GENERATOR
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4430
Printed Date: 03 May 2024 at 5:40pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: GENERATOR
Posted By: hogone
Subject: GENERATOR
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 7:34am
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looking into getting a new generator for home use. looking at approximately a 7000-9000 size. any recommendations? not necesarily looking for top of the line, but a good all around dependable brand. or are they all about the same? appreciate any suggestions. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 10:52am
My brother worked on them both for the Army, and as a civilian, he says Generac if gas portable. I bought a XP8000E for the house, it has only been put into actual use once in the 5 years we have had it, put 35 hours on it, that plus firing it up every couple months we are near 45 hours now. No issues, nothing in the house it won't run, except the heat pump, (and it may, just never tried it, we heat with a wood stove). It will run our 80 gallon water heater.  One thing we learned in the '09 ice storm that had us without power for 7 days, neighbors for twice that, a hot shower goes a long way to making things better. The best thing is to figure out what you HAVE to keep powered, and what you want to keep powered, and size from there.. (probably what you already did, since you know what size you are looking for) Ours goes through about a gallon an hour of gas.. we are actually looking at getting a smaller one, just big enough to run the pod a/c, as that will also be large enough to run our HAVE to loads in the house. Fridge, chest freezers, and aquarium. The Yamaha we are looking at runs about 6 hours on a gallon of gas.. 8 hours on a full tank. OH, and my brother says, "no they are not all about the same"... ------------- |
Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 10:52am
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I bought ours at home depoe for around 700.00 and wired in a transfer switch for about 300.00 mor than enough power. Runs everything except hot water and furnace. Did this six years ago. It is a 6000 watt with a Yamaha engine. One thing I wish I got a electric start. Moe
------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150 
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 12:06pm
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Several years ago I bought a http://www.lowes.com/pd_255823-24212-0057080_0__?productId=3028597 - Generac XP8000E
Kinda funny that it was cheaper than the Yamaha 2400ISHC I just bought! Anyway, it's more than enough to run the whole house - well, furnace, two fridges, etc. Like Craneman says, the electric start is great. And the price was right. It's loud, though. In our neighborhood it's not a big deal cuz the houses are so far apart and I can place it on a side of the house w/30 foot cord so it doesn't bother us inside. I wasn't brave enough to install transfer switch and hook-up port on side of house, so I think I paid an electrician about as much as the genny cost me. I could have easily recouped the cost if I charged for hot showers, and refrigerator/freezer space during Superstorm Sandy! We used it for two weeks straight. It burns a little less than 1 gallon per hour and I usually keep 15-20 gallons on hand. Newer cars seem impossible to siphon from. We usually run it about 4 hours on and 6 off. Get's the refrigerators and freezers back down and hot water refreshed. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 1:46pm
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ok, now start coming the goofy questions!!! couldn't find the gen xp8000e on lowes website. they did have the xt8000 which is not even an identified series on gen website. obviously their are differences in the series, but what are the real main issues? ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 2:25pm
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You're right. Looks like Lowes isn't selling that model anymore. Here's the Generac Link: http://www.generac.com/all-products/generators/portable-generators/xp-series/xp8000e - http://www.generac.com/all-products/generators/portable-generators/xp-series/xp8000e That's the one I have. I think I paid something like $1300-$1400. I do remember they were on sale. Perhaps it was a special model built for Lowes at the time, but the specs are the same as the Generac link. Of course, if I could have afforded it, I probably would have gone with the Honda EU6500iS!! I saw one up close and running. Couldn't believe how quiet it was. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 2:42pm
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Ya know hogone. I think my memory ain't so good. Wife tells me we paid more like $1800.00 for the Generac. That makes more sense with what they are asking now. Sorry. ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 3:05pm
That really sparks my interest. We normally run a 5500 watt unit at home, but it is loud and is a gas hog. With a gas hot water heater and several other gas appliances (my mentality from living too long in the Midwest) we can survive with a much smaller unit. We have a large heat pump for our main living level and a small one for our upstairs space. When we do need cooling or heating, the 5500 watt unit runs the smaller heat pump, but we only need to run it for a short time. Otherwise, a small generator will suffice. Could you give me the model number of the Yamaha you are looking at? ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 3:55pm
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i'm a little slow!!................just realizing you guys mentioning a gallon of gas an hour; if out of electric for a week and running steady it would cost $500-$600 bucks easy! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 4:26pm
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I've been through this decision process, and have evolved my preference over time.
If you are considering a permanent generator, something the companies that sell them don't mention is they are expensive to run. My 12 kw genset uses a minimum of 1.5 gallons of propane an hour and 2 gallons per hour fully loaded. At $4/gallon a long outage would cost $144 per day to keep it going 24/7. My electric bill averages $200 for an entire month.
An alternative that didn't exist when I bought my Generac is one of the Honda/Yamaha inverter-gensets. Since they can run at idle with a light load they use less gas - a lot less. They make larger models that will run most of your house - my parents just bought a 6 kw model that outputs 120/240 volts. However, it still burns a decent amount of fuel since it is large. I now have a Yamaha 2 kw model (120 output only) and a special setup hooked up to my Prius (120/240) to handle baseline loads overnight and during the day (when you usually only need 200-300 watts). The Prius burns 0.13 gallons/hr running most of the stuff in my house, and the Yamaha about 0.18 running the pod. If I had to do it all over again I would get the Honda or Yamaha plus a cheap - and loud - gas-guzzler 8-10 kw contractor special to run the big stuff for an hour or two per day (well pump and water heater). That also would give me redundancy in case one of them failed. The biggest savings comes from NOT using a huge generator when you only need a few hundred watts, and that is 2/3 of the day. Something else that will save you gas no matter what you run - you don't have to run everything in your house 24/7 during an outage. Fridges/freezers have "thermal carryover" and can safely go 8-12 hours w/o power if you keep them closed and they have fully cooled down. Power them for 2 hours in the morning before you leave for work, then for several hours at night starting when you open them to make dinner, and the rest of the time you should be ok. Stock up on milk jugs filled 3/4 with water in any spare space in your freezer to help. You may have an exception if you have one in a garage during a 100-degree heatwave. That may require several more hours of cooling during the day, but otherwise you can save a lot of gas through load management. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 4:52pm
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Yeah! What Doug said. I feel really good now that we have the Pod, a new yamaha 2400ishc and the Generac gas guzzler. A little power management and I think we're good! One thing that really bugs me though... When I bought my gas Generac a deciding factor was all the other gas stuff I got - tractor, brush hog, chain saws. etc. AND the 4Runner and Forrester with another combined 40 gallons or so of fuel when full. Gas seemed like the logical choice for me. Of course that was *before* I learned that I can't siphon gas out of either vehicle! Jeez, just keep learnin... fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 6:02pm
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You can get fuel out of those vehicles if you need.. I have a hose, with a schrader valve on it, that I can screw onto the fuel rail, and turn on the key and let the fuel pump run..I got the idea from the fact that my mustang has a fuel rail pressure gauge, so I just built this hose, and mounted it the same way.. worked. ------------- |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 6:04pm
Yamaha 2400ishc http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/475/0/home.aspx - link ------------- |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 6:16pm
Wow! That's a little more hi tech than drilling a hole in the tank and using a wine cork after! ;) Actually, the good thing about those siphon baffles is I don't have to worry about getting that gasoline taste out of my mouth!  ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 6:51pm
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During a 7 day power outage over Christmas, we used a 5500W Generac during the day, then at bedtime the house went dark and we switched to a 1000W Honda, which had plenty of power to run our propane fired household boiler. The Honda ran out of fuel somewhere around 4:30 AM, which allowed indoor morning temps to drop to around 60 degrees. When the Generac came back online in the morning it warmed up fast. During this outage we kept the thermostat at 70 degrees, higher than we normally run it, thinking the house wouldn't cool down too much when fuel ran out at O Dark Thirty. It was definitely noticeable to us and actually a wee bit too warm during the day. Fuel consumption was 10-12 gals/day for the Generac plus just over a half gallon each night for the Honda. Some folks in our area had problems with their general purpose generators (like our Generac) not furnishing clean enough power to satisfy their electronic ignition furnaces, so they were still without heat. Our little boiler has a pilot light, so it was just as happy with the Generac as it was with the Honda. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 27 Feb 2014 at 7:52pm
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so it seems that generac is the choice here................for the guzzler!!!! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2014 at 10:45am
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Mark, that Yamaha is impressive. I did notice that the consumption is rated at 1/4 throttle and it has a 1.6 gallon fuel tank. I wonder if you have to keep it on full throttle to start one of our pod's air conditioners. My Dometic 3000 must be on full throttle to do so, and that greatly reduces my run time on a tank. I do like the looks of the Yamaha. Thanks for sharing. Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2014 at 11:28am
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No choice on that Yamaha for eco vs. full throttle, it is always on eco. I have the EF2400is and it runs my pod A/C just fine, this past summer it would run the pod for 8 hours per fillup, keeping the AC fan "on". Seriously considering selling it if anyone is interested.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2014 at 11:38am
I've read of doing this and want to - just need to figure out the parts. Is there typically already a joint on the fuel line where it is easy to add in a T? ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2014 at 5:28pm
Yes, as far as I know, all fuel rails have a "diagnostic port" somewhere. I can only speak to 4 fords that I have owned lately, but they all have/had it. As does her VW Gti. ------------- |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 9:18am
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well i bit the bullet..........purchased the generac xt 8000e; the 30 amp receptacle is a 4 pronger(nema L14-30). i assume i can find an adaptor for the pod cord so it can be plugged in directly; no i'm not taking this gen camping but maybe for emergency use at home (AIR CONDITIONING!!!!). ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:08am
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Is the 30A outlet 120v? TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:20am
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No disrespect intended, but you do know that the 4 prong 30A receptacle on your generator is 220V, right? No 110V cord will plug into it. I apologize if you already knew this, but would hate to see you hurt yourself or set fire to your rPod. They have adapters at Camping World, but some of them are only rated 20A on the 220V side. They are pretty much useless for your purpose. This one appears to be rated 30A: http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/30-amp-rv-female-to-30-amp-4-prong-twist-lock-male-generator-adapter/69589 Let us know how this works out. I have inherited/bought two large generators that would easily run several rPods. I might pick one of these up just to have in my tool kit. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:23am
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Good question. That receptacle is rated 30 amps, 125/250 volts. I would check it with a DMM before attaching an adapter.
------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:48am
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It is most likely labeled on the genset and have specs in the manual as well. Most of the larger gensets intended for home backup are 220.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 11:27am
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Even if the 30A receptacle is 240V (which means it has 2 x 15A 120v legs) you should try running the pod air con on one of the 15A 120V outlets. There is a good chance it will start and run. You won't be able to run the microwave and the air con at the same time, but so what? TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 12:00pm
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oh my................says 120/240 30 amp rated at 250 voltsAC at 30 amps or greater...........does that make any sense............. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 12:36pm
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Actually, 30 amp 240 will give you 30 amp 120v on both legs, not 120v 15 amps. Ohms law and all that. I won't post instructions, but an internet search should find instructions to build an adapter. The downsides are you have to run a pretty big genny to power a fairly small load, and 240v gennies need load balancing, which is impossible if all the load is on one leg.. Also, if you wanted to use a 110v adapter and you regular RV power cord, in order to run the a/c and the microwave at the same time, for whatever reason, just unplug the microwave and run a properly sized extension cord in the window from the other 120v outlet on the genny and power the microwave that way... HOWEVER.. since you bought a 8000E, it should come with a cable that plugs into the 30A 240 plug (4 Prong), and terminates in 4 120v, 15 amp plugs. Ours did. I cut the 4 way end off to build my "suicide cord"... ------------- |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 4:14pm
The twist lock 4 prong outlet on your generator is definitely 240V - it's two 120V hot legs, a neutral and a ground. You should also have a selection of 120V outlets in the standard household configuration, one hot, a neutral, and ground. If you're not comfortable with all this, don't be bashful, ask an electrician. Don't take our word(s) for it. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 4:19pm
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Yes, the L14-30 is 120/240 split-phase, so you can tap it for 120 volts from one leg to neutral (red and white, or black and white, green is ground). I wouldn't worry about balancing the load, usually you can go 50% unbalanced and the pod won't get close to that.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 7:54pm
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ok, lay it on the line all (and trust me, i won't take it personnally); did i make an irrational purchase? i can paddle thru a mean rapids, hike a rugid trail, shovel a storm, change oil!!!; but not electrically savvy; what does this all mean? ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 8:42pm
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A larger generator which will produce 120/240 is a good choice - if you have the loads that need it. Specifically a well pump and/or electric hot water heater, possibly a 2 ton A/C although 8000 watts may not be enough to get it started. The biggest reason I bought a 12 kw generator was to run one of my 2 ton A/Cs, however in 10 years I've never had an outage while it is hot. I now have a 5000 btu window A/C which I can run with either the Prius or Yamaha if we get a long outage from a hurricane, or we'll plug in the pod. If you want to hook up to a transfer switch to feed a subpanel in your house (subpanel with just the circuits you will power in an outage) then the 120/240 output is necessary. You won't want to run that big genset for long periods of time - lots of gas and loud - which is why I mentioned earlier that it is a good strategy to also have a small inverter genset for long-term use. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 9:47pm
Nope, you bought a fine piece of equipment. It may be a bit oversized for what you need to run, or what you need to run all the time.. but bigger is always better. Like has been posted, it will be to much for some loads, maybe not enough for others, but in ANY situation where you need it, there is no substitute. Generators, like many things, are hard to have in a "one size fits all" size. That is why we are going to get a Yamaha EF2400iSHC.. depending on weather conditions, most of the time, we probably won't need the big genny, so a small one that gets better "mileage" will be good, because we don't need to run the water heater all the time, and the EF2400iSHC is small enough to be truly portable and big enough to run the pod a/c.. Kind of like our vehicles.. depending on what I need them to do, I drive a bigger one or smaller one, with the tradeoff being mileage vs capability/capacity. ------------- |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:36pm
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hogone, you have purchased one genset that should handle any and all of your essential needs. I started out with a 5500 watt unit that I brought to Florida from the Midwest. It handles all of my needs here during power outages, but as others have said, under some circumstances, a large unit might be over-kill and uneconomical to run for prolonged periods. My solution was to buy a very small quiet Chinese 1000 watt genset that will run our lights and TV for hours on a tank of gas, and a Dometic 3000 (electric start) should we decide to hunker down in our pod. But, am I really saving money by owning 3 generators? Perhaps having a single larger unit like yours is actually more cost effective. 1000 ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 10:56pm
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If you often have long outages you'll break even fairly quickly. Our two longest outages add up to 95 hours. I didn't use our big genset for about 80 of the 95 hours. Using the smaller/cheaper option saved me about $384. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2014 at 11:10pm
My large genset is primarily for prolonged outages due to hurricanes. After living here in Florida for 12 years, we have seldom had a need to run the large unit for a prolonged period, and then we were letting a few of our older neighbors tap into our power. Now it seems like most of our neighbors have bought their own large gensets. Most of the time, my little 1000 watt unit keeps us up and running during the daytime hours. By the way, I brought my Northern mentality with me when we built our home in Florida. We have a gas hot water heater, gas clothes dryer and gas range, which reduce our need for electricity during power outages. ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 7:23am
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Sounds like you made a good choice for home backup use, which was the subject of your original post. Way overkill for the rPod, though. As far as a generator for the rPod, I'd probably spend another $50 for that 220/110 adapter and try it before I bought another generator. But that's just me. I've actually accumulated 3 generators over the years - 7500, 5500, and 1000 watts - they take up a lot of space and are just more crap you have to maintain. Even if you have a "multiple generator strategy" during a power outage like myself and others, it's always going to be more expensive to run the generators than it is to buy your power from the grid. It's just a matter of how MUCH more expensive.
If you need that 220V power during an outage, your next step should probably be to figure out how to get it into the house safely. And not to beat a dead horse, but if you have a fancy furnace with high falutin' circuit boards, and no other heat source, make sure it likes your generator's power before the next outage or you could still get real cold. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 8:51am
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Thanks for all the info. One last question for all. So I should get an adaptor for the 120/240 socket for the pod, or use just the standard plug ins? The 120/240 does come with a cord that splits into 4. Again, I am really green on this subject (however I didn't think this bad until this all started!!!!!), but should that only be used for specific things or anything? I think I have alot to learn here, which I guess is good stuff to know. I didn't buy this for the pod, but for home use, but may need pod air in a summer meltdown! hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:00am
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If you get the adapter I linked to earlier and use the 220V outlet on the generator, you can use the 30A power cord that came with the pod. One cord. Done. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:06am
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oops, sorry missed that huron! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:20am
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Thanks huron, that is exactly what i was looking for. ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:24am
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I'm looking for one for myself now. Just found this at Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerFit-Outlet-Adapter-30A-240-Volt-To-30A-RV-PF923055/203213234 For under $20 I might try this. I'll ask an electrician buddy of mine first.
------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:28am
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OK, let me know. I appreciate all the info. ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 9:28am
I normally use the cord that came with the generator. Each of the 4 terminal cords is 120 volts, and I use that cord to run from the generator to the inside of the house. From there, I run extension cords to whatever I want to power, usually lights, a small TV, etc. I keep one free, which I will plug into the refrigerator, microwave or the electronic ignition of our gas range. I never run the micro or refrigerator at the same time. That "split" cord eliminates running several separate extension cords from the generator, and it is heavy gauge which eliminates overloading cords at the generator. ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 12:54pm
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Here is what I am planning to do in my house. Install a dryer vent plug (220 V) outside the house run, a 30 AMP wire to the dryer vent plug in the house. Trip all breakers including the main breaker, your power now comes in the house through your dryer wiring to the breaker panel. Now you can control your power by selecting breakers to be turned on and off. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 1:07pm
Since my big genny is 30amp, I just built a cord that plugs into my welder circuit. But other than that, we do it the same. I made up a laminated card with instructions and hung it in the breaker box. (just in case I am not here when it's needed) ------------- |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 1:26pm
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Yeah I agree it helps a lot if your breakers are marked. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 1:31pm
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I guess what keeps tripping me up is this receptacle on the gen is 240/120; not 220/110...........again I'm pretty green on this electrical stuff. So if I am understanding all this correctly (again I'm talking about hooking up to the pod); if I purchase this adaptor as mentioned above by Huron and plug the pod cord in; is it just like hooking up to a 30 amp outlet like in a campground? ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 2:03pm
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Huron: Amazon has a camco cord (55382) for 26.03 ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 2:22pm
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hogone, this might help. My setup... Cord: male end to 30 AMP generator port:  30 AMP Port on outside of house: female end of cord  Transfer switch panel next to and wired to main breaker panel:  My routine is to hook cord up, start generator, go to transfer switch all breakers to generator. Not quite automatic, but not bad...and safe. I've been pretty good at guessing when the power might go out, so I hook the generator up and if the power does go, I simply push the start button on the generator and switch the breakers to generator. I do keep one (light) circuit on mainline power so I know when the power comes back on. I have a neighbor that didn't realize power was back and ran his generator for two days after power had been restored! Hope that helps. fred
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 3:44pm
For what it's worth, the 110/220 and 120/240 designations are essentially identical. Way back in history the official US power definition was 110/220. That was changed to 120/240 within recent, but still ancient, history. Maybe 1950-1960. I was there, but I'm too old to remember exactly. Anyone using 110/220 these days is showing their age  .
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 4:20pm
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Thanks Charlie..........I feel much better now!!!!! I guess then what is confusing is they call the four separate outlets 110 and the 30 amper 120/240, so maybe I had a good excuse (I'm reachin!!) for being confused! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 4:24pm
Charlie, I must be older than dirt. Back in the Midwest when I was growing up, we referred to everything as either 115 volts or 230 volts.  Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 4:33pm
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You guys know better than I, but based on the pics I posted above, and with the right pigtail (110 to 30 AMP), can I use my Yamaha 2400 iSHC to feed the transfer switch panel? Knowing, of course, I can't use the well pump which is on a 220 (double breaker) circuit. I'd like to be able to run the little guy when I only need a circuit or two. Does that make sense? Thanks. fred
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 5:17pm
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OK. From the top. Jon: The 110/120 disconnect is because your generator panel is written in Chinglish. They should be the same, either 110, 115, or 120. All the same practically. Bob: Not older than dirt, just caught up in the inflation cycle. 110 became 115 became 120. Who knows about tomorrow .Fred: Your 2400 can be wired to the transfer switch to run your house. However, your house is wired to split 120 circuits between the two phases of the 240 volt service. You will have to wire the pigtail such that it connects phase A and B together on the generator side of the transfer switch and connects them to the 120V socket on the 2400. This allows all 120V household devices to be powered, subject to the 2400 wattage limits. This can be done safely; that's what I do with my 3600W Honda. But, if you don't really understand this, I would ask for some local help. A licensed electrician may not do it for you since it probably violates ObamaCare  . ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 5:51pm
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Thanks Charlie! I don't think my electrician will have any problem with that. When I asked him to do the outside port and transfer switch, he said. "Why? Just plug it into the dryer outlet like everybody else does around here!" I was just scared I might fry one of the linemen fixing the problem... fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 6:00pm
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Let me confuse the subject a little more, as I remember from my younger years in Germany regular power is 220 or 240 volts the high voltage is 340 or 360 volts ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 6:17pm
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The reason not to plug it into your dryer plug is that you could have live male terminals on your cord from the genny. I recommend a real plug and a working transfer switch. Also have a driven ground rod near where you want to set the generator and ground the frame before using. If you don't have a transfer switch you could fry a lineman trying to get your power back, and if you have live power on the male connector you could fry yourself or a family member. This is not safe. And if my electrician suggested I do what yours did I would get a different one.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 6:34pm
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Keith, question? how can I fry a lineman if my main breaker is tripped, there is no power going from my breaker panel to the power pole. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 7:18pm
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I am old school when it comes to connecting a generator to a household distribution system. My experience is limited to connecting only 5 or 6 when we lived in the Midwest. I would always install a 7500 watt transfer switch, properly recessed into the interior wall of the home. This normally handled either 6 or 8 circuits, and incorporated ammeters in each leg of the box. On the outside wall of the home, I would install a generator inlet box, which was required by our local codes. Code also required a ground stake in place by the inlet box. All of my components were Generac, purchased from either Lowes or Home Depot. I don't know of a safer way to connect a generator's output to a household electrical panel. Again, I am old school. My last installation was 12 years ago. ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 7:57pm
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oh boy.............i think this calls for an black label brew!!!!!!!!!!! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 8:03pm
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Yes, the proper way to do it is with a transfer switch and a L14-30 120/240 socket under cover outside. That said, AS LONG AS THE MAIN UTILITY BREAKER IS THE FIRST THING YOU TURN OFF... and ... YOU UNDERSTAND USING A MALE-MALE CORD CAN BE DANGEROUS, then it is a functional way to do it. All-caps "yelling" intentional and definitely for emphasis. You can kill a lineman, you can kill yourself, as Keith said. Nuf said. As for hooking up a 120 volt genset to a 120/240 panel, like the 2nd option above, it can be done but isn't recommended. You MUST be sure you don't have multi-branch circuits and if you do they must be turned off (if you don't know how to figure out if you have any MWB circuits, then stop now). You MUST turn off all 240 volt loads, too, or you'll possibly burn it out. The next door neighbor of a friend of mine did that to his well pump during a recent ice storm. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 10:09pm
They also run 50 cycles.. dark side of the moon never sounded so sad...------------- |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 10:47pm
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Doug, To your first point on wiring a generator into a dryer socket I completely agree. Very dangerous with the two male connectors. And, in addition to the potential danger to repairing linemen, you could be trying to power up the whole neighborhood with your little generator. Early on I used such a setup, although wired into the panel and not a dryer plug, but I soon changed my mode of operation. I didn’t want to rely on my memory to turn off the main breaker in the excitement of a storm. Transfer switches are not that expensive. Now you can get a transfer panel that has the large main breaker mechanically interlocked with a smaller breaker that just connects the generator. Much cheaper than my first 600 amp outdoor rated switch. Really a large DPDT knife switch in a box with a handle. On you second point about tying the two legs of the 240 service together, I was unaware of the multi-wire circuit thing. After reading I understand the potential issue, but I’m not sure how common it is. I understand you could have twice the rated current in the neutral conductor, but for small generators (2-3 KW) it would require almost all the generator output supplied to the two multi-wire circuits. However it could happen. Larger generators with 120/240 capability, of course, should be wired as true 240split phase installations. An excellent paper on multi-wire circuits is at: http://www.homeinspector.org/resources/journals/Multiwire-Branch-Circuits.pdf - http://www.homeinspector.org/resources/journals/Multiwire-Branch-Circuits.pdf I don’t follow your point on turning off all 240V loads. With the two legs tied together there is no potential across 240V loads. They are supposed to be balanced loads by definition and not tied to the neutral/ground. That’s the beauty of tying the two together to a single 120V source: don’t have to switch off 240 heaters/ACs and they won’t overload the little putt-putt. Maybe I am unaware of some configuration where some part of a 240V device is tied to the neutral and will burn up if the other side is not tied to the other leg, but I can’t think of any. Please educate me. And it seems we are deviating from the RPOD theme ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 6:05am
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deviating, yes but an interesting discussion for hogone. again for piece of mind for myself, is it safe and free of danger/harm to plug in the pod to the 120/240 receptacle with the right adaptor as the ones mentioned by huron? if this has been clearly answered, i apologize. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:11am
Yes. as safe as any other electrical operation. ------------- |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:12am
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Charlie, I agree that we should get back to the original theme of the question. If hogone only needs 120 VAC, why should he be worrying about purchasing an adapter. He can just use the cord supplied with the genset and will end up with (4) 120 volt receptacles that can be used to plug in extension cords as needed. On most gensets, he will have at least one 120 volt duplex outlet in addition to the one in question. I personally found the discussion on transfer switches and related items interesting, but we did stray from the original issue. Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:18am
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------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:28am
Yes Jon, it is safe. Your generator is overkill for the pod, but it will work. In an emergency you can also do as Sleepless Bob suggests if you don't mind leaving the pod door or window open for the cords. Simple, fast, and effective. Keep in mind that for extended power outages you need to keep household refrigeration on line. That's where your larger generator comes in. Get it wired properly to the house and it will do that plus run the pod. And now, Bob, I return this forum to its regularly scheduled programming ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:36am
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charlie: what do you mean leaving the pod door open for cords? why would i need to do that if the pod is hooked up with its supplied cord to the gen? sorry not trying to make this confusing. i just want to say that i did not buy this gen for the pod, but for the house. i was just brainstorming ideas just in case i wanted to hook up the pod for air conditioning purposes if a mid summer storm blew in and i would want a little air conditioning! and i just figured hooking up the pod to the 120/240 slot and using the air would be more efficient and less strain than hooking up to a 120 receptacle on the gen. hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:53am
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Jon, My comment on the open door was in response to Sleepless Bob's suggestion on using extension cords. With the 30 Amp adapter and your pod plugged in to the generator you are golden. A/C, micro, etc. One final option for you: I and many others have installed a 30 Amp recepticle on the house to plug the pod into. With that and your generator running the house you can pretty well set up any configuration you want. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:59am
Plus as I said before you would have full use of all your rPods appliances, just as if you were plugged into the power at a campground, with no spaghetti mess of extension cords running through the door. Go buy the adapter and try it out for me, will you? I'm dying to know how it works! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - P.S. I have a ten circuit manual transfer switch in my basement next to the distribution panel, and a 30A generator inlet on the outside of my house. I have pictures too. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 9:16am
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Huron: Should I try the one from home depot for 12.97, or the camco #55382 for $26 (which appears to be the same/similar as the one on the campers world site(#69589) but 20 bucks cheaper)? ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 2:51pm
You are correct that L1 and L2 when tied together have no voltage potential. Many 240 volt loads aren't strictly 240. Some driers and washer/drier combos require 120 for the control board and nightlights on the door frames. In an older home that only runs L1, L2 and ground to the drier plug (3 pins and not 4) this is fudged by using the ground as the neutral since they are tied together at the utility panel. Things like well pumps can leak current to ground if there is a fault in the wiring. If you only supply 120 via one leg and neutral or ground things can overheat since the item can't start or operate properly.
No issues with the wandering discussion - for starters this is in the Misc/Off-topic sub-forum. Second, discussions change in the natural course of things, it happens. It really ticks me off on other forums when mods lock threads or delete posts because they wander a little off topic. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 2:55pm
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OK. I get it. And, as I say to our servicemen/women: Thanks for your service.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 2:55pm
As has been mentioned, that adapter will work fine. However, you might just want to use a standard "hockey puck" adapter that allows you to plug into a standard 15 or 20 amp outlet. That's all I use on my small genset. You can only run one of the big items at one time - A/C or microwave or electric element in the water heater, but it will work. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 6:31pm
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I think the danger of counting on the main breaker being tripped to prevent electrocution of a lineman has been covered, but with the suggestion that the generator backfeed the house through the Pod makes me once again state that should for some reason even with the best of intentions the breaker doesn't get flipped and someone gets hurt you will be responsible and most likely spend lots of money and time in court. The cost of a real transfer switch is small in comparison. I strongly suggest not to play with fire. I read about this type of accident at least once per year when a well meaning person made a mistake.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: HuronSailor
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 7:33pm
Good question. I looked at web site of the company that furnishes Home Depot's adapter and there just ain't much information there. I haven't done any more research than that as of yet. I am curious about their internal guts. How do they convert 220 to 110? Do they have a tiny transformer inside? A bank of resistors? A blob of Kryptonite? Do they just tap one leg of the 220 output and run all imbalanced?! For $13 I might buy one from Home Depot and dissect it. ------------- .: Mark & Beth :: Silverado 5.3L :: 2018 rPod 180 :. |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 7:40pm
Definitely concur. I don't think anyone has suggested the generator backfeed the house through the Pod. I suggested that, if the house is wired properly with a transfer switch and a 30A outlet for the Pod, you'd be set up to run the pod from the house without any special adapters. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 7:43pm
The cheap adapter is filled with unobtanium encased in raw Chinium. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 7:51pm
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I tried to look at one in person today, even though I REALLY hate the orange box. And they did not disappoint. Website said my local store had 7 in stock. PRINTED the page and took it with me. Had to talk to five, YES 5, associates before anyone knew where "Aisle BW, Bin 3" was. Guess what..? that's right, big freaking empty space, labeled, right where they are supposed to be. NONE on order. WHY you ask? Because the "system" shows eight in stock, so it won't order until "stock gets low". I kid you not. I hate that place. ------------- |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2014 at 8:29pm
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100% chance the adapter is tapping one leg.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 6:42am
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"green" hogone here!!! i am taking it that tapping 1 leg is not a good thing. furpod, i did get one at home depot and mine said seven in stock too!!!! maybe you looked at my store, kidding! i asked an associate on its function, quality, etc and he looked at me like i was crazy (he had no clue). huron, disecting for me wouldn't do any good, wouldn't know what to look for. tech, when you say tapping one pole meaning i would still only get 120 and not the full 30 amps? if so, it wouldn't make any difference than plugging into one of the single outlets. hopefully not stupid questions again! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 8:57am
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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. ------------- |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:00am
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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 ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:05am
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) ------------- |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:05am
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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 ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:09am
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. ------------- |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:12am
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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. ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:21am
and with that adapter, you can. again, that adapter is going to supply 120v 30 amps. ------------- |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 9:42am
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Hogone, Time to fish or cut bait. All of the discussed methods will get 120V to the pod. All will requires ome sort of adapter. I like the looks of the Camco 55382 which can be ordered from Amazon and be on you generator in a few days. It will provide the full 30 Amp capability so you can run the pod as you would at a campground. For the total time you would require the full 30 Amps in your lifetime the gen will die of rust before the bearings give up. They are designed to handle unbalances. Sally forth and buy one ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 10:31am
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I agree that an imbalance condition isn't a big deal here. For the brief periods you'll have the A/C compressor on AND the microwave on, it won't matter. Most of the time you'll be around a 25% imbalance or lower so don't worry about that.
Your genset has 15 amp 120 volt outlets (call these collectively "outlet 1"), and the 30 amp 120/240 volt outlet (call this "outlet 2"). I assume the adapter cord that came with your genset splits the 30 amp outlet into 15 amp outlets (call these collectively "outlet 3") and must have built-in circuit breakers to limit those outlets to 15 amps. Otherwise you could pull a full 30 amps (at 120 volts) from outlet 3 and that would be bad.
So, you can either get 15 amps from outlet 1, or 15 amps from outlet 3. Either way you'll need a hockey puck adapter which allows you to plug in the 30 amp cord going to the pod, into the 15 amp outlets (1 or 3). This solution gives you 15 amps which is enough to run any one of the big items at one time - the A/C, the microwave, or the electric element in the water heater. I do this with my generator. Just remember to temporarily turn off the A/C when you nuke dinner and keep the electric element in the water heater off.
Or, you can get the other adapter linked a page or 2 back, which plugs into outlet 2. That would allow you to plug in the 30 amp cord that goes to the pod and get a full 30 amps, just like being plugged in at the campground. This would allow you to run any 2 of the big items at one time (you can't run all 3 even at the campground). ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 11:03am
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rog and thanks to all. I agree Charlie, time to go canoeing or fishing. and tech, i have the pigtail (hockey puck as you call it) to plug into a 15 amp as this is how i have been charging up the pod at home. Again, sorry for the drawn out discussion, but thanks for alot of good info. Out, hogone. ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2014 at 2:02pm
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No need to apologize, this has been a good discussion. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 2:17pm
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bought the camco 55382 instead of using the one from HD. Ill hook it up tomorrow and see if she BLOWS!!!!!!!!!!!! hogone ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 3:00pm
 ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2014 at 7:06pm
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Wow, interesting discussion for anybody thinking of powering their POD with a generator.
Two questions: What happens if you try to run all three POD power hogs at the same time while on campsite shore power? 2) hogone, what happened? Did it work out OK? ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2014 at 8:04pm
If by three power hogs you mean AC, microwave, and electric WH a circuit breaker somewhere should trip. Your Pod main breaker is 30A. Assuming the generator is protected by a 30A breaker it becomes a race as to which one will go first. ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: Podster
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2014 at 8:15pm
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Indeed, those are the three. My shorthand is motivated by the challenging task of typing on a tablet without a full size keyboard. Thanks for your response. ------------- Cliff & Raelynn Ranger 4.0/178 (1/2 ton 5,800lb tow capacity) |
Posted By: hogone
Date Posted: 01 Dec 2014 at 9:01am
podster: sorry, just saw your post. i purchased the camco 55382 adaptor; works great on the gen and hooked up directly to pod. i didn't try to power all three hog loads at once however, just two at a time; but i think it would of been fine. how bout those packers!!!!!! ------------- Jon & Pam 2013 RP177 2010 F150 2017 HD Streetglide 2009 HD Lowrider CHEESEHEAD |