Forum Discussion
MrWizard
Jul 20, 2017Moderator
Yes, I know houses have main breakers - except that they're not usually down in the the same breakers as all the branch circuits. They're usually up above the branch breakers and separated. However, if you feed a small subpanel in a garage that doesn't have main breakers and you use 2 breaker slots where branch circuits would go to feed the panel, that's backfeeding. I can tell you which one mine looks like
NO thats not back feeding
those are out put breakers going to the sub panel
back feeding is when you bring hot "power in" from what is leagally and output circuit
take a double ended suicide cord
plug end 'B' into an outlet in the RV
plug end 'A' into a shore outlet
THAT IS BACK FEEDING
I hear what you are saying, and I don't disagree. However, it would seem your advice would be better vetted with Fleetwood, as they certainly didn't follow your advice. This is how my panel came wired from the factory (refer to photo above if you doubt it).
L1: GFI (15A) [most outlets in camper], A/C 1 (20A), A/C 2 (20A), Microwave (20A), Water heater (15A) ----- TOTAL: 90A
L2: Fireplace / Washer-Dryer (15A), Refrigerator (20A), Ceiling Fan (15A) [other outlets, TV, stereo], Converter (15A) ----- TOTAL: 65A
Would you call that balanced? Cuz I wouldn't. Moving AC1 and AC2 onto L2 and bringing the ceiling fan circuit over to L2 doesn't look like that big of a change to me. It looks better, in fact. The converter circuit would become a spare as the inverter would take over those duties. New "total" amperages would be:
so the guy at fleetwood, messed up
and you re-balanced it..good
i never said not to re-balance
i said don't put all the heavy items on one leg
i would separate the (2) A/C they are the two big items most likely to be on for hours at a time thw other loads are more intermittent, this keeps the neutral leg from being overloaded by an imbalance
rearrange the other loads
having an a/c on the inverter leg won't hurt
you won't be running the a/c with out the genny or shore, not near as likely to forget as say the WH or fridge
tv, outlets, ceiling fan, MW, IMO must have for inverter
A/C can be on that circuit and the washer/fireplace IF you want, the victron pass thru will handle it when using genny or shore power and those are items not likely to be accidentally left on, or come on automatically
and you might use the washer at the same time as the A/Cs are running
but unlikely to use fireplace and A/C
BTW (victron is an excellent choice)
and unless you have a Manual lock out breaker switch arrangement for generator and shore choice, there is a 50 amp 3pole TS someplace, mine is a big silver box in the electric bay, because my breakers are in the cabinet over the BED
Better than it was before. Besides, you guys running 120V only feed all the same stuff I have on both legs from 1 leg, and are limited to less current (usually 30 amps). I have two legs and each one can carry 66% more current than that. I understand what you are saying from a theoretical standpoint, but it isn't relevant in practice.
yes in some respect
but 30amp RV don't come with electric heat fireplace and washer dryers
and the (2) a/c only run on generator, RV is usually setup that only (1) a/c can be run on shore power, then its power management time for MW etc..
its not all run at the same time when the RV has 30amp main
its mainly the 50amp rv guys that come on here trying to run both A/Cs from a 30amp campsite and asking how to do it because they keep tripping the 30amp breaker at the pedestal
with 30amp rv there is usaully a switch to choose which a/c front or rear, or one is hard wired to the genny with NO switch no choice
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