Friends,
First post and new first-time Mini Lite owner!
Coming back in my old age to RVing. Used to have a pop-up many years ago, but now with a new mini-lite 2104s. And the little I knew about electrical managment has long since disappeared into the ether of old memory. Two questions for those of you so very knowledgeable and willing to help a newby:
1) I bought a Honda 2000i generator, and was surprised it didn't have a 30-amp connection, just two 110 outlets. Can someone who knows this generator give me some help on what it can be expected to power in the new RV...and maybe any other tips for boondocking (not something we ever did with the old pop-ups we used to own).
2) If the 2104 has 30 amp service, I am confused about the various videos I see where a 30 amp to 50 amp connecting adapter can be used, and people with 30 amp service explaining how they occasionally plug into 50 amp service with the adapter. Wouldn't the much higher 50 amp wreak havoc on the RV's 30 amp system? Help! And thanks!
Friends,
First post and new first-time Mini Lite owner!
Coming back in my old age to RVing. Used to have a pop-up many years ago, but now with a new mini-lite 2104s. And the little I knew about electrical managment has long since disappeared into the ether of old memory. Two questions for those of you so very knowledgeable and willing to help a newby:
1) I bought a Honda 2000i generator, and was surprised it didn't have a 30-amp connection, just two 110 outlets. Can someone who knows this generator give me some help on what it can be expected to power in the new RV...and maybe any other tips for boondocking (not something we ever did with the old pop-ups we used to own).
2) If the 2104 has 30 amp service, I am confused about the various videos I see where a 30 amp to 50 amp connecting adapter can be used, and people with 30 amp service explaining how they occasionally plug into 50 amp service with the adapter. Wouldn't the much higher 50 amp wreak havoc on the RV's 30 amp system? Help! And thanks!
Welcome aboard jmc1780.
Let's see if we can help.
1. These links by Mark Polk may help
A formula you may need to learn since generators may be rated in watts.
2. When using an adapter to plug a 30 amp RV into a 50 amp service at a campground, the adapter uses one 50 amp leg of the split phase service. Even though your RV "could" draw UP to 50 amps, you still have a limiting 30 amp main circuit breaker in your RV's electrical panel. It should trip before you could damage anything.
Simply put in layman's terms, Amperage is not something that is pushed into your RV. It's drawn depending on what electrical stuff you have on. If you limit your usage from your #1 question above to 30 amps or less, then you are fine and should not trip any circuit breakers.
Hope this helps
__________________ 2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
I can’t answer number 1, but I do know about #2 (pun intended).
I had to use a 50 to 30 adapter because the pedestal only had a 50 to connect. The adapter is only pulling from one hot leg of the two available to give you a single 120 volt input. BTW, my rig is a 30 amp MicroLite 21FBRS.
The reason it doesn't have a 30A connection is because that generator is only rated at around 13A max, and will only sustain a power requirement of 1600 VA (basically your watts), in continuous operation. Max VA is 2000, but it won't sustain that power requirement for more than 30 minutes without overheating and degrading your generator. You can purchase a parallel kit and boost your continuous operation up to 3.2 kVA, but that will require another 2000i generator. To determine your limitations you will have to check all your appliances for the watt ratings and do the math.
__________________
'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
2016 Salem 27RKSS
1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019) "...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
Friends,
First post and new first-time Mini Lite owner!
Coming back in my old age to RVing. Used to have a pop-up many years ago, but now with a new mini-lite 2104s. And the little I knew about electrical managment has long since disappeared into the ether of old memory. Two questions for those of you so very knowledgeable and willing to help a newby:
1) I bought a Honda 2000i generator, and was surprised it didn't have a 30-amp connection, just two 110 outlets. Can someone who knows this generator give me some help on what it can be expected to power in the new RV...and maybe any other tips for boondocking (not something we ever did with the old pop-ups we used to own).
2) If the 2104 has 30 amp service, I am confused about the various videos I see where a 30 amp to 50 amp connecting adapter can be used, and people with 30 amp service explaining how they occasionally plug into 50 amp service with the adapter. Wouldn't the much higher 50 amp wreak havoc on the RV's 30 amp system? Help! And thanks!
50-30 or 30-50, either way, your only gonna get 30 amps available. Your trailer will have a 30 amp service. The adaptors are for reducing down from 50 to 30. A 30 amps service is a 3 wire system. One 120 volts 30 amp hot leg, one 120 volt neutral and one ground leg. The panel in your trailer will except that.
A 50 amp service is 4 wire system. One 50 amp 120 volt L1, one 50 amp 120 volt L2, one neutral and one ground. This will not plug into your 30 amp trailer and they don't make an adaptor to allow you to do it. A 50 amp service is 220-volt service. You will have 220 in the trailer but nothing in there is operated by 220 volts. A much different panel than a 30 amp one.
Many older camps do not have 50 amps available hence the 30 amp adaptors. Hope this helps.
50-30 or 30-50, either way, your only gonna get 30 amps available. Your trailer will have a 30 amp service. The adaptors are for reducing down from 50 to 30. A 30 amps service is a 3 wire system. One 120 volts 30 amp hot leg, one 120 volt neutral and one ground leg. The panel in your trailer will except that.
A 50 amp service is 4 wire system. One 50 amp 120 volt L1, one 50 amp 120 volt L2, one neutral and one ground. This will not plug into your 30 amp trailer and they don't make an adaptor to allow you to do it. A 50 amp service is 220-volt service. You will have 220 in the trailer but nothing in there is operated by 220 volts. A much different panel than a 30 amp one.
Many older camps do not have 50 amps available hence the 30 amp adaptors. Hope this helps.
Cavie, that's not correct and you seem to contradict yourself. They make an adapter that allows 30 amp RV's to plug into 50 amp service as explained by the OP, me, and other members.
Cavie, that's not correct and you seem to contradict yourself. They make an adapter that allows 30 amp RV's to plug into 50 amp service as explained by the OP, me, and other members.
You have to have the 2000i companion to have a 30 amp receptacle. As D W explained, you will only have 13 amps available. However, if you parallel with the 2000i it will give you a total of 26 amps available.
The 2000i companion typically runs about $100 more than the 2000i. The parallel kit costs $30 - $40 and you will also need an adapter to connect from the generator 30 amp receptacle to your RV.
If you are not running the a/c the single generator will be fine. If a/c is in your future, you will need to parallel.
Here is how the Honda generators look when hooked in parallel. Notice the larger plug adapter on the right. I have this setup but only use it when powering my A/C. Other times I use one or the other on a heavy extension cord plugged into the standard 110v outlet. This is enough to charge my house batteries (2) and run the coffee maker or microwave. My 5th wheel is 50amp but only has one A/C unit so I normally only run a 30amp setup. But if I am only needing 10amps then I only need an extension cord and a 50A to 20A dogbone adapter.
__________________
2016 RAM 1500 - 2016 Keystone Laredo 265SRK
The road goes on forever and the party never ends.
Illegitimum non carborundum
Wow! You guys are fast...and thorough! I actually think I am beginning to understand a little more about electrical management! Thank you, thank you, thank you...and if you have any more wisdom to share, keep it coming!
Hey WMTIRE. Did you read my first sentence? 50/30 or 30/50?
Yes sir I did, and I also read (emboldened in red) where you stated they didn't make an adapter to allow you to plug a 30 amp RV into a 50 amp service....or at that's kinda how it was interpreted/explained.
Thus the contradiction.
__________________ 2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
Wow! You guys are fast...and thorough! I actually think I am beginning to understand a little more about electrical management! Thank you, thank you, thank you...and if you have any more wisdom to share, keep it coming!
Yes sir I did, and I also read (emboldened in red) where you stated they didn't make an adapter to allow you to plug a 30 amp RV into a 50 amp service....or at that's kinda how it was interpreted/explained.
Thus the contradiction.
I stand corrected. Again. The adaptor you pictured does in fact allow one to put 50 amps on the 30 amp main in the trailer. Tell me something, is this adapter UL approved? My 66 year educated brain cannot accept this. This should be outlawed from a safety standpoint. Yes, it is protected by the 30 amp main in the trailer. What happens when a newbee replaces the 30a in the trailer with a 50? Now you have 50 amps on a 30 amp cord and possibly buss bar. See where I'm going?
I stand corrected. Again. The adaptor you pictured does in fact allow one to put 50 amps on the 30 amp main in the trailer. Tell me something, is this adapter UL approved? My 66 year educated brain cannot accept this. This should be outlawed from a safety standpoint. Yes, it is protected by the 30 amp main in the trailer. What happens when a newbee replaces the 30a in the trailer with a 50? Now you have 50 amps on a 30 amp cord and possibly buss bar. See where I'm going?
I just looked it up. Yes, it is. Heaven help us. WMTIRE, My apologies sir.
They make different amp plug and receptacles, straight blades, twist locks etc so you can't miss use them then make adaptors to defeat the safety! I am old.
...and if you have any more wisdom to share, keep it coming!
The below is a copy and paste of useful information, and I usually recommend it to those just starting out. Some of it, you may already know, or may not be applicable to your particular RV. You will be able to filter out what pertains to your situation or not. I would suggest you read the electric threads and energy management first, and then the converter thread. This will help explain your different electrical systems of your RV, and how they operate...as well as what the converter does. The very first link will explain what operates off what system.
You can just peruse at your leisure as you get to know your RV:
And the newest additions to help understand what constitutes a true full cylinder in refilling vs exchanging propane cylinders... as well as how the automatic propane changeover regulator works:
There is also the “12 Volt Side of Life” file is on Forest River Forums in the Library > Power and Electrical section in the light green bar at the top of the page and is a download and is found here. Forest River Forums - Downloads - 12 volt side of Life
wmtire, can you add this to your list as a lot of newcomers don't know about the Library and all it contains? As a suggestion, could you make your list into a pdf and load it into the library. I have copied your list and made a pdf but I'm not sure where it will fit in the library since it covers electrical and refrigerators.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
every generator does not have a 30a or 50a outlet, but will have at least several 15/20a outlets that you can easily use, with an extension cord, into your RV to plug anything into that you need to use... even the microwave is a 'plug in' item, though it may plug in behind a cabinet. You can, though, purchase another 'companion' Honda that DOES have the 30amp plug, if you 'really' want one.
Think of a 30a shore power as just a larger plug in that provides power to your RV's breaker box. The breaker box, like the one in your home, simply 'breaks up' the incoming power into smaller 'outlets', for everything to plug into.
As for 'adapters', you can plug almost any RV into almost any type of outlet, if you have the correct adapter. It matters not whether it's a 50a RV outlet and you have a 30a RV, or vice versa. We have to do this all the time because we are a larger 50amp coach, but many campgrounds only have 30amp power, or some even only 15/20a residential outlets. Sometimes we even have to use TWO adapter to go from 50a to 30a to 15/20a! The adapter is designed to make the connection correctly...you'll not have to worry about 'too much power'...
you could even use one of the 30a to 15/20a adapters to plug your RV's Shore Power plug into your generator!....
enjoy!
__________________
The Turners...
'07 Rockwood Signature Ultralight...
two Campers and two Electric cars : )
Can someone who knows this generator give me some help on what it can be expected to power in the new RV...and maybe any other tips for boondocking (not something we ever did with the old pop-ups we used to own).
Simple answer: We have one of those generators for boondocking. You can probably run everything in the camper except the AC off that generator. You might not be able to run two high-amp devices at the same time (an electric space heater and microwave, or microwave and electric hot water heater, for instance).
We have a single standard "marine" battery. When boondocking, we are very careful with using 12 volt devices. In our old trailers we replaced all incandescent bulbs with LEDs. We use only the lights we need and turn them off when not needed. We take navy showers to minimize pump run time. We run the generator twice a day, for about an hour and a half each time. This is when we top off the battery, charge phones, and run any 120 volt items we need. This has worked well for us so far. We also bought a very small solar panel just for topping off phones during the day.
There are far better solutions for those that boondock often: solar panels, paired 6v batteries, etc., but the 2000i generator has been adequate for an occasional drycamp for us, even for several weeks at a time.
(Also, please don't be that person who runs their generator all day long. A few hours a day should be sufficient to keep your battery charged if you're careful with what you use.)
I just looked it up. Yes, it is. Heaven help us. WMTIRE, My apologies sir.
They make different amp plug and receptacles, straight blades, twist locks etc so you can't miss use them then make adaptors to defeat the safety! I am old.
I hate to disillusion you, sir. That's not the first such instance.
Current philosophy seems to be "Give the man some rope and let him hang himself if he doesn't know better."
2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
Linear Mode
