Pigtail out of transfer switch.

[toolittletime]

Has anyone hooked a pigtail to the generator hot side .....inside the transfer switch.
I'm looking for a way to get 240v power out of my 5500 onan ...inside my carbon toy hauler to a sub panel inside my shop.
Trailer is next door to shop, and would be nice to use the 5500 onan for emergency power in the shop instead of spending another 1000 dollars on a standalone generator.
Thanks.....Tim

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by toolittletime

Has anyone hooked a pigtail to the generator hot side .....inside the transfer switch.
I'm looking for a way to get 240v power out of my 5500 onan ...inside my carbon toy hauler to a sub panel inside my shop.
Trailer is next door to shop, and would be nice to use the 5500 onan for emergency power in the shop instead of spending another 1000 dollars on a standalone generator.
Thanks.....Tim

You have to be careful with grounding / bonding issues with sub panels and the rules that apply.. you will still need a transfer switch or lockout
..someone will correct me but isn’t the 50 amp circuits in rv’s and the generator actually just two separate 120 circuits and they are never joined to get 240? And you need to be careful how that sub panel is wired because the neutral wire can still backfeed into main line even when main breaker is off..a separate stand alone generator fed to a nec approved transfer switch is your better option in my opinion because any wire that you cobble together for a long home made extension cord has the potential to come apart at some critical junction( ground/ neutral) that could cause a real safety hazard

[jasin1]

You may be able to install a single-switched circuit 30 amp rv receptacle at the generator and use a 30 amp extension cord to get 120 volts to an approved transfer switch

[ChuckS]

Yes the 50 a,l RV service is two separate 120 feeds.. the OP is flirting with disaster

[travelin texans]

I would get advice/help from someone with much more electrical knowledge than myself & many more on here before trying something like this, sounds like a good way to get someone hurt.

[nuctrooper]

Onan lists the generator output as 1 phase, 120V, 2 pole. That should give you 240V pole to pole, but that needs to be checked with a multimeter first. If you measure L1 to L2 and get 240, then yes you could redneck a 240V feed to your shop. I'd carefully look at a transfer switch for your shop input. I'd put in a manual 50A transfer switch that is break-before-make. Nothing fancy. Also, carefully consider the plug you would install. A NMEA 14-50S would be fine inside the compartment by the switch. Just make sure there are no exposed energized plug conductors. The you can use a 14-50 extension cord to a 14-50P generator input plug by your shop's transfer switch.
If the voltage L1 to L2 reads zero with a multimeter (L1 to ground 120, and L2 to ground 120), then both lines are in the same phase. You could still power the shop, but 240V appliances, welder, stove, furnace etc would not work. All the 120V should work. I'd open the 240V breakers to any delicate electronics before energizing the shop if that is the case. A normal resistive load (like a stove) won't care, it just won't heat up.

Generator would be protected by its 30A circuit breakers.

Again, I think this is a redneck rig, but when the SHTF, it's us rednecks that will survive (assuming you aren't electrocuted or burn your shop or RV down).

[toolittletime]

Originally Posted by nuctrooper

Onan lists the generator output as 1 phase, 120V, 2 pole. That should give you 240V pole to pole, but that needs to be checked with a multimeter first. If you measure L1 to L2 and get 240, then yes you could redneck a 240V feed to your shop. I'd carefully look at a transfer switch for your shop input. I'd put in a manual 50A transfer switch that is break-before-make. Nothing fancy. Also, carefully consider the plug you would install. A NMEA 14-50S would be fine inside the compartment by the switch. Just make sure there are no exposed energized plug conductors. The you can use a 14-50 extension cord to a 14-50P generator input plug by your shop's transfer switch.
If the voltage L1 to L2 reads zero with a multimeter (L1 to ground 120, and L2 to ground 120), then both lines are in the same phase. You could still power the shop, but 240V appliances, welder, stove, furnace etc would not work. All the 120V should work. I'd open the 240V breakers to any delicate electronics before energizing the shop if that is the case. A normal resistive load (like a stove) won't care, it just won't heat up.

Generator would be protected by its 30A circuit breakers.

Again, I think this is a redneck rig, but when the SHTF, it's us rednecks that will survive (assuming you aren't electrocuted or burn your shop or RV down).

Yes.....this is exactly what I was going to do. First need to verify voltage at
L1 AND L2. Just checking to see if anyone else had done this.
Thanks

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by toolittletime

Yes.....this is exactly what I was going to do. First need to verify voltage at
L1 AND L2. Just checking to see if anyone else had done this.
Thanks

Man I could see if it was the apocalypse or something but are you really willing to gamble with such high stakes over spending $1000 on doing it right? Not worth burning house down or electrocuting someone innocent...there other projects you can do to save a thousand lol

[nuctrooper]

Well, I measured L1 to L2, and the voltage difference is zero (QG5500). So no 240 for your shop with this one, but it’ll still power all the 120 you want.

And to the nay sayers, remember this is just a generator. It supplies electricity to to your RV. It is wired into a breaker panel. There is nothing magical about it, and it is no more dangerous than any other generator. You run multiple A/C units off it with your family inside and don’t think it is going to burn it down. When it is wired properly, it can feed any other breaker panel just as well as it can feed your RV.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by nuctrooper

Well, I measured L1 to L2, and the voltage difference is zero (QG5500). So no 240 for your shop with this one, but it’ll still power all the 120 you want.

And to the nay sayers, remember this is just a generator. It supplies electricity to to your RV. It is wired into a breaker panel. There is nothing magical about it, and it is no more dangerous than any other generator. You run multiple A/C units off it with your family inside and don’t think it is going to burn it down. When it is wired properly, it can feed any other breaker panel just as well as it can feed your RV.

Frankly you didn’t seem to know how to accomplish what you wanted to do with it..that is the dangerous part.. correction. The op

[chuckster57]

I’m not an electrician, but shouldn’t the voltage be the same on L1and L2? Isn’t that the reason for 50A service in the first place- 2 legs of 110/120VAC.

I don’t understand the “phase” stuff, and please don’t spend any great amount of time trying to explain it to me, because I don’t plan on doing anything other than installing a gen in a customers trailer and hook it up as instructions say.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by nuctrooper

Well, I measured L1 to L2, and the voltage difference is zero (QG5500). So no 240 for your shop with this one, but it’ll still power all the 120 you want.

And to the nay sayers, remember this is just a generator. It supplies electricity to to your RV. It is wired into a breaker panel. There is nothing magical about it, and it is no more dangerous than any other generator. You run multiple A/C units off it with your family inside and don’t think it is going to burn it down. When it is wired properly, it can feed any other breaker panel just as well as it can feed your RV.

If you have an EMS on your shore power, which you absolutely should, if the L1 & L2 were significantly different voltages the EMS would/should disconnect the power.
Other than that I'm like Chuckster, I KNOW NOTHING!

[nuctrooper]

Yes, L1 to ground is nominally 120v. And L2 to ground is nominally 120v. However, a normal household supply has L1 and L2 180 degrees out of phase. When L1 is +120v, L2 is at -120v. So the difference between L1 and L2 is actually 240v. That’s how nearly all of the 50a outlets are supplied with power. Two 120v lines, out of phase by 180 degrees. Dryer outlet or RV pedestal, it is a 240V plug. RVs use L1 and L2 independently, so it seems as if it’s just 120v. But if you take a multimeter and check your L1 to L2 while on 50a shore power, you’ll see you actually do have 240v in your camper.
That was the discussion that stated this thread-trying to pull those two phases into another transfer panel. After testing today though, the Onan 5500 output with L1 and L2 in-phase, thus L1-L2=0.

Yes, an EMS will shut down if the line voltage varies from 120 by too far. It is just checking L1 to ground and L2 to ground, not L1 to L2 (which is nominally 240v from shore power).

Clear as mud?

[toolittletime]

Originally Posted by nuctrooper

Well, I measured L1 to L2, and the voltage difference is zero (QG5500). So no 240 for your shop with this one, but it’ll still power all the 120 you want.

And to the nay sayers, remember this is just a generator. It supplies electricity to to your RV. It is wired into a breaker panel. There is nothing magical about it, and it is no more dangerous than any other generator. You run multiple A/C units off it with your family inside and don’t think it is going to burn it down. When it is wired properly, it can feed any other breaker panel just as well as it can feed your RV.

Exactly!!!
Well stated....I'll let the others go back to their safe spaces, while I go skydiving this afternoon.
Omg....I just plugged my hair dryer into a non gfi receptacle.....this will probably destroy the world. And kill everyone.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by toolittletime

Exactly!!!
Well stated....I'll let the others go back to their safe spaces, while I go skydiving this afternoon.
Omg....I just plugged my hair dryer into a non gfi receptacle.....this will probably destroy the world. And kill everyone.

Lol we were concerned because you were clearly inexperienced with how to wire it up safely.. it’s best left to professionals or at the least with those who understand how to accomplish the goal without having to ask on an Internet forum...anyway have fun skydiving...

[toolittletime]

Clearly inexperienced?? Interesting that you can somehow know anything about my electrical experience from one line of text.
Not inexperienced at all. If you read my OP, I just asked if anyone had done this?
From the inference in some of the above post, it would seem that

lot of you would not know the difference between an ohm, and a floating neutral.
I consider this thread closed.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by toolittletime

Clearly inexperienced?? Interesting that you can somehow know anything about my electrical experience from one line of text.
Not inexperienced at all. If you read my OP, I just asked if anyone had done this?
From the inference in some of the above post, it would seem that

lot of you would not know the difference between an ohm, and a floating neutral.
I consider this thread closed.

I did not mean to insult you..your right ,no one can know your electrical experience by a line of text,that’s why giving advice on the internet about wiring into your home electrical system isn’t advised

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by toolittletime

Clearly inexperienced?? Interesting that you can somehow know anything about my electrical experience from one line of text.
Not inexperienced at all. If you read my OP, I just asked if anyone had done this?
From the inference in some of the above post, it would seem that

lot of you would not know the difference between an ohm, and a floating neutral.
I consider this thread closed.

I will lock this thread before it gets any more heated...Enjoy your day gentlemen.