30 A cable splitter, or something?
Now that it's getting hotter, there are some days I need the A/C running, which means unplugging from the 15 A outlet I'm on (in a garage), and crawling on my hands and knees to plug into the generato...
Forum Discussion
Free Range Human wrote:D.E.Bishop wrote:
I believe that what FRH is saying is his land line cable must be unplugged
She.
We aren't all male ;)
And yes, apparently I need, and do not have, an ATS.
The previous owners installed a few extras I'm slowly finding, but I can't find any evidence that this was one of them, unfortunately.
FRH - here's what I think the previous owners did.
Background:
All RV's have a power cord (30 or 50 amp) to connect to a campground pedestal.
Some will also have an "on-board" generator - either from the factory, or added later by the owner.
The factory generator option would normally have an Automatic Transfer Switch.
However - if the owner added a generator later, he/she may not have wanted to spend the extra $$ for the ATS.
Soooooo - to switch from one to the other - the power cord (normally connected to the pedestal) needed to be physically plugged into an outlet at/on the generator.
Warning!!
From a safety standpoint, when the above is done - there should only be *ONE* power cord with a male plug at the end.
It can go to the pedestal (shore power, female receptacle) --OR--
to the generator (female receptacle).
NO WAY to connect to both at the same time!!
From one of your posts - it seems that the previous owner/s may have had a *second* power cord wired in somewhere? (maybe at the RV's electrical panel?) - NO BUENO!!..:R
*If* there are *two* cords (with male ends) "wired in" somewhere - you have a design for disaster!
*If* there is only *one* cord with a male end - that you must disconnect from the pedestal (or power source) and crawl under the rig to re-connect to the generator - that's good..:C
You are physically (didn't want to say "manually", LOL!) doing what an automatic transfer switch does.
What you could do -as a previous poster suggested- is have someone make up a short 30amp extension for the generator outlet so ( you wouldn't have to crawl under to make the connection.
It still would (must) remain - *ONE* power cord (male plug), connected to a power source (with a female receptacle).
Then you would do what Mr. Wiz indicated: disconnect from the pedestal (or shore power) and re-connect to the generator (without crawling under).
.
