Exercise genny while on shore power?

Anytime you start the generator it is a hot transfer unless you turn everything off including the converter and electric water heater. You could use the main breakers to cut power and save the transfer switch but then someone will say the breakers should not be used as a switch either. As I said the list never ends.

RV transfer switches are not fail safe devices. Industrial transfer switches have mechanical interlocks along with the electrical. RV transfer switches are cheap by comparison and you're taking a chance doing a hot switchover, which I don't think any of the switch manufactures recommend.

Sam

time2roll wrote:
The list of systems that could be connected wrong is endless.
Do you verify everything else before you turn stuff on?

Truthfully if something this important is wired wrong I would prefer to know sooner than later.

There is no rolling of the dice. Wires do not jump off terminals and rewire themselves.

Because nothing ever fails on an Rv right? Wheel chocks, supplemental braking, emergency breakaway, towing chains, etc. All things that prevent an issue should something fail. No difference here. Like I said, to each his own. If it's not worth it to you to take 15 seconds of prevention to mitigate the risk of a lot of damage then no skin off my nose. I unplug before exercising the genset. No possible chance of anything getting fried. It's really a no brainer. The strawman argument of having to verify everything before you turn stuff on really makes no sense. Good luck to you.

Op, it's good advice to take the few seconds to disconnect before running the genset. Albeit small odds, it's an ounce of prevention that could avoid an expensive disaster.

The list of systems that could be connected wrong is endless.
Do you verify everything else before you turn stuff on?

Truthfully if something this important is wired wrong I would prefer to know sooner than later.

There is no rolling of the dice. Wires do not jump off terminals and rewire themselves.

time2roll wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
"Transfer switch shouldgive priority to the generator"


Now that is the stickler, the word should , if it doesn't , bad things could happen, that is why you unplug first

Ok so if the generator does not have priority the worst case would be no load on the generator.

Nothing bad will happen either way. Otherwise get back into the manual and read about how a transfer switch works.

Rolling the dice is fine when things work as they should. Until they don't. Then your worst case becomes something completely different.

Not sure why this is even a debate. It literally takes seconds to mitigate any risk even if the risk is small. But the implications can be very large.

To each his own I guess. I'd rather be wrong and have nothing happen than be wrong a lot of bad things happen. Rv's aren't always wired they way they are supposed to be and every component on an RV is suspect in my opinion, especially given the lack of quality in the RV and the components themselves.

To the folks saying nothing will happen and it's fine to remain plugged in, when the OP doesn't unplug and something does get fried, will you chip in to help him fix it? Some advice can have dramatic consequences.

We normally camp during the winter so for me the funny question is when do you exercise your AC units when it's a high of 40 degree temps outside?

I have my own ritual. First is turning the fridge off. I wonder if clicking the button allows the circuit board to perform a task that would not happen if the fridge was left on when I go flip the 50a breakers.

Next is pull the cover to the generator. Had a mouse living in there so now I have a sticky trap and a snap trap in the unit itself. I yank those out and prime. Hit the start button. Check for any mouse next debris to come shooting out.

Looks good the cover goes back on. My manual recommends an hour. I usually do 45 mins to 1 hour. Pull the cover off again and drain the carb. Put my mouse traps back and feel good my genny and ACs got a workout.

During winter I will use space heaters instead. Run the AC every other month. Or 3 months.

MrWizard wrote:
"Transfer switch shouldgive priority to the generator"


Now that is the stickler, the word should , if it doesn't , bad things could happen, that is why you unplug first

Ok so if the generator does not have priority the worst case would be no load on the generator.

Nothing bad will happen either way. Otherwise get back into the manual and read about how a transfer switch works.

MFL wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Unplug.

Exerise.

Replug.

30 minutes @ 50% load, after a 3 minute warm up.

This is how I do it too. Always best to be safe.

Jerry

Agree!

Jerry Knows!!!

MrWizard wrote:
"Transfer switch shouldgive priority to the generator"


Now that is the stickler, the word should , if it doesn't , bad things could happen, that is why you unplug first

BINGO! Shore power should be the default. To be sure how much trouble is it to flip the breaker at the post, make sure the inverter is off, then start the genny? No risk of trying to backfeed anything that way.

Not just hearsay, I've heard of real cases of things getting screwed up when running the genny and shore power at the same time. Sure the ATS is supposed to work and prevent a catastrophe. But as we all know too well, RV parts fail all the time. Given the 30 seconds (and that's being generous) it takes to unplug or turn off the pedestal breaker, why wouldn't you? Only takes one time for the ATS to not behave appropriately and you've created a mess that's not only a real inconvenience but very costly.