RV electrical connector

[Streetbu]

Well that's not 100% accurate. It's actually a construction trailer. I'm not talking about the trailer lights and brakes, but rather for AC power. I cannot seem to find this connection or an adapter for it anywhere. The trailer has a breaker panel in it and the main breaker is 125 amp. Any bright ideas? BTW this plug is about 3.5" in diameter

 

[firebox40dash5]

Maybe?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-50...strial-Power-Receptacle-Black-5709N/206469354

 

[Streetbu]

Maybe a 6-50P... any idea if i can convert this to a more standard twist lock 220v style?

 

[Streetbu]

Maybe?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-50...strial-Power-Receptacle-Black-5709N/206469354

Yep i think thats it! Now what do I do? LOL I'm trying to hook it up to a 3000 watt generator to get the outlets and lights working. I dont care about the air conditioner on it.

 

[firebox40dash5]

Yep i think thats it! Now what do I do? LOL I'm trying to hook it up to a 3000 watt generator to get the outlets and lights working. I dont care about the air conditioner on it.

It's on a cable, right? Disassemble/cut the ****** off, and get something matching your generator's outlet from your local HD/Lowes/Grainger/electrical supply?

edit: Just had me a thought there... 3kw generator, probably feeding 110v only, going to a 2-rail panel... means only half the breakers would get power.

 

[Streetbu]

The generator has a 220v outlet. Thats what i was planning on using. Just found this wiring diagram. I know dc voltage from vehicles like the back of my hand. AC has always been a PITA. How does it work with no neutral side?

 

[firebox40dash5]

The generator has a 220v outlet. Thats what i was planning on using. Just found this wiring diagram. I know dc voltage from vehicles like the back of my hand. AC has always been a PITA. How does it work with no neutral side?

I'm probably not a hell of a lot ahead of you on AC... if you made me guess, that's actually 2 hots and a neutral in this case, and 'ground' is made from the trailer panel to a ground rod outside. Just my half-educated guess from trying to brain how it'd work with 3 prongs, and knowing most of those I see have a ground rod.

Not an electrician... I don't even really grasp the difference between neutral & ground at the panel/supply end. Every panel I've worked in, the ground bar and the neutral bar are physically separate, but electrically connected.

 

[landry]

That I believe is a 30 amp "RV plug" as my family's old Airstream came with it and an a adaptor to convert it to a conventional socket... I still see sockets for them in older RV parks. Any RV shop probably has it or a adaptor to convert it.

 

[sberry]

That isn't the proper plug to start with. It should have a 4 wire. Since that is the case I would be inclined to get a real electrician to help or get some more pictures for here. A pic of the panel with the cover off. A pic of the genset and the recept on it.

 

[GaryM909]

Looks like the same 220 plug I use for my welding machine on single phase. You can buy the extension cords at most welding supply stores or I have bought ends at electrical supply stores. They are harder to find at HD or Lowes.

 

[theoldwizard1]

That isn't the proper plug to start with. It should have a 4 wire.

That was my thought also ! Likely wired so that neutral and ground are shared.

 

[Streetbu]

Ill grab some pics of the inside of the panel tomorrow. Its our new hunting camp and we're moving it to the lease in the am. This can be done right on site since we need to move it early in the morning. Its 10x46 so minimal traffic congestion is best! Ill post updates tomorrow.

 

[pattenp]

That is a 6-50 (250V 50A) plug. It's stamped on the plug.

 

[sberry]

Some caution on gensets. Not all outlets that are 240 are suitable for connection to premise or multi voltage panels. They need to be 4 wire to do this. Some are 240 and do not have neutral.

 

[Bert_]

Like sberry has said that is a 6-50p. Which is a straight 240V plug, no 120v loads should be ran off of this configuration. It has 2 hots and a ground, NO neutral.

If you want to have 240v in your trailer then you need a 120/240v plug which will have 4 wires. Check your generator and see if it has a plug labeled 120/240V. Other wise you could just redo it with a 120V only RV plug or something.

 

[Streetbu]

Well took the trailer to our hunting lease this morning. No issues luckily since technically we'd need a road permit for it given it's size. Snapped a few pics of the panel before we left. Still doesn't make sense to me. I think they were running it without a neutral....

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I'm probably not a hell of a lot ahead of you on AC... if you made me guess, that's actually 2 hots and a neutral in this case, and 'ground' is made from the trailer panel to a ground rod outside. Just my half-educated guess from trying to brain how it'd work with 3 prongs, and knowing most of those I see have a ground rod.

Ground rods and electrodes are not the same thing as EGCs/grounding conductors.

Primary purpose of electrodes is for lightning suppression.

Grounding conductors on the other hand, are for establishing a low impedance pathway for fault current.

People often confuse the too but that is dangerous.

For a more detailed explanation checkout the Electrical FAQ thread.

Not an electrician... I don't even really grasp the difference between neutral & ground at the panel/supply end. Every panel I've worked in, the ground bar and the neutral bar are physically separate, but electrically connected.

The grounded conductor/neutral is so you can run 120v loads.

The grounding conductor/ground/EGC is the fault current pathway.

They are bonded at the main service panel so that breakers will trip upon fault current energizing something, that is bonded, that shouldnt be energized such as the chassis of an appliance.

All panels after the main(subpanels) should have an isolated neutral bar. This is to prevent neutral current from flowing on pathways that it shouldnt be on.

Well took the trailer to our hunting lease this morning. No issues luckily since technically we'd need a road permit for it given it's size. Snapped a few pics of the panel before we left. Still doesn't make sense to me. I think they were running it without a neutral....

Whoever wired that trailer didnt know what they were doing. Should be 4-wire.

So you're gonna have to rewire the feeder to that panel as they are using a 3-wire cord(wrong wire to use) and plug- a 6-50p. As has been said, its the wrong outlet/plug for this application. The proper outlet/plug would be a 4-wire 125/250v 14-**, the ** being the amperage rating.

Keep in mind that Portable generators have bonded neutrals. This means the panel in the trailer needs to be 4-wire with an isolated neutral bar because there should only be one neutral to ground bond(at the generator).

This also means you will need to remove the bond strap or screw on the neutral bar in the panel.

Dont get confused about ground rods as they dont have anything to do with the way the panel should be fed.

The generator has a 220v outlet. Thats what i was planning on using. Just found this wiring diagram. I know dc voltage from vehicles like the back of my hand. AC has always been a PITA. How does it work with no neutral side?

EDIT: I was looking at the picture wrong.

Does your generator have a 4-wire 120v/240v outlet? If not you will need to use a 120v outlet on the generator to feed the trailer.

What model generator do you have?

Take a pic of the generator outlets and post it here.

 

[prostreetamx]

Your panel has a neutral bar and a separate ground bar already but they used the green conductor as a neutral. It looks like there is a bare copper wire used as a ground conductor but who knows what the other end is connected to. To use this panel correctly you need to runs a 4 conductor cable with the correct colors and 50a 4 prong RV plug. Your generator will be able to power this panel if you run the correct cable and make some mods to your existing panel. You will need to remove any bonding screws on your existing neutral bar.

 

[theoldwizard1]

So you're gonna have to rewire the feeder to that panel as they are using a 3-wire cord(wrong wire to use) and outlet- a 6-50r. As has been said, its the wrong outlet for this application. The proper outlet would be a 4-wire 14-**, the ** being the amperage rating.

CONCUR Everyone who hangs around GJ know that Wylie ALWAYS knows what he is talking about !

 

[wyliesdiesels]

CONCUR Everyone who hangs around GJ know that Wylie ALWAYS knows what he is talking about !

NOT always.

I do get some things wrong.

 

[dfiler2]

You mean, you're human?

 

[Streetbu]

Thanks guys! I contacted my wifes friend that is an electrician. He's going to make sure i do it right. Gotta order some 6/4 cable and a plug. I'll post up in this thread once it's all done and working.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thanks guys! I contacted my wifes friend that is an electrician. He's going to make sure i do it right. Gotta order some 6/4 cable and a plug. I'll post up in this thread once it's all done and working.

Dont forget to remove any bonding on the neutral bar.

 

[Streetbu]

Will do.

 

[sberry]

6/4 cord or 6/3 wg if its a cable and going to be permanent installation.

 

[Norcal]

Dont forget to remove any bonding on the neutral bar.

There should not be any bonding of the neutral bar, & ground bar in a trailer panel, but if one is there it needs to go.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

There should not be any bonding of the neutral bar, & ground bar in a trailer panel, but if one is there it needs to go.

Seeing how it is currently wired, it wouldnt surprise me if there was a bond since there is no EGC.

 

[sberry]

For a little genset a 10 cord may be used, maybe even less. You could run a 6 K with a 10.

 

[sberry]

Now a pic of the generator.

 

[sberry]

I might not even use that panel. Simply run a cord to a couple power strips and a couple lamps and skip hooking up a 125A panel. You have a 3K genset, not 100+ amp service. Not that it couldnt be done but Green Acres works as well and simple all plug in. You can try a little too hard with something like this and not gain much.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I might not even use that panel. Simply run a cord to a couple power strips and a couple lamps and skip hooking up a 125A panel. You have a 3K genset, not 100+ amp service. Not that it couldnt be done but Green Acres works as well and simple all plug in. You can try a little too hard with something like this and not gain much.

How would you run the cord?

Through a window or door? Not allowed under 400.8

The cordage in the wall isnt legal either.

And multiple power strips strung together is a fire hazard.

 

[kaffine]

Whoever wired that trailer didnt know what they were doing. They are using one hot leg on the plug as the neutral.

To me it looks like they are using the ground wire from the cord as the neutral they are using the white wire as the second hot leg.

 

[theoldwizard1]

To me it looks like they are using the ground wire from the cord as the neutral they are using the white wire as the second hot leg.

The branch circuits have separate ground and neutral. I'm guessing that ground bar is bonded to the neutral.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

To me it looks like they are using the ground wire from the cord as the neutral they are using the white wire as the second hot leg.

now that i looked at the picture again, i see i was wrong and you are correct.

Still wrong way to wire this.

 

[sberry]

There is always a way to complicate it if you try hard enough. Just how would a couple strips hooked up be any more hazzard than hooking a the wrong cord to a panel wired wrong with the potential to overload it with connected premise wire, already starting with number 6 wire and a 3 I genset. Which is a cord running thru the wall to a 125 a panel. Tues should have a simple circuit like a pop up camper, plugs in to the generator with a cord that is on the unit. Again , some really rather crappy advice from someone should know better.
Got him marching down to the store for a number 6 cord for a 3000 watt generator says it all. Hooking it to a boogered 125A panel for an appliance circuit and a couple lights while it can be made to work really just adds to the matter when a couple plug togther cords would do is some real icing on it.

 

[sberry]

Does the genset even have a multi voltage recept on it?

 

[sberry]

How would we propose running a number 6 in to it? To the OP, something to consider here. An old office trailer wasn't really made for effeciency, this is a hunting camp with a limited genset. A number 12 cord, a 3 way, a power strip connected to it to turn off a couple plug and cord led fixtures and plug appliances in to the others on the 3 way or another strip. Unplug cord from generator when done. If you decide to get a 10 or 15k generator, run the air con and full lights, computers and an office staff you could invest in a few hundred dollars in heavy wire and plugs.

 

[goodwrench]

If the generator is 240 volt only, and not switchable to 120 volt only like a Honda. You have to use both legs, split your loads, to evenly load the generator and get all the output. Think multi wire branch circuit, two hots on different phases, and one neutral. Keep that in mind when you are figureing out what you want to do.