Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: lenspeiser on September 05, 2017, 08:24:54 pm

Title: disconnect of electric power
Post by: lenspeiser on September 05, 2017, 08:24:54 pm
Sitting here in a pretty good thunderstorm outside of Bangor, ME, and I got to wondering. If the electric service was to go out, and I cranked on the gen set, would it be sending juice back down the line (if I was still plugged in)?

Seems like the ATS should prevent that, but just wondering.

Thanks,
Len
Title: Re: disconnect of electric power
Post by: jcus on September 05, 2017, 08:38:30 pm
Not possible, sp and gen contacts are mechanically separate and cannot be connected at the same time.
Title: Re: disconnect of electric power
Post by: prfleming on September 05, 2017, 08:47:11 pm
Yes, and I believe Foretravel wired the ATS to have "generator priority" meaning if the generator is running, it is supplying the coach power,  regardless if you have shore power connected or not. If anyone has seen otherwise, please chime in.
Title: Re: disconnect of electric power
Post by: jcus on September 05, 2017, 08:59:11 pm
Yes, and I believe Foretravel wired the ATS to have "generator priority" meaning if the generator is running, it is supplying the coach power,  regardless if you have shore power connected or not. If anyone has seen otherwise, please chime in.
Believe Barry and Cindy's coach had shorepower priority.
Think it varies by coach and Foretravel whims..
"Our transfer switch has shore power as priority. If generator is running and shorepower is  ............ , coach was power by shorepower only.<br>It used to be that if we were plugged  ............  switch, 'fools' transfer switch to thinking that shorepower is not plugged in, so transfer switch will power  ............ .<br>I think some other coaches have a generator priority, to eliminate this conflict.<br><br>I have only  ......"
quote is from barry and cindy in the foretravel yahoo archive, for some reason cannot cut and paste or link them.
Title: Re: disconnect of electric power
Post by: wolfe10 on September 05, 2017, 10:12:34 pm
In a thunderstorm, I strongly suggest disconnecting from shore power.  Surge protectors are not designed to protect against nearby lightening strikes.

But, other posters are correct, your ATS prevents two sources of 120 VAC from being connected at the same time.  It is EITHER generator or shore power (or if you have one inverter).
Title: Re: disconnect of electric power
Post by: Michelle on September 06, 2017, 07:53:41 am
In a thunderstorm, I strongly suggest disconnecting from shore power.  Surge protectors are not designed to protect against nearby lightening strikes.

Agree 100% (and just did that here in TN).  We always unplug in severe weather.