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am1958's avatar
am1958
Explorer
Jun 24, 2014

Back-powering 110V system while travelling..

I know that I can, and do, use my home generator by plugging the two outlets from the genny into house outlets that are powered by different busbars in the breaker box, (after shutting off the master), but I'm unsure if I can do this in the TT.

My plan would be to connect an inverter to the 12v Winegard outlet and then plug the inverter outlet back onto a 110V outlet in the trailer. I'm assuming there's only one busbar. This should energize the whole system and allow me to power the fridge in my outdoor kitchen while I make a long trip and arrive with cold beverages in the fridge, (I usually only take short trips so I chill the fridge and contents and drive to the location arriving with cold contents still).

My concern is the converter. The power will essentially come from the TV engine but I'm worried what might happen since I'm sort of making a loop. Does anyone else do this and are there any specifics I should know or should I just not do it.

I would also turn the internal fridge from Auto to LP while in transit to reduce the load on the inverter.

Also, since my TT is 15 miles away doe anyone know the wattage or make/model of the fridge in a Bullet 31BHPR outdoor kitchen so I can decide if I can use an existing inverter, (400W), or I should use one with a greater capacity.
  • Dave_H_M's avatar
    Dave_H_M
    Explorer II
    Jun 30, 2014
    dang after cruising 5 pages openspaces beat me to it. :W

    Square D also markets a lock out switch that works the same but looks like a little bit different arrangement.

    That is the way to go in our area.

    The days of having one of those expensive inter lockers or whatever are just an urban legend around here.
  • opnspaces's avatar
    opnspaces
    Navigator II
    Jun 30, 2014
    You could make it a bit safer if you installed one of these. Link You might still have a suicide cord, but your wife, son, neighbor can't accidentally energize the power lines while trying to do you a favor by throwing the breaker that they noticed turned off. Actually I notice they offer a safer cord as well on the diagram.
  • camperfamily's avatar
    camperfamily
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2014
    Hmm. Enough about the back feeding. If you really want run the fridge why not just route a extension from the inverter to the fridge? Easy, inexpensive and safe.

    I didn't see mentioned that if you back feed a RV and don't remember to turn off the MAIN your male cord will be LIVE. Think of the possibilities...
  • bfast54's avatar
    bfast54
    Explorer
    Jun 27, 2014
    To.....put a fine point on all of this a couple years ago a lineman who retired after probably 25 30 years working for the electric company on high voltage lines and etc........

    was volunteering at the old engine show grounds in Buckley ( He had been doing that many years there also)..and electrocuted himself
    he just retired about a week earlier

    it can happen to anyone
  • am1958's avatar
    am1958
    Explorer
    Jun 26, 2014
    I'm glad to hear that I am not the only idiot in a world of saints...

    I was beginning to think I was unfit for the RV/Camping world and was going to sell up everything and live in a condo in Cleveland...
  • ken_white's avatar
    ken_white
    Explorer
    Jun 26, 2014
    pnichols wrote:
    I have backfed our house with a generator for years during power outages, but ... "I know what I'm doing"...


    I'll have to admit, I have done this too...

    :E
  • pnichols's avatar
    pnichols
    Explorer II
    Jun 26, 2014
    I have backfed our house with a generator for years during power outages, but ... "I know what I'm doing", as follows:

    When I wired our home I treated as an "out-building" fed from a common power pedestral, as is done on ranches and farms. This power pedestral has a convenient main breaker that can be used to disconnect it from both the meter and the underground main trunk line from the power company pole a couple of hundred feet away. I even ran the large guage aluminum underground cabling from the pedestal to the house and a friend and myself wired the entire home with it's 200 amp service.

    I use a heavy duty 30 amp suicide cord between the roll-around generator and an outlet panel next to and outside the main power panel to power the entire panel. Of course I open the main breaker so the generator is only powering the panel, with no connection back to the power company. Of course, both ends of the suicide cord are plugged in before I fire up the generator.

    This has worked for years, but we have a somewhat unusual rural type setup and I'm the only one who ever hooks it up and if we ever sell the home the generator and suicide cord goes with us. It can be done safely by certain folks, but it cannot be done safely in general.
  • JaxDad's avatar
    JaxDad
    Explorer III
    Jun 26, 2014
    westend wrote:
    BFL13 wrote:
    I don't know, but I hope, since there will always guys like the OP doing that, they train the electricians in the field to beware.

    You would hope they are taught to do a 120v measurement with a handy-dandy gizmo before exposing themselves to deathly zapping. Not to excuse the OP, et al, for doing that.
    I believe it's SOP for a lineman to scan the hardware he's going to work on before any contact to see if anything's energized. Of course, how's that going to protect him when Mr. Resident decides just after that to power up.

    FWIW, I have a customer that called me one night to assist him to connect a wall oven. He had already tried to wire it up but had blown the transformer in the street and three of his neighbors didn't have power, either. I'm still trying to figure out how he did it.


    Up here in Cannuckistan they're really fussy about illegal 'cheater cords' back-feeding the panel from a generator through a stove or dryer socket.

    A couple years back a big summer thunderstorm brought down some branches and lines. The fella next door sparked up his genset in the garage and lit up his house. Shortly afterwards the electric utility's line crew came down the road, put the bucket up and dropped his service connection lines in his front yard and drove off. He was unaware what happened but came over to ask me if I knew anything about it. I told him I watched them do it. Furious he went home to call them.

    He came back 10 minutes later, they'd told him his house wiring was unsafe and had given a lineman a 'poke' (shock) and so they'd disconnected him. After he had brought his entire house up to standards he should call for an inspection and if everything was OK they'd reconnect him.

    He got lucky.

    He didn't kill anyone.

    And he found someone to do the work for a little under $3,500......



    Lesson learned.
  • teddyu's avatar
    teddyu
    Explorer
    Jun 26, 2014
    am 1958,

    Just re-read this complete thread. At one point you were advised to plug in your shore power cable (via an extension cord) to power the TT and were cautioned to turn the converter OFF. This will work if you have an installed inverter. My guess is you don't have an installed inverter. Sounds like your looking for power for a portable inverter. Best bet is to run two 10 ga cables from you battery(ies)to the place you want to mount the inverter. You can connect the cables to the battery(ies) with spring clamps or with some other connector. They sell 16' jumper cables that you could modify on Amazon.

    As for the back-feeding your house with your generator, it is easy to think you and others are safe, but unless your a trained/licensed electrician, any installation YOU do, temporary or permanent, may not meet the NEC and therefore potentially dangerous. That is why MOST places have the electrician pull a permit and have an independent inspector to verify the integrity of the installation. Unless your willing to do the ultimate stress test on your body, don't mess with things you really don't understand. I'm not trying to ride any horse, just trying to keep you and yours safe. JM2¢...
  • teddyu's avatar
    teddyu
    Explorer
    Jun 26, 2014
    am 1958,

    Just re-read this complete thread. At one point you were advised to plug in your shore power cable (via an extension cord) to power the TT and were cautioned to turn the converter OFF. This will work if you have an installed inverter. My guess is you don't have an installed inverter. Sounds like your looking for power for a portable inverter. Best bet is to run two 10 ga cables from you battery(ies)to the place you want to mount the inverter. You can connect the cables to the battery(ies) with spring clamps or with some other connector. They sell 16' jumper cables that you could modify on Amazon.

    As for the back-feeding your house with your generator, it is easy to think you and others are safe, but unless your a trained/licensed electrician, any installation YOU do, temporary or permanent, may not meet the NEC and therefore potentially dangerous. That is why MOST places have the electrician pull a permit and have an independent inspector to verify the integrity of the installation. Unless your willing to do the ultimate stress test on your body, don't mess with things you really don't understand. I'm not trying to ride any horse, just trying to keep you and yours safe. JM2¢...

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