Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 13, 2025 ...

As I recently posted, we're camp hosting in West Texas for the next 3 months.  Almost every night around 2:00 AM the power fluctuates.  Last night it went out briefly.  It wouldn't be a big deal -- especially with the Progressive EMS-50 protecting the coach -- but we are jolted out of deep sleep with each power event by the automatic transfer switch under our bed. 

Our 42' has an east-west bed configuration with a Maverick ATS under the bed that switches between the first ATS (generator/shore) and the inverter.  We don't run the inverter much so if the power goes out at night we really don't care.  Right now the second ATS under the bed stays energized whenever there is power from the first ATS.  If we lose power from the first ATS then the second ATS' coil de-engergizes and the NC side of the switch (inverter) goes active.

My thought is to reverse the inputs and the coil circuit so the NC side of the ATS has it's line/input side from the first ATS and the line/input from the inverter is connected to the NO side of the ATS.  This way if we lose power in the night, nothing happens.  There's no CLUNK and we continue to sleep.  If we want to use the inverter, we turn the inverter on at the control panel.  That in turn energizes the second ATS's coil and current is supplied to the load side of the second ATS from the inverter.

Factory Config
1st  ATS --> 2nd ATS NO + 2nd ATS coil   
Inverter  --> 2nd ATS NC 

Proposed Config
Inverter  --> 2nd ATS NO + 2nd ATS coil   
1st  ATS --> 2nd ATS NC 

I realize there will be a penalty when boondocking of having to keep the 2nd ATS' coil energized to use the inverter.  Other than that is this a dumb idea?  Already done before?  What am I missing here?  Is there an easier/better way to accomplish the goal?

Mark, may be wrong, but assume second ats coil is energized when sp avaibile, and drops out  to inverter position on loss of power? If this is true, why not install a small switch [mounted on side of bed], on line that energizes coil on 2nd ats? That way you could just flip switch to open contactor and it would go to default inverter position. Working with that 6 gauge wire is PITA.

Working with that 6 gauge wire is PITA.

Speaking of which, does the 6 gauge connect to the system via screw down lugs, or do you crimp on connectors which are then attached via screw terminals?
 
Thanks,
 
Trent

[/quote
Mine are screw down lugs. [Maverick brand ATS]

I did not follow Mark's plan exactly, but Jim's idea gives us something to share with this thread...
Our ATS-100 has shore power priority.
When we are on minimal shore power and want to run the microwave for a few minutes, we start our generator.
We added a low-amp switch mounted on the front of the bed that can disconnect the shore relay's energizer coil.
Without unplugging shore cable, this makes the ATS  think shore has been turned off, so generator can power coach.

Jim,

Thinking about your switch idea some more.  While I said we don't care much if the power is out, after thinking about it I realize we kinda do care because we use a couple of portable electric/oil radiant heaters to keep the living room warm.  Plus there are a few more items that would be off if we regularly powered down all the outlets by switching the coil every evening.  Still, you're right abuot the hassle of #6 wire.  Plus the 2nd ATS is pretty far back under the bed/slide frame.

Barry love your idea,  On our model the 1st ATS does have generator priority.