GENERATOR - Event Date: 27 Feb 2014 - 27 Apr 2014

100% chance the adapter is tapping one leg.

Tapping one leg means it will only pull power off one side of the feed. Your generator makes two feeds, (legs) each leg is 120v 30 amps. When you draw from both legs, you get 240v 30 amps. When drawing from one leg you get 120v 30 amps.

Because of how the windings and magnets work, as the stator rotates, it makes power on one leg, then on the other, 60 times a second, for each. What can happen, is, if the generator is having to make a lot more power on one leg, then on the other, it has an "unbalanced load". each time the magnets pass the windings there is a bit of "drag" or pull. over time, if the load is unbalanced enough, it can/may/might/will cause a little flaw right there in the bearings, (most are just a sleeve bearing) and this can/may/might/will cause the generator head to fail.

So theoretically, if you were pulling a large load, ie: everything turned on in the pod at once, all pulling on that one leg, for an extended length of time... you could/might damage the genny head unit. Odds are slim.. but it is possible..

and, no it's no different than putting the pod on the single outlets.. notice there are 2 of them? 1 for each leg...

and no, I was at the site for my store. lol.

Originally posted by hogone I was just reading the reviews on the camco 55382 and it apears that one only taps 1 leg as well.  so as I mentioned above, what would be the difference in converting the 220 plug for pod use vs just using one of the standard outlets on the gen?  and then another goofy question....what is the point of even having a 120/240 receptacle?  hope I'm not wearing anybody out with all this.  hogone

On a 120/240 receptacle...such as the typical 4 prong dryer receptacle...you'll note that the two 120 volts legs come in on the 2 outside stabs..(supplying the 240 volts across them)....the neutral goes to the center stab (to make the 120 volts available from one of the 120 volt hot legs) and the ground goes to the U shaped prong...to pick up the metal of the frame (and help the user to avoid shock in the event of a problem) You'll note the typical dryer requires 10/3 with ground....having a total of 4 wires.(two hots, one neutral, one ground)
 

Originally posted by Sleepless Hogone, I did not take the time to read all of the comments again, but if I remember correctly, your generator came with a cable that plugs into that outlet, and splits into 4 secondary cables, each of which will give you 120 volts.  This is the way my Troybilt 5500 watt unit came, and the cord completely eliminates the need for an adapter.  If anyone disagrees with this, please correct me. Bob

Well, he still needs an adapter to plug the 30 amp TT plug into the 15/20 amp outlets on the end of the cord. Same adapter he needs to plug into the 15/20 amp outlets on the genny itself.

Originally posted by hogone It did come with that cord.  I guess I always knew that I could plug into that or one of the single outlets on the gen and hook up the pod and have the ability to run various items at separate times.  Just thought though using the 120/240 outlet with the adaptor would be like hooking up to a 30 amp source(like at a campground) and have the ability to run it all at once.  Again, I didnt buy the gen for the pod, just was looking at this for convenience.

and with that adapter, you can. again, that adapter is going to supply 120v 30 amps.