and cause harm to park power.
NinerBikes
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
Sounds like a bad idea to me... running 2 phases on that neutral would be problematic, and wrecking a good generator, and or doing damage to the park pedestal make it a bad idea, all the way around.

There is no such thing as cheating with AC current. Certain rules are always in place.
the_bear_II
Explorer
Aug 22, 2014
I'm guessing you need more than 30 amps because you want to run a bunch of stuff at the same time including your air conditioner(s) ?

The 30 amps will supply most needs including running one A/C but when you need to use a second heavy draw item like the microwave you may need to shut off the A/C.

What you are proposing may work but is it worth taking a chance on ruining a $1800 generator or damaging the RV electrical ?
2oldman
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2014
Good question.. can't say I've seen that one asked before.

I don't think I'd try it as you may end up with a smoked generator. I did some searching and haven't yet found an answer.

I would also question using a generator in a park where there's pedestal power. Is that allowed?
BB_TX
Nomad
Aug 22, 2014
I don't think I would try it. The 30 amp and the 15/20 amp outlets use a common hot line and a common neutral. Adding the generator into the mix introduces a separate hot that is not in sync with the pedastal hot and a neutral that is not common to the pedastal neutral. You would be tying the two neutrals together in the "cheater". I honestly can't say what the result would be, but I would be concerned about the result.
mlts22
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2014
Rephrasing, to make sure I got this:

You have a 50 amp connector. On one leg, you will have the 30 amp shore power. On the other leg, you want to run a Honda generator? Or, do you want both the 30 amp power and the Honda generator on the same legs.

I don't know if this can be done safely, because either the Honda would get yanked into phase with shore power, the generator gets killed by the backfeed, or you get 240 volts where 120 is expected.
MrWizard
Moderator
Aug 22, 2014
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A "cheater plug" in along with a Honda EU 2000i ????

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