Im a newbie and screwed up

[Baferg94]

I just bought my first travel trailer and hooked up to generator to test everything out while at my house before taking it out for the first time and believe I over powered the converter. I have a 2021 coachmen apex 300bhs with 50amp service and I plugged into a 30 amp 4 prong on my generator and shortly after I had smoke coming from near the panel. I’m wondering if it’s possible that I just blew the fuses or if it’s more likely I blew the whole converter and how to check the converter before buying a new one

[Bama Rambler]

How did you connect the RV's shore power cord to the generator receptacle? Bought adapter, homemade adapter, some other way?

As long as the adapter is wired correctly, and you had the generator set to 240 volts, it's not likely that you had anything to do with the failure.

[Flybob]

Need a little more info. Please post a photo of the outlet. Also please post a photo of the adapter you used. A 50A RV power cord will not connect to a 30A gen outlet without an adapter. If you have a meter, you can test and compare to the photo below.

[D W]

Numerous possibilities here...

1. Miss-wired?
2. Generator requires floating neutral?
3. What type of load from RV was on the generator?
4. Neutral wire overloaded?

Did any breakers, generator or RV trip?

Requires visual inspection of service panel and converter. Smoke either came from wiring, or the capacitors on the converter. A blown capacitor will look inflated or expanded. Converters have protective fuses, but they are on the 12V side.

[Baferg94]

Sorry guys I’m struggling to figure out how to post pictures from my phone’s library on here but the plug on my generator is a 30A 120/240V 4 prong which is just like the 50A pictured above in the diagram. My assumption was that it was the same type of plug at a lower amperage so I just plugged straight in with my power cord. From what I’ve read after the fact it sounded like I could only use 3 prong when hooking to a 30a supply

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Baferg94

Sorry guys I’m struggling to figure out how to post pictures from my phone’s library on here but the plug on my generator is a 30A 120/240V 4 prong which is just like the 50A pictured above in the diagram. My assumption was that it was the same type of plug at a lower amperage so I just plugged straight in with my power cord. From what I’ve read after the fact it sounded like I could only use 3 prong when hooking to a 30a supply

Tell us the make/model of your generator so we can look at the 30a receptacle specs.

Most 30a receptacles on generators that are 30a and 240v are twistlock.
You wouldn't have been able to just plug your 50a shore power cord into a twistlock without an adapter. (I know you said it looked just like the one in the diagram) Nor could you have plugged it in to a 30a R/V receptacle without an adapter.

[Thomas ho]

had a 4k onan out of a motorhome ,idle screw was turned up a 1/4 turn . blew up converter in trailer. found out ,putting out 180volts. set idle back down and it put out 115/ 120. checked by a electrician. inverter 180.00$. check gen. out put voltage.

[Baferg94]

I just got back home and checked the generator. It’s model is SUA12000E. It says it’s a 30A on the generator but on the plug itself says it’s a 50A receptacle and after looking it up online it also says it’s a 120/240V 50A receptacle. I put a meter on it and was reading 120V to ground on L1 and L2 leads and 240V between them. I inspected the converter and it spells of electrical burn so I’m pretty sure it’s bad. I’m still unsure of how it blew it. The dealership told me that it was the generator that blew it but now it seems like the generator was the correct type of power

[Bama Rambler]

Since the generator is putting out the correct voltage, and we can assume that it's running the proper frequency, the generator had nothing to do with the converter failing.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Baferg94

I just got back home and checked the generator. It’s model is SUA12000E. It says it’s a 30A on the generator but on the plug itself says it’s a 50A receptacle and after looking it up online it also says it’s a 120/240V 50A receptacle. I put a meter on it and was reading 120V to ground on L1 and L2 leads and 240V between them. I inspected the converter and it spells of electrical burn so I’m pretty sure it’s bad. I’m still unsure of how it blew it. The dealership told me that it was the generator that blew it but now it seems like the generator was the correct type of power

Did you make any adapters? It sure sounds like you sent 240 volts to the converter.


Is this generator onboard or did you buy it separate?

[nayther]

you probably did fry it with 220v. Although the 50 amp plug fits it is really two separate 120 volt circuits.

[Baferg94]

The converter that was installed was a WFCO WF-9855. Is that one you all would recommend replacing it with or is there a better option that is suggested?

[Baferg94]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Did you make any adapters? It sure sounds like you sent 240 volts to the converter.


Is this generator onboard or did you buy it separate?

It is just a portable generator that I already had at home


Edit by site team: The OP edited this post and added this information as a reason for edit, not as post text ==> "And no adapter. It was a receptacle that fit my power cable"

[Guspech750]

Originally Posted by Baferg94

Sorry guys I’m struggling to figure out how to post pictures from my phone’s library

I can not help with your electrical problem. But for posting pictures and posting on forums. I highly recommend Tapatalk. Tapatalk makes it stupid easy for us to post pics and post on forums from our mobile devices.

[Flybob]

Here is a photo of the generator.
Please check the voltage between L1, L2 and neutral. In a 50A Rv system there is a 120VAC leg L1 to Neutral and another 50A 120VAC between L2 and neutral.

[D W]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

Since the generator is putting out the correct voltage, and we can assume that it's running the proper frequency, the generator had nothing to do with the converter failing.

I took a look at this generator, along with the manual, on line. It is equipped with a NEMA 14-50R receptacle and has a peak load of 38 amps. The OP verified that the output at the generator NEMA 14-50R is correct (provided he was talking about L1 & L2 to N, and not ground). If it did in fact smoke the converter I would tend to believe that something is miss-wired in the RV service panel.

[Flybob]

Here are the specs for the generic RV,

• Furnace – Forced Air/Ducts Per Floorplan
• 14.5K BTU Ducted A/C (8’ Wides)
• 55 Amp Power Center
• Outside Receptacle GFI
• 100 Watt Solar Panel w/10 AMP Control Charger
• Detachable Marine Style Power Cord

[Baferg94]

Well after further inspecting with my volt meter I’m only getting 36V from L1 to neutral and same from L2 to neutral but also I plugged my surge protector in and checked load side of the surge and it was getting 150V on L1 and 110V on L2 both to neutral and to ground. So did my surge protector overload the converter or is the open neutral the cause?

[wildcatter]

The open neutral is your problem, without a good neutral you are putting 240 volts to the converter. With a good neutral you will have 2 120 volt legs.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Baferg94

Well after further inspecting with my volt meter I’m only getting 36V from L1 to neutral and same from L2 to neutral but also I plugged my surge protector in and checked load side of the surge and it was getting 150V on L1 and 110V on L2 both to neutral and to ground. So did my surge protector overload the converter or is the open neutral the cause?

Sure sounds like the generator has issues.
Is it new?