Dixie Flyer wrote: Question? When would you switch to 240 Volts on the the model C46540 3500/4000W? If you had your camper hooked up to the generator and then switched to 240v it would fry everything in it wouldn't it?
...........In my opinion, NO! A 240 plug has 4 connectors , 2 hots @ 120 each ,1 ground , and 1 neutral . A 30 amp connector has 3 , 1 hot @120 volts , neutral , and ground .
.......... All trailers with 50 amp service , have (2) separate 25 amp circuits that should be somewhat balanced but separate with their respective loads . These circuits are Never wired together(share a common ground) so the (2) 120 volt hot wires combine to create a 240 volt circuit . , jf
Dixie Flyer wrote: Question? When would you switch to 240 Volts on the the model C46540 3500/4000W? If you had your camper hooked up to the generator and then switched to 240v it would fry everything in it wouldn't it?
...........In my opinion, NO! A 240 plug has 4 connectors , 2 hots @ 120 each ,1 ground , and 1 neutral . A 30 amp connector has 3 , 1 hot @120 volts , neutral , and ground .
.......... All trailers with 50 amp service , have (2) separate 25 amp circuits that should be somewhat balanced but separate with their respective loads . These circuits are Never wired together(share a common ground) so the (2) 120 volt hot wires combine to create a 240 volt circuit . , jf
That is 2 50 amps circuits not 2 25's.
Papa Bob
1* DW "Granny"
1* 2008 Brookside Sunnybrook 32'
1* 2002 F250 Super Duty 7.3L PSD
Husky 16K hitch, Tekonsha P3,
Firestone Ride Rite Air Springs, Trailair Equa-Flex, Champion C46540
"A bad day camping is better than a good day at work!"
RedRS wrote: Thanks for your prompt reply. Yes "straight" 220 volt AC and yes the little fan heater will probably be something like 1500w. All I wanted to ensure was that actual tools I was using didn't suffer power loss from everything else I was going to try and run because tools are the whole point of turning the garage into a work shop! And yes please, a picture of you gennie house would be great.
Links to photos are below. This is about as simple as it gets, and yes it does significantly reduce sound levels on the closed sides.
Actually, I am referring to the use of the regular 120V outlet, (not the 120V RV outlet!). The manual states that from the regular 120V outlet, we can pull up to 2400 Watts (it is a 20 Amp circuit). I would like to pull full 3500W from that outlet. Possible with rewire?
professor95 wrote:
gnolivos wrote: Hello Professor,
The model is C46540 3500/4000W ! Any help much appreciated!
No rewire is necessary. Just flip the switch on the front panel.
Interesting... you say this because 15 amp x 120V = 1800Watts. Which begs the question: How come this generator allows to pull 2400Watts from the regular (non RV) 120V outlet? That would also melt any 15 amp cable hooked up to the outlet!
professor95 wrote:
gnolivos wrote: Is it safe to use a 3 prong 30Amp to 15 Amp adapter (RV plug) on this unit, and then power up regular 120V appliances to the full 3,500 Watts?
No. With the 15 amp adapter you should not exceed 1,800 watts. The adapter will overheat and possibly even melt.
gnolivos wrote: Interesting... you say this because 15 amp x 120V = 1800Watts. Which begs the question: How come this generator allows to pull 2400Watts from the regular (non RV) 120V outlet? That would also melt any 15 amp cable hooked up to the outlet!
professor95 wrote:
gnolivos wrote: Is it safe to use a 3 prong 30Amp to 15 Amp adapter (RV plug) on this unit, and then power up regular 120V appliances to the full 3,500 Watts?
No. With the 15 amp adapter you should not exceed 1,800 watts. The adapter will overheat and possibly even melt.
An outlet rated for 20 ampres will safely handly up to 2,400 watts (20 aqmps x 120 volts). That is the rating on the outlet, not the device plugged into it. Normally, the device pluged in also has a specific watt (load maximum rating) and thus will not exceed the rating of the plug-in device. Of course, some choose to ignore these ratings and try to plug a 20 amp device into a 10 amp cord. The result is heat, which can melt insulation, create shorted wires, start fires, expose live wires that can shock or electrocute not to mention wasting a lot of energy in the form of the excess heat.
For the safety of yourself and others, it is best not to be changing brakers or outlets without completing the process and upgrading all components in the circuit, including the size of the supply wiring.
I'm curious - just what is it you want to accomplish in the final analysis?
Professor Randy T. Agee & Nancy Agee, Mechanicsville, VA
2009 Cedar Creek 34SATS 5th Wheel - GMC 3500 dually
Generator Collection: Champion 40008 - ELM3000 - Kipor 2000Ti - Kawasaki 1400 - Champion 7,800W LPG (Home Back Up)
I have never found a cord or extension cord for the 120V outlet, that will handle more than 15 amps. So, if I were to plug a 15 amp cord to that 20 Amp circuit, and eventually pull 2400 Watts with various appliances, it would burn the cord!
RedRS wrote: Fantastic, cheers Prof. So the little dog house, is it made from Corex? Like corrugated plastic type stuff?
Actually, it is made of foam fanfold board sold in home stores for sheathing/insulation under vinyl siding. It is 1/4" thick.
The nice thing about the thin, lightweight panels (other than the fact that they worked) is that in a RV, they can be folded up and slipped under a RV bed mattress when not in use. Duct tape and a few rocks work well for joining them together and to the ground. If it rains, the dog house also keeps the genny dry.
You can go one step further and place a vertical panel about two feet away in front of the opening to further reduce sound on the open side. Bushes also work well.
Make sure you leave plenty of air space between the genny and panel top/sides.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas. Readers, don't turn your nose up at this box because it is easy to make. It really works to reduce generator sound levels on the closed sides.
Dixie Flyer wrote: Question? When would you switch to 240 Volts on the the model C46540 3500/4000W? If you had your camper hooked up to the generator and then switched to 240v it would fry everything in it wouldn't it?
There is a lot to explain here.
240 volts is addative on these generators. It requires two series connected 120 volt windings. The potential between the two 120 volt windings (without neutral) is 240 volts. When the potential of either of th 240 volt windings is measured to neutral, they are 120 volts.
Most small appliances up to 20 amps in the USA only require 120 volts. Campers are the exception at 30 amps at 120 volts.
Over 20 amps and USA appliances shift to 240 volts. The irony is a 20 amp 120 volt appliance draws 2,400 watts and requires a 12AWG copper wire for power feed. The same appliance wired to operate on 240 volts will still produce a power of 2,400 watts, but will only pull 10 ampres! A much smaller (14AWG) wiring can be used.
Some appliances use what we call "straight 240". These appliances do NOT use the neutral center tap common on 120/240 appliances. An example is a residential electric water heater. It only needs the two hot wires and a grounding wire (no neutral).
My new fiver has a 50 amp supply. In reality it is a 100 amp supply - or 70 amps higher than what I had before! There are two independent 50 amp 120 volt circuits feeding the service panel - in reality it is a conventional 240 volt outlet. Since 240 is not used by the RV, the bus bars in the circuit box are designed so that they cannot be double bridged (as in a residence), which would allow for 240 volt appliances. But, the plug and outlet are identical to a 4-wire 240 volt electric range. The changes are in the camper, not the supply box. If an electric range were plugged into the 50 amp camper supply box, it would work off of 240 volts. The RV would work equally as well when plugged into a 240 volt range outlet.
Also, properly wired, a 50 amp supply RV will work extremely well off of the 240 volt outlet on a large generator. For example, if I could stand the noise, my Champ 7,800 could power each 50 amp leg on my RV to a max of 40 amps (again, each) from the 240 volt outlet on the generator.
Bottom line? Unless you know exactly what you are doing, leave it alone! Too much of a chance of messing up and frying something by tinkering with it. (I think I will throw a credential in here. In addition to holding an aging 38 year old EE degree, I am a licensed Master Electrician who has taught NEC Code compliance classes to budding electricians and homeowners)
I just re-read your answer(s) and I think you misunderstood my question... ! I would NOT be changing the Outlet on the generator! I was refering simply to using one of those cords that have an RV plug on one end (male), and a 15 amp regular female plug on the other end...
professor95 wrote: For the safety of yourself and others, it is best not to be changing brakers or outlets without completing the process and upgrading all components in the circuit, including the size of the supply wiring.
I'm curious - just what is it you want to accomplish in the final analysis?
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