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Old 06-21-2022, 12:33 PM   #41
DominickP53
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Dom,

I can't find the specs for a Champion generator rated "dual fuel 3500/3200" That doesn't mean there isn't one, just that I can't find the specs for it.

The closest I can find is an open frame (contractor generator) rated this way:

GAS-- 3400 surge/3100 sustained
PROPANE-- 3060 surge/2790 sustained

The Manual for that generator states that output power is reduced 3.5% for every 1000' of altitude.

So, assuming your generator has similar output as this one AND you're running it on propane at 3000' elevation, you're looking at a reduction of 10.5%, giving you an estimated output of 2738 surge/2497 sustained.

2500 watts is 20.8 amps. That MAY be enough to operate your air conditioner and the converter/charger, but I'd worry about voltage drop and burning out the compressor in the air conditioner on a hot day....

If it were my trailer, I'd not use that single generator and honestly, if the cabin has a 20 amp outlet, plugging into that isn't a lot different than running the generator on propane at altitude. Neither will power the trailer for the "long haul weekend".

buying a second generator to parallel may be an option, but that may cost nearly as much as just buying a single generator in the 5500/4500 watt range. To be honest, I don't think I'd buy another generator for a single trip. I think being in the mountains, during the day, you'll probably be outside anyway, and at night, with the windows in the trailer open and a fan or two to move the air, it should be cool enough to sleep without the air. You really don't want to run a generator overnight anyway, mainly because of the noise and the risk of starting a fire or annoying the cabin occupants with all the extra noise while they're trying to sleep.

I think I'd look into the possibility of setting the trailer close enough to the cabin to plug into an available 20 amp outlet, set the refrigerator and water heater to gas, skip using the air conditioner and the microwave, open the windows, turn on a fan and enjoy the "mountain breezes"....
Hi John,
If our mountain host only has 15 amps will that be enough to charge our battery? We hope to run our 12v dc refrigerator, a few lights and maybe a bedroom fan on the 15 amp circuit. If I get lucky maybe he has 20 amps circuit. Not sure yet.

And is it okay to go from the rv’s 50 amp dog one to 30 amp and use the 110 adapter?

Also, can I use a battery charger while running our RV on battery power only? Or is that a no no!? Thanks Dom
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Old 06-21-2022, 01:41 PM   #42
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Originally Posted by DominickP53 View Post
Also, can I use a battery charger while running our RV on battery power only? Or is that a no no!? Thanks Dom
Well, you can, but I don't see the point of it, given that you have a more sophisticated "battery charger" already in your rig. You can achieve the same effect by plugging your rig in, then turning off the main circuit breaker inside it, disabling all the AC distribution while allowing your converter to charge your battery and deliver DC power.
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Old 06-21-2022, 07:00 PM   #43
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Hi John,
If our mountain host only has 15 amps will that be enough to charge our battery? We hope to run our 12v dc refrigerator, a few lights and maybe a bedroom fan on the 15 amp circuit. If I get lucky maybe he has 20 amps circuit. Not sure yet.

And is it okay to go from the rv’s 50 amp dog one to 30 amp and use the 110 adapter?

Also, can I use a battery charger while running our RV on battery power only? Or is that a no no!? Thanks Dom
15 amps or 20 amps, it's all a "numbers game" that depends on the load you turn on in the trailer. The "good thing" is that using 12 volts, you have a "dual system" since the battery acts as a backup for the converter, so essentially the entier 55 amps (assuming you have a 55 amp converter/charger) is available to power the trailer and charge the battery while the battery acts as "a reserve power source" for the converter.

As for using a 50 amp dog bone attached to a 30 amp dog bone attached to a 110 adapter, that will work as long as the 30 to 50 amp adapters connect to both L1 and L2 in the trailer power center. If they only connect to one side of the power center main circuit breaker, the converter/charger circuit breaker MUST be on that side of the main breaker. So, as long as you power the converter with the shore power cord, you should be OK to run the refrigerator, lights and a fan at night. The "good thing" about using 12 volt power is that while you're sleeping (not using a lot of power) the converter/charger can work overtime to replenish the battery which will give you the extra power reserve needed to operate the refrigerator during the hot part of the day without putting an increased demand on the 15 amp shore power connection.

With a conscientious effort to not overload the trailer 120 VAC system, the converter/charger will draw about 5 amps max, leaving you roughly 10 amps for the fan, TV and computer charging, etc.... Just don't plug in a big coffee pot, you'll be walking to the house to turn the circuit breaker back on....

I think you'll be OK as long as you pay attention to what you're trying. And, if you have room, I'd take the generator as a "backup plan" to run a single air conditioner if it's a "sweltering, oppressive kind of hot"... Hopefully you won't need to revert to that, but better off being prepared and not need it than to need it and not have it as a backup.
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Old 06-25-2022, 07:56 AM   #44
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15 amps or 20 amps, it's all a "numbers game" that depends on the load you turn on in the trailer. The "good thing" is that using 12 volts, you have a "dual system" since the battery acts as a backup for the converter, so essentially the entier 55 amps (assuming you have a 55 amp converter/charger) is available to power the trailer and charge the battery while the battery acts as "a reserve power source" for the converter.

As for using a 50 amp dog bone attached to a 30 amp dog bone attached to a 110 adapter, that will work as long as the 30 to 50 amp adapters connect to both L1 and L2 in the trailer power center. If they only connect to one side of the power center main circuit breaker, the converter/charger circuit breaker MUST be on that side of the main breaker. So, as long as you power the converter with the shore power cord, you should be OK to run the refrigerator, lights and a fan at night. The "good thing" about using 12 volt power is that while you're sleeping (not using a lot of power) the converter/charger can work overtime to replenish the battery which will give you the extra power reserve needed to operate the refrigerator during the hot part of the day without putting an increased demand on the 15 amp shore power connection.

With a conscientious effort to not overload the trailer 120 VAC system, the converter/charger will draw about 5 amps max, leaving you roughly 10 amps for the fan, TV and computer charging, etc.... Just don't plug in a big coffee pot, you'll be walking to the house to turn the circuit breaker back on....

I think you'll be OK as long as you pay attention to what you're trying. And, if you have room, I'd take the generator as a "backup plan" to run a single air conditioner if it's a "sweltering, oppressive kind of hot"... Hopefully you won't need to revert to that, but better off being prepared and not need it than to need it and not have it as a backup.
I understand there is a 50 amp to 15 amp dog bone that I can use . I only have a 50 amp fixed main connection on trailer for shore power. I don’t understand L1 and L2 connection to trailer power center. I’ll do some research on that. The power center is where the fuses are right? Thanks for the great tips and advice
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:09 AM   #45
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L1 is one "hot" wire usually black insulating jacket and L2 is the other "hot" wire usually red insulating jacket.
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Old 06-25-2022, 08:38 AM   #46
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I understand there is a 50 amp to 15 amp dog bone that I can use . I only have a 50 amp fixed main connection on trailer for shore power. I don’t understand L1 and L2 connection to trailer power center. I’ll do some research on that. The power center is where the fuses are right? Thanks for the great tips and advice
Yes you can get 50 to 15 dog bones. I carry a 50 to 30 and. 50 to 15 with me. Never know when you’ll get into an older campground that only has 30A service. The 50-15 is mainly used at the house. In fact, that’s not even a dog bone. I use an adapter that connects at the RV plug so I don’t have to pull the power cord out.
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Old 06-26-2022, 06:29 AM   #47
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Originally Posted by DominickP53 View Post
I understand there is a 50 amp to 15 amp dog bone that I can use . I only have a 50 amp fixed main connection on trailer for shore power. I don’t understand L1 and L2 connection to trailer power center. I’ll do some research on that. The power center is where the fuses are right? Thanks for the great tips and advice
Sorry this is "late to the post" we've been traveling since Friday morning.

As Marshall said, there are 2 "hot leads" in a 50 amp trailer plug. There is 1 "hot lead" in a 30 amp trailer plug and also 1 "hot lead" in a 15 amp plug.

If you open your trailer power center and look at the circuit breaker arrangement, you'll see that the main circuit breaker is in the middle and there are two "switches/tabs" on that circuit breaker. There are "branch circuit breakers" to the left and to the right of the main circuit breaker. Those "branch breakers" on one side are connected to L1 and those on the other side are connected to L2.

If you unplug from shore power and remove the faceplate from the power center, so you can see the "guts inside", you'll see that the black wire goes to one pole on the main breaker and the red wire goes to the other pole on the main breaker. Those are L1 and L2 connections to the circuit breaker panel.

Now, tracing those two wires back to the shore power cord, you'll see that they end up, in the plug at the end of the shore power cord (that plugs into the campground pedestal) on opposite sides of the plug. They never "combine and are never connected together" through the trailer wiring.

So, your adapters, the 50:30 dogbone and the 30:15 amp adapter plug will need, somewhere in their wiring, to distribute the "one hot leg at the outlet on the side of the cabin" to the "2 hot legs in the trailer shore power cord". Otherwise, if that doesn't happen, you'll only have one side of the trailer "main circuit breaker" connected to the cabin.

All that said, "most" dog bone adapters that are specific for RV use do connect the power to both legs of the trailer power center.... It's normal that both L1 and L2 are hot using the dogbone, but not every one of the adapters is wired that way. If, when you plug the trailer into the cabin power, all the circuit breakers are active, you're good. If only one side is active, you'll need to address that issue.
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