Electrical final hook up

[Tikvah]

This is kind of a continuation of a previous question about electrical hook up.  I've started some final hook up.  I only have 110V loads in my bus.  I don't plan to ever need 220V.  I have a 50amp Marinco fixture on the outside wall of my bus, and I purchased a 50amp Marinco cord.  So, when hooked up to 50amp I have two 110V supplies, one to each side of my box.

On the box end, I have a Range Cord from my electrical panel plugged into a female outlet that feeds from the Marinco fixture.  So, when I'm not on pole power, I can unplug from my 50amp outlet and plug into my inverter outlet or my generator outlet.  That way it's impossible to be powered by two things at once and back-feed anything.

So, the question:  The 50amp simply powers both sides of my panel.  But my inverter and generator are only 110V.  Do I put a jumper on the two legs of the supply on the generator and inverter outlets?  How do I power both sides of my panel.

It's my understanding from my previous topic post that if I use a 30amp adapter on my 50amp cord it will automatically combine the two lines - right?

Dave

[belfert]

Splitting one 120 volt leg into two 120 volt legs will work just fine.  Just be sure there is absolutely no way the two legs would be connected together when plugged into shore power.

My generator when converted from 240 volt to 120 volt still has two hot legs so it works great with a 50 amp system.

[gumpy]

It's my understanding from my previous topic post that if I use a 30amp adapter on my 50amp cord it will automatically combine the two lines - right?

yes, but in your case, if you are using female outlets to plug your box into, I would put the jumper in there. Use the 30 amp dogleg for the shore power cord when
50A is not available.

So, you have 3 female outlets, shore, generator, inverter. Shore has both wires passing through. If you need to combine that one (i.e. 30a), you use the dog leg outside.
The inverter and generator have the jumper in the outlet box, so when you plug in your box, both legs are hot.

BTW, how are you charging batteries? If your inverter charges batteries, then it needs power when you are on shore of generator power.

[Lin]

As Craig said, and I think you referred to, putting the jumper in the receptacle for the inverter and generator will work fine.  Make sure your generator is only wired for 120.  In essence, your system will be 120 when plugged into the inverter or generator but will be 240 when plugged into shore power.  Most people seem to suggest balancing the load in the box by dividing the high amperage items between the two legs.  When plugged into shore, you will be able to run heavier loads, like multiple AC's.  Under generator power and certainly on the inverter, you will have to mentally manage your loads a bit.

[TomC]

I have found that even with only propane furnace and stove, everything else electric, that one leg of 50amp works just fine. I just have to be careful not to exceed 6,000 watts-which doesn't happen very often. Hence, I don't have to worry about two legs, etc. My 10,000 watt generator is wired straight 120v. You just have to have two sets of 3 wires going to the circuit board. My inverter works off a 30amp pass through to a separate dedicated circuit breaker board that only powers what I want powered by the inverter-so those items I don't have to worry about land, genset, etc. My electrical is so simple, I'm repeating it in my truck. The only difference-I'm using a 12kw genset. Good Luck, TomC

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Dave,

The 50a power cord worries me..

Because of the way you set up your electric service, I would only use a 30a

power cord to prevent anyone besides yourself from plugging in the 50a cord

without removing the jumper. I would hate to hear of what happens with two

hot legs would do hitting your panel.

Be Safe!
Nick-

[gumpy]

... I would hate to hear of what happens with two hot legs would do hitting your panel.

Nick, I think he indicated that he has to physically move the panel cord from one of the other outlets to the shore power outlet inside the bay
to get shore power routed to the panel, thus preventing your scenario. If I understood him correctly, he will have 3 outlets, and will physically
move a separate plug that is attached to the distribution panel. So, if his distribution panel was plugged into the generator, and he plugged
in the shore cord, nothing would happen. The shore cord terminates at the shore outlet in the bay, and only moving the distribution panel
plug to that outlet would select shore power to the distribution panel.

Clear as mud in my explanation? 

[Tikvah]

Grumpy, you're exactly right, only one supply can be powered at one time because I physically have to move the plug.  I think my questions have been answered.  I'll put a jumper in the inverter and generator outlets.  I actually saw a 50Amp to 20amp adapter online that might replace one outlet.  I can simply plug the adapter into my panel cord and plug the other end into the inverter.  (My inverter doesn't have hard wiring)

BTW, how are you charging batteries? If your inverter charges batteries, then it needs power when you are on shore of generator power.

So far I only have a basic 2000 MSW inverter, no charger.  So, I have a basic battery charger from my garage for the house batteries, and I have a 24V smart charger for the bus batteries, I also have a small trickle charger on my generator.  I have all three chargers plugged into a power strip with a switch.  When I'm on inverter power, I turn the switch off. 
Someday when I can handle the expense I'll invest in a nicer Pure Sine Wave Inverter with a charger.  At that point I might be able to automate some of the above system.  But for now, it should be simple, safe, and work.

Thanks,
Dave

[gumpy]

... But for now, it should be simple, safe, and work.

There's a lot to be said about all three of those words when it comes to bus conversions.

Good luck...

craig