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honda generator

anybody know why my small quiet generator connect up to my 93 u300 so idont have to run the big genset just to charge batteries?
Ron & Bette Ringhand previous/1979 33 ft appollo/ 1993 gv u240/ 2003 40ft beaver Marquis/1993 gv u300 40 ft

Re: honda generator

Reply #1 –
Do you mean why it won't produce power when plugged into your motorhome?
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: honda generator

Reply #2 –
On my previous S.O.B., I would use a 30amp to 15 amp adapter cord and my Honda 1000 and/or 2000 would work fine.  When "dry" camping in Yosemite, we could run the 1000 watt anytime as it is super quiet. It would give us power to run lights etc., and keep the batteries charged.

Someone else will know better than me, but could you do a 50 to 30 amp adapter, then the 30 to 15 ?

I'm just not sure.
Mark & Bev
2001 U295 36' Slide
Cummins ISC 8.3 350HP
Build #5802
Jeep Wrangler Toad

Re: honda generator

Reply #3 –
You'll need to either either buy, or fabricate a neutral shorting plug so the Honda generator will properly connect to a 15-30-50amp adapter to the coach. The neutral leg of the Honda needs to be combined with the ground leg of the 30 amp circuit of the coach.  Otherwise you'll have an open ground indication, and the power to the coach will not be safe.  Here's how I did it:

https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electricity-generator-neutral-bonding-basics/

Works great.  Woody
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: honda generator

Reply #4 –
Thanks Woody!!! I knew it had to be something like that. I was just confused because the honda worked fine on my u240 and Beaver Marquis. Now I wont have to pack a large battery charger along with me!
Ron & Bette Ringhand previous/1979 33 ft appollo/ 1993 gv u240/ 2003 40ft beaver Marquis/1993 gv u300 40 ft

Re: honda generator

Reply #5 –
I have a 2000 watt Honda generator and I didn't have to do any thing special to have it work to
charge batteries.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: honda generator

Reply #6 –
Quote from: oldguy –
I have a 2000 watt Honda generator and I didn't have to do any thing special to have it work to
charge batteries.

I think it's only an issue if you have an electrical management system with surge gaurd hardwired in your coach.
Doug W.
96 36' U270 CSGI #4946
04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
PNW

Re: honda generator

Reply #7 –
Here are several ways to charge your batteries. We purchased a used 240V, 6500 watt highway light tower, pulled the lights off wired and installed a NEMA L14-30  30 amp plug and away we went. So, you have to look at the generator you are interested in. Most contractor's generators will have a L14-30 240V plug with two 120V outlets next to the 240V. If it says 6500 watts on the plate, that's a startup wattage so you have to look at the continuous wattage, probably 6000 watts. But, for long generator life, 80% of that is the rule of thumb. All good? No! Since the generator is going to be 240V, it has two 120V legs, hence the two 120V plugs on the panels and each one is only good for 3000 watts, so for a reliable generator, figure 80% of that or 2400 watts.

How does your U300 charge it's batteries from shore power? One of the 220/240 legs (now 120V) goes to the converter/charger in the wet bay compartment right by the water tank. The absolute easiest way is to unplug the converter/charger and using a heavy duty extension cord, plug it into one of the 120V outlets on the generator and plug the converter/charger into the extension cord.

You can also purchase an adapter from the L14-30 to the 50 amp connection on your coach. This may require two different adapters as I could not find just one to do the job.

A L14-30 extension cord has 4 wires, one red, one black, one green and one white. It is rated 30 amps and has #10 wires as the minimum gauge. I have a 40 foot and 25 foot cord to reach our house plus a very convenient pigtail with four 120V outlets that plugs into the L14-30 extension cord giving me two 120V outlets from the red wire and two 120V outlets from the black side. You can plug in any drill, battery charger, etc into these outlets, just like in the house or garage.

Attached are the two orders for the cords, pigtail, etc. The quality is excellent and I would purchase them again in a second.

You could also utilize the other generator leg to use a second battery charger. This is essentially what I do when traveling down the road with the alternator and the solar controller charging the batteries.

Fairly easy to convert the PowerTech generator to 240V to power a house, etc. Ours makes a foul odor so it was only used before we bought the new (to us) diesel generator.

Part two for anyone interested is the transfer switch to safely connect the generator to a residence. There are two different types so unless you have a large whole house generator, you need the type with the circuit breakers, etc. Unfortunately, this is the more expensive route.

Pierce




Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: honda generator

Reply #8 –
I did as Woody did and bought a male plug and made a jumper wire and connected the silver post to the green post and now the honda powers up  he u300. No problem now even with rez fridge running and batteries charging!
Ron & Bette Ringhand previous/1979 33 ft appollo/ 1993 gv u240/ 2003 40ft beaver Marquis/1993 gv u300 40 ft